This thesis explores guest satisfaction dimensions from the consumer perspective in the ecolodge context and asks to what extent guest satisfaction can be explained by using Herzberg's Motivator and Hygiene Factor Theory. Guest satisfaction dimensions are explored from the experiential perspective and the behavioural approach to refocus and replace the expectancy disconfirmation paradigm and SERVQUAL model that are primarily based on cognitive aspects and ignores the experiential factors. The present research recognises that in the service experience context the experiential and perceptions factors contribute significantly to guest satisfaction (Otto and Ritchie, 1996). The present research recognises the complexity and controversy of the measurement and definition of satisfaction as well as its constructs due to lack of generally acceptable definition of satisfaction. The complexity of guest satisfaction can be approached from an alternative perspective by extending Herzberg's theory developed for job satisfaction. This theory is contended to be better able to address human satisfaction more adequately compared to expectancy disconfirmation and service quality theory as both of these theoretical underpinning are driven by product and services. It has demonstrated both theoretical and operations limitations of expectancy disconfirmation and service quality theories in measuring consumer satisfaction in the service experience context. To overcome the methodological limitation of Herzberg's approach, the present research incorporates a multi research technique of participation observation and Profile Accumulation Techniques (PAT) for data collection. PAT is adapted from its original version developed by Johns and Lee-Ross (1995). These research techniques supplement and complement the strengths and weaknesses and to achieve consistency and reliability. An exploratory qualitative inductive approach enables the collection of "authentic" data that capture guests' voices. This offers a satisfactory methodological framework and a holistic, reliable and valid approach. The research reveals that guests interact with physical and human dimensions, involvement, and participation in leisure activities that are the main elements termed as satisfaction dimensions or satisfiers. The physical facilities, amenities and maintenance and operations standard are regarded as main elements of dissatisfaction dimensions or dissatisfiers. Guests' satisfaction is measured from both the cognitive and affective responses derived from two different sets of constructs. These satisfaction/dissatisfaction dimensions emerge from two different opposite motivational forces, as two different continua. At one extreme, satisfiers are dimensions related to the personal experiential aspects that derive from the ranges of natural environment and attractions, physical sites and participation in leisure activities that are sourced from the external ecolodge environment. These are intangible elements that are also uncontrollable by the ecolodge operators. At the other extreme, dissatisfiers are dimensions related to the performance and availability of facilities, amenities and maintenance of the ecolodge context. These are regarded as tangible and controllable elements. This indicates that guest satisfction with ecolodges is a two-dimensional measurement. Thus, Herzberg's theory is capable of exploring and explaining guest satisfaction dimensions, and these are perceived as two distinct constructs to represent service quality dimensions in a more meaningful way. This suggests that guest satisfaction can be theorised by job satisfaction theory and both contribute to human life satisfaction and the principle of human dual factors using Herzberg's theory. However, one must also note that these dimensions suggest that satisfiers and dissatisfiers may not be universal as they are subject to the nature of the service context and the type of activities provided.

The research on which this thesis is based sought to provide new insights into the use of supermarket loyalty card data (SLCD) amongst small agri-food companies; with respect to the factors influencing their use of formalised market information. Given the lack of research in this area and on the key constructs (barriers and enablers) upon which this thesis is focussed, a casestudy approach was adopted. Data was collected in two phases, and it comprised of thirteen in-depth semi-structured interviews for the 1 st phase and two in-depth case studies for the 2nd phase. The qualitative data generated was analysed using thematic analysis. The thesis investigated four interrelated groups of factors influencing the use of supermarket loyalty card data - organisational, individual-related, informational and relationship factors. The results revealed that, amongst the four groups of factors investigated, the individual-related factors seemed to exhibit more influence on the use of the data amongst the small food companies investigated. Components of this group include: education, economic history, administrative familiarity, information- seeking personality and decision-making rationality of the owner-managers; as well as their involvement of staff, desire for growth and networking ability. In summary, whilst the existing body of knowledge suggests that small businesses tend to rely more on informal sources of information, this thesis has provided some evidence to suggest that there are some small businesses making use of formalised market information, and in a structured manner, to enhance their marketing decisions. And those small businesses seemed to perform better than their counterparts who did not avail themselves of such forms of market information. Also, whilst the study provided some evidence of the existence of instrumental, conceptual and selective (as opposed to symbolic) use of SLCD amongst small businesses, it also unearthed the concept of "emblematic use" of market information. This refers to the positive image and credibility gained by some of the small agri- food companies on account of merely possessing supermarket loyalty card data. In this situation, market information is used merely as an emblem, and this dimension has not been previously investigated in the literature.

