An investigation into the use of workflow in companies in Gauteng
- Authors: Brecher, Dieter Ludwig
- Date: 2010-10-26T07:23:08Z
- Subjects: Workflow , Relationship marketing , Reengineering (Management) , Gauteng (South Africa)
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:6945 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3455
- Description: M.Comm.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Brecher, Dieter Ludwig
- Date: 2010-10-26T07:23:08Z
- Subjects: Workflow , Relationship marketing , Reengineering (Management) , Gauteng (South Africa)
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:6945 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3455
- Description: M.Comm.
- Full Text:
Developing a customer equity model for guiding marketing spend in the financial services sector
- Bick, Geoffrey Norman Charles
- Authors: Bick, Geoffrey Norman Charles
- Date: 2008-05-26T06:29:06Z
- Subjects: Customer relations , Relationship marketing , Financial services industry , Customer services marketing
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2221 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/461
- Description: Organisations are increasingly under pressure to meet financial and other objectives in dynamic and competitive markets, that are being driven more by services than by products. Marketing as a function needs to become more accountable with respect to the marketing investments that are made and the returns generated from these programmes, and hence to increase shareholder value. Intangible assets are comprising a growing proportion of this shareholder value, to the extent that 75% of the value of the organisation is currently made up of intangibles such as Human Equity, Brand Equity and Customer Equity. Thus the marketer needs to build the marketing-based intangible assets of Brand Equity, the inherent value of the brand, and Customer Equity, the sum of the lifetime values to the organisation of its current and future customers. To be able to monitor and manage marketing’s contribution, these assets need to be measured, and the effectiveness of marketing programmes needs to be determined ideally in financial terms, e.g. ROMI – Return on Marketing Investment. The purpose of this research study was to develop and test a framework of Customer Equity in the financial services sector, to guide marketing spend so that shareholder value is built by leveraging the marketing intangibles. Consequently, the objectives were to develop a model of Customer Equity, to calculate Customer Lifetime Value of customers in a segment, to determine the value drivers and the elasticity relation of Customer Equity, and finally to provide guidelines to organisations to improve their Customer Equity. The first area of research was in the field of Marketing metrics, the set of measures that helps organisations to understand their marketing performance. The recommendation for organisations is to develop a marketing dashboard, or range of key marketing indicators, which would include short-term performance measures, e.g. market share or customer satisfaction, as well as long-term planning measures, e.g. Brand Equity and Customer Lifetime Value. Brand Equity was then reviewed as a valuable intangible asset. Various models have been developed to explain the different sources, components and outcomes of ii Brand Equity, as it is a multidimensional construct. The measurement and valuation of Brand Equity was also researched, and its link to shareholder value. Customer Equity, an alternative market-based intangible asset that can be a driver of shareholder value, was also reviewed. The conclusion from a review of the models is that there are two schools: the Blattberg, Gupta and colleagues school, which tends to focus on internal analysis as typically used in direct marketing applications; and the Rust and colleagues school, which tends to focus externally on the customer and the competition. Both schools have something to contribute: the internal school, on accurate understanding of Customer Lifetime Value, and the external school, on the relative importance of the drivers of Customer Equity. This research also makes a contribution to the Brand Equity / Customer Equity debate, analysing similarities and differences, and developing a model to explain the trade-off between the two concepts. A combination of the two schools was used to develop a model of Customer Equity, including supply side inputs (for accurate CLTV calculations) and demand side inputs (for determining drivers and their elasticities). Using input from the databases of a financial institution, Customer Lifetime Value and Customer Equity for customers in the SME market sector were calculated. A convenience sample of 251 SME’s was interviewed on the demand side using a structured questionnaire, to develop data on the drivers of their importance and the relative performance of banks. A statistical model was then developed, using Principal Components Regression (PCR) analysis, to determine the drivers of Customer Equity, the factors influencing these and the relative sensitivities. A key contribution of this research was the development of the Probability of Defection as a measure of the dependent variable in the multiple regression. The model was tested by determining the ROI of two marketing programmes from the financial institution, to guide their marketing spend. Finally, a Customer Equity Management Process was developed to assist organisations in implementing a Customer Equity focus. , Prof. Chris Jooste
- Full Text:
- Authors: Bick, Geoffrey Norman Charles
- Date: 2008-05-26T06:29:06Z
- Subjects: Customer relations , Relationship marketing , Financial services industry , Customer services marketing
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2221 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/461
- Description: Organisations are increasingly under pressure to meet financial and other objectives in dynamic and competitive markets, that are being driven more by services than by products. Marketing as a function needs to become more accountable with respect to the marketing investments that are made and the returns generated from these programmes, and hence to increase shareholder value. Intangible assets are comprising a growing proportion of this shareholder value, to the extent that 75% of the value of the organisation is currently made up of intangibles such as Human Equity, Brand Equity and Customer Equity. Thus the marketer needs to build the marketing-based intangible assets of Brand Equity, the inherent value of the brand, and Customer Equity, the sum of the lifetime values to the organisation of its current and future customers. To be able to monitor and manage marketing’s contribution, these assets need to be measured, and the effectiveness of marketing programmes needs to be determined ideally in financial terms, e.g. ROMI – Return on Marketing Investment. The purpose of this research study was to develop and test a framework of Customer Equity in the financial services sector, to guide marketing spend so that shareholder value is built by leveraging the marketing intangibles. Consequently, the objectives were to develop a model of Customer Equity, to calculate Customer Lifetime Value of customers in a segment, to determine the value drivers and the elasticity relation of Customer Equity, and finally to provide guidelines to organisations to improve their Customer Equity. The first area of research was in the field of Marketing metrics, the set of measures that helps organisations to understand their marketing performance. The recommendation for organisations is to develop a marketing dashboard, or range of key marketing indicators, which would include short-term performance measures, e.g. market share or customer satisfaction, as well as long-term planning measures, e.g. Brand Equity and Customer Lifetime Value. Brand Equity was then reviewed as a valuable intangible asset. Various models have been developed to explain the different sources, components and outcomes of ii Brand Equity, as it is a multidimensional construct. The measurement and valuation of Brand Equity was also researched, and its link to shareholder value. Customer Equity, an alternative market-based intangible asset that can be a driver of shareholder value, was also reviewed. The conclusion from a review of the models is that there are two schools: the Blattberg, Gupta and colleagues school, which tends to focus on internal analysis as typically used in direct marketing applications; and the Rust and colleagues school, which tends to focus externally on the customer and the competition. Both schools have something to contribute: the internal school, on accurate understanding of Customer Lifetime Value, and the external school, on the relative importance of the drivers of Customer Equity. This research also makes a contribution to the Brand Equity / Customer Equity debate, analysing similarities and differences, and developing a model to explain the trade-off between the two concepts. A combination of the two schools was used to develop a model of Customer Equity, including supply side inputs (for accurate CLTV calculations) and demand side inputs (for determining drivers and their elasticities). Using input from the databases of a financial institution, Customer Lifetime Value and Customer Equity for customers in the SME market sector were calculated. A convenience sample of 251 SME’s was interviewed on the demand side using a structured questionnaire, to develop data on the drivers of their importance and the relative performance of banks. A statistical model was then developed, using Principal Components Regression (PCR) analysis, to determine the drivers of Customer Equity, the factors influencing these and the relative sensitivities. A key contribution of this research was the development of the Probability of Defection as a measure of the dependent variable in the multiple regression. The model was tested by determining the ROI of two marketing programmes from the financial institution, to guide their marketing spend. Finally, a Customer Equity Management Process was developed to assist organisations in implementing a Customer Equity focus. , Prof. Chris Jooste
