This diploma thesis deals with the causes of division of customer preferences towards individual retail units in the town of Blatná in order to recommend proposals for improvement for the consumer cooperative COOP. The theoretical overview provides basic information about food retailers in the Czech Republic, presents the formats of stores, attitudes of shoppers to food stores, individual elements of the retail mix or other factors influencing customer attitudes towards the store which can be influenced by retailers. The practical part relates to the food chains in Blatná and it is focused on identifying the respondents' favourite and main shopping place, the reasons for dividing customer preferences towards retail units, researching attitudes toward retail units and evaluating the retail mix of these stores. The practical part consists of two parts, a questionnaire survey focused on customers of food stores in Blatná, and research from these stores. Subsequently, it is possible to define respondents' attitudes towards food retailers in Blatná and their buying behavior. The survey in retail formats is used to identify and evaluate the core elements of the retail mix of individual stores. Thanks to these procedures it is possible to define improvement suggestions for COOP Tip in Blatná.

This diploma thesis entitled "Design of Promotion Strategie in the Hospitality Industry - a Comparable Study for the Czech Republic and Ireland" addresses strategic practices in different countries and further applies them. The aim was to assess whether it is possible to apply the same advertising procedures as in Ireland at domestic country. The evaluation was carried out on the basis of a semi-structured interview with a Irish resident working in the hospitality industry and a questionnaire survey which took place in the Czech Republic. In the conclusion the are formulated specific steps inspired by Ireland which can be applied in the Czech Republic.

Increasing climate awareness, the Paris Agreement urging institutions to enable the economic transition toward sustainability and the looming possibility of environmental regulations are challenges facing the banking sector today. This study however chooses to see opportunities in a changing retail banking environment, investigating what green banking products customers want their bank to provide and how the introduction of green banking product might impact customer loyalty. The research was conducted through a mixed-method approach consisting of both quantitative and qualitative elements during the time-period of January to June 2019. 504 individuals engaged in the survey conducted and their answers were both analysed through the development of a customer loyalty framework and with theoretical support from the literature gathered. The results indicated a positive attitude towards green banking products while also not showing a clear preference or desirability for a specific product. Additionally, this study found a positive relationship between the introduction of green banking products and increased customer loyalty. The study concluded that green banking products suggestively have an advantageous position in the evolving financial sector, more specifically in a number of years. / Ökande klimatmedvetenhet, Parisavtalet som uppmuntrar institutioner att möjliggöra en ekonomisk övergång till hållbarhet och hägrande möjligheter till tuffare miljöregler, är utmaningar som banksektorn står inför idag. Denna studie väljer emellertid att se möjligheter i en förändrad bankmiljö, genom att undersöka vilka gröna bankprodukter kunderna vill att deras bank ska tillhandahålla och hur införandet av gröna bank-produkter kan påverka kundlojalitet. Undersökningen genomfördes genom en mixed-method approach som bestod av både kvantitativa och kvalitativa element under perioden januarijuni 2019. 504 personer deltog i undersökningen som genomfördes och deras svar analyserades både genom utvecklingen av ett ramverk för kundlojalitet och med teoretiskt stöd från den samlade litteraturen. Resultaten indikerar en positiv inställning till gröna bankprodukter, men visar inte heller en tydlig preferens eller önskemål om en viss produkt. Dessutom fann denna studie ett positivt förhållande mellan introduktionen av gröna bankprodukter och ökad kundlojalitet. Undersökningen drog slutsatsen att gröna bankprodukter sannolikt har en fördelaktig position inom den utvecklande finanssektorn, mer specifikt inom ett antal år.

Primarily, this research study was concerned with the evaluation of the brand campus concept implemented at then DaimlerChrysler South Africa in 2002, as a case study. Pretoria-based Mercedes-Benz South Africa (Pty) Ltd. (MBSA) is a subsidiary of global vehicle manufacturer Germany’s Daimler-Benz AG (DBAG). They are responsible for assembling, distributing and retailing, certain Mercedes-Benz and Mitsubishi vehicle brands, and spare parts. The landmark 1998 DaimlerChrysler global ‘merger of equals’ was preceded by the 1995 joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Mitsubishi Motor Corporation. Consequently, three brands (Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler and Mitsubishi) were retailed and marketed under DaimlerChrysler South Africa (Pty) Ltd. (DCSA), positioned next to each other in the same showroom. This report identifies key challenges stemming from this approach, namely: brand strength dilution, more than 80 multi-franchised dealers and multi-branded showrooms, service capacity problems, old working environment and infrastructure, and perceived intra-brand competition. The research evidence suggests that these problems prompted then DCSA to launch the 2000 Dealer Network Strategy (DNS). In the grand scheme of things, the DNS intervention entailed partitioning the dealer network into five brand centres in five metro regions, and eighteen market centres in the rural areas. The brand campus concept was borne out of DNS and proved to be a masterstroke since, the primary focus was on streamlining the retail facilities for DCSA vehicle sales, service and spare parts for both the passenger and commercial vehicles. This study highlights key pillars of the brand campus concept, namely: profitability, brand focus, customer orientation and diversity. The challenge was to address seven major drivers of the brand campus concept, namely: after-sales vehicle support, vehicle service capacity, lead-times, spare parts availability, sales information propagation, behavior of sales personnel and the overall vehicle dealership appearance. Semi-structured interviews constituted part of the evaluation based on the perspectives of five customers, three dealer principals and two MBSA marketing executives. The research evidence, which also came from MBSA documentation and direct observation, shows that this innovative concept has been remarkably successful.

Text in English with abstracts in Zulu and Afrikaans / Despite its substantial growth and contribution to the economy of the country, the South African retail industry is faced with various challenges, including customers’ changing buying habits and expectations, the evolution of e-commerce, the entry of giant retailers into the retail market, and the growing importance of the urbanised middle class and its potential purchasing power. This creates risks that are mostly beyond retailers’ control. Therefore, there is a general drive among retail brands to build customer loyalty in order to respond to these contemporary dynamics within the industry and, ultimately, enhance sustainability. It is noted from literature that current understanding of customer behaviour in the South African retail space is largely the result of rational behavioural measurement, while the subconscious behaviour of customers is often neglected. The study on which this thesis reports attempted to address this gap in the current knowledge base. The current study makes a novel contribution to knowledge in using complementary traditional and neuromarketing instruments in a sequential mixed method research design to measure verbal, non-verbal and physiological emotions, which indicate the key influential cognitive and emotive factors shaping shopping decisions. For a comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour, the study primarily explored the emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of South Africa. In order to explore and describe both retail brands and customers’ experiences regarding the drivers of retail brand loyalty, the empirical phase of the study adopted a sequential mixed method research design. This design comprised eight individual semi-structured interviews, which focused on and explored the fundamentals of behavioural and attitudinal loyalty within the context of a customer relationship management strategy. x Based on the findings emerging from the quantitative mall intercept survey with 300 retail customers, the study identified the motivating factors of greatest likelihood among customers that best explain retail brand loyalty, namely product quality, convenience of location, customer care, product variety and availability, as well as fair pricing. Furthermore, findings emerging from the inferential analysis (structural equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling and multivariate binary regression analysis) showed that brand trust, brand affect and attitudinal loyalty are key predictors of behavioural loyalty. Additionally, customer loyalty differs depending on customer predisposition towards the major retail brands tested. In this regard, Pick n Pay, Massmart and Shoprite/Checkers recorded the most favourable perceptions among customers. As Despite its substantial growth and contribution to the economy of the country, the South African retail industry is faced with various challenges, including customers’ changing buying habits and expectations, the evolution of e-commerce, the entry of giant retailers into the retail market, and the growing importance of the urbanised middle class and its potential purchasing power. This creates risks that are mostly beyond retailers’ control. Therefore, there is a general drive among retail brands to build customer loyalty in order to respond to these contemporary dynamics within the industry and, ultimately, enhance sustainability. It is noted from literature that current understanding of customer behaviour in the South African retail space is largely the result of rational behavioural measurement, while the subconscious behaviour of customers is often neglected. The study on which this thesis reports attempted to address this gap in the current knowledge base. The current study makes a novel contribution to knowledge in using complementary traditional and neuromarketing instruments in a sequential mixed method research design to measure verbal, non-verbal and physiological emotions, which indicate the key influential cognitive and emotive factors shaping shopping decisions. For a comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour, the study primarily explored the emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of South Africa. In order to explore and describe both retail brands and customers’ experiences regarding the drivers of retail brand loyalty, the empirical phase of the study adopted a sequential mixed method research design. This design comprised eight individual semi-structured interviews, which focused on and explored the fundamentals of behavioural and attitudinal loyalty within the context of a customer relationship management strategy. x Based on the findings emerging from the quantitative mall intercept survey with 300 retail customers, the study identified the motivating factors of greatest likelihood among customers that best explain retail brand loyalty, namely product quality, convenience of location, customer care, product variety and availability, as well as fair pricing. Furthermore, findings emerging from the inferential analysis (structural equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling and multivariate binary regression analysis) showed that brand trust, brand affect and attitudinal loyalty are key predictors of behavioural loyalty. Additionally, customer loyalty differs depending on customer predisposition towards the major retail brands tested. In this regard, Pick n Pay, Massmart and Shoprite/Checkers recorded the most favourable perceptions among customers. As a complement to the quantitative research phase of the study, a Self-Assessment Manikin attitude measure was applied to a sample of 120 customers. This phase of the study highlighted pertinent emotional elements as key mediators in securing sustainable retail brand loyalty. In this regard, Woolworths and Pick n Pay recorded the most favourable perceptions on four stimuli, namely quality, customer rewards, customer care and brand logos. The study also applied eye tracking and galvanic skin response techniques to a sample of 10 participants to determine customers’ psychophysiological reaction to the four stimuli. Galvanic skin response findings showed that customers were especially engaged with Spar, Shoprite/Checkers and Pick n Pay, while eye tracking findings showed customers’ higher visual engagement with Shoprite/Checkers, Pick n Pay and Spar. A key overall finding of this study was the significant role of feelings and emotions in driving customer loyalty. Retail brands lose relevance when they fail to connect emotionally with customers, and without that emotional attachment, brands can easily be replaced by generic imposters. A comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour remains a quandary for marketing and business practitioners. In an attempt to address this limitation, the current study used insights from non-verbal attitudinal and psychophysiological measures to obtain a more comprehensive behavioural understanding of retail customers. / Nakuba imboni yezitolo ezihwebayo yaseNingizimu Afrika ibonise ukukhula nokudlondlobala okukhulu futhi idlala indima esemqoka emnothweni wezwe, ibhekene nezinselelo eziningana futhi ezihlukahlukene, kubandakanya indlelakuthenga yamakhasimende eguquguqukayo kanye nalokho okulindelwe ngamakhasimende nezimfuno zawo, ukungenisa ngezinkani kwemboni yokuhweba nge-intanethi nobuxhakaxhaka bobuchwepheshe besimanjemanje, ukungena kwezitolo eziyizikhondlakhondla emakethe yezitolo ezihwebayo, kanye nokukhula kokubaluleka kwabantu abahlala emadolobheni abasesigabeni sempilo esimaphakathi kanye namandla abo okuthenga. Lokhu kudala ubungozi obuvamise ukuba ngaphezu kwamandla nolawulo lwezitolo ezihwebayo. Ngakho-ke, kunomkhankaso oqhutshwa yizitolo zonkana ezihlose ngawo ukwakha ubudlelwano namakhasimende kanye nokuqinisekisa ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende ukuze zikwazi ukumelana nezimo ezikhona esikhathini samanje embonini yezitolo ezihwebayo, futhi ekugcineni, ukuze zikwazi ukusimamisa ibhizinisi lazo liqhubeke njalo futhi likhule lidlondlobale. Kuphawulekile emibhalweni efundiwe ukuthi ukuqonda kanye nolwazi olujulile olukhona njengamanje mayelana nokuziphatha kwamakhasimende eNingizimu Afrika emkhakheni wezitolo ezihwebayo ikakhulukazi kuwumphumela wokukalwa kwezinga lokuthatha izinqumo ngobuhlakani nokwenza izinto emva kokucabangisisa, kepha-ke ngakolunye uhlangothi kuvamise ukushaywa indiva ukwenza izinto kwamakhasimende ngaphandle kokuqaphela nokucophelela futhi ngokuthathela izinto phezulu noma ngaphandle kokucabangisisa ngalokho akwenzayo. Lolu cwaningo okubikwa ngalo kulo mbiko wocwaningo luzamile ukubhekana naleli gebe elikhona njengamanje eliphathelene nokuntuleka kolwazi. Lolu cwaningo lwamanje lufaka isandla esinohlonze kanye nemibono ephusile olwazini olukhona, ngokusebenzisa amathuluzi asekelayo ajwayelekile kanye nalawo asebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bokukala ukusebenza kwengqondo, ngaphansi kwedizayini yocwaningo egxile kwindlela-kusebenza exubile yokwenza izinto ngokulandelana kwazo, ngenhloso yokukala imizwa ezwakaliswa ngomlomo, ngezenzo noma ngeminyakazo yomzimba, okuyinto ebonisa izimo nezici-bunjalo ezisemqoka futhi ezinomthelela omkhulu eziphathelene nokusebenza kwengqondo kanye nemizwa, okuyizona ezilawula izinqumo zamakhasimende eziphathelene nokuthenga. Ngenhloso yokuqonda ngokuphelele ukuziphatha kwamakhasimende, lolu cwaningo lwacubungula futhi lwahlaziya ikakhulukazi izici-bunjalo zemizwa elawula ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende embonini yezitolo ehlelekile yaseNingizimu Afrika. Ukuze kucutshungulwe futhi kuchazwe kokubili izinhlobo zezitolo kanye nezimo ahlangabezane nazo amakhasimende mayelana nezici-bunjalo ezenza amakhasimende athembeke esitolo esithile futhi athenge kusona ngaso sonke isikhathi, isigaba socwaningo esiphathelene nolwazi oluphathekayo nolubonakalayo sasebenzisa idizayini yocwaningo egxile kwindlela-kusebenza exubile yokwenza izinto ngokulandelana kwazo. Le dizayini beyibandakanya ama-semi-structured interviews enziwa nababambiqhaza bocwaningo abayisishiyagalombili, okuyizingxoxo ezabe zigxile ekucubunguleni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende okuphathelene nokuziphatha kwawo kanye nendlela abuka ngayo izinto ngaphansi kwesimo seqhingasu lokuphathwa kobudlelwano namakhasimende. Ngokususela kwimiphumela eyatholakala kwinhlolovo ebandakanya abathengi abangama-300 okwaxoxiswana nabo ezikhungweni ezinenxanxathela yezitolo, ucwaningo lwahlonza izimo nezi-bunjalo ezikhuthaza futhi zihehe amakhasimende okuyizona ezingasetshenziswa ukuchaza kangcono ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende ezitolo ezithile, okuyikhwalithi yomkhiqizo, ukufinyeleleka kalula kwendawo lapho kutholakala khona isitolo, ukunakekelwa kwamakhasimende, imikhiqizo ehlukahlukene kanye nokutholakala kwayo, ngokunjalo namanani-ntengo angambi eqolo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imiphumela eyatholakala ohlaziyweni lwezinqumo ezithathwe ngokubheka ubufakazi kanye nokuqonda okujulile (structural equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling kanye ne-multivariate binary regression analysis) yabonisa ukuthi ukwethenjwa kohlobo lomkhiqizo, ukukhanga nokuthandeka komkhiqizo kanye nokwethembeka okuphathelene nendlela-kubuka kuyizibikezeli ezisemqoka zokuziphatha kwamakhasimende okuhambisana nokwethembeka emikhiqizweni ethile. Futhi ngaphezu kwalokho, ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende kuyehluka, futhi lokhu kuncike ekuhehelekeleni kwamakhasimende ezitolo enkulu ezihloliwe. Mayelana nalokhu-ke, abakwa-Pick n Pay, Massmart kanye nabakwa-Shoprite/Checkers yizona zitolo ezibonise ukuthandwa kakhulu ngamakhasimende. Njengendlela yokweseka nokunezezela phezu kwesigaba socwaningo olukhwantithethivu olwenziwe, kwasetshenziswa isikali sendlela-kubuka esibizwa nge-Self-Assessment Manikin kwisampula yamakhasimende ayi-120. Lesi sigaba socwaningo saqhakambisa izimo nezici-bunjalo eziphathelene nemizwa ezifanelekile njengezinto ezisemqoka kakhulu ekuqinisekiseni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende esitolo esithile ngokuqhubekayo. Mayelana nalokhu, abakwa-Woolworths kanye nabakwa-Pick n Pay babonisa ukuthandwa kakhulu ngamakhasimende mayelana nezici-bunjalo ezihehayo futhi ezikhuthazayo ezine, okuyikhwalithi, imivuzo yamakhasimende, ukunakekelwa kwamakhasimende kanye nemibala egqamile, igama elidumile nezimpawu zesitolo. Ucwaningo lwasebenzisa futhi nezindlela zokucwaninga eziphathelene nokulandela umkhondo wamehlo amakhasimende kanye nezimpawu zemizwa yamakhasimende ezibonakala esikhumbeni semizimba yawo, okuyizindlela zocwaningo ezasetshenziswa kubabambiqhaza bocwaningo abayi-10 ngenhloso yokuhlonza indlela-kusabela kwamakhasimende ephathelene nengqondo nomzimba kulezi zicibunjalo ezikhuthazayo futhi ezihehayo ezine ezishiwo ngenhla. Imiphumela yendlela yocwaningo ebheka izimpawu zemizwa yamakhasimende ezibonakala esikhumbeni semizimba yawo yabonisa ukuthi amakhasimende ahehelekela ikakhulukazi kwabakwa-Spar, Shoprite/Checkers kanye nabakwa-Pick n Pay, kanti ngakolunye uhlangothi imiphumela yendlela yocwaningo ebheka futhi ilandele umkhondo wamehlo amakhasimende yabonisa ukuheheka kwamehlo okuphakeme ezitolo zabakwa-Shoprite/Checkers, Pick n Pay kanye nabakwa-Spar. Umphumela omkhulu futhi osemqoka otholakale kulolu cwaningo yindima ebaluleke kakhulu edlalwa yimizwa ekukhuthazeni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende. Izitolo zilahlekelwa yiwozawoza yazo kumakhasimende uma zihluleka ukuxhumana namakhasimende ngokwemizwa, futhi ngaphandle kwalokho kuxhumana ngokwemizwa nokuzwana, izitolo zingazithola kalula zisesimweni lapho indawo yazo isithathwe yizitolo-mbumbulu ezingosandanezwe. Ukuqondakala okuphelele kwendlela aziphatha ngayo amakhasimende futhi enza ngayo izinto kusalokhu kuyinkinga nesithiyo esikhulu kwizazi nezisebenzi ezenza umsebenzi wokukhangisa nokuqhuba ibhizinisi. Njengomzamo wokubhekana nalesi sithiyo, lolu cwaningo lusebenzise ulwazi nokuqonda okujulile okutholakale kwizikali zendlela-kubuka yamakhasimende kanye nezikali zesimo sengqondo nesomzimba samakhasimende ukuze kutholakale ukuqonda okuphelele futhi okujulile okuphathelene nokuziphatha kwamakhasimende athenga ezitolo kanye nendlela enza ngayo izinto. / Ondanks sy stewige groei en aansienlike bydrae tot die landsekonomie, het die Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelsbedryf met verskeie uitdagings te kampe. Veranderinge in kliënte se koopgewoontes en verwagtings, groeiende e-handel, reusekleinhandelaars wat die kleinhandelsmark betree, die toenemende invloed van die verstedelikte middelklas en sy potensiële koopkrag is enkele hiervan. Dit gee aanleiding tot risiko’s wat grotendeels buite die beheer van kleinhandelaars is. As gevolg van die hedendaagse dinamiek in die bedryf, poog kleinhandelsmerke om kliëntlojaliteit te verstewig en hulle eie volhoubaarheid te verseker. Dit blyk uit die literatuur dat die kleinhandelsektor se siening van kliëntgedrag in Suid-Afrika op die meting van rasionele gedrag berus, en dat die onbewuste gedrag van kliënte verontagsaam word. Hierdie tesis doen verslag van ʼn studie om hierdie leemte in die huidige kennis te probeer aanvul. Dit lewer ʼn bydrae deur aanvullende tradisionele en neurobemarkingsinstrumente in ʼn opeenvolgende gemengde metode as navorsingsbenadering te gebruik. Verbale, nieverbale en fisiologiese emosies is gemeet aangesien hulle die kognitiewe en emotiewe faktore is wat inkopiebesluite bepaal. Hierdie studie het hoofsaaklik die emosionele antesedente van kliëntlojaliteit in die Suid-Afrikaanse formele kleinhandelsbedryf verken om ʼn grondige begrip van kliëntgedrag te kry. Ten einde kleinhandelsmerke en kliënte se ervarings van die drywers van kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit te beskryf en te verken, is ʼn opeenvolgende gemengdemetode-navorsingsontwerp gevolg. Dit het uit agt halfgestruktureerde, private onderhoude bestaan. Hierin is gekonsentreer op die grondslae van gedragsen houdingslojaliteit teen die agtergrond van ʼn kliënteverhoudingsbestuurstrategie. Op grond van die bevindings van ʼn kwantitatiewe winkelsentrumopname onder 300 kleinhandelskliënte, is die motiveringsfaktore met die grootste waarskynlikheid aangetoon. Hulle is produkgehalte, ʼn gerieflike ligging, kliëntesorg, produkverskeidenheid, beskikbaarheid en billike pryse, en bied die aanneemlikste verklaring vir kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit. Volgens die bevindings van die inferensiële ontleding (struktuurvergelykingmodellering, tweestaptrosontleding, optimale skalering en meerveranderlike binêre regressieanalise) is merkvertroue, merkaffek en houdingslojaliteit betroubare aanwysers van bedragslojaliteit. Afgesien hiervan verskil kliëntlojaliteit na gelang van kliëntpredisposisie jeens kleinhandelsmerke wat getoets is. Kliënte was vir vier stimuli (naamlik gehalte, kliëntbelonings, kliëntesorg en merklogo’s) die ontvanklikste vir Pick n Pay, Massmart en Shoprite/Checkers. Aanvullend tot die kwalitatiewe navorsingsfase van hierdie studie is ʼn selfasseringsmodelhoudingmeting op ʼn steekproef van 120 kliënte toegepas. Hierdie fase het die aandag gevestig op pertinente emosionele elemente as sleuteltussengangers in die opwekking van volhoubare kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit. Vir die vier stimuli (naamlik gehalte, kliëntbelonings, kliëntesorg en merklogo’s) was kliënte se persepsies van Woolworths en Pick n Pay die gunstigste. Hierbenewens is oogvolg- en galvaniese velreaksietegnieke op ʼn steekproef van 10 deelnemers toegepas om hulle psigofisiologiese reaksie op die vier stimuli te bepaal. Die galvaniese velreaksietoetse het aangedui dat kliënte besonder ontvanklik was vir Spar, Shoprite/Checkers en Pick n Pay, en volgens die oogvolgtoetse visueel meer aangetrokke tot Spar, Shoprite/Checkers en Pick n Pay was. Hierdie studie het bevind dat emosies in die algemeen ʼn deurslaggewende rol in kliëntlojaliteit speel. Kleinhandelsmerke raak irrelevant as hulle nie ʼn emosionele band met kliënte smee nie. Sonder hierdie emosionele verbintenis kan generiese bedrieërs maklik die plek van kleinhandelsmerke inneem. Bemarkings- en sakepraktisyns het nie ʼn deeglike begrip