M.Com. (Business Management) / Its seems that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Outsourcing is now a major business for Information Technology Outsourcing Providers (ITOPs) and all their focus is on client retention and new business acquisition. Variables like Employee Satisfaction, Customer Loyalty, and Financial Performance and how they relate to Customer Satisfaction seem to have received ample research attention. The way the client perceives and rates the service, can be influenced by a couple of factors and Service Level Rating (SLR) is one of the factors under study. The main aim of the research was to investigate the relationship between Service Level Rating and Customer Satisfaction Rating (CSR) in Information and Communication Technology Outsourcing. Other variables like competency of the engineer, size of company and type of industry were also used to see if this relationship between SLR and CSR depends on these variables. A quantitative research approach is followed. Secondary data is used in the study as it is considered the most suitable given the variables under investigation. The main variables are Service Level Rating (SLR) and Customer Satisfaction Rating (CSR). Pre-testing was done to ensure reliability which solidifies the foundation for the analysis and results. The research showed that there is a strong negative relationship between Service Level Rating (SLR) and Customer Satisfaction Rating (CSR). However the results showed that client rates do not depend on the level of competency of the engineer providing the service. During SLA negotiations, managers need to be able to balance the effect of Customer Satisfaction and at the same time save the client on cost of delivery at a high Service Level after careful considerations of the factors that influence Customer Satisfaction. Although it is important to maintain customer satisfaction ratings, managers must understand the implications of the human elements of customer satisfaction. The results may not be generalised but are limited to the organisation under study. This research can open further areas of research in future across the ICT sector. More avenues need to be researched on the relationship between the two variables. In future the research could further investigate if the relationship between SLR and CSR is affected by level of the client within the organisation. The research could be extended across the ICT industries in South Africa, the developing and developed economies.

Prof. F.J. Herbst

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The purpose of this research was to test a conceptual model which examines consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction (CS/D) with apparel retail stores and to investigate the moderating effects of shopping orientations and store type on confirmation/disconfirmation (C/DC) about quick response technologies (QRT) based attributes and CS/D with a retail store. Shopping orientation included fashion, economic, and time orientations. Store type included specialty chain, department, discount, and small independent stores. The conceptual framework for this study was based on retail strategic planning (Berman & Evans, 1992; Cory, 1988) and consumer satisfaction theory (Oliver, 1980). A convenience sample of 200 female apparel consumers was selected from a southeast city in the United States. The survey design employed a structured questionnaire with some open-ended questions. A questionnaire was pilot tested for content validity and instrument reliability. Descriptive statistics (Le., frequencies, percentages), multiple regressions, ANOVAs, and ANCOVA were used for data analysis to test the hypotheses. The response rate was 86.2 % for 200 usable responses. C/DC (i.e., QRT based, non-QRT based attributes) had significant effects on CS/D with apparel retail stores. The results supported the disconfirmation of expectation model (Oliver, 1980). C/DC of QRT based attributes (e.g. reduced stockout, fast turnaround of goods) have more influence on CS/D than C/DC of non-QRT based attributes (e.g., location of store, store hours). Results from a preliminary test indicated that QRT based attributes are improved by implementing QRT. The orientation of consumers is related to the level of C/DC of QRT based attributes, which determines CS/D. Fashion orientation, economic orientation, and store type were significant moderators between C/DC of QRT based attributes and CS/D with apparel retail stores. The retail QRT information assembled in the review of literature and the results of the study could help industry trade associations adjust their strategy for potential QRT adopters and promote QR implementation efficiently, and help retailers do strategic planning when they implement QRT. / Ph. D.

Dining out is one of the most popular leisure activities in developed countries. A review of the studies on consumer satisfaction and dissatisfaction (CS/D) in restaurant dining indicates that the majority of restaurant management literature deals with the product/service dimension of restaurant dining and that the leisure dimension of restaurant dining has not been explored. This study was approached with a desire to combine the knowledge from leisure, tourism, marketing, and service management in order to add to the body of knowledge in restaurant management. An analysis of an empirical test of the satisfaction disconfirmation model in an upscale restaurant was conducted. The emphasis was on the impact of perceived product/service and leisure disconfirmations on CS/D with upscale restaurant dining. Initially, thirteen product/service attributes were identified through in-depth literature review and consequently nine leisure attributes were adapted from Beard and Ragheb's leisure motivation scale (1983). A self-administered questionnaire was given to 443 customers in an upscale restaurant and 217 questionnaires were returned by mail. It was found that respondents had significantly higher perceived product/service disconfirmation than perceived leisure disconfirmation. Five factors were identified by factor analysis of the 22 attributes. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that all the 13 product/service attributes which separated into three factors--food and beverage (F&B), price/quantity, and physical/service--had significant impacts on consumer satisfaction. The nine leisure attributes were identified as two factors--factor leisure one and factor leisure two. Factor leisure one was found to have no significant impact on CS/D. Factor leisure two which includes discover new things, avoid the hustle & bustle of daily activities, and interact with others, was found to relate significantly to consumer satisfaction. Among the four significant factors, F&B had the highest effect on consumer satisfaction with upscale restaurant dining followed by price/quantity. Compared with the physical/service factor, factor leisure two had a slightly higher effect on consumer satisfaction for upscale restaurant dining. / Ph. D.

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by Ng Yuen Yee Eva = 伍婉儀. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-81). / by Ng Yuen Yee Eva = Wu Wanyi. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS --- p.vi / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.4 / Customer Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction of iTV Services --- p.4 / Customer Retention --- p.5 / Customer Satisfaction Research --- p.5 / Attributes and Features of iTV Services and their Performance --- p.6 / Chapter III. --- RESEARCH CONTEXT --- p.7 / Chapter IV. --- HYPOTHESE FORMULATION --- p.10 / Chapter V. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.14 / Decision Problem --- p.14 / Research Objectives --- p.14 / Research Design and Data Collection Form --- p.15 / Sampling Population and Frame --- p.16 / Sampling Frame and Sampling Method --- p.16 / Method of Administration --- p.17 / Chapter VI. --- FINDINGS --- p.18 / Overall Satisfaction --- p.18 / Why Customers Terminate the Service --- p.19 / Expectation and Usage --- p.20 / Satisfaction towards Individual Components --- p.22 / Video On Demand (VOD) Satisfaction Level --- p.22 / Correlation Between Satisfaction towards Components of iTV Content --- p.31 / Correlation of Satisfactions of Components of iTV Services with Satisfaction towards Overall iTV Content --- p.32 / Regression of Satisfactions towards Individual Aspect of iTV Services on Overall Satisfaction of the Services --- p.33 / Contrasting the Lost Customers Groups Exited for Different Reasons --- p.34 / No Time to Use: True or False? --- p.35 / Groups with Different Usage Rate Contrasted --- p.41 / Demographics --- p.41 / Chapter VII. --- MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS --- p.42 / Chapter VIII. --- LIMITATIONS --- p.43 / Chapter IX. --- CONCLUSION --- p.44 / APPENDIX I: LEVEL OF ANALYSING UNITS --- p.45 / APPENDIX II: SATISFACTION WITH ITV CONTENTS CONPONENTS: DETAILED STATISTICS ANALYSIS AND CHARTS --- p.47 / Video On Demand --- p.47 / Home Shopping --- p.50 / Music On Demand --- p.52 / Home Banking --- p.54 / Racing On Demand --- p.56 / Education On Demand --- p.58 / Radio On Demand --- p.60 / Overall Satisfaction towards iTV Content and Pricing --- p.62 / Equipment --- p.63 / System Performance --- p.65 / APPENDIX III: WATCHING PATTERN --- p.67 / APPENDIX IV: QUESTIONNAIRE --- p.70 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.80

M. Tech. (Department of Fashion, Faculty of Human Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The focus of this dissertation is to examine the relationship between footwear cues, perceived quality and consumer satisfaction amongst Generation Y at River Square mall in Vereeniging. This research considers the effects of these cues as important arrays of quality indicators that consumers utilise in their evaluation process when selecting products. This knowledge is important to managers in the footwear industry. The lack of these considerations may lead to the manufacturing of fashion footwear that may not meet the consumers expectation regarding quality of the product and hence their satisfaction or possibly dissatisfaction. Footwear is alleged to be indispensable for the development of fashion apparel. Thus, the study sought to investigate underlying variables that influence footwear for the purpose of identifying ways in which the fashion industry can improve performance and presentation of footwear. A conceptual model was developed, drawing from cue utilization theory (CU) and utility theory (UT). Generation Y consumers at River Square mall in Vereeniging formed the sample of the study. A survey was conducted and research data was collected from 550 consumers. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the data via Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22 and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 22. The findings indicate that footwear cues have a strong influence on perceived quality and perceived quality has a strong influence on satisfaction amongst Generation Y consumers. This indicates that Generation Y consumers perceive quality of footwear through extrinsic and intrinsic cues hence their satisfaction. Consequently fashion footwear business should regard effective cues when trading footwear.