Scholar transport in South Africa remains an area that needs to be addressed in the interest of all communities, rich and poor alike. The National Development Plan 2030, provides a clarion call for nation building to develop highly knowledgeable South African citizens for building innovative capacity for the nation as a whole(NDP, 2014).

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (DCom)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Marketing Management / DCom / Unrestricted

M.Tech. Business Administration. Business School. / Evoked sets can be defined as the group of products or companies that come to mind when considering a purchase. An evoked set is a set of products of which a consumer is aware and which are considered for purchase. The proliferation of brands occurring in the consumer goods markets, create information processing problems for the consumers. They must often devise means to simplify their purchase decisions. One of the results of this simplification process is the existence of what is referred to as "evoked set", which include the brands the buyer considers when he contemplates purchasing a unit of the product class. Since the evoked set is a subset of the products available in the marketplace, the evoked set formation is seen as an information load reducing mechanism used by consumers to reduce the cognitive complexity of the brand choice process. The purpose of this study is to identify the most powerful brands of perfumes based on an analysis of consumers' unaided recall of perfume brands. This study seeks to provide a snapshot of some of the leading perfume brands from a consumer decision making process, rather than a business perspective.

M.Comm. / Marketers have historically found it convenient to bundle the Asian consumer market together with the black consumer market or the white consumer market depending on the product or event under consideration. As we move toward an era of customised products and individualised service, minority markets become more difficult to overlook. Their unique characteristics demand that they be targeted as separate and unique market segments distinct from the mass markets that dominate the marketing environment.

Each individual/household progresses through the family life cycle (FLC). This progression, which is characterized by various stages and varying consumption portfolios, can be traditional or non-traditional in nature. In the general marketing sense, the FLC concept has great value. The concept is utilized in a variety of marketing activities, particularly in segmentation, and is also applied in consumer behaviour. The lack of research regarding the FLC in South Africa and the need to investigate the concept’s applicability to different environments motivated this research. The aim of the study was to determine how the FLC within a South African context compared to the theoretical depiction of the concept. The evaluation of literature revealed five distinct traditional stages and an array of non-traditional stages, determined by a combination of life stage determining variables. Regarding the empirical approach, self-administered questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample consisting of 225 students and staff members of the then Port Elizabeth Technikon. The empirical findings revealed the following. {u100083} Non-traditional stages were more prevalent than traditional stages. ii {u100083} Marital status, the presence/absence of children and living arrangement appear to be sufficient life stage determining variables for both current and prospective life stage classifications. {u100083} The consumption portfolios of individuals in the traditional FLC were similar to theory. The research provided insight into the consumption portfolios of individuals in the non-traditional FLC. {u100083} Based on the intentions of certain individuals regarding marriage, having children and living arrangements, it appears as though the future FLC will include an integration of traditional and non-traditional progressions.

The objectives of this research project were to identify and compare factors that influence the purchasing decisions of Multifibres’ customers active in each channel. Multifibres manufactures and distributes industrial cleaning rags to three channels or client categories, these being industrial resellers, industrial end-users and the walk-in customers. An extensive literature review revealed that purchasing decisions are influenced by, amongst other factors, the buyer’s role, the internal cognitive processes of the buyer, as well as factors present in the buyer’s business and external environment. An empirical study was conducted utilising in-depth interviews. The most prevalent, emergent themes that buyers attached the greatest weight to when purchasing cleaning rags were: price; quality; service; relationships; and, convenience. These factors were probed, analysed and compared, based on each buyer category’s unique set of characteristics. When motivating their purchasing preferences, resellers emphasised the importance of the business relationship and trust as being paramount, while end-users viewed price and service as the most important factors. Walk-in customers valued the combination of price and convenience as the most important reasons influencing their purchasing decisions.