- Full Text:
Exploring factors that determine effective fuel loyalty programmes in South Africa, an emerging economy
- Wait, Marius, Lekhuleni, Nonsikelelo
- Authors: Wait, Marius , Lekhuleni, Nonsikelelo
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Fuel loyalty programmes , Emerging economy , Relationship marketing
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/450776 , uj:39639 , Citation: Marius Wait & Nonsikelelo Lekhuleni | (2020) Exploring factors that determine effective fuel loyalty programmes in South Africa, an emerging economy, Cogent Business & Management, 7:1, 1793522 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2020.1793522
- Description: Abstract: Loyalty programmes are not a neglected research topic. Much of this research is in the context of developed economies and within the product/service domains of marketing, and has not included loyalty programmes for fuel purchases. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that contribute to effective loyalty programmes at fuel retailers in an emerging economy and tested an established model within this context and used literature grounding within Relationship Marketing Theory. This study used a qualitative approach and conducted nine in-depth interviews. The analyses were done using inductive content analysis. It explored areas such as the customer’s view on the structure of the loyalty programme and rewards, and the customer’s role in its design. Many new findings emerged, such as the participants’ indifference to tier progression. The main findings indicate that theories/models developed in advanced economies do not necessarily work in emerging economies and this resulted in the construction of a new model. This study contributed to new academic knowledge within the South African context, as well as in the way that fuel loyalty programmes operate at a fundamental level and the management thereof.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Wait, Marius , Lekhuleni, Nonsikelelo
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Fuel loyalty programmes , Emerging economy , Relationship marketing
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/450776 , uj:39639 , Citation: Marius Wait & Nonsikelelo Lekhuleni | (2020) Exploring factors that determine effective fuel loyalty programmes in South Africa, an emerging economy, Cogent Business & Management, 7:1, 1793522 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2020.1793522
- Description: Abstract: Loyalty programmes are not a neglected research topic. Much of this research is in the context of developed economies and within the product/service domains of marketing, and has not included loyalty programmes for fuel purchases. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that contribute to effective loyalty programmes at fuel retailers in an emerging economy and tested an established model within this context and used literature grounding within Relationship Marketing Theory. This study used a qualitative approach and conducted nine in-depth interviews. The analyses were done using inductive content analysis. It explored areas such as the customer’s view on the structure of the loyalty programme and rewards, and the customer’s role in its design. Many new findings emerged, such as the participants’ indifference to tier progression. The main findings indicate that theories/models developed in advanced economies do not necessarily work in emerging economies and this resulted in the construction of a new model. This study contributed to new academic knowledge within the South African context, as well as in the way that fuel loyalty programmes operate at a fundamental level and the management thereof.
- Full Text:
Information technology as a tool for building a relationship marketing advantage
- Authors: Rodrigues, Hendrique
- Date: 2014-07-23
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer relations - Management
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:11749 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/11475
- Description: M.B.A. , Please refer to full text to view abstract
- Full Text:
- Authors: Rodrigues, Hendrique
- Date: 2014-07-23
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer relations - Management
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:11749 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/11475
- Description: M.B.A. , Please refer to full text to view abstract
- Full Text:
Internal marketing in a customer service centre
- Naidoo, Logantheran Perumall
- Authors: Naidoo, Logantheran Perumall
- Date: 2009-03-31T09:45:14Z
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer services
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:8277 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/2386
- Description: M.B.A. , Building relationships with various groups of stakeholders is critical to an organisation’s success. One critical group of stakeholders are the organisation’s employees – the Internal Market. Internal Marketing is the key to superior service and the result is external marketing success. Internal Marketing can be defined as the promoting of the organisation and its product(s) or product line(s) to the organisation’s employees. Internal marketing as a term evolves from the notion that employees constitute an internal market within the organisation. This market needs to be informed, educated, trained, rewarded and motivated to meet external customers' needs and expectations. Understanding customer expectations is a prerequisite for delivering superior service. In order to achieve customer and organisation alignment, the organisations have to ensure that their internal processes, systems and employees are aligned to their common objectives of retaining customers and delivering superior service. Internal Marketing (IM) and Customer Service Centre (CSC) employees was chosen as the subject for this research to determine and establish the nature and perceptions of internal marketing in the service delivered by the Customer Service Centre employees from this specific Bank. IM has wide application in the service sector, but there is little empirical evidence that shows how Customer Service Centre employees perceive it. IM comprises of five components. Customer orientation and customer satisfaction involves leveraging customer relationships and their associated in-depth customer knowledge, which guides an organisation’s strategy towards meeting customer objectives. The implementation of specific corporate or functional strategies relates to the alignment, education and motivation of employees so that they can deliver on customer expectations, whilst meeting the organisation’s objectives. Employee motivation and employee satisfaction relates to attracting, developing, motivating and retaining qualified employees through job products that satisfy their needs. Inter-functional co-ordination and integration involves internal cross-functional relationships or co-operation to deliver effective service to the customers. The marketing-like approach refers to internal marketing-like activities that can influence employees to become customer-conscious and marketoriented. It is critical that employees within an organisation understand their impact and influence on other employees who are part of the complete value-chain that renders a service to the customer. This is important as employees within an organisation provide a service or support to other employees who deliver the end product or service to the customer. This study identified the employees’ perceptions of the internal marketing components within a Customer Service Centre of a leading Bank. The Customer Service Centre provides first level telephonic support to the Bank’s employees. This is a key function in order to ensure that all problems are resolved quickly so that the employees can deliver service to their customers. This research contains a background to the study, a literature review that was researched to clearly define and understand IM, it concepts, as well as related subjects to IM and call centre environments. A survey was then conducted with the CSC employees and the findings were then analysed and proposed recommendations were then concluded. The outcomes of the research identified that four of the five IM components are present in a CSC environment.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Naidoo, Logantheran Perumall
- Date: 2009-03-31T09:45:14Z
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer services
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:8277 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/2386
