Thesis (PhD (Electrical Engineering))--Potchefstroom University, 1993. / The domestic sector is one of the largest users of nett energy in the RSA (24%, excluding energy used for transport), but it accounts for only 14% of the electrical energy used in the RSA. There is a very strong correlation between the time of the peak of the load for the domestic sector and the time of the peak of the national load. The domestic load is the largest contributor to the peak of the national load. This makes the domestic load more important than is generally realised. Only limited research has been done about the ways in which domestic energy is used in South Africa. Developed countries, such as the United States of America, are continuously engaged in end-use load research, so they have vast data banks available on domestic end-uses of electricity. Data on domestic end-use of electricity are urgently needed especially for South Africa with its very fast growing newly urbanised sector. Since most energy sources are not replenishable, ways and means must be found to promote the wise and effective use of all forms of energy. Effective use of energy can only be promoted if the ways in which electricity is used are known. In this dissertation the electrical energy requirements of the South African domestic sector are analyzed for the present situation and for the next few decades. A model is developed to represent the electrical load. The model has subsections representing the components of the national domestic electrical load, concentrating on electrical energy for domestic water heating, with responses to factors such as: * population growth, * urbanisation, * electrification, * energy efficiency of appliances, * consumer awareness of energy conservation. The model is to be used for scenario planning of the electrical grid. The results of this study will assist to ensure effective planning of the electrical grid of South Africa into the next century.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (D Com (Econometrics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Economics / unrestricted

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to contribute to existing gap in the literature regarding mindful consumption, which is the fundamental subject of this thesis. The research is focused on the identification of factors that influence the sense of caring in Swedish student’s mindset and temperance in their behavior with respect to mindful consumption. The literature search revealed that these factors are yet to be identified. Therefore, the present study aims to contribute to existing gap in literature by exploring Swedish students’ mindful consumption and extracting the internal and external factors that influence it. Research Methodology: By conducting an in-depth case study analysis, the present research relied on the application of mindful consumption framework in order to accomplish the above-mentioned purpose of the research. The present paper was conducted by applying a qualitative research strategy. A total of six in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and the collected data were further analyzed by applying thematic analysis method for qualitative data analysis in which the data were first coded and later these codes were analyzed and grouped together in order to develop themes that would further indicate the factors that influence the sense of caring in mindset and temperance in behavior among Swedish students. Findings: The findings have revealed that internal and external factors influence mindful consumption mindset and behavior of Swedish students. Furthermore, it was revealed that these factors highly interact which each other and together reinforce mindful consumption mindset and behavior. The findings further revealed that mindful consumption needs to be further promoted by governments, the media, lobby institutions and other organizations, especially because people view it as important and capable of contributing and changing current unsustainable consumption patterns.

The role that brands play in the lives of consumers has changed dramatically over time, from purely functional to instrumental, symbolic and hedonic in nature. Literature supports that brands are major contributors to, and reflections of, consumer identities. Despite this, literature referring to adolescents, brands and identity is lacking. Adolescents are emerging as the most brand-orientated, consumer-involved and materialistic generation in history. This research sought to understand the role of brands in adolescent identity through: i) sourcing literature to understand the role of brands in the formation and manifestation of adolescent identity, and ii) empirically deepening our understanding of how adolescents use brands to form and manifest their identities in an emerging market context. In a qualitative research study using focus groups, the views of four high- and low-income groups of female adolescents were investigated, compared and contrasted. Differences and commonalities were evident among groups around current brands owned versus brands aspired to, whether brands are consumed for the self or for others, and the role of reference groups. The findings showed differences between the high-income groups, suggesting that variances exist due to differing social standings. The findings further suggested commonalities between the low- and high-income adolescents from a lower social standing. These findings suggest the importance and need for further research in understanding the adolescent consumer psyche and proposes ethical considerations on the part of marketers. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The main objective of this study is to analyze the demand for water in Denton. The data used for the study are obtained from the City of Denton Utilities Department, the Tax Appraisal District and government documents. The 121 households which have perfect ten years historical data of water consumption were selected to be the representatives of all households in Denton. The study reveals that the change in water consumption significantly relates to the change in marginal price. Furthermore, the weather variables also have strong effects on the water consumption, especially during summer. The coefficients of income and a "difference" variable are found to have the opposite sign but are not equal in magnitude. In fact, they should be equal in magnitude, but opposite in sign. While the estimated coefficients on all independent variables were highly significant statistically, the resulting coefficient on the house size variable was statistically insignificant in the model test. The results show that the difference variable is required in the model. It also had some effect on the water consumption. It is found that there is a small change in water consumption when the lot size is increased.

