published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

These days, milk substitute products are getting more popular and exist together with milk on the market. These substitute products are appreciated by consumers due to animal welfare, environmental or health related reasons. The purpose of the investigation was to make assumptions about the future situation of farmers and which demographic, personal, sociological, cultural and psychological determinants have an impact on Swedish consumers purchasing substitute products. The proposed methodology to reveal the impact of those factors was a qualitative research. Ten semi-structured interviews with residents of Västra Götaland, aimed to gain a deeper and better understanding of the reasons for consumption of milk substitute products, were conducted in total. The existing theory and scientific articles about demographic, personal, sociological, cultural and psychological determinants of consumer behavior, in terms of food choice and consumption, were used to create an interview guide and also to compare the collected primary data in the end. Participants were asked questions regarding their demography, lifestyle, awareness and perception of milk substitute products and other reasons for their consumption of milk substitutes. The findings revealed that demographic factors such as age and gender seemed to have an impact on the consumer behavior. Moreover, personal and psychological factors were revealed to have a significant impact on the consumption behavior. In particular lifestyle, perception, attitudes and motivations, knowledge and learning had a significant influence on Swedish consumers and their food consumption behavior. Regarding sociological factors it was discovered that friends had a significant influence on food consumption. Cultural determinants were also important to consider. However, they did not have a significant influence on the participants. The findings also revealed that health and animal welfare were the main reasons for changing the consumption. Interestingly, no participant started to consume these products due to environmental reasons in the beginning. The strong competition of milk and milk substitute products on the market is most likely to continue. The future situation for farmers will look different and might get more critical as milk consumption in Sweden could change. This small scale research does not make it possible to generalize the revealed findings. Nevertheless, this qualitative investigation provided the basis for future research in the field of consumer behavior towards substitute products.

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

This dissertation focuses generally on consumer behavior, and particularly on consumer attitudes toward products of foreign origin for the purpose of developing a theory that will assist in explaining and predicting this phenomenon. Existing research in the area of country of origin effects upon consumer attitudes toward foreign-made products demonstrates significant methodological limitations such as single cue approaches., The major objective of this dissertation is to contribute to the development of a theory based upon the expectancy-value attitude concept to better explain and predict consumer attitudes toward products of foreign origin. To achieve this objective, the research attempts to overcome the limitations identified in attitude research and specific methodological deficiencies in research focusing on attitudes toward products of foreign origin by: 1. utilizing the expectancy-value approach; 2. basing operationalization of the attitude concepts on Likert-like scales and subjective conditional probabilities; 3. measuring the operationalized attitudes both directly and indirectly via beliefs and evaluations; 4. simultaneously including multiple extrinsic cues; 5. including pictorial cues in the questionnaire; and 6. performing and reporting validity and reliability tests. The general model developed in this research, representing the theory of attitudes toward products of foreign origin is the Foreign Product Attitude Model (FPAM). This dissertation will concentrate on an extracted part of the total model, namely the relationships between the informational stimuli cues and the attitudinal response. The informational extrinsic informational cues include the country of origin, the brand name, the store image and an involvement covariate. By concentrating on the above relationships it is hoped that this study will contribute to a better understanding of the direct effects of the informational stimuli upon the attitude toward a product of foreign origin. The country of origin effect and the other extrinsic cues (brand name and store image) were found to have significant effects on consumer attitudes toward products, explaining almost 20 percent of the total variance.

This study examined consumer attitude towards adding branded quick-service items on domestic airline in-flight menus with the aim of assessing the variables of perceived customer value and customer satisfaction. A random sample of one hundred sixteen frequent flyers residing in the United States participated in the study. An examination of consumer attitude towards branded quick-service menu items if introduced on domestic in-flight menus was performed. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine which of the four relationships was the most significant. The results showed that frequent flyer satisfaction with branded quick-service food items had the most significant relationship with perceived satisfaction of adding branded quick-service foods to coach class in-flight meal service.

M.Comm. / The objectives of this study are: - to determine the perceptions of the internal client relative to his requirements of the service being delivered, - to determine the specific areas in which there are shortcomings in the delivering of the services, and - to make recommendations for provision of better service. The respondents who participated in the study, are the managers of Telkom in the Witwatersrand area. The technical support services are delivering a support service to Telkom in maintaining the infrastructure of its network (power systems, air conditioning systems and electronic cards) and the production of various products of plastic and steeL The viability of the workshops will depend on delivering a quality service to its clients that meets their minimum requirement of expected performance. Data collection took place by using the SERVQUAL-questionnaire. This questionnaire is based on the five dimensions of service quality that were identified in a study by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985), namely reliability, reaction, insurance, empathy and tangibles. The managers were required to complete the questionnaire which was sent by E-mail A software program was used to process the results. The results indicated a negative satisfaction index and the conclusion could be drawn that the workshops do not meet expectations of the clients. The satisfaction gap is the difference between the perception of the client of the service that is delivered and the minimum requirements expected of that service. The reliability dimension is rated the worst of the five dimensions, where the respondents felt that the details of the timing of the delivery of the service are insufficient. The tangible dimension is rated the second lowest of the five dimensions. The two most important areas that require attention, agree the premises of the workshops and the documentation which accompanies the delivery of the service.

Thesis (M. Tech. (Food and Beverage management, Dept. of Hospitality, Tourism and Project Management) -- Vaal University of Technology / Background: About 66 percent of South Africans are urbanised. The majority of this population is forced by circumstances to live in informal settlements. Despite the income challenges faced, the market expenditure by these low-income consumers amounts to R129 billion per year. A lack of information exists regarding food product attributes that guide purchasing choice for maize meal. Objective of the study: To identify and describe the food product attributes experienced as most important during purchasing of maize meal by low-income consumers in informal settlements in the Johannesburg-Vaal region. Methods: Phase 1 comprised a quantitative survey in three informal! and one formal settlement (n=502), testing the level of importance perceived for 14 food product attributes. In Phase 2, focus group discussions were conducted to describe and compare the understanding of the food product attributes between groups and with literature. Results: Phase 1 defines income level as the boundary within which low-income consumers perceived the importance of food product attributes. Satiety value and the affordability of food products override sensory attributes as the main decision choice, as usually applicable to higher income groups. Nutrient content was ranked least important. These findings can probably be allocated to the need of low-income consumers to satisfy priorities for survival (satiety value). Phase 2 reported no distinctive differences in the meaning of terms between groups. However, a difference exists in the depth of meaning. The majority of descriptive elements indicated a link to economic attributes. Strong cross-links between attributes were revealed through the findings. No major differences were found in the understanding of food product attributes between the respondents' groups and with existing literature. Two concept elements, the versatility of product use as linked to taste and the ability of sensory qualities to report quality of maize meal as linked to product safety, were revealed by the current study. Key words: Food product attributes, low-income households, staple food, maize meal, informal settlement, purchase choice.

by Cheung Pui-ching. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1981. / Bibliography: leaves 79-80.

by Kwok Chi Ming Derek. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-79). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.vii / Chapter / Chapter I --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Background --- p.1 / Statement of the Problem --- p.2 / Research Objectives --- p.4 / Chapter II --- RELATED LITERATURE --- p.5 / Early Literature --- p.5 / Recent Literature --- p.7 / Consumer Attitudes Literature --- p.9 / Chapter III --- METHODOLOGY --- p.14 / Data Collection Method --- p.14 / Research Design --- p.15 / Sampling --- p.16 / Fieldwork --- p.18 / Chapter IV --- FINDINGS --- p.19 / Sample Characteristics --- p.19 / General Attitudes Towards Environmental Issues --- p.22 / General Attitudes Towards Environmental Issues by Demographics --- p.27 / General Attitudes towards Green Products --- p.31 / General Attitudes towards Green Products by Demographics --- p.33 / Ratings towards the Two Selected Products --- p.36 / Attitudes towards Green Products by Attitudes towards the Issues --- p.41 / Attitudes towards Green Products by Ratings towards the Two Selected Products --- p.44 / Chapter V --- SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS --- p.48 / Summary of Findings --- p.48 / Implications for Marketers --- p.53 / APPENDIX / Chapter 1 --- A List of Some Commonly Used Terms Used in Connection with Green Products --- p.54 / Chapter 2 --- """Green"" Segments in the United States" --- p.57 / Chapter 3 --- English Version of the Questionnaire --- p.61 / Chapter 4 --- Chinese Version of the Questionnaire --- p.69 / Chapter 5 --- Sample Selection --- p.73 / Chapter 6 --- Fieldworkers' Instructions --- p.74 / Chapter 7 --- Results of Dialing Attempts --- p.76 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.77

by Yeung See Ming Kevin. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Bibliography: leaves 96-99. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / Chapter / Chapter I. --- THE PROBLEM SETTING --- p.1 / Introduction --- p.1 / Research Objectives --- p.3 / Research Objective I --- p.4 / Research Objective II --- p.4 / Research Objective III --- p.5 / Organization of the Report --- p.5 / Chapter II. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.7 / Perceived Risk in Consumer Behavior --- p.7 / Types of Risk --- p.14 / Risk Relievers --- p.18 / Chapter III. --- SCOPE OF STUDY --- p.22 / Risk Concept --- p.22 / Types of Risk --- p.23 / Risk Relievers --- p.24 / Personal Characteristics --- p.25 / Chapter IV. --- METHODOLOGY - PHASE I QUALITATIVE RESEARCH --- p.26 / Literature Review --- p.26 / Focus Group Interviews --- p.27 / Purpose --- p.27 / Method of Execution --- p.27 / Chapter V. --- FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH --- p.29 / Products Mentioned --- p.29 / Reasons Provided --- p.31 / Consequences of Wrong Decision --- p.32 / Ranking of Risks --- p.32 / Risk Relievers --- p.33 / Implications --- p.34 / Risk Types to be Studied --- p.35 / Risk Relievers --- p.35 / Product Selection --- p.36 / Chapter V. --- SUMMARY OF HYPOTHESES --- p.37 / Chapter VI. --- METHODOLOGY - PHASE II QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH --- p.41 / Purpose --- p.41 / Questionnaire Design --- p.41 / Definition of Terms --- p.42 / Measurement --- p.45 / Mode of Execution --- p.46 / Validity Concern --- p.47 / Data Analysis --- p.48 / Chapter VII. --- FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH --- p.50 / Hypothesis One --- p.51 / Hypothesis Two --- p.54 / Hypothesis Three --- p.57 / Hypothesis Four --- p.58 / Hypothesis Five --- p.59 / Hypothesis Six --- p.65 / Hypothesis Seven --- p.71 / Summary --- p.73 / Chapter VIII --- .RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.75 / For All Manufacturers --- p.75 / For Computer Manufacturers --- p.77 / Chapter IX. --- LIMITATIONS AND FURTHER RESEARCH --- p.80 / Limitations --- p.80 / Further Research --- p.82 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.96