- Description: M.B.A. , Building relationships with various groups of stakeholders is critical to an organisation’s success. One critical group of stakeholders are the organisation’s employees – the Internal Market. Internal Marketing is the key to superior service and the result is external marketing success. Internal Marketing can be defined as the promoting of the organisation and its product(s) or product line(s) to the organisation’s employees. Internal marketing as a term evolves from the notion that employees constitute an internal market within the organisation. This market needs to be informed, educated, trained, rewarded and motivated to meet external customers' needs and expectations. Understanding customer expectations is a prerequisite for delivering superior service. In order to achieve customer and organisation alignment, the organisations have to ensure that their internal processes, systems and employees are aligned to their common objectives of retaining customers and delivering superior service. Internal Marketing (IM) and Customer Service Centre (CSC) employees was chosen as the subject for this research to determine and establish the nature and perceptions of internal marketing in the service delivered by the Customer Service Centre employees from this specific Bank. IM has wide application in the service sector, but there is little empirical evidence that shows how Customer Service Centre employees perceive it. IM comprises of five components. Customer orientation and customer satisfaction involves leveraging customer relationships and their associated in-depth customer knowledge, which guides an organisation’s strategy towards meeting customer objectives. The implementation of specific corporate or functional strategies relates to the alignment, education and motivation of employees so that they can deliver on customer expectations, whilst meeting the organisation’s objectives. Employee motivation and employee satisfaction relates to attracting, developing, motivating and retaining qualified employees through job products that satisfy their needs. Inter-functional co-ordination and integration involves internal cross-functional relationships or co-operation to deliver effective service to the customers. The marketing-like approach refers to internal marketing-like activities that can influence employees to become customer-conscious and marketoriented. It is critical that employees within an organisation understand their impact and influence on other employees who are part of the complete value-chain that renders a service to the customer. This is important as employees within an organisation provide a service or support to other employees who deliver the end product or service to the customer. This study identified the employees’ perceptions of the internal marketing components within a Customer Service Centre of a leading Bank. The Customer Service Centre provides first level telephonic support to the Bank’s employees. This is a key function in order to ensure that all problems are resolved quickly so that the employees can deliver service to their customers. This research contains a background to the study, a literature review that was researched to clearly define and understand IM, it concepts, as well as related subjects to IM and call centre environments. A survey was then conducted with the CSC employees and the findings were then analysed and proposed recommendations were then concluded. The outcomes of the research identified that four of the five IM components are present in a CSC environment.
- Full Text:
Investigating client relationship needs and wants within the banking industry in South Africa
- Authors: Eksteen, Jacques
- Date: 2011-11-30
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Consumer satisfaction , Customer relations , Customer services , Customer loyalty , Banks and banking
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:1752 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4107
- Description: M.Comm.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Eksteen, Jacques
- Date: 2011-11-30
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Consumer satisfaction , Customer relations , Customer services , Customer loyalty , Banks and banking
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:1752 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4107
- Description: M.Comm.
- Full Text:
Joint in-store promotion : relationship issues in the South African fast moving consumer goods industry
- Authors: Campbell, T.E.
- Date: 2012-03-26
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Sales promotion
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2174 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4554
- Description: M.Comm.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Campbell, T.E.
- Date: 2012-03-26
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Sales promotion
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2174 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4554
- Description: M.Comm.
- Full Text:
Marketing guidelines based on quality service that secure customer added value
- Authors: De Clerq, Daniel Francois
- Date: 2011-11-24
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer services , Customer relations , Consumer satisfaction
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:1737 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4086
- Description: M.Comm.
- Full Text:
- Authors: De Clerq, Daniel Francois
- Date: 2011-11-24
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer services , Customer relations , Consumer satisfaction
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:1737 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4086
- Description: M.Comm.
- Full Text:
Not just at face value - understanding how the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Facebook members use notions of public and private to perform their identity
- Authors: Joshi, Hemali
- Date: 2011-08-25T06:39:30Z
- Subjects: Facebook , Identity (Psychology) , University of Johannesburg , Online social networks , Internet markering , Relationship marketing
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7172 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3783
- Description: M.A. , Identity is a broad term that has changed across time and within context. This paper focuses specifically on notions of ‘public versus private’ identity within an online context. Within this study I took both a qualitative and quantitative approach as a means of data collection. This research was aimed at answering the one research question: ‘How do UJ Facebook members use notions of public and private to perform their identity?’ I employed a ‘mixed methodology’ of a qualitative and quantitative approach to enable in gaining data. As part of my qualitative research I applied the ethnographic approach; I observed a total of 25 profiles in order to understand the way in which the UJ Facebook members ‘perform’ their identities through their individual profiles. For twelve months I used observations to understand and explore identities of UJ Facebook members. As part of my quantitative research, I randomly selected 105 individuals as a representation of the UJ Facebook group and with the use of a statistics programme (SPSS) I statistically represented my findings. During my twelve months of research I observed individual profiles of UJ Facebook members and focused on ‘identity markers’ to help me to understand how identities are represented within this space. By identity markers, I refer to markers such as name, sex, birth date, relationship status, religious and political viewpoint, and so on. These markers help create a perception of one’s identity based on the information that is filled in when the profile is created by the individual. Thus, both my qualitative and quantitative findings paint a picture of how profile pictures, status updates, walls, information, applications and so on help communicate a message of identity to an ‘outsider’. I have found a tension between public and private performances of identity. In tension, I don’t mean dishonesty but rather the tensions communicated by the UJ Facebook members in the way in which their identities are performed. For example, one of my participants does not indicate her relationship status, but her status updates and wall is a constant communication with her boyfriend. Therefore, at times these messages contradict each other and this tends to raise questions about ‘how public’ and ‘how private’ ones profile really is.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Joshi, Hemali
- Date: 2011-08-25T06:39:30Z
- Subjects: Facebook , Identity (Psychology) , University of Johannesburg , Online social networks , Internet markering , Relationship marketing
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7172 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3783
- Description: M.A. , Identity is a broad term that has changed across time and within context. This paper focuses specifically on notions of ‘public versus private’ identity within an online context. Within this study I took both a qualitative and quantitative approach as a means of data collection. This research was aimed at answering the one research question: ‘How do UJ Facebook members use notions of public and private to perform their identity?’ I employed a ‘mixed methodology’ of a qualitative and quantitative approach to enable in gaining data. As part of my qualitative research I applied the ethnographic approach; I observed a total of 25 profiles in order to understand the way in which the UJ Facebook members ‘perform’ their identities through their individual profiles. For twelve months I used observations to understand and explore identities of UJ Facebook members. As part of my quantitative research, I randomly selected 105 individuals as a representation of the UJ Facebook group and with the use of a statistics programme (SPSS) I statistically represented my findings. During my twelve months of research I observed individual profiles of UJ Facebook members and focused on ‘identity markers’ to help me to understand how identities are represented within this space. By identity markers, I refer to markers such as name, sex, birth date, relationship status, religious and political viewpoint, and so on. These markers help create a perception of one’s identity based on the information that is filled in when the profile is created by the individual. Thus, both my qualitative and quantitative findings paint a picture of how profile pictures, status updates, walls, information, applications and so on help communicate a message of identity to an ‘outsider’. I have found a tension between public and private performances of identity. In tension, I don’t mean dishonesty but rather the tensions communicated by the UJ Facebook members in the way in which their identities are performed. For example, one of my participants does not indicate her relationship status, but her status updates and wall is a constant communication with her boyfriend. Therefore, at times these messages contradict each other and this tends to raise questions about ‘how public’ and ‘how private’ ones profile really is.
- Full Text:
Online community portals for enhanced alumni networking
- Authors: Barnard, Zenia
- Date: 2008-08-13T12:18:49Z
- Subjects: Web portals , Selective dissemination of information , Universities and colleges mergers , Relationship marketing , Customer relations , Corporate image , Alumni and alumnae , University of Johannesburg
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7650 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/851
- Description: A university’s alumnus grouping is one of its most valuable assets in terms of its potential financial, strategic and social contribution towards the credibility and longevity of the institution. The goodwill and support of a primary stakeholder grouping such as the alumni is crucial to the aspirations of a Higher Education institution wanting to prosper in a fast-changing and highly competitive market. Alumni members have the capacity to assist in strategically positioning a tertiary institution as a market leader in the South African Higher Education Sector (SAHES) by means of representation on the institutional council and their involvement in networking, lifelong learning, career services, mentoring, fundraising and community development activities. In light of the restructuring and transformation that this sector has undergone since 1994, building and maintaining valuable relationships with alumni stakeholders of tertiary institutions in South Africa has become a new and more difficult challenge. The integrated network approach of relationship management could give an institution the opportunity to create a win-win situation for all stakeholders involved. Information technology has had a significant impact on the power structure and relationship between organisations and their publics, stakeholders and the media. It has become extremely difficult for organisations to define and segment these audiences as, for example, Internet audiences are widely spread across geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries. This makes the packaging and dissemination of information a much more challenging task, as information needs to be generic enough to be commonly understood, but should also be personalised in such a way that it still addresses the different audience segmentations effectively. However, the identification and profiling of target audiences is critical for successful information dissemination, as this knowledge will guide the information managers within organisations in compiling relevant (to the target audiences) content and packaging the information in a way that is most suitable to the needs and resources of the targeted group. At the core of developing an alumni network is a secure database with an interactive Web-based platform allowing the alumni management teams and members to disseminate and share relevant information freely. According to a research project (the first phase of a longitudinal study) about disseminating information to UJ alumni, 98,2% of the respondents indicated that they wanted to have contact with the UJ Alumni Relations Office (Barnard, Rensleigh & Niemann, 2005). The majority of respondents, 86,7%, indicated that they preferred to receive the information via electronic mail or from the website. The research findings indicated that the UJ alumni stakeholder group is part of a privileged section of the South African population in the global and national digital divide. Thus, the alumni management of UJ had the opportunity to explore and use the information-sharing options offered by online and digital technologies. This research project forms the second phase of the ongoing research project in an attempt to discard the “one-size-fits-all” notion with regard to information sharing with the alumni stakeholders of tertiary institutions in South Africa. The aim of this research project is to determine the extent to which an online community portal could manage the information needs of alumni stakeholders in the SAHES, using the alumni of the University of Johannesburg as a case study. Establishing an online (virtual) community Web portal for UJ alumni will support a customised approach in terms of information content, dissemination, context and commerce. An online community environment will offer alumni opportunities to re-establish contact with peers and nurture relationships with one another through frequent social interaction (chat). Such a facility would allow and encourage conversations that are of value to all stakeholders, as these communities can exist beyond the boundaries of location and time. They foster not only the potential to promote business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C), but also consumer-to-consumer (C2C) interaction and could even exploit the possibilities of human-resource placements. The research consisted of an extensive literature review followed by a quantitative empirical survey and a qualitative discussion forum. The purpose of the literature review was to establish a theoretical framework in order to lay a solid foundation from which the empirical research was conducted. The different components of the research problem were discussed as well as possible variables that could influence the research problem. The restructuring of the South African Higher Education Sector was investigated, with specific focus on the University of Johannesburg and its alumni stakeholder group, taking an in-depth look into the value that an alumni stakeholder group holds for an institution. The management of alumni information needs was discussed, using Web-technology as focal point. Online community portals were defined, emphasising the benefits that this information tool could have for Higher Education alumni. As part of the quantitative study, an empirical survey was conducted in April 2006 among the alumni of the University of Johannesburg to determine their information needs concerning an online community portal, and the content required of such an online community model. A total number of 10 380 questionnaires was distributed to graduates of the University of Johannesburg at the Autumn Graduation ceremonies. The questionnaire consisted of four sections, namely Section A: Biographical Information, Section B: Online Activities, Section C: Alumni Information Services and Section D: Alumni Community Needs. In total, 1 703 questionnaires were completed and returned by these graduates to the UJ Alumni Relations Office. In addition, a qualitative discussion forum was conducted among 35 alumni management representatives from fourteen SAHES institutions during August 2006. The representatives indicated how information was disseminated electronically to alumni target audiences and their opinions towards alumni online community portals were tested. The research results indicated that an online community portal, could manage, to a great extent, the information needs of alumni in the South African Higher Education Sector (UJ alumni case study). Consequently, a prototype was proposed for an online community portal for SAHES alumni that would have a significant impact on the information and communication methods used to build alumni networks, for the benefit of both the alumni stakeholders and the Higher Education institutions in South Africa. Although the alumni of the University of Johannesburg served as a case study for this research project, the proposed prototype could be tailored to the needs of other alumni organisations throughout the South African Higher Education Sector. In terms of inter-institutional collaboration, this research project offers an opportunity to liaise and share information with other alumni organisations of the SAHES. This could result in successfully identifying a best practice model for managing the information needs of alumni stakeholder groups of tertiary institutions in developing countries, which is significantly different from the philanthropic approach to these stakeholder groups in first world countries. As a result, the employment sector of Higher Education institutions in South Africa could gain from the research outcomes, as the proposed prototype will offer an ICT and Web-based solution which could be applied for the mutual benefit of the relevant stakeholder groups and the institutions. , Prof. Chris Rensleigh
- Full Text:
- Authors: Barnard, Zenia
- Date: 2008-08-13T12:18:49Z
- Subjects: Web portals , Selective dissemination of information , Universities and colleges mergers , Relationship marketing , Customer relations , Corporate image , Alumni and alumnae , University of Johannesburg
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7650 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/851