Young Black professionals (Buppies) have taken the South African market by storm. These individuals and their parents come from suppressed and poverty-stricken pasts. Since the abolishment of the Apartheid regime, they have been provided with remarkable prospects and have been given the opportunity to participate in the economy. They are a vastly growing consumer segment. However, very little information is available on their needs, desires and motivation. With their newfound wealth and higher-paying professional positions they are now able to spend money on luxury items and in so doing, express how far they have come to the outside world. The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe this dynamic market’s motivations to consume. In order to provide more insight, research was done on their motivation to engage in conspicuous and or status consumption. Previously, these constructs were used interchangeably. However, later research conducted by O’Cass and McEwen (2004) proved these constructs to be empirically different. By determining Buppies’ motivation to engage in conspicuous and or status consumption; this study contributes to the fields of consumer motivation, marketing and retail. It provides insight into the driving force behind the purchasing decisions of this emergingmarket. The theoretical background to the study comprises of a literature review providing detail on conspicuous consumption and status consumption. Some additional information is also provided on studies conducted in the past relating to the motivation to engage in these forms of consumption. The information gathered on conspicuous and status consumption is then used to formulate a conceptual framework and the research objectives in which all of the key concepts and their relationships are clearly outlined. Exploratory survey research design was employed in this study to provide insights into Buppies’ conspicuous and status consumption of clothing brands. The sample consisted of 246 (n=246) Black urban consumers between the ages of 24 and 36, living in Gauteng and currently working in a professional position. Non-probability sampling methods were employed, which included purposive and snowball sampling. Respondents completed an online self-administered questionnaire. To further ensure an appropriate sample, the online questionnaire was also distributed in paper-based format. Since a quantitative research approach was utilised the questionnaire was structured in such a way as to obtain descriptive and inferential statistical data. The questionnaire was then distributed to Buppies, after which descriptive and inferential statistics were used to accurately describe the phenomena. The results of the study indicated that Buppies are more inclined to be motivated by aspects of status consumption than that of conspicuous consumption. Buppies proved to be very aware of the image that they project and how they are seen by others thus indicating that they are motivated by high self-monitoring. The results also indicated that although Buppies do enjoy being part of a group, they do not necessarily desire to communicate their belonging to a specific reference group by utilising clothing as a social cue. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

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The term ‘consumption experience’ has become ubiquitous in marketing and consumer research circles. In this thesis I question the appropriateness of this canonical term. In its stead I employ the non-dualistic term ‘experiaction’, coined by an ecological psychologist, which points to the functional inseparability of experiencing and actions. I adopt a field-theoretical, phenomenologically-informed, perspective, whilst participating in, analysing, and writing about ten video-recorded research conversations. Likewise I address the various spin-off texts deriving from the initial conversations, such as transcripts and viewing-logs. I show that ‘field’-embedded individuals notice and act on many aspects of their immediate micro-environments, including their own intra-personal goings-on and expressive outputs. Through data analysis I identify five categories of regulable variables that an individual can act on as s/he seeks to regulate his/her sensing, relative to his/her reference value(s). Seen through this cybernetic lens, momentary human being comprises of a cyclical, ongoing process of self-regulation, in which individuals expediently employ and/or modify accessible resources and goings-on, in the service of seeking to actualise their currently-preferred, or expected, states-of-being, and to minimise unwelcome deviations therefrom. This thesis challenges the prevalent notion that when people consume particular products/services these offerings sponsor offering-dedicated experiences - what some people describe as ‘consumption experiences’. The concept of experiaction, in contrast, comprises of an ongoing interaction between a person and his/her micro-environment, in which the individual attends to, and acts on, whichever aspect(s) of his/her 360°-‘inner’-‘outer’-‘field’ become(s) momentarily salient to him/her, within the parameters imposed by his/her currently-sustained reference value(s).

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