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Despite companies' growing interest for customer education (for instance: Nikon, Orange, Sony) and the recent awareness in marketing literature of this concept (Hennig-thurau et al., 2005), research on customer education remains relatively scarce. Thus, the present research study aims to contribute to the development of knowledge on customer education. More specifically, it endeavours to clarify the concept of customer education and to understand and measure its outcomes on customer satisfaction, a key indicator of corporate performance. To achieve this goal, a literature review was conducted in order to provide an original conceptualization of customer education and its outcomes. Then, a reliable and valid scale to measure customer education was developed. Finally, an experimental procedure based on hypothetic-deductive methodology was performed. A structural model was built that depicts the effects of customer education on customer satisfaction and tested a set of hypotheses covering the mediating and moderating effects. The experimental fieldwork was conducted in partnership with the digital camera manufacturer Nikon France, on a sample of 321 customers. Structural Equation Modelling was used to test the hypotheses. The results of this research were twofold. First, a 5-item original scale to measure customer education was developed. The psychometric qualities of this scale were shown, using Churchill's procedure (1979). Second, a model which details the relationships between customer education and customer satisfaction was proposed and validated. The existence of two mediating variables was unveiled: product usage and product-usage related knowledge and skills. The moderating role of customer expertise with a product category was also substantiated. Keywords: customer education, customer satisfaction, product usage, product usage related knowledge and skills.

This thesis presents an exploratory study over the constructive parameters of an 'emerging' brand through consumer associations. Streams of research for brand study, academic and business practice, were brought together to provide a robust basis. A number of challenges apparent in the communication processes between brand, offering (product or service) and the consumer were recognised. The aim of this research was to investigate the possibility of extending and adapting existing techniques in brand management and consumer perception to provide a theoretical framework supporting consumer associations as a design driver for the development of an'emerging' brand's experience. A sustainable holistic brand experience requires including the voice of the consumer. This has not been deployed accurately previously although there is a shift to this direction by organisations. As consumers do not always say what they actually mean, the use of visual and verbal means for understanding their associative parameters is desirable. The method of picture-aided recognition, with passenger interviews in Greece and U. K. was used. Equally important is the implementation of these findings and preferred characteristics to company communications and the offering provided through a selective semiotic analysis and use of the variables in the design process. A case study methodology, incorporating interviews, observational methods along with enabling and projective techniques were used to triangulate findings and provide an in- depth understanding. This research provides a framework linking the offering, the brand and the consumer along with presenting practical applications. This is a support system on how an organisation could organise the basis of constructing an 'emerging' brand from its 'driver' brand to initiate its sustainable value. Such a system is targeted to the brand management departments of organisations and the design departments or external agencies responsible for the visual manifestation of the brand's appearance to the outside world.

This PhD thesis presents an exploratory study examining how successfully the meansend chain model can be applied to 11-12 year old British and Spanish girls, and whether a clear association exists between their personal values and the snacks and clothing brands they choose. This study draws on the subjective-interpretive epistemology, and takes a qualitative, depth interview approach. The author uses the laddering technique to build a mental map ofbenefits offered by different brands, and the personal values that these brands in some way satisfy The author's study makes a methodological contribution to knowledge. Her findings reveal that the means-end chain model can be successfully applied to the 11-12 year old respondents, and that there is a clear association between their personal values and the snacks and clothing brands they select. This study also makes a theoretical contribution to knowledge, revealing the types of personal values satisfied by snacks and clothing brands for these young consumers. All the personal values elicited are inner-directed or outer/other-directed. A trusted brand name, while not always important, often generates reassurance, can increase self-esteem and lead to a deepened sense ofbelonging among the peer group. High levels ofinvolvement can be demonstrated for both sets ofrespondents in both product categories; clothing, in particular, helps the girls define their identities. The author's findings are relevant to both marketing managers and to public policymakers interested in children's health and welfare: respondents feel tremendous pressure to fit in with their peer group, fear social exclusion, and use snacks and clothing products to help them achieve a sense ofbe1onging. The author recommends additional research should be carried out with boys, with different age groups, with different nationalities and with different product categories to further enrich the body ofknowledge relating to children's personal values.