- Description: A university’s alumnus grouping is one of its most valuable assets in terms of its potential financial, strategic and social contribution towards the credibility and longevity of the institution. The goodwill and support of a primary stakeholder grouping such as the alumni is crucial to the aspirations of a Higher Education institution wanting to prosper in a fast-changing and highly competitive market. Alumni members have the capacity to assist in strategically positioning a tertiary institution as a market leader in the South African Higher Education Sector (SAHES) by means of representation on the institutional council and their involvement in networking, lifelong learning, career services, mentoring, fundraising and community development activities. In light of the restructuring and transformation that this sector has undergone since 1994, building and maintaining valuable relationships with alumni stakeholders of tertiary institutions in South Africa has become a new and more difficult challenge. The integrated network approach of relationship management could give an institution the opportunity to create a win-win situation for all stakeholders involved. Information technology has had a significant impact on the power structure and relationship between organisations and their publics, stakeholders and the media. It has become extremely difficult for organisations to define and segment these audiences as, for example, Internet audiences are widely spread across geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries. This makes the packaging and dissemination of information a much more challenging task, as information needs to be generic enough to be commonly understood, but should also be personalised in such a way that it still addresses the different audience segmentations effectively. However, the identification and profiling of target audiences is critical for successful information dissemination, as this knowledge will guide the information managers within organisations in compiling relevant (to the target audiences) content and packaging the information in a way that is most suitable to the needs and resources of the targeted group. At the core of developing an alumni network is a secure database with an interactive Web-based platform allowing the alumni management teams and members to disseminate and share relevant information freely. According to a research project (the first phase of a longitudinal study) about disseminating information to UJ alumni, 98,2% of the respondents indicated that they wanted to have contact with the UJ Alumni Relations Office (Barnard, Rensleigh & Niemann, 2005). The majority of respondents, 86,7%, indicated that they preferred to receive the information via electronic mail or from the website. The research findings indicated that the UJ alumni stakeholder group is part of a privileged section of the South African population in the global and national digital divide. Thus, the alumni management of UJ had the opportunity to explore and use the information-sharing options offered by online and digital technologies. This research project forms the second phase of the ongoing research project in an attempt to discard the “one-size-fits-all” notion with regard to information sharing with the alumni stakeholders of tertiary institutions in South Africa. The aim of this research project is to determine the extent to which an online community portal could manage the information needs of alumni stakeholders in the SAHES, using the alumni of the University of Johannesburg as a case study. Establishing an online (virtual) community Web portal for UJ alumni will support a customised approach in terms of information content, dissemination, context and commerce. An online community environment will offer alumni opportunities to re-establish contact with peers and nurture relationships with one another through frequent social interaction (chat). Such a facility would allow and encourage conversations that are of value to all stakeholders, as these communities can exist beyond the boundaries of location and time. They foster not only the potential to promote business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C), but also consumer-to-consumer (C2C) interaction and could even exploit the possibilities of human-resource placements. The research consisted of an extensive literature review followed by a quantitative empirical survey and a qualitative discussion forum. The purpose of the literature review was to establish a theoretical framework in order to lay a solid foundation from which the empirical research was conducted. The different components of the research problem were discussed as well as possible variables that could influence the research problem. The restructuring of the South African Higher Education Sector was investigated, with specific focus on the University of Johannesburg and its alumni stakeholder group, taking an in-depth look into the value that an alumni stakeholder group holds for an institution. The management of alumni information needs was discussed, using Web-technology as focal point. Online community portals were defined, emphasising the benefits that this information tool could have for Higher Education alumni. As part of the quantitative study, an empirical survey was conducted in April 2006 among the alumni of the University of Johannesburg to determine their information needs concerning an online community portal, and the content required of such an online community model. A total number of 10 380 questionnaires was distributed to graduates of the University of Johannesburg at the Autumn Graduation ceremonies. The questionnaire consisted of four sections, namely Section A: Biographical Information, Section B: Online Activities, Section C: Alumni Information Services and Section D: Alumni Community Needs. In total, 1 703 questionnaires were completed and returned by these graduates to the UJ Alumni Relations Office. In addition, a qualitative discussion forum was conducted among 35 alumni management representatives from fourteen SAHES institutions during August 2006. The representatives indicated how information was disseminated electronically to alumni target audiences and their opinions towards alumni online community portals were tested. The research results indicated that an online community portal, could manage, to a great extent, the information needs of alumni in the South African Higher Education Sector (UJ alumni case study). Consequently, a prototype was proposed for an online community portal for SAHES alumni that would have a significant impact on the information and communication methods used to build alumni networks, for the benefit of both the alumni stakeholders and the Higher Education institutions in South Africa. Although the alumni of the University of Johannesburg served as a case study for this research project, the proposed prototype could be tailored to the needs of other alumni organisations throughout the South African Higher Education Sector. In terms of inter-institutional collaboration, this research project offers an opportunity to liaise and share information with other alumni organisations of the SAHES. This could result in successfully identifying a best practice model for managing the information needs of alumni stakeholder groups of tertiary institutions in developing countries, which is significantly different from the philanthropic approach to these stakeholder groups in first world countries. As a result, the employment sector of Higher Education institutions in South Africa could gain from the research outcomes, as the proposed prototype will offer an ICT and Web-based solution which could be applied for the mutual benefit of the relevant stakeholder groups and the institutions. , Prof. Chris Rensleigh
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Relationship building dimensions to strengthen customer loyalty – an Islamic banking perspective
- Els, Shandi, Roberts-Lombard, Mornay, Conradie, Elsabie
- Authors: Els, Shandi , Roberts-Lombard, Mornay , Conradie, Elsabie
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer loyalty , Emerging
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/240285 , uj:24718 , Citation: Els, S., Roberts-Lombard, M. & Conradie, E. 2017. Relationship building dimensions to strengthen customer loyalty – an Islamic banking perspective.
- Description: Abstract: Please refer to full text to view abstract
- Full Text: false
- Authors: Els, Shandi , Roberts-Lombard, Mornay , Conradie, Elsabie
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer loyalty , Emerging
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/240285 , uj:24718 , Citation: Els, S., Roberts-Lombard, M. & Conradie, E. 2017. Relationship building dimensions to strengthen customer loyalty – an Islamic banking perspective.
- Description: Abstract: Please refer to full text to view abstract
- Full Text: false
Relationships in sport sponsorship : a marketing perspective
- Authors: Benadie, Strelize
- Date: 2013-12-09
- Subjects: Sports sponsorship , Relationship marketing , Corporate sponsorship
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7813 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8708
- Description: D.Phil. (Sports Management) , Despite the large amounts of money spent on sponsorships and per implication sport sponsorship, little research is available concerning sponsorship practices in South Africa. There is thus a need for a research study or project to establish how corporate sponsors and sport organisations manage relationship marketing within sponsorships. Literature shows that there is a need to understand the various relationships in sport sponsorships, in order to be able to establish and maintain long-term successful sponsorship agreements. Most international as well as local research on the subject, focused on the establishing of the sponsorship objectives (Abratt & Grobler, 1989; Mattheus, 1996; Polonsky, Sandler, Casey, Murphy, Portelli & Van Velzen, 1996 and Spence, Abratt & Mattheus, 1997). Although this gap is prevalent in the broader field of sponsorships, the focus of this study is on the maintaining and enhancing of the sponsorship relationship between a corporate sponsoring organisation (the sponsor) and sport federations (the sponsoree). The primary objective of this study is to develop a framework from a marketing perspective that could guide the establishment and enhancment of relationships in sport sponsorships in South Africa between a sponsor and a sponsoree. The following sub objectives were formulated to help achieve the primary objective of the study: - Identify, describe, analyze and contextualize the relationships within sport sponsorships. - Investigate, describe and argue the theoretical framework of marketing and the positioning of relationships therein. - Compare the theoretical framework of relationships in sport sponsorship with the current practices within the South African context. For the purpose of this study, the respondents have been divided into two categories. The first category is corporate organisations in South Africa involved with sport sponsorships (that is corporate organisations sponsoring sport). The second category is the sport organisations in South Africa (sport codes) that receive sponsorship money. The first phase of the study involved an intensive study of the available literature on the subject, involving local as well as international resources. This provided the academic as well as the theoretical basis for this study. The second phase of the study focused on the empirical research of the study. During the empirical research phase, a questionnaire was developed in order to determine the primary and secondary objectives of the study. The growth in sponsorships illustrates its popularity as a marketing communication element to be applied by organisations. All indicators are that sport sponsorships will continue to play a major role in the marketing communication of organisations. It is therefore important that marketers understand the role of sport sponsorships within marketing. Corporate organisations view the sponsorship relationships as an activity that will benefit both the corporate organisations, as well as the sport federations. This implies that such a relationship already exists. Sport federations on the other hand rank the development of such a relationship as a priority, implying that they are of the opinion that such a relationship does not exist at this point. The two target groups ranked the reasons (or intentions) to become involved in sponsorships somewhat differently. For the respondents of the corporate organisations, the development of the corporate image is the most important goal. The respondents from the sport federations are of the opinion that the most important goal for corporate organisations to get involved with sponsorships lies in the fact that sponsorships have the ability to generate some free publicity for the organisation. The respondents of the two target groups viewed the different factors that might have an influence on the sponsorship decision-making differently. Respondents from corporate organisations viewed the ability to get their organisation involved in the community as the element that had the greatest influence on their decision-making process while the respondents from the sport federations on the other hand saw the coverage that a sporting event would get, as the element that would have the biggest impact on the decision making process. Trust was viewed by both the corporate organisation as well as the sport federations as an important element in the forming and establishment of relationship marketing within sport sponsorships. In the establishment of relationships within sport sponsorships, the conclusion can be drawn that the concept of loyalty has a very strong influence, since the respondents from both target groups viewed it as such. The same conclusion can be drawn concerning the development of bonds in sport sponsorship relationships. After comparing the views of the two target groups concerning the role of empathy in sport sponsorship relationship, it was found that each group had a different view of its importance. The respondents from the corporate organsiations saw it as very important while the respondents
- Full Text:
- Authors: Benadie, Strelize
- Date: 2013-12-09
- Subjects: Sports sponsorship , Relationship marketing , Corporate sponsorship
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7813 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8708
- Description: D.Phil. (Sports Management) , Despite the large amounts of money spent on sponsorships and per implication sport sponsorship, little research is available concerning sponsorship practices in South Africa. There is thus a need for a research study or project to establish how corporate sponsors and sport organisations manage relationship marketing within sponsorships. Literature shows that there is a need to understand the various relationships in sport sponsorships, in order to be able to establish and maintain long-term successful sponsorship agreements. Most international as well as local research on the subject, focused on the establishing of the sponsorship objectives (Abratt & Grobler, 1989; Mattheus, 1996; Polonsky, Sandler, Casey, Murphy, Portelli & Van Velzen, 1996 and Spence, Abratt & Mattheus, 1997). Although this gap is prevalent in the broader field of sponsorships, the focus of this study is on the maintaining and enhancing of the sponsorship relationship between a corporate sponsoring organisation (the sponsor) and sport federations (the sponsoree). The primary objective of this study is to develop a framework from a marketing perspective that could guide the establishment and enhancment of relationships in sport sponsorships in South Africa between a sponsor and a sponsoree. The following sub objectives were formulated to help achieve the primary objective of the study: - Identify, describe, analyze and contextualize the relationships within sport sponsorships. - Investigate, describe and argue the theoretical framework of marketing and the positioning of relationships therein. - Compare the theoretical framework of relationships in sport sponsorship with the current practices within the South African context. For the purpose of this study, the respondents have been divided into two categories. The first category is corporate organisations in South Africa involved with sport sponsorships (that is corporate organisations sponsoring sport). The second category is the sport organisations in South Africa (sport codes) that receive sponsorship money. The first phase of the study involved an intensive study of the available literature on the subject, involving local as well as international resources. This provided the academic as well as the theoretical basis for this study. The second phase of the study focused on the empirical research of the study. During the empirical research phase, a questionnaire was developed in order to determine the primary and secondary objectives of the study. The growth in sponsorships illustrates its popularity as a marketing communication element to be applied by organisations. All indicators are that sport sponsorships will continue to play a major role in the marketing communication of organisations. It is therefore important that marketers understand the role of sport sponsorships within marketing. Corporate organisations view the sponsorship relationships as an activity that will benefit both the corporate organisations, as well as the sport federations. This implies that such a relationship already exists. Sport federations on the other hand rank the development of such a relationship as a priority, implying that they are of the opinion that such a relationship does not exist at this point. The two target groups ranked the reasons (or intentions) to become involved in sponsorships somewhat differently. For the respondents of the corporate organisations, the development of the corporate image is the most important goal. The respondents from the sport federations are of the opinion that the most important goal for corporate organisations to get involved with sponsorships lies in the fact that sponsorships have the ability to generate some free publicity for the organisation. The respondents of the two target groups viewed the different factors that might have an influence on the sponsorship decision-making differently. Respondents from corporate organisations viewed the ability to get their organisation involved in the community as the element that had the greatest influence on their decision-making process while the respondents from the sport federations on the other hand saw the coverage that a sporting event would get, as the element that would have the biggest impact on the decision making process. Trust was viewed by both the corporate organisation as well as the sport federations as an important element in the forming and establishment of relationship marketing within sport sponsorships. In the establishment of relationships within sport sponsorships, the conclusion can be drawn that the concept of loyalty has a very strong influence, since the respondents from both target groups viewed it as such. The same conclusion can be drawn concerning the development of bonds in sport sponsorship relationships. After comparing the views of the two target groups concerning the role of empathy in sport sponsorship relationship, it was found that each group had a different view of its importance. The respondents from the corporate organsiations saw it as very important while the respondents
- Full Text:
Relationships in sport sponsorship: a marketing perspective
- Authors: Benadie, Strelize
- Date: 2008-10-27T06:41:03Z
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Sports sponsorship , Sports sponsorship marketing , Corporate sponsorship
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:13367 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1337
- Description: D.Comm , Despite the large amounts of money spent on sponsorships and per implication sport sponsorship, little research is available concerning sponsorship practices in South Africa. There is thus a need for a research study or project to establish how corporate sponsors and sport organisations manage relationship marketing within sponsorships. Literature shows that there is a need to understand the various relationships in sport sponsorships, in order to be able to establish and maintain long-term successful sponsorship agreements. , Prof. W.J. Hollander Prof. J.Busser
- Full Text:
- Authors: Benadie, Strelize
- Date: 2008-10-27T06:41:03Z
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Sports sponsorship , Sports sponsorship marketing , Corporate sponsorship
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:13367 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1337
- Description: D.Comm , Despite the large amounts of money spent on sponsorships and per implication sport sponsorship, little research is available concerning sponsorship practices in South Africa. There is thus a need for a research study or project to establish how corporate sponsors and sport organisations manage relationship marketing within sponsorships. Literature shows that there is a need to understand the various relationships in sport sponsorships, in order to be able to establish and maintain long-term successful sponsorship agreements. , Prof. W.J. Hollander Prof. J.Busser
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The customer market practices of the travel agency industry in the Gauteng Province of South Africa
- Authors: Roberts-Lombard, M.
