Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is a growing need for a framework that explains the important steps in creating and managing a small business in a very simplistic, flexible and holistic way. The aim of this research report is to design a framework which will guide the entrepreneur and small business owner in the set-up and management of a small business. The research report explores the logic of constructing the framework. It starts with the core business transactions which justify the existence of the business. For a better understanding of the interactions in the transactions, a system approach is followed. Dynamic complexities focus on causality and feedback to describe how entities influence each other. A growth loop is established with a balancing loop. On the basis of these interactions the framework is constructed with the product and the market on opposite sides. From the product there are growing actions in the form of marketing. From the market a condition is created which is measured in financial terms. These interactions are the core of the framework. A second level is added with strategic intent and external analysis to indicate direction and to measure the market's response. The research report continues to describe the development of a small business in terms of the three layers of the framework: transaction, basic business level and extended business level. The transaction indicates the core and the reason for the business's existence. It is a description of the value exchange process. The basic business level is the platform in which the business is operating. The extended business level is how the platform is used. For each of the entities indicated on the framework an existing business model is used to explain the area. The framework is, therefore, not presenting a new model, but only a new way of how existing business models are related to each other. The framework can be used in various ways. First it can be used to establish a startup business by building it step by step from the inner layer to the outer layer. Secondly it can be used to evaluate an existing business. Each part of the business can be evaluated and determine whether the necessary structures are in place. Thirdly it can be used for a turn-around on a struggling business. To do it means first . to evaluate the business and then use the framework to build the business structure. To assist in this process of evaluation and building a business structure, a set of worksheets are presented in the study to help an entrepreneur to think through every important step of the business. To test the above assumption that the framework can support the construction of a business structure, a small business was selected and evaluated. The evaluation was done in the format of an interview with the owners and the structure of the framework was followed. The study is concluded with recommendations on areas that need further research. The worksheet I guideline recommendation is that the worksheets and guidelines be developed with a specific aim in mind, for example design a new business or evaluate an existing business. The application recommendation is to explore the use of a rating system to do a quick evaluation of the business based on the entrepreneur's "gut feeling". The structural recommendations are first to explore strategic mapping to summarise the results of the design or evaluation into an existing model. The second recommendation is to investigate the development of the different entities in the framework in line with the business life cycle and thereby adding a depth dimension to the framework. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is 'n groeiende behoefte na 'n raamwerk wat die belangrike stappe om 'n klein besigheid te skep en te bestuur, in 'n baie simplistiese, buigsame en holistiese manier verduidelik. Die doel van die navorsingsverslag is om 'n raamwerk te ontwerp wat die entrepreneur sal lei in die opstel en bestuur van sy besigheid. Die navorsingsverslag gee aandag aan die logika hoe die raamwerk saamgestel word. Die raamwerk bestaan uit die kern besigheidstransaksie wat die bestaan van die besigheid regverdig. Om die interaksies in die transaksie beter te verstaan, word 'n stelselbenadering gebruik. Dinamiese kompleksiteite fokus op oorsake en die terugvoer hoe verskillende entiteite mekaar beinvloed. 'n Groeiende sirkelaksie en 'n uitbalanserende sirkelaksie word gevolg. Op grond van hierdie interaksies is die raamwerk geskep met die produk en die mark aan teenoorgestelde kante. Van die produk is daar 'n groeiende aksie na die mark in terme van bemarking. Van die mark is daar 'n terugvoeraksie na die produk in terme van finansiele maatstawwe. Hierdie inleraksies vorm die kern van die raamwerk. 'n Tweede vlak word bygevoeg in die vorm van strategies voorneme en eksterne analise om rigting aan te toon en die mark terugvoer te meet. Die navorsingsverslag gaan voort om die ontwikkeling van 'n klein besigheid te beskryf in terme van die drie vlakke: transaksie, kern besigheidvlak en uitgebreide besigheidvlak. Die transaksie toon die kern en die rede vir die besigheid se bestaan aan. Dit is die beskrywing van die waarde uitruilingsproses. Die kern besigheidsvlak is die platform waarop die besigheid funksioneer. Die uilgebreide besigheidsvlak is die manier hoe die besigheid die platform gebruik. Vir elk van die entileite wat in die raamwerk aangetoon word, word 'n bestaande besigheidsmodel gebruik om die detail te verduidelik. Die raamwerk moet daarom nie gesien word as 'n nuwe model nie, maar net as 'n manier hoe bestaande besigheidsmodelle in verhouding tot mekaar staan. Die raamwerk kan in verskeie maniere gebruik word. Eerstens kan dit gebruik word om 'n aanvangsbesigheid stap-vir-stap volgens die verskillende vlakke in die raamwerk te bou. Tweedens kan dit gebruik word om 'n beslaande besigheid te evalueer. Elke deel van die besigheid kan beoordeel word en so bepaal of die nodige strukture in plek is. Derdens kan dit gebruik word om 'n omkeer op 'n sukkelende besigheid te doen. Om dit te doen sal beteken om eerstens 'n evaluasie te doen op grond van die raamwerk en dan die nodige strukture te bou of herbou. Om die proses van bou en herbou te ondersteun stel die studie werksblaaie voor wat gebruik kan word. Die doel hiervan is om die entrepreneur se denke deur die belangrlkste stappe te lei. Om die bogenoemde aanvaarding te toets dat die raamwerk gebruik kan word om die bou van 'n besigheidstruktuur te ondersteun, was 'n klein besigheid geselekteer en ge-evalueer. Die evaluasie was gedoen in die vorm van 'n onderhoud met die eienaars en die struktuur van die raamwerk was gebruik. Die navorsingsverslag word afgesluit met aanbevelings oor areas wat verdere ondersoek nodig het. Die werksblaaie en riglyne aanbeveling is dat die werksblaaie en riglyne vir 'n spesifieke doel ontwerp word, byvoorbeeld die ontwerp van 'n nuwe winkel of die evaluasie van 'n bestaande winkel. Die aanwendingsaanbeveling is om 'n evalueeringstelsel te ontwikkel waar 'n evaluasie gegrond op 'n entrepreneur se aanvoeling kan plaasvind. Die struktuuraanbevelings is om eerstens strategiese kaartering te ondersoek om die resultate van die ontwerp of evaluasie in 'n bestaande model op te som. Die tweede aanbeveling is om die ontwikkeling van die verskikkelende entiteite van die raamwerk in Iyn met die besigheidslewensiklus te ondersoek en sodoende 'n diepte dimensie by die raamwerk te voeg.

Thesis (PhD (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is not a new topic, but the advent of technology based CRM solutions has enabled companies to deal better on an individual level and more efficiently with their large customer base. Seeing the benefits of this competitive advantage many companies have implemented a CRM solution but with the result that many of them have failed to be successful. The problem is that these companies often do not know why they were not successful and other companies will make the same mistakes if these failures are not recognized. There is a great deal of literature and research analysing this phenomenon but they all focus mainly on detailed CRM issues and how they could be performed better. They do not take into account that CRM is a complex topic and that many reasons for failure interact with each other. Based on the need of many companies to implement CRM, the goal of this research is to provide a CRM insight perspective and a strategy to implement CRM more successfully. In contrast to existing CRM research, this study investigates twenty-one reasons for CRM failure in three knowledge areas and explains why each one could threaten the success of a CRM implementation. The first area determines the danger of every risk based on the likelihood of appearance and its potential to fail the complete CRM solution. The second area identifies when these risks are most likely to appear for the first time during a CRM project life cycle. The third area examines all relationships between the twenty-one CRM risks and how they influence each other. It is concluded that every CRM implementation approach will fail to be successful when problems are only addressed once they become visible. It is not possible to solve every CRM problem at the moment it appears. Many issues during the implementation of CRM have to be met before they become a problem because they influence each other and lead to barriers that could result in a complete CRM failure. Based on this perception and the research findings, which included 106 of the top 500 companies worldwide, this study develops a CRM strategy framework including a systemic CRM perspective for businesses.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The impacts on the active management of investment portfolios of a) market concentration, b) cross-sectional return dispersion and c) restrictions on short sales are explored in this thesis. The context is the fund sponsor’s management of their investment managers in a South African equity investment environment. Some of the findings here are developed analytically and some make use of multiple simulated investment views and their corresponding optimal portfolio solutions to document the size and nature of the inefficiencies that are created by these three factors. The cross-sectional volatility of asset returns in an investment universe represents a carrying capacity for active risk taking: the higher the cross-sectional volatility, the greater the opportunity for active risk taking. Cross-sectional volatility is shown to be an important consideration when setting active risk targets. It is shown that, to remain efficient, active risk should be reduced during periods of low cross-sectional dispersion and vice versa. The sensitivity of active risk estimates to changes in the cross-sectional dispersion of their investment universe is demonstrated and sponsors should therefore exercise caution when reacting to changes in the active risk estimates of their funds. Cross-sectional volatility is shown to be time-varying and is related to similarly varying dispersion in realised fund returns. The ex post performance of competing portfolio managers therefore require correction for this heteroscedasticity and an effective weighted adjustment is recommended. Active managers can only fully express their views in an environment where their mandated conditions accommodate their conviction and level of risk taking. The short sale restriction is shown to be materially binding when applied to a concentrated benchmark such as the ALSI where only a few of the stocks comprise most of the total investment weight. The more concentrated the benchmark and the higher the active risk target, the wider the distribution of individual asset weights in the portfolio will be and the more binding the weighting constraints will be. It is shown that constraints on short positions are more binding on assets with small weightings in the benchmark illustrating the asymmetrical sub-optimal effect of these constraints when they are applied uniformly across the investment opportunity set. It is argued that requiring long-only managers to increase their active positions and/or active risk in a concentrated investment environment further constrains them in their ability to express their best investment view and increases their competitive disadvantage relative to unconstrained funds taking similar risk. The research presented in this thesis measures the nature and size of the impacts of the market concentration, cross sectional return dispersion and restrictions on short sales that are implied by the investment mandate on the quality of the investment portfolio, providing analysis and techniques which can inform and improve the quality of the relationship between fund sponsor and fund manager. The more appropriate the investment mandate and the monitoring of the fund’s performance subject to this mandate, the more effective the manager’s risk-taking on behalf of their investors will be. This is the principle that this research aims to serve.

Thesis (PhD (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: During the past 15 years knowledge management has emerged as a key new organisational practice with numerous organisations implementing processes aimed at facilitating knowledge creation, integration and sharing. With knowledge management positioned as a strategic imperative, numerous studies have explored its resource-base and management alternatives. These studies have played an important role in establishing knowledge management as a field of inquiry within the business sciences, but a number of weaknesses put knowledge management at risk of becoming another passing fad. Previous research tends to prescribe a tool, method or way of looking at knowledge while disregarding any differences in organisational context and displaying little attempt to differentiate organisations in a meaningful way. This assumed homogeneity constitutes a deficiency in knowledge management research. The knowledge-based view of the firm emphasises distinct knowledge as the key source of firm heterogeneity, and the role of the organisation as that of knowledge creation. This view largely ignores the personal and social nature of knowledge, and the role of the firm in providing the organisational context for creating, sharing and integrating knowledge. Knowledge management, as an embodiment of the knowledge-based view, thus also fails to explore organisational context as a possible source of competitive advantage, thereby limiting the potential of knowledge management initiatives. The central theme of the study is that the capacity to provide an institutional context for the creation, sharing and integration of knowledge, henceforth the knowledge-centric capability, rather than distinct knowledge, is the key strategic resource of the organisation. The objective of the study therefore is to understand how different knowledge-centric capabilities configure in different organisational contexts. The objective is achieved by addressing three research questions, namely what dimensions can be used to describe a knowledge-centric capability, what configurations of knowledge-centric capabilities emerge in different organisational contexts, and why do specific configurations of knowledge-centric capabilities emerge in specific organisational contexts? Considering the philosophical foundations of the study, namely knowledge as personal, social and context-specific and the organisation as an open, adaptive system, the study follows a social constructionist research philosophy. The study’s focus on identifying emerging patterns or configurations of knowledge-centric capabilities necessitates a configurational research approach. This allows the study to move beyond uncovering relationships that hold across all organisations, affording the opportunity to identify multi-dimensional constellations of conceptually distinct characteristics that commonly occur together. A sequential mixed-method research methodology is employed to address the research objective and research questions. First a conceptual framework is developed from the extant literature in order to identify the dimensions of a knowledge-centric capability. Next a theorydriven survey, based on the dimensions of the conceptual framework, is employed to obtain data from which the configurations of knowledge-centric capabilities are derived using cluster analysis. Finally, four case studies are presented to explain the emergence of the configurations within specific organisational contexts. This research is important for two main reasons. First, it addresses the identified shortcoming of existing research by providing a mechanism to explore an organisation’s knowledgecentric capability following a context-sensitive approach. Second, the research demonstrates that knowledge-centric capabilities can indeed be used to differentiate between organisations at a strategic level. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die afgelope 15 jaar het kennisbestuur as ‘n belangrike nuwe besigheidspraktyk ontwikkel, met talle ondernemings wat prosesse implementeer wat daarop gemik is om die skepping, integrasie en deel van kennis te fasiliteer. Met die posisionering van kennisbestuur as ‘n strategiese noodsaaklikheid, het verskeie studies die hulpbron-basis en bestuurs alternatiewe ondersoek. Hierdie studies het ‘n belangrike rol gespeel om kennisbestuur as ‘n navorsingsveld te vestig in die bestuurswetenskappe, maar ‘n aantal gebreke laat kennisbestuur die gevaar loop om net ‘n verbygaande gier te word. Bestaande navorsing neig om ‘n instrument, metodiek of manier voor te skryf om na kennis te kyk. Maar terselfdetyd word enige verskille in organisasies se konteks geïgnoreer en is daar min aanduiding van ‘n poging om organisasies op ‘n sinvolle wyse te onderskei. Hierdie veronderstelde homogeniteit vorm ‘n gebrek in kennisbestuur navorsing. Die kennis-perspektief van die organisasie beklemtoon unieke kennis as die belangrikste bron van firma heterogeniteit, en die rol van die organisasie as dié van kennis skepping. Hierdie uitkyk ignoreer grotendeels die persoonlike en sosiale aard van kennis en die rol van die firma in die voorsiening van ‘n organisasie konteks vir die skep, deel en integrasie van kennis. Kennisbestuur, as ‘n vergestalting van die kennis perspektief, faal dus ook om organisasie konteks to ondersoek as ‘n moontlike bron van mededingings voordeel. Sodoende word die potensiaal van kennisbestuur inisiatiewe beperk. Die uitganspunt van die studie is dat die kapasiteit om ‘n institusionele konteks te voorsien vir die skeppping, deel en integrasie van kennis, of te wel die kennis-sentriese vermoë, eerder as unieke kennis die kern strategiese helpbron van ‘n organisasie is. Die doel van die studie is dus om te verstaan hoe verskillende kennis-sentriese vermoëns konfigureer in verskillende organisasie kontekste. Die doel word behaal deur drie navorsingsvrae te adresseer, naamlik watter dimensies kan gebruik word om ‘n kennis-sentriese vermoë te beskryf, watter konfigurasies van kennis-sentriese vermoëns tree na vore in verskillende organisasie kontekste en waarom tree spesifieke konfigurasies van kennis-sentriese vermoëns na vore in spesifieke organisasie kontekste? Met inagneming van die filosofiese grondslag van die studie, naamlik kennis as persoonlik, sosiaal en konteks-spesifiek en die organisasie as ‘n oop, aanpasbare stelsel, volg die studie ‘n sosiaal konstruksionistiese navorsingsfilosofie. Die studie se fokus op die identifisering van patrone en konfigurasies van kennis-sentriese vermoëns, noodsaak ‘n konfigurasionele-benadering tot die navorsing. Dit laat die studie toe om verder te gaan as om bloot verwantskappe te identifiseer wat vir alle organisasies geld, en stel die studie in staat om multi-dimensionele konstellasies van konseptueel-unieke eienskappe wat tipies saam voor kom te identifiseer. ‘n Sekwensieële gemengde metode navorsingsmetodologie is gebruik om die navorsingsdoel en navorsingsvrae te addresseer. Eerstens is ‘n konseptuele raamwerk uit die bestaande literatuur ontwikkel om sodoende die dimensies van ‘n kennis-sentriese vermoë te identifiseer. Volgende is ‘n teorie-gedrewe vraelys, gebaseer op die dimensies van die konseptuele raamwerk, gebruik om die data te versamel waaruit die konfigurasies van kennissentriese vermoëns met die gebruik van trosanalise. Laastens is vier gevallestudies ontwikkel om die figurering van die konfigurasies binne spesifieke organisasie kontekste te verduidelik. Hierdie navorsing is belangrik vir twee bepaalde redes. Eerstens adresseer dit die geïdentifiseerde tekortkoming van bestaande navorsing deur ‘n meganisme te voorsien waarmee ‘n organisasie se kennis-sentriese vermoë ondersoek kan word, deur ‘n kontekssensitiewe benadering te volg. Tweedens demonstreer die navorsing dat kennis-sentriese vermoëns inderdaad gebruik kan word om op ‘n strategiese vlak tussen organisasies te onderskei.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The conception of relationship marketing has led to an increased interest in organisations developing long-term relationships with their members or clients. The emphasis has shifted from a transaction-based marketing approach to a relationshipbased marketing approach. This shift has resulted in an increased need for research in the field of relationship marketing in for-profit as well as non-profit organisations. The purpose of this study was to identify and assess the dimensions through which South African churches can manage commitment with their members. These dimensions are regarded as antecedents to commitment and were identified through a literature review. The literature review identified 11 antecedents of church commitment, which were classified into antecedents that are specifically relevant to churches, and those with a broader appeal. Furthermore, churches were classified whether they can be viewed as traditional or non-traditional. An empirical investigation followed the literature review and included a pilot and a comprehensive empirical study among the total student population of Stellenbosch University, as in 2011. After the pilot study was conducted the number of antecedents was reduced to eight, while three antecedents had to be renamed. The final empirical study provided support for two antecedents of church commitment, namely ‘small-groups’ and ‘reliability’. In addition, significant differences were found between traditional and non-traditional churches in respect of the confirmed relationships. Consequently, a framework was developed by which churches can manage commitment with their members. This study makes a valuable contribution to the relationship marketing literature, since no formally published study could be found in which relationship marketing was used to identify the antecedents of church commitment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die voortbestaan van verhoudingsbemarking het gelei tot 'n toename in organisasies se belangstelling in die ontwikkeling van lang termyn verhoudinge met hulle kliënte en/of lede. Die fokus het gevolglik verskuif vanaf 'n transaksie-gebaseerde benadering tot bemarking, tot 'n meer verhoudings-gebaseerde benadering. Hierdie verskuiwing het gelei tot 'n toenemende belangstelling in, en behoefte aan navorsing op die terrein van verhoudingsbemarking, beide ten opsigte van winssoekende asook nie-winssoekende organisasies. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die dimensies aan die hand waarvan Suid- Afrikaanse kerke hul toewyding (commitment) met hul lidmate kan bestuur, te identifiseer en te assesseer. Hierdie dimensies kan beskou word as boustene (antecedents) van toewyding en is geïdentifiseer deur middel van 'n literatuuroorsig. Die literatuuroorsig het 11 boustene van kerk-toewyding geïdentifiseer, wat geklassifiseer is volgens daardie boustene wat spesifiek relevant tot kerke is, en daardie boustene met 'n wyer aantrekking. Voorts is kerke geklassifiseer ten opsigte van of hulle as tradisioneel of nie-tradisioneel beskou kan word. Die literatuuroorsig is gevolg deur die empiriese studie, wat uit twee komponente bestaan het: 'n voorafstudie (pilot study), gevolg deur die hoof empiriese studie onder die totale studente-populasie van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch, soos in 2011. Op grond van die resultate van die voorafstudie is die aantal boustene verminder tot agt, terwyl drie boustene herbenoem moes word. Die finale empiriese studie het ondersteuning gebied vir twee boustene van toewyding, naamlik ‘klein-groepies’ (small-groups) en ‘betroubaarheid’ (reliability). Verder is beduidende verskille gevind tussen tradisionele en nie-tradisionele kerke ten opsigte van die verhoudinge wat as beduidend bevind is. 'n Raamwerk is gevolglik ontwikkel waarvolgens kerke hul toewyding met hul lidmate kan bestuur. Hierdie studie maak 'n waardevolle bydrae tot die literatuur van verhoudingsbemarking, aangesien geen soortgelyke formele gepubliseerde studie gevind kon word waarin verhoudingsbemarking gebruik is om die boustene van kerktoewyding te identifiseer nie.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Over the past two decades company performance has become the mantra of corporate theory. It follows that marketers have recently become understandably preoccupied with measuring the performance of marketing activity. In fact, the pressure for financial accountability has led to widespread concern over the role of the marketing function within a company. Some go as far as contemplating the demise of marketing professionals unless marketers develop an understanding of the marketing-finance interface and are able to enter into a dialogue with top management regarding the value that marketing adds to the company. Modern financial theory prescribes that the primary financial objective of any company should be shareholder value maximisation. Value based management (VBM) involves the appropriate allocation of scarce resources using prioritisation and cost-benefit analyses of different strategies to ensure that managers remain focused on shareholder value creation. The VBM philosophy embraces four fundamental driving forces impacting on the creation of value, the first of which is the profitable growth of sales. Since marketers are the custodians of brand sales the recognition of sales as a value driver places marketing at the centre of the value culture. The role of the marketing function is to create customer value that will translate into marketing assets (brand equity) and by doing so serves to add value to a company. The brand value chain summarises the process through which marketers can create value by carefully investing in various marketing tactics (or expenditures). These expenditures are encapsulated by the marketing mix. Simply, the marketing mix can be described as the sum of all expenditures intended to build brand equity and can be classified into four components known as the 4Ps (product, price, place and promotion). Concern has been raised that marketers focus too much attention on the stages in the brand value chain where marketing strategy is formulated and too little attention on the latter stages where the strategy is linked back to the value created through the implementation thereof. Despite the plethora of marketing metrics available the key to measuring the impact of marketing activity lies in maintaining a balance between non-financial, efficiency metrics and financial effectiveness metrics. To this end, there is a need for the development of aggregate-level models that link marketing tactics (expenditures) to to financial impact (e.g. sales) in order to communicate the value created by marketing. As a first step toward the objective of developing such models, it is important to understand the nature of the relationship between marketing expenditures (in terms of the 4Ps) and sales). Therefore, the primary objective in this study was to establish whether there is a relationship between the expenditures of different marketing components (4Ps) and sales. To this end, the proposition formulated elucidated that the variance in sales of a product is attributable to fluctuations in marketing expenditures. A meta analysis study was undertaken and two South African fast moving consumer goods brands’ financial data were investigated for the period of July 2001 to the end of June 2005. The marketing expenditures incurred for each of the respective brands were dissected and allocated according to the 4Ps of marketing. The metohod applied to investigate the relationship between marketing expenditures and sales originated through the adoption of multiple regression analysis between the indepent variables (marketing expenditures) and the dependent variable (sales). However, due to the fact that the data were collected over time it was anticipated that the time-related characteristics in the data might have offended inherent assumptions on which multiple regression analysis is based. Therefore, a time series regression analysis was subsequently adopted to account for time-related characteristics such as trend or seasonality. Counteracting dummy variables were included in the regression analysis to better understand the effect of trend and seasonality. In the case of Brand A, it was necessary to include dummy variables to counteract the effect of trend in the regression analysis., the results revealed that there is a statistically significant relationship between the expenditures of different marketing components (4Ps) and sales. Only distribution expenditures and price (along with trend) explained unique variance in sales. In the case of Brand B, it was necessary to include dummy variables for both trend and seasonality before the model was suitable for analysis. Once again, the results revealed a statistically significant relationship between the expenditures of different marketing components (4Ps) and sales. However for Brand B, only production expenditures (along with trend and seasonality) explained unique variance in sales. Therefore, in conclusion of the results found there were important findings to note. Firstly, when investigating data colllected over time it is imperative to understand the impact of time-related characteristics in the data and subsequently adopt the appropriate model to investigate relationships in the data. Secondly, despite a statistically significant relationship detected between marketing expenditures and sales the different components of the 4Ps have varying prominence for different brands and the appropriate allocation of resource will depend on the nature of the product and the strategy in mind. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die prestasie van ’n maatskappy het oor die afgelope twee dekades die mantra van korporatiewe teorie geword. Dit volg dus dat bemarkers onlangs afgetrokke is met die meet van die prestasie van mark aktiwiteit. Die druk vir finansiële verantwoordbaarheid het in wye kommer oor die rol van die bemarkingsfunksie binne ’n maatskappy, uitgeloop. Daar word bespiegel oor die ondergang van professionele bemarkers tensy bemarkers ’n begrip van die bemarking-finansie skeidingsvlak ontwikkel en in staat is om ’n dialoog met topbestuur aan die gang te sit rakende die waarde wat bemarking tot ’n maatskappy voeg. Moderne finansiële teorie stel voor dat die primêre finansiële doelwit van enige maatskappy die verhoging van belanghebbende waarde moet wees. Waarde-gebaseerde bestuur (WGB) sluit die gepaste toewysing van skaars hulpbronne, deur die gebruik van vooropstelling en koste-voordeel analise van verskeie strategieë, in, om te verseker dat bestuurders op die belanghebbende waarde skepping gefokus bly. Die WGB filosofie omarm vier grondliggende dryfsmagte wat op die skep van waarde, waarvan eerstens die winsgewende groei van verkope is, ’n impak het. Aangesien bemarkers die bewaarders van die handelsnaam verkope is, plaas die erkenning van verkope as ’n waarde drywer, bemarking in die middelpunt van die waarde kultuur. Die rol van die bemarkingsfunksie is om kliënt waarde te skep wat omgesit sal word in bemarkingsbates (handelsmerk billikheid) en dien so om waarde tot ’n maatskappy by te dra. Die handelsmerk waarde ketting som die proses op waardeur bemarkers waarde kan skep deur versigtig in verskeie bemarkingstaktieke (of uitgawes) te belê. Hierdie uitgawes word saamgevat deur die bemarkingsmengsel. Die bemarkingsmengsel kan kortliks beskryf word as die som van alle uitgawes wat bedoel is om handelsmerk billikheid te bou en kan in vier komponente, wat as die 4Ps (produk, prys, plek en promosie) bekend staan, geklassifiseer word. Daar is reeds kommer uitgespreek dat bemarkers te veel aandag aan die stadiums in die handelsmerk waarde ketting bestee waar bemarkings strategie geformuleer word en te min aandag word aan die latere stadiums geskenk waar die strategie teruggeskakel word aan die waarde wat deur die implementering daarvan geskep word. Ten spyte van die menigte beskikbare bemarkings metrieke lê die sleutel tot die meet van die impak van bemarkingsaktiwiteite in die onderhou van ’n balans tussen nie-finansiële, doeltreffende metrieke en finansiële effektiwiteit metrieke. Daar is dus ’n behoefte aan die ontwikkeling van gemiddelde-vlak modelle wat bemarkings taktieke (uitgawes) aan finansiële impak (bv. verkope) skakel om sodoende die waarde wat deur bemarking geskep word, te kommunikeer. Dit is belangrik om, as ’n eerste treë na die doelwit om sulke modelle te ontwikkel, die aard van die verhouding tussen bemarkingsuitgawes (in terme van die 4Ps) en verkope te verstaan. Die hoofdoel in hierdie studie was dus om vas te stel of daar ’n verhouding tussen die uitgawes van verskillende bemarkingskomponente (4Ps) en verkope bestaan. Die voorstel wat geformuleer is, het verklaar dat die verskeidenheid in verkope ’n produk is wat toegeskryf kan word aan fluktuering in bemarkings uitgawes. ’n Meta analise studie is onderneem en twee Suid-Afrikaanse vinnig-bewegende gebruikers goedere handelsmerke se finansiële data vir die typerk van Julie 2001 tot einde van Junie 2005 is ondersoek. Die bemarkings uitgawes wat vir elk van die handelsmerke aangegaan is, is ontleed en toegeken volgens die 4Ps van bemarking. Die metode wat toegepas is om die verhouding tussen bemarkings uitgawes en verkope te ondersoek het ontstaan deur die aanneem van meervoudige agteruitgang analise tussen die onafhanklike veranderlikes (bemarkings uitgawes) en die afhanklike veranderlikes (verkope). Daar is egter verwag, as gevolg van die feit dat die data oor tyd versamel is, dat die tyd-verwante kenmerke in die data inherente aannames mag beledig het, waarop meervoudige agteruitgang analise gebaseer is. ’n Tydsreek agteruitgang analise is gevolglik aangeneem om verantwoordbaar te wees vir tydsverwante kenmerke soos neiging of seisoenaliteit. Teenwerkende fop veranderlikes is by die agteruitgang analise ingesluit om die effek van neiging of seisoenaliteit beter te verstaan. In die geval van Handelsmerk A, was dit nodig om fop veranderlikes in te sluit om die effek van neiging in die agteruitgang analise teen te werk. Die uitslae het gewys dat daar ’n statisties noemenswaardige verhouding tussen die uitgawes van verskillende bemarkingskomponente (4Ps) en verkope is. Slegs verspreiding uitgawes en prys (tesame met neiging) het unieke verskille in verkope verduidelik. In die geval van Handelsmerk B was dit nodig om die fop veranderlikes in te sluit vir beide neiging en seisoenaliteit voordat die model gepas was vir analise. Die uitslae het weereens gewys dat daar ’n duidende verhouding tussen die uitgawes van verskillende bemarkingskomponente (4Ps) en verkope is. Slegs produksie uitgawes (tesame met neiging en seisonaliteit) het egter unieke verskille in verkope vir Handelsmerk B verduidelik. Daar was dus, in gevolgtrekking tot die uitslae wat gevind is, belangrike bevindings om van kennis te neem. Dit is eerstens van uiterste belang om die impak van tyd-verwante kenmerke in die data te verstaan en om vervolgens die gepaste model aan te neem om verhoudings in die data te ondersoek. Tweedens, ten spyte van ’n statistiese noemenswaardige verhouding wat bespeur is tussen bemarkings uitgawes en verkope, het die verskeie komponente van die 4Ps verskillende vernaamheid vir verskillende handelsmerke en die gepaste toekenning van bronne sal afhang van die aard van die produk en die strategie wat beoog word.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The term business model is relatively recent. Though it appeared for the first time in the 1950s it rose to prominence and reached the mainstream only in the 1990s. Today the term is commonly used, but there is still no single dominant definition. Many different conceptualizations of business models exist. They all have various degrees of resemblance, or difference of some degree. From those business literatures, an intellectual root of the concept has been explored, offering a working definition, and the necessity for a company to renew its business models. To deliver information, products, and services in new ways, new business models address previously unrecognized or unmet needs, and appeal to customers precisely because they improve the quality of what is available to them, or reduce the cost, or both. Leading companies have discovered that to keep up with the rate of change in the marketplace, today’s key performance factors are different than they were in the past, hence the need for new business models and their strategic innovation. This thesis explores the role of business models in leveraging demand and supply chain dynamics in business ecosystems. Radical changes in the business environment have suggested limitations of traditional business models. New business environments are characterized not only by the rapid pace of change, but also the discontinuous nature of such change. New business environments, characterized by dynamically discontinuous change, requires a re-conceptualization of new competencies, new business models that break the rules of the game in the industry. The fact that a company should constantly attempt to develop new business models in its industry if it hopes to survive, has been examined, and how those new business models can leverage demand and supply chain dynamics in business ecosystems. The theoretical findings are illustrated by relevant case studies.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The determinants of capital structure form an important part of the finance profession. Contemporary capital structure theory began in 1958 when Modigliani and Miller indicated that in a perfect capital market, the value of a firm is not influenced by its capital structure. However, when considering, inter alia, the effect of taxes, bankruptcy costs and asymmetric information, the value of a firm could be affected by its leverage. Capital structure theory offers two contrasting capital structure models, namely the trade-off and pecking order models. According to the trade-off model, firms trade-off the costs and benefits of debt financing in order to reach an optimal capital structure. According to this model, a positive relationship exists between leverage and profitability. In contrast, the pecking order model indicates that firms use a financing hierarchy where internal funds are preferred above debt and equity usage. This model indicates a negative relationship between leverage and profitability. However, in practice, firms often deviate from these models to incorporate the benefits of the other model or to adapt to changing circumstances. Firms' financing decisions may be influenced by both firm-specific and economical factors within the country where they are operating. Therefore, a firm's managers should consider the growth rate, interest rate, repo rate, inflation rate, exchange rates and the tax rate when conducting finance decisions, since these factors could influence the cost and availability of capital. In addition, these economical factors often have a significant influence on each other. Prior capital structure research mainly focused on developed countries. However, South Africa provides the ideal environment to consider the effect of economic changes on capital structure within a developing country, due to South Africa's profound economic changes during 1994 and the years to follow. The primary objective of this study was thus to determine whether the capital structures of South African listed industrial firms are influenced by changes in the South African economical environment. The effect of economic changes on capital structure was examined by using a TSCSREG (time-series cross-section regression) procedure. The regression model is based on a model developed by Fan, Titman and Twite (2008). One-period lags were built into the model to make provision for the effect of economic changes that often only occur after some time. The study was conducted on a sample of firms listed on the industrial sector of the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE Ltd) over the period 1989 to 2008. The data, required to calculate the measures, were obtained from the South African Reserve Bank, the South African Revenue Service and the McGregor BFA database. This database contains standardised financial statements for both listed and delisted South African firms. In an attempt to reduce the possible skewing of results due to survivorship bias, both listed and delisted firms were included in the sample. In order to reflect its true nature, data should be available for consecutive years. Therefore, only firms with data available for more than five years were included in the final sample. The resulting sample consisted of 320 firms and 4 172 observations. The sample was also divided into years before and years after 1994, in order to determine the effect of the economic changes during 1994 and the years to follow on the firms' capital structures. The results of this study indicated that some of the economic factors influenced the D/E ratio as well as each other. However, the effect of economic changes often only occurred after a lagged period. A strong relationship was indicated between the tax rate and the repo rate, which influenced the significance of the regression results. Support was found for both the trade-off and the pecking order models. The combined profitability variable ROA-ROE also had a significant effect on the other variables. Based on these results, the claim that economic changes have an impact on capital structure is supported. The effect is often only indicated after a certain period. It also seems that the combination of the two capital structure models have a significant effect on leverage. Firms therefore appear to consider a combination of these models when conducting finance decisions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die determinante van kapitaalstruktuur speel belangrike rol in die finansiële professie. Hedendaagse kapitaalstruktuurteorie het in 1958 tot stand gekom toe Modigliani en Miller aangedui het dat die waarde van 'n firma in 'n perfekte kapitaalmark nie deur kapitaalstruktuur beïnvloed word nie. Maar, wanneer die uitwerking van onder andere belastings, die koste van bankrotskap en asimmetriese inligting in ag geneem word, kan die waarde van 'n firma deur sy finansiële hefboomwerking beïnvloed word. Kapitaalstruktuurteorie bied twee kontrasterende kapitaalstruktuurmodelle, naamlik die ruilmodel (trade-off model) en rangorde-model (pecking order model). Volgens die ruilmodel vergelyk firmas die kostes en voordele van finansiering met geleende kapitaal totdat 'n optimale kapitaalstruktuur bereik word. Hierdie model dui op die bestaan van 'n positiewe verband tussen hefboomwerking en winsgewendheid. In teenstelling hiermee dui die rangorde-model aan dat firmas 'n finansieringshiërargie gebruik waar interne fondse verkies word bo skuld en ekwiteit. Hierdie model dui 'n negatiewe verband aan tussen hefboomwerking en winsgewendheid. In die praktyk wyk firmas egter dikwels af van hierdie modelle om die voordele van die ander model te inkorporeer of om by veranderende omstandighede aan te pas. Firmas se finansieringsbesluite kan beïnvloed word deur beide firma-spesifieke en ekonomiese faktore in die land waar hulle sake doen. Daarom moet 'n firma se bestuurders die groeikoers, rentekoers, inflasiekoers, wisselkoerse en die belastingkoers oorweeg wanneer hulle finansieringsbesluite neem, aangesien hierdie faktore moontlik die koste en beskikbaarheid van kapitaal kan beïnvloed. Hierdie ekonomiese faktore het dikwels ook 'n belangrike invloed op mekaar. Vroeëre navorsing insake die kapitaalstruktuur het dikwels op ontwikkelde lande gefokus. Suid-Afrika bied egter die ideale omgewing om die uitwerking van ekonomiese veranderinge op kapitaalstruktuur in 'n ontwikkelende land te ondersoek as gevolg van Suid-Afrika se betekenisvolle ekonomiese veranderinge gedurende 1994 en die daaropvolgende jare. Die primêre doelwit van hierdie studie was dus om te bepaal of die kapitaalstruktuur van genoteerde Suid-Afrikaanse nywerheidsondernemings deur veranderinge in die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomiese omgewing beïnvloed word. Die uitwerking van ekonomiese veranderinge op kapitaalstruktuur is ondersoek deur gebruik te maak van 'n TSCSREG (tydreeks dwarssnit-regressie)-prosedure. Hierdie regressiemodel is gebaseer op 'n model wat deur Fan, Titman en Twite (2008) ontwikkel is. Enkeltydperk-vertragings is in die model ingebou om voorsiening te maak vir die uitwerking van ekonomiese veranderinge wat dikwels eers ná 'n tydperk sigbaar word. Die studie is uitgevoer op 'n steekproef firmas wat gedurende die tydperk 1989 tot 2008 op die nywerheidsektor van die Johannesburgse Sekuriteitebeurs (JSE Ltd) genoteer is. Die nodige data om die metings te bereken is verkry van die Suid-Afrikaanse Reserwebank (SARB), die Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomstediens (SAID) en die McGregor BFA-databasis. Hierdie databasis bevat gestandaardiseerde finansiële state vir beide genoteerde en gedenoteerde Suid-Afrikaanse firmas. In 'n poging om die moontlike skeeftrekking van resultate as gevolg van die oorlewingsneiging te verhoed, is beide genoteerde en gedenoteerde firmas by die steekproef ingesluit. Data moet vir opeenvolgende jare beskikbaar wees om die ware aard daarvan aan te dui. Daarom is slegs firmas met data beskikbaar vir meer as vyf jaar in die finale steekproef ingesluit. Die steekproef het gevolglik 320 firmas en 4 172 waarnemings behels. Die steekproef is ook in jare voor en jare ná 1994 verdeel, om die uitwerking van ekonomiese veranderinge gedurende 1994 en die daaropvolgende jare op firmas se kapitaalstruktuur te bepaal. Die bevindinge van die studie het daarop gedui dat sommige van die ekonomiese faktore die skuld/ekwiteit (D/E)-verhouding, maar ook elkeen van hulle beïnvloed het. Die uitwerking van ekonomiese veranderinge het egter dikwels eers ná 'n vertraagde tydperk sigbaar geword. 'n Sterk verhouding is aangedui tussen die belastingkoers en die repokoers, wat die betekenisvolheid van die regressieresultate beïnvloed het. Ondersteuning is gevind vir beide die ruilmodel en die rangorde-model. Die gekombineerde winsgewendheidsveranderlike ROA-ROE het ook 'n betekenisvolle uitwerking op die ander veranderlikes gehad. Die bewering dat ekonomiese veranderinge 'n impak op die kapitaalstruktuur het, word ondersteun op grond van die bevindinge van hierdie studie. Die uitwerking daarvan word egter dikwels eers ná 'n tydperk sigbaar. Die gekombineerde kapitaalstruktuurmodelle het moontlik 'n betekenisvolle uitwerking op hefboomwerking. Dit wil dus voorkom of firmas 'n kombinasie van hierdie modelle oorweeg wanneer hulle finansieringsbesluite neem.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Marketing literature has revealed that sponsorship is a key marketing communication tool used to break through promotional clutter. Sponsorship is a means by which marketing managers are able to transfer knowledge about organisational offerings to consumers and communicate how organisations are able to satisfy consumers‟ needs. Satisfying consumers‟ needs is a key philosophy of marketing, thus, it is an important objective for marketing managers to transfer knowledge to consumers about their need-satisfying capabilities. Research has shown that knowledge is transferred to consumers by first creating awareness of brands, then building consumers‟ knowledge of brands, and finally establishing and enhancing consumers‟ perceptions of brand image. According to marketing literature, the process of building brand awareness, brand knowledge and brand image ultimately contributes toward the enhancement of brand equity. Previous research has shown that establishing brand awareness is an initial and crucial objective of sponsorship endeavours. Little research, however, has been done on the importance of brand image objectives and strategies in sponsorship. Researchers agree that brand image can be transferred between a sponsor brand and sponsored event, thereby enhancing the brand image of the respective parties. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess brand image transfer in sponsorship. The research problem considered the question whether the brand image of sponsor brands is transferred to the brand image of sponsored events, and whether the brand image of sponsored events is transferred to the brand image of sponsor brands. Fictitious brands were designed to assess the transfer of brand image, namely FruityBliss (sponsor brand) and the ProFriz Frisbee Challenge (sponsored event). Four brand image attributes were selected to assess the brand image of the sponsor brand and the brand image of the sponsored event. These included physical product and price (sponsor brand) and status and size (sponsored event). The four brand image attributes were manipulated in sixteen experiments and the brand image scores of the sponsor brand and sponsored event were subsequently measured. Results of the study showed that brand image scores of the sponsor brand were significantly higher than the brand image scores of the sponsored event. It was therefore concluded that brand image transfer does occur from a sponsor brand to a sponsored event and vice versa. Furthermore, product and price appeared to have a greater influence on the brand image scores of the sponsor brand and the sponsored event, than did status and size of the sponsored event. It was thus concluded that although brand image transfer does occur from a sponsor brand to a sponsored event and vice versa, the sponsor brand is influenced more by the sponsorship than the sponsored event. In other words, a stronger brand image transfer takes place from a sponsored event to a sponsor brand than from a sponsor brand to a sponsored event. From the research results, a number of recommendations were made. It was emphasised that organisations should make use of sponsorship as a means to break through promotional clutter. Sponsorship is an effective technique in enhancing brand images, and ultimately enhancing the brand equity of organisations. Organisations should therefore take careful consideration in developing sponsorship strategies; sponsor products should be affiliated with sponsored events and vice versa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bemarkingsliteratuur toon dat borgskap ‟n belangrike bemarkingskommunikasie-instrument is om te midde van ‟n warboel produkreklame ‟n impak te hê op die uitbou van handelsmerkbeeld. Borgskap is ‟n kommunikasiemetode waardeur bemarkingsbestuurders inligting oor bemarkingsaanbiedinge aan verbruikers oordra, oftewel aan verbruikers verduidelik hoe organisasies in hul behoeftes kan voorsien. Bevrediging van verbruikers se behoeftes is 'n belangrike filosofie van bemarking, dus, is dit 'n belangrike doelstelling vir bemarkingsbestuurders om kennis oor te dra aan verbruikers oor hulle behoefte-bevredigende vermoëns. Navorsing toon dat inligting eerstens aan verbruikers oorgedra word deur hulle bewus te maak van ‟n handelsmerk; daarná hul kennis van die handelsmerk op te bou, en uiteindelik hul opvattings van die beeld van daardie handelsmerk vas te lê en te verbeter. Volgens bemarkingsliteratuur dra die opbouproses van handelsmerkbewustheid, handelsmerkkennis en ‟n handelsmerkbeeld uiteindelik by tot die versterking van merkekwiteit. Vorige navorsing dui aan dat die vestiging van handelsmerkbewustheid ‟n aanvanklike en noodsaaklike doelwit van borgskap is. Tog is daar nog weinig navorsing gedoen oor die belang van handelsmerkbeelddoelwitte en –strategieë in borgskap. Navorsers is in eenstemming dat handelsmerkbeeld tussen ‟n borg en ‟n geleentheid oorgedra kan word, om só die handelsmerkbeeld van die onderskeie partye te versterk. Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om sodanige handelsmerkbeeld-oordrag gedurende borgskap te beoordeel. Die navorsingsprobleem het besin oor die vraag of die handelsmerkbeeld van borghandelsmerke na die handelsmerkbeeld van geborgde geleenthede oorgedra word, asook of die handelsmerkbeeld van geborgde geleenthede na die handelsmerkbeeld van die borghandelsmerke oorgedra word. Fiktiewe handelsmerke, naamlik Fruitybliss (die borghandelsmerk) en die ProFriz Frisbee Challenge (die geborgde geleentheid), is ontwerp om handelsmerkbeeld-oordrag te bestudeer. Vier handelsmerkbeeld-eienskappe, naamlik fisiese produk en prys (borghandelsmerk) en status en grootte (geborgde geleentheid), is gekies om die handelsmerkbeeld van die borg en dié van die geleentheid te beoordeel. Die vier eienskappe is in sestien eksperimente gemanipuleer, waarna die handelsmerkbeeldtellings van die borghandelsmerk sowel as die geborgde geleentheid gemeet is. Die studieresultate toon dat die borghandelsmerk beduidend hoër handelsmerkbeeldtellings as die geborgde geleentheid behaal het. Daar was afgelei dat handelsmerkbeeld wél van ‟n borghandelsmerk na ‟n geborgde geleentheid oorgedra word, én omgekeerd. Voorts het produk en prys van die borghandelsmerk oënskynlik ‟n groter invloed op die handelsmerkbeeldtellings van die borghandelsmerk en die geborgde geleentheid gehad as die status en grootte van die geborgde geleentheid. Daaruit word afgelei dat, hoewel borgskap ‟n tweerigting-oordrag tussen borghandelsmerk en geborgde geleentheid impliseer, die borgskap tog ‟n groter invloed op die borghandelsmerk het as op die geborgde geleentheid. Handelsmerkbeeld-oordrag blyk dus om sterker te wees vanaf ‟n geborgde geleentheid na ‟n borghandelsmerk, as van ‟n borghandelsmerk na ‟n geborgde geleentheid. ‟n Aantal aanbevelings kan op grond van die studie gedoen word. Onder meer word beklemtoon dat organisasies borgskap moet aanwend om te midde van ‟n warboel produkreklame ‟n impak te hê op die uitbou van handelsmerkbeeld, om sodoende uiteindelik merkekwiteit te verbeter. Daarbenewens word voorgestel dat borgskap gebruik word om die handelsmerkbeeld van organisasies te bou en te versterk. Organisasies moet dus noukeurig oorweeg tydens die ontwikkeling van borgskap strategieë; borg produkte moet geaffilieer word met geborgde geleenthede én omgekeerd.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABTRACT: The marketing function has been characterised as the only result-producing function of the organisation and as having the responsibility for achieving profitable revenue growth by means of demand creation. Marketing performance measurement thus not only influences organisational performance, but also influences the marketing function’s stature within the organisation. Hence, marketing performance measurement is a critical management task. However, the negligence of the marketing function to demonstrate its contribution to organisational performance has caused the marketing function to lose its stature within the organisation and consequently, has a limited role in organisational strategy formulation. Only by implementing proper performance measurement practices, will the marketing function regain its credibility with top management, the organisation and resume a central role in organisational strategy. Marketers’ negligence to measure their performance is linked to the paucity of research in marketing performance measurement. The intricacy of problems marketers have to overcome concerning performance measurement adds to their disinclination to measure marketing’s performance. Nevertheless, if marketing performance is not measured, marketing will be unable to contribute to long-term organisational success. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the marketing performance measurement practices of South African organisations. The marketing performance measurement practices were investigated by focussing on: (1) the overall satisfaction with the existing measures of marketing performance, (2) the marketing performance measures considered by top management, (3) the periodicity of collection of marketing performance measures, (4) the importance top management attaches to the marketing performance measures, (5) the types of benchmarks employed, and lastly (6) whether and how the marketing asset was measured. The results of the study indicated that the South African marketers in this study are uninformed about proper marketing performance measurement practices and that marketing performance measurement is still in the development phases in these South African organisations. The surveyed marketers’ satisfaction with the existing measures of marketing performance indicated their ignorance about the state of marketing performance measurement in South Africa. “Financial measures” emerged as the dominant marketing performance measure. In comparison to the other measures in the study, “financial measures” were collected most often, considered most often and deemed the most important marketing performance measure. Internal benchmarks were used by the majority of marketers in this study while external benchmarks were rarely employed. Only the minority regularly measured the marketing asset. A more balanced set of marketing performance measures was proposed to replace the existing dominant “financial measures” presently utilised by most organisations in this study. It was further recommended that top management set aside their bias towards non-financial measures, considering their influence on the surveyed marketers’ use of marketing performance measures. The introduction of external benchmarks in marketing performance measurement practices was suggested, since the predominant use of internal benchmarks creates a false impression of confidence of the state of marketing performance. It was also recommended that marketers develop measures to quantify the marketing asset. The last recommendation was that the South African Marketing Research Association (SAMRA) should stimulate research in the field of marketing performance measurement. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die bemarkingsfunksie is al bestempel as die enigste funksie in die onderneming wat werklik ‘n direkte bydrae lewer tot die winsgewende groei in die onderneming se inkomste. Die prestasie van die onderneming, asook die bemarkingsfunksie se reputasie in die onderneming word beide deur bemarkingsprestasiemeting beïnvloed. Daarom is bemarkingsprestasiemeting ‘n kern bestuursaktiwiteit in die onderneming. Ongelukkig het bemarkers se onvermoë om bemarkingsprestasie te meet, veroorsaak dat die bemarkingsfunksie nie meer hoog geag word in die onderneming nie. Gevolglik, is die bemarkingsfunksie nie meer in ‘n posisie om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot die onderneming se strategiese besluitneming nie. Om bemarking se status as ‘n waardevolle en belangrike organisatoriese funksie te herstel, moet bemarkers prestasiemetingspraktyke ontwikkel. As gevolg van die min navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp en die blote kompleksiteit van die probleme wat bemarkers in die gesig staar in verband met bemarkingsprestasiemeting, is bemarkers nie gretig om hul prestasie te meet nie. Indien bemarkers nie hul prestasie meet nie, sal die bemarkingsfunksie nie in staat wees om ‘n bydrae tot die prestasie van die onderneming, te lewer nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om die bemarkingsprestasiemetingpraktyke van Suid-Afrikaanse ondernemings te ondersoek. Om bemarkingsprestasiemetingpraktyke te ondersoek was die volgende faktore in ag geneem: (1) bemarkers se tevredenheid ten opsigte van hul huidige bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe, (2) watter bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe deur topbestuur oorweeg word, (3) hoe gereeld bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe ingesamel word, (4) hoe belangrik topbestuur die bemarkingsprestasie-maatstawwe ag, (5) teen watter norme Die bemarkingsfunksie is al bestempel as die enigste funksie in die onderneming wat werklik ‘n direkte bydrae lewer tot die winsgewende groei in die onderneming se inkomste. Die prestasie van die onderneming, asook die bemarkingsfunksie se reputasie in die onderneming word beide deur bemarkingsprestasiemeting beïnvloed. Daarom is bemarkingsprestasiemeting ‘n kern bestuursaktiwiteit in die onderneming. Ongelukkig het bemarkers se onvermoë om bemarkingsprestasie te meet, veroorsaak dat die bemarkingsfunksie nie meer hoog geag word in die onderneming nie. Gevolglik, is die bemarkingsfunksie nie meer in ‘n posisie om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot die onderneming se strategiese besluitneming nie. Om bemarking se status as ‘n waardevolle en belangrike organisatoriese funksie te herstel, moet bemarkers prestasiemetingspraktyke ontwikkel. As gevolg van die min navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp en die blote kompleksiteit van die probleme wat bemarkers in die gesig staar in verband met bemarkingsprestasiemeting, is bemarkers nie gretig om hul prestasie te meet nie. Indien bemarkers nie hul prestasie meet nie, sal die bemarkingsfunksie nie in staat wees om ‘n bydrae tot die prestasie van die onderneming, te lewer nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om die bemarkingsprestasiemetingpraktyke van Suid-Afrikaanse ondernemings te ondersoek. Om bemarkingsprestasiemetingpraktyke te ondersoek was die volgende faktore in ag geneem: (1) bemarkers se tevredenheid ten opsigte van hul huidige bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe, (2) watter bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe deur topbestuur oorweeg word, (3) hoe gereeld bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe ingesamel word, (4) hoe belangrik topbestuur die bemarkingsprestasie-maatstawwe ag, (5) teen watter normeDie bemarkingsfunksie is al bestempel as die enigste funksie in die onderneming wat werklik ‘n direkte bydrae lewer tot die winsgewende groei in die onderneming se inkomste. Die prestasie van die onderneming, asook die bemarkingsfunksie se reputasie in die onderneming word beide deur bemarkingsprestasiemeting beïnvloed. Daarom is bemarkingsprestasiemeting ‘n kern bestuursaktiwiteit in die onderneming. Ongelukkig het bemarkers se onvermoë om bemarkingsprestasie te meet, veroorsaak dat die bemarkingsfunksie nie meer hoog geag word in die onderneming nie. Gevolglik, is die bemarkingsfunksie nie meer in ‘n posisie om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot die onderneming se strategiese besluitneming nie. Om bemarking se status as ‘n waardevolle en belangrike organisatoriese funksie te herstel, moet bemarkers prestasiemetingspraktyke ontwikkel. As gevolg van die min navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp en die blote kompleksiteit van die probleme wat bemarkers in die gesig staar in verband met bemarkingsprestasiemeting, is bemarkers nie gretig om hul prestasie te meet nie. Indien bemarkers nie hul prestasie meet nie, sal die bemarkingsfunksie nie in staat wees om ‘n bydrae tot die prestasie van die onderneming, te lewer nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om die bemarkingsprestasiemetingpraktyke van Suid-Afrikaanse ondernemings te ondersoek. Om bemarkingsprestasiemetingpraktyke te ondersoek was die volgende faktore in ag geneem: (1) bemarkers se tevredenheid ten opsigte van hul huidige bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe, (2) watter bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe deur topbestuur oorweeg word, (3) hoe gereeld bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe ingesamel word, (4) hoe belangrik topbestuur die bemarkingsprestasie-maatstawwe ag, (5) teen watter norme vidie bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe gemeet word en laastens (6) op watter manier en hoe gereeld die bemarkingsbate gemeet word. In hierdie studie is bevind dat Suid-Afrikaanse bemarkers oningelig is oor bemarkingsprestasiemetingpraktyke en dat bemarkingsprestasiemeting nog in die ontwikkelingsfase in Suid-Afrikaanse ondernemings is. Die bemarkers in die studie se tevredenheid met hul bestaande bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe, weerspieël hul onkunde oor die toestand van die bemarkingsprestasiemeting in Suid-Afrika. Die resultate dui aan dat "finansiële maatstawwe" die dominante bemarkingsprestasiemaatreël onder beide topbestuur en bemarkers in hierdie studie is. In vergelyking met die ander bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe in die studie, is "finansiële maatstawwe" die meeste ingesamel, meer dikwels oorweeg en ook as die belangrikste bemarkingprestasiemeeting geag. Die meerderhied bemarkers in hierdie studie maak gebruik van interne norme, terwyl eksterne norme selde gebruik word. Slegs die minderheid van bemarkers in hierdie studie, het die bemarkingsbate op ‘n gereelde basis gemeet. Aanbevelings is gemaak dat ‘n meer gebalanseerde stel bemarkingsprestasiemaatstawwe ontwikkel moet word, omdat "finansiële maatstawwe" huidiglik bemarkingsprestasiepraktyke oorheers. Verder is aanbeveel dat die topbestuur van ondernemings hul vooroordeel teenoor nie-finansiële maatstawwe ter syde stel, aangesien bemarkers, in hierdie studie, se gebruik van bemarkingprestasiemaatstawwe daardeur beïnvloed word. Die gebruik van eksterne norme in die respondente se bemarkingsprestasiemetingpraktyke is voorgestel, omdat die gebruik van slegs interne norme ‘n vals indruk van vertroue in die toestand van die bemarkingprestasie skep. Aangesien die minderheid van die respondente gereeld bemarkingsbates gemeet het, is daar aanbeveel dat die betrokke maatstawwe ontwikkel moet viiword. Ten slotte word aanbeveel dat die Suid-Afrikaanse Bemarkingsnavorsingvereniging navorsing op die gebied van bemarkingprestasiemeting moet stimuleer.