With the rapid proliferation of new products into the marketplace, understanding emotional responses may offer a differential advantage beyond traditional hedonic measures. Thomson et al. (2010) argued that consumers also associate other functional connotations (e.g. refreshing) and abstract feelings (e.g. sophisticated) to a product, referring to these associations (emotional, abstract and functional) as 'conceptualisations'. The aim of this project was to investigate the effect of the sensory attributes and packaging cues of commercial blackcurrant squashes on consumers' liking and conceptualisations. Initially, the sensory attributes of the squashes were characterised using a sequential approach of quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and temporal dominance of sensations (TDS). Using QDA and TDS in tandem was revealed to be more beneficial than each on its own, providing a fuller sensory profile. Next, emotional response and liking within the squash category was measured using the EsSense Profile TM, in which consumers rated a predefined emotion lexicon (n=100) under three conditions: (1) blind, (2) pack and (3) informed (product and packaging). The project also measured how emotional, abstract and functional responses changed across blind, pack and informed conditions. A conceptual lexicon was defined by consumers (n=29), after which a different group of subjects (n=100) rated the squashes using the lexicon and a check-all-that-apply (CATA) approach (CD-CATA). The findings of both EsSense Profile and CD-CATA experiments revealed that intrinsic sensory attributes had more association with emotions and liking, than the packaging. Interestingly, the CD-CATA experiment suggested that extrinsic packaging cues had more association with abstract/functional conceptual responses. The relationship between liking and emotional responses to debranded squash (sensory attributes) was investigated comparing EsSense Profile and CD-CATA approaches. Both approaches yielded emotional data that clearly discriminated across the products more effectively than the hedonic scores. In addition, both approaches produced similar emotional spaces and product configurations. A two dimensional structure (pleasantness vs. engagement/activation) corresponding to published circumplex emotion models was observed in each method. The final phase of the PhD was to determine the relationship between sensory attributes of the squashes (as measured by QDA and TDS) and consumer responses (EsSense Profile and CD-CATA approaches). Sensory attributes in squashes that were found to drive liking and positive conceptual responses in consumers were 'natural processed blackcurrant' and 'natural sweetness'. The study also shows how some temporally dominant sensory attributes (e.g. 'minty') evoked positive conceptual responses in consumers. Throughout the thesis, recommendations regarding practical implications for emotion measurement and general ideas for future research are discussed.

Studies have shown that the brand “owner” is very influential in positioning the brand and when the brand “owner” ceases his or her active role the brand will be perceived differently by the consumers. Balance Theory (HBT), a cognitive psychological theory, studies the triadic relationships between two persons and an entity and predicts that when a person’s original perception of the relationship is disturbed, the person restructures to a new balanced perception. Consequently, this research was undertaken to: conceptualize the brand owner’s impact on consumer’s brand perception; test the applicability of both the static and dynamic predictions of the Heider’s Balance Theory in brand owner-consumer-brand relation (OCB); construct and test a model of brand owner-consumer-brand relation; and examine if personality has an influence on OCB. A discovery-oriented approach was taken to understand the selected market segment, the ready-to-wear and diffusion lines of international designer labels. Chinese Brand Personality Scale, fashion proneness and hedonic and utilitarian shopping scales were developed, and validated. 51 customers were surveyed. Both traditional and extended methods used in the Balance Theory were employed in this study. Responses to liked brand have been used to test and develop the model, while those for disliked brand were used for test and confirmation. A “what if’ experimental approach was employed to test the applicability of dynamic HBT theory in OCB Model. The hypothesized OCB Model has been tested and validated. Consumers have been found to have separate views on the brand and the brand owner; and their responses to contrasting ethical and non-ethical news of the brand owner are different. Personality has been found to have an influence and two personality adapted models have been tested and validated. The actual results go beyond the prediction of the Balance Theory. Dominant triple positive balance mode, dominant negative balance mode, and mode of extreme antipathy have been found. It has been found that not all balanced modes are good for the brand. Contrary to Heider’s findings, simply liking may not necessarily lead to unit relation in the OCB Model.