Online shopping is a growing phenomenon all over the world, and it has thus had an influence on the shopping process for many consumers (Brengman et al., 2005:79; Brown et al., 2003:1667; Kau et al., 2003:139). Consumers are now choosing to shop online due to changes in their lifestyles and demographic diversity (Kau et al., 2003:139). The purpose of this research was to examine the extent to which demographic diversity influenced online shopping orientation and propensity to buy online. The researcher first conducted an in-depth theoretical study of previous research into demographic diversity, online shopping orientation and propensity to buy online. Next, the researcher conducted an empirical survey questionnaire, in order to assess the opinions of students at the three selected Eastern Cape universities. Phinney's (1992:156) multi-group ethnic identity measure was administered in order to identify how respondents feel about their ethnicity and/or how they react to their own ethnic group. Kau et al.,'s (2003) online shopping orientation measure was used to help identify six relevant online shopping factors. The six online shopping factors where then used to describe six online shopping orientation types. The main findings of this research conducted at three Universities in the Eastern Cape can be summarised as follows: Ethnic Identity Profile: - Within this research it was found that respondents at all three universities in general had a strong ethnic identity to their specified ethnic group, according to the two ethnic identity factors namely; commitment and exploration. Online Shopping Orientation Profile: - Within this research it was found that the respondents at all three universities in general could be categorised in one of six online shopping orientation types according to six online shopping factors. The extent to which demographic diversity influences types of online shopping orientation: - From the research hypotheses it was concluded that a relationship exists between demographic diversity and types of online shopping orientations, whereby the gender, race and ethnicity of respondent is likely to influence the way consumers shop online, namely the consumers‟ online shopping orientation. The extent to which demographic diversity influences propensity to buy online: - From the research hypotheses it was concluded that a relationship exists between demographic diversity and propensity to buy online, whereby the gender of respondents is likely to influence whether consumers buy online in the future. - From the research hypotheses it was concluded that no relationship exists between demographic diversity and propensity to buy online, whereby the race and ethnicity of respondents is not likely to influence whether consumers buy online in the future. The extent to which types of online shopping orientation influence propensity to buy online: - The findings suggest that different online shopping orientations have different propensities to buy online in the future. Hence, marketers should be aware of the online shopping orientations more likely to buy online in the future and focus their marketing programs on them. They should also try new ways to attract the online shopping orientations that may not buy online, in the hopes of changing their opinions and perceptions of the Internet and online shopping. South Africa, in particular, consists of multi-racial and diverse ethnic origins, which has resulted in a demographically diverse South African nation. Therefore, marketers need to develop a better understanding of consumers‟ online shopping orientation (Donthu and Garcia, 1999:57; Jayawardhena and Foley, 2000:19; Kau et al., 2003:140). Understanding consumers' online shopping orientation will assist marketers in being able to market to specific consumers and meet the needs of consumers effectively (Kau et al., 2003:140). Since demographic diversity influences the online shopping orientations of consumers, major opportunities for marketers will be provided by accommodating for a demographically diverse South African nation.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The premise of this study was the hypothesis that consumers of red meat do not make their meat purchases according to the standards and value criteria set by the classification system. In light of the hypothesis, three research questions were asked: Does the consumer understand the classification system and make purchases accordingly? Does the system reflect the expectations and needs of the consumer? To what extent does this reciprocal message flow through the value chain? Essentially this study therefore on the one hand deals with the effectiveness of the red meat classification system, and on the other hand with the extent to which the consumer takes it into account when purchasing mutton and lamb. However, the study would have been regarded as incomplete if the total value chain and all role-players, the producer, abattoir owner, wholesaler, retailer and retail butcher were not brought into perspective, with the consumer as the heart of the value chain. Data generated through questionnaires were analysed by means of descriptive statistics. Closed-ended questions were used with respondents mainly from the middle to higher income groups in the main centres and metropoles. The findings of the research confirm that modern consumers do not buy red meat according to the standards and value criteria of the classification system. The decision making process during the purchasing of red meat is mainly determined by intrinsic and subjective value features. The question is, therefore, why consumers do not take the objective value traits into account. Is the system regarded as irrelevant, and/or is it too complicated? By implication the research results confirm that the red meat value chain is not altogether transparent and that the messages between the producer and the consumer are communicated ineffectively within the value chain. In light thereof it is recommended, on the one hand, that the classification system is revised and changed, because it does not succeed in meeting the needs and preferences of the modern consumer. On the other hand it is recommended that deliberate educational strategies are applied to change the attitudes and buying patterns of consumers regarding the purchasing of mutton and lamb. Consumers must be guided not to rely on their own and subjective considerations, but also to apply objective criteria with confidence. This process will inevitably also influence the effectiveness of the value chain.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for Master‟s Degree of Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2007. Thesis (M.Tech.: Marketing)-Dept. of Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2007. xv, 205 leaves / Cause related marketing (CRM) is becoming a popular marketing strategy used by brand managers, retailers and service companies. It can be described as a marketing strategy that links charities or ‘causes’ with the sales of a product, brand or service. The charity is mentioned in promotional campaigns and a certain percentage is donated to the cause in accordance with unit sales or turnover. A study was conducted in the eThekweni region of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa to gather information on this issue. The study was a quantitative survey and data was collected by means of an interview process. The overall objective of this study was to gain an understanding of consumer behaviour towards companies using CRM in the greater eThekweni region. This objective was made up of three sub-objectives. The first subobjective was to identify whether eThwekeni consumers would switch brands to a company involved with CRM, if price and quality were equal. This was followed by subobjective two, which was to establish whether particular socio-demographic characteristics of consumers would be related to their evaluation of a CRM offer. Finally, sub-objective three was to establish whether those same socio-demographic characteristics would be related to the selection of specific causes. / M

D.Com. (Economics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract