Thesis (M.Com.(Marketing Management))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains iii, 39 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-39).

No description available.

Not available / text

Note: / This dissertation demonstrates that people engage in word-of-mouth (WOM)communication not only to exchange information so as to make better choices, but alsoto establish social connections with others. Specifically, we find that people exchangeemotional information more often than cognitive information in WOM. / Cette thèse démontre que les gens communiquent par bouche à oreille nonseulement pour échanger l'information afin de faire de meilleurs choix, mais égalementpour établir des rapports sociaux avec les autres. Spécifiquement, nous trouvons que lesgens partagent l'information émotive plus souvent que l'information cognitive enbouche à oreille.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, June 1999. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 1985. / Includes vita Includes bibliographical references (leaves 292-298). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Most optical fibre-based ambient refractive index sensors (including individual long-period gratings) rely on spectral attributes obtained in transmission. However, a probe refractometer has been proposed that is based on self-interference of a long-period grating (LPG), thus providing reflectance spectra containing the relevant data. This sensor operates as a Michelson interferometer by virtue of the fact that its constituent LPG acts as both a mode converter and coupler. Its construction is such that optical power coupled into the cladding (when light impinges on the LPG) is reflected at a fibre mirror and returns towards the grating, where it is re-coupled into the fundamental guided mode. Since light waves propagating along the core and cladding material of the fibre cavity beyond the LPG experience different optical path lengths (due to differing mode indices), a phase difference exists between these modes upon recombining at the grating location. This causes interference, which is manifested as a characteristic fringe pattern in the sensor’s reflectance spectrum (analogous to that obtained in the transmission of a twin LPG cascade operating as a Mach-Zehnder interferometer). Research was conducted towards implementing a unique method of temperature compensation in this LPG-based Michelson interferometer. Sensing attributes of individual LPGs were investigated first, with specific emphasis on the temperature characteristics of two different types of host fibre. It was found that LPGs manufactured in conventional ATC SMF-28 fibre (previously hydrogen-loaded to inscribe the grating and annealed after fabrication) and B/Ge co-doped PS1500 fibre from Fibercore exhibited temperature characteristics of opposite polarity. This led to the implementation of a compound-cavity Michelson interferometer whose constituent LPG is written in one type of fibre, while a specific length of the other type of fibre is fusion spliced onto the host fibre section. Experiments verified the success of this temperature-compensation technique, which caused a measured reduction in temperature sensitivity of up to in interferometer phase shift. Measurements of the refractive index of the test substance surrounding the cladding material of the Michelson interferometer’s fibre cavity (and not the LPG itself) could therefore be done without being adversely affected by environmental temperature fluctuations. This was demonstrated experimentally by comparing the interferometer’s phase shift – devoid of temperature-induced effects – due to increasing refractive index of the analyte (as a result of escalating temperature) with index of refraction readings from a temperature-controlled Abbe refractometer. Numerical gradients of linear curves fitted to these results differed by two orders of magnitude less than the resolution of readings obtained from an Abbe refractometer – proof of the success of the temperature compensation technique applied in this LPG-based Michelson refractometer. / Prof. C. J. Jooste

As with the traditional form of print advertising, advertisements were, and still are designed in a particular way to attract the viewer’s attention and direct the attention towards a specific area within the framework of the advertisement. However, besides print advertising, today’s markets require further interaction with consumers and the public at large. This has given rise to the use of experiential brand marketing whereby consumers interact with the brand in out-of-context situations. The advancement of technology has enabled user experiences to go beyond the traditional forms of branding such as television, print, radio and even on-line advertising, websites and so forth and users are able to upload experiential brand experiences instantly on social networking sites. This, in turn, has indicated that marketers need to take full advantage of social networking, PR and audience interaction with brands. Theo Van Leeuwen & Gunther Kress (2005:7) investigated the context of ‘framing’ in visual communication where elements either have some kind of ‘connectedness’ or ‘disconnectedness’. This study focuses on the context of Van Leeuwen’s (2005:7) ‘framing’ of traditional print magazine designs to the environments or brandscapes in which experiential brand activations are taking place. According to Lenderman (2006:52), experiential marketing requires person-to-person networking with consumers who use sophisticated networking tools for respectful conversations between the consumer and the brand. Not only is this a cost effective solution to making a relatively unknown brand reach the masses, but it also allows an opportunity of immediate audience participation and instant recording of data that can spread across a global network. The theoretical base of social semiotics, underpinned by Van Leeuwen’s theory of ‘framing’, forms the theoretical basis of this study, with case studies of various experiential brand activations being analysed. An analysis of the environment in which the brand experience takes place, along with consumer reactions and their reactions to the overall brand experience in terms of experiential branding is studied. The aim of this research is to identify how the interplay of social semiotics could be used to interpret the current trend of user brand experiences in terms of experiential, interactive marketing.

M.B.A. / Sponsorship of business-to-business conferences is an effective marketing tool available to companies targeting the business market. However, as with any other marketing tool, there are various factors that influence the degree to which business-tobusiness conference sponsorship will be effective in contributing to the achievement of a company's strategic marketing objectives. For this dissertation, the research problem is that sponsors do not seem able to accurately measure the degree to which business-to-business conference sponsorship has been effective in achieving their marketing objectives. If sponsors do not know how effective sponsorship has been in achieving their objectives then they cannot make informed decisions about future sponsorships. The purpose of this study therefore, was to examine the evaluation of business-tobusiness conference sponsorship and explore the extent to which sponsors evaluate the degree to which sponsorship has met their marketing objectives. A research survey was conducted amongst senior managers responsible for marketing decisions within their organisations. The findings of the research showed that 17% of respondents did not set objectives to be achieved though their sponsorship of a business-to-business conference. By not setting objectives, it is unlikely that companies will be able to accurately determine whether the money spent on sponsorship was justified or not. A further 13% of respondents that did set objectives did not measure the extent to which the objectives were achieved. The researcher identified eight primary marketing objectives of business-to-business conference sponsorship. These are: Increasing awareness Positioning Sales Niche marketing iii Entertaining clients Database building Networking and forging new business relationships Conduct market research It was found in the research that the most commonly mentioned method to measure the extent to which business-to-business conference sponsorship objectives had been achieved was using a sales-related measure, for example sales revenue. However, the majority of respondents (60%) also indicated that it was "strongly unlikely" that sales objectives could be achieved through business-to-business conference sponsorship. It is interesting that the majority of respondents (48%) believe that it is the "fault" of the sponsors themselves that their marketing objectives have not been achieved by sponsoring a business-to-business conference, while 30% believe that the "fault" lies with the conference organiser. This report concludes with recommendations for both sponsors and conference organisers about how to improve the effectiveness of business-to-business conference