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer relations , Travel agencies (Gauteng, South Africa)
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5725 , ISSN 1993-8233 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5268
- Description: Relationship marketing stresses the importance of continuous interaction between the seller and the buyer in order to cultivate a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. High interest rates, increasing prices of basic goods and services and a weakening rand has reduced consumer spending on domestic and international travel. Therefore, there is continued pressure on South African travel suppliers to review their current relationship marketing practices to secure customer retention in a competitive and volatile travel market. The purpose of the article is to indicate the current status of the customer market practices of the travel agency industry in Gauteng, and to provide recommendations to the management of travel agencies in the province regarding the improved application of the principles of relationship marketing. The target population for this study was 280 travel agencies of which 170 managers and/or owners participated through personal interviews in the completion of questionnaires. The findings of the study indicate that the owners and managers of travel agencies must create an environment which is more accessible for the critical interaction with customers. The loyalty of customers can be increased when customers are provided with the opportunity to share their experiences and comments with the travel agency in an interactive manner.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Roberts-Lombard, M.
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Customer relations , Travel agencies (Gauteng, South Africa)
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5725 , ISSN 1993-8233 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5268
- Description: Relationship marketing stresses the importance of continuous interaction between the seller and the buyer in order to cultivate a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. High interest rates, increasing prices of basic goods and services and a weakening rand has reduced consumer spending on domestic and international travel. Therefore, there is continued pressure on South African travel suppliers to review their current relationship marketing practices to secure customer retention in a competitive and volatile travel market. The purpose of the article is to indicate the current status of the customer market practices of the travel agency industry in Gauteng, and to provide recommendations to the management of travel agencies in the province regarding the improved application of the principles of relationship marketing. The target population for this study was 280 travel agencies of which 170 managers and/or owners participated through personal interviews in the completion of questionnaires. The findings of the study indicate that the owners and managers of travel agencies must create an environment which is more accessible for the critical interaction with customers. The loyalty of customers can be increased when customers are provided with the opportunity to share their experiences and comments with the travel agency in an interactive manner.
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The importance of customer trust for social marketing interventions : a case of energy-efficiency consumption
- Issock, P. B. I., Roberts-Lombard, M., Mpinganjira, M.
- Authors: Issock, P. B. I. , Roberts-Lombard, M. , Mpinganjira, M.
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Customer trust , Energy-efficiency labels , Relationship marketing
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/445993 , uj:39038 , Citation: Issock, P.B.I., Roberts-Lombard, M. & Mpinganjira, M. 2020. The importance of customer trust for social marketing interventions : a case of energy-efficiency consumption.
- Description: Abstract: Purpose – The study examines the importance of relationship marketing and particularly customer trust in energy-efficiency labels in social marketing interventions geared towards energy-efficient consumption. Methodology – A conceptual model was empirically tested on a sample of 517 users of electronic appliances living in South Africa. The study involved a cross-sectional design, and data were collected through a self-administered survey. Structural equation modelling and mediation analysis were used to test the hypothesised relationships. Findings – The results indicated that customer trust is influenced by customers’ perception of the price and quality of energy-efficiency products, their attitude towards such products, and their level of satisfaction with the environmental performance of the products. Customer trust, in turn, showed a positive influence on the customers’ intention to purchase energy-efficiency products and their loyalty to such products. As a central variable, customer trust was found to be an important mediator in the conceptual model. Practical implications – The findings provide social marketers with important insights on the critical role that customer trust plays in achieving a long-term behavioural shift towards energy-efficient consumption. Originality/value – Focusing on customer trust in energy-efficiency labels, this study provides empirical evidence of the mediating role of trust in influencing the intention to purchase and the decision to remain loyal to eco-friendly products. Moreover, this paper provides greater clarity on various levers to be activated to enhance the trust that customers have in energy-efficiency labels.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Issock, P. B. I. , Roberts-Lombard, M. , Mpinganjira, M.
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Customer trust , Energy-efficiency labels , Relationship marketing
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/445993 , uj:39038 , Citation: Issock, P.B.I., Roberts-Lombard, M. & Mpinganjira, M. 2020. The importance of customer trust for social marketing interventions : a case of energy-efficiency consumption.
- Description: Abstract: Purpose – The study examines the importance of relationship marketing and particularly customer trust in energy-efficiency labels in social marketing interventions geared towards energy-efficient consumption. Methodology – A conceptual model was empirically tested on a sample of 517 users of electronic appliances living in South Africa. The study involved a cross-sectional design, and data were collected through a self-administered survey. Structural equation modelling and mediation analysis were used to test the hypothesised relationships. Findings – The results indicated that customer trust is influenced by customers’ perception of the price and quality of energy-efficiency products, their attitude towards such products, and their level of satisfaction with the environmental performance of the products. Customer trust, in turn, showed a positive influence on the customers’ intention to purchase energy-efficiency products and their loyalty to such products. As a central variable, customer trust was found to be an important mediator in the conceptual model. Practical implications – The findings provide social marketers with important insights on the critical role that customer trust plays in achieving a long-term behavioural shift towards energy-efficient consumption. Originality/value – Focusing on customer trust in energy-efficiency labels, this study provides empirical evidence of the mediating role of trust in influencing the intention to purchase and the decision to remain loyal to eco-friendly products. Moreover, this paper provides greater clarity on various levers to be activated to enhance the trust that customers have in energy-efficiency labels.
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The influence of internal marketing on internal customers within retail banking
- Authors: Reynolds-De Bruin, Leigh
- Date: 2014-06-19
- Subjects: Bank marketing , Relationship marketing , Customer services
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:11550 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/11257
- Description: M.Com. (Marketing Management) , Despite the extensive research undertaken in the subject area of services marketing, not much research has been conducted in the internal marketing area, specifically in the South African context. This study attempted to address this subject and focused on seven internal marketing mix elements (internal product, internal price, internal promotion, internal distribution, internal people, internal process and internal physical evidence) and their influence on the satisfaction of graduate development employees within retail banks in South Africa. Further to this, the link between employee satisfaction and affective commitment was explored due to its impact on employee productivity. The growth of the service sector worldwide has led to services being considered as one of the most important sectors in the world. The contribution of the South African service sector to GDP was 68.1% in 2012, where the financial services sector in South Africa has already overtaken the manufacturing sector as the largest contributor to GDP. The financial service sector contributed 22% in 2008. Given the homogeneity within the retail banking industry, there is very little differentiating the banks, and imitation of any innovation is inevitable. For this reason a market-driven strategy that enables retail banks to deliver superior quality is essential as service quality is the only real differentiator and key to building a competitive advantage. Given its employees who create the service experience, the employee as the internal customer becomes the organisation’s most valuable asset. For this reason, retail banks in South Africa have been placing an increased focus on recruiting at the graduate level leading to the establishment of Graduate Development Programmes (GDPs). These banking GDPs are specifically designed to help graduates succeed in complex environments and to build the talent pipeline by providing an in-depth training programme. However one of the biggest challenges faced by banks is the satisfaction and retention of their GDP employees. Banks generally experience high attrition rates amongst this group of employees mainly due to job dissatisfaction which impacts service quality provided to external customers, and which increases the organisation’s costs. An internal marketing programme aimed at employees could enhance employee satisfaction which in turn could enhance employee levels of affective commitment resulting in higher retention rates. Satisfied employees will go the extra mile to serve external customers and in this manner service quality can be improved. In order to investigate the influence of the internal marketing mix on employee satisfaction and test the relationship between employee satisfaction and affective commitment, an empirical investigation was conducted. The primary research objective of the study was to investigate the influence of the internal marketing mix on employee satisfaction from GDP employees’ perspective in order to enhance their satisfaction at retail banks with graduate development programmes in South Africa. In addition to this, the relationship between satisfaction and affective commitment was explored. A census approach was applied to the study using a person administered and an electronic survey method. All retail banks with graduate development programmes were invited to participate in the study of which three agreed to participate. Of the 360 graduates, 64 employees agreed to participate in the study. Regression analysis was used to test the relationships proposed in the study. The internal promotion and internal physical evidence scales were discarded due to poor construct validity, internal distribution emerged as a two-factor solution and was split into collaborative culture and organisational structure, and the internal price element was not regarded as statistically significant. From the study, the internal marketing mix elements that influenced employee satisfaction to come to fore included internal product, collaborative culture, organisational structure, internal people and internal process. The outcome of the regression analysis showed that employee satisfaction is influenced by internal product, collaborative culture, organisational structure, internal people and internal process. In addition to this, it was concluded that employee satisfaction influences affective commitment. Based on these outcomes, recommendations were made to retail banks for the implementation of a formal internal marketing mix through for example the implementation of the internal people element. Retail banks would be able to ensure that supervisors are easily accessible and providing constant ongoing feedback, a benefit which was identified as the most important contributor to GDP job satisfaction.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Reynolds-De Bruin, Leigh
- Date: 2014-06-19
- Subjects: Bank marketing , Relationship marketing , Customer services
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:11550 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/11257
- Description: M.Com. (Marketing Management) , Despite the extensive research undertaken in the subject area of services marketing, not much research has been conducted in the internal marketing area, specifically in the South African context. This study attempted to address this subject and focused on seven internal marketing mix elements (internal product, internal price, internal promotion, internal distribution, internal people, internal process and internal physical evidence) and their influence on the satisfaction of graduate development employees within retail banks in South Africa. Further to this, the link between employee satisfaction and affective commitment was explored due to its impact on employee productivity. The growth of the service sector worldwide has led to services being considered as one of the most important sectors in the world. The contribution of the South African service sector to GDP was 68.1% in 2012, where the financial services sector in South Africa has already overtaken the manufacturing sector as the largest contributor to GDP. The financial service sector contributed 22% in 2008. Given the homogeneity within the retail banking industry, there is very little differentiating the banks, and imitation of any innovation is inevitable. For this reason a market-driven strategy that enables retail banks to deliver superior quality is essential as service quality is the only real differentiator and key to building a competitive advantage. Given its employees who create the service experience, the employee as the internal customer becomes the organisation’s most valuable asset. For this reason, retail banks in South Africa have been placing an increased focus on recruiting at the graduate level leading to the establishment of Graduate Development Programmes (GDPs). These banking GDPs are specifically designed to help graduates succeed in complex environments and to build the talent pipeline by providing an in-depth training programme. However one of the biggest challenges faced by banks is the satisfaction and retention of their GDP employees. Banks generally experience high attrition rates amongst this group of employees mainly due to job dissatisfaction which impacts service quality provided to external customers, and which increases the organisation’s costs. An internal marketing programme aimed at employees could enhance employee satisfaction which in turn could enhance employee levels of affective commitment resulting in higher retention rates. Satisfied employees will go the extra mile to serve external customers and in this manner service quality can be improved. In order to investigate the influence of the internal marketing mix on employee satisfaction and test the relationship between employee satisfaction and affective commitment, an empirical investigation was conducted. The primary research objective of the study was to investigate the influence of the internal marketing mix on employee satisfaction from GDP employees’ perspective in order to enhance their satisfaction at retail banks with graduate development programmes in South Africa. In addition to this, the relationship between satisfaction and affective commitment was explored. A census approach was applied to the study using a person administered and an electronic survey method. All retail banks with graduate development programmes were invited to participate in the study of which three agreed to participate. Of the 360 graduates, 64 employees agreed to participate in the study. Regression analysis was used to test the relationships proposed in the study. The internal promotion and internal physical evidence scales were discarded due to poor construct validity, internal distribution emerged as a two-factor solution and was split into collaborative culture and organisational structure, and the internal price element was not regarded as statistically significant. From the study, the internal marketing mix elements that influenced employee satisfaction to come to fore included internal product, collaborative culture, organisational structure, internal people and internal process. The outcome of the regression analysis showed that employee satisfaction is influenced by internal product, collaborative culture, organisational structure, internal people and internal process. In addition to this, it was concluded that employee satisfaction influences affective commitment. Based on these outcomes, recommendations were made to retail banks for the implementation of a formal internal marketing mix through for example the implementation of the internal people element. Retail banks would be able to ensure that supervisors are easily accessible and providing constant ongoing feedback, a benefit which was identified as the most important contributor to GDP job satisfaction.
- Full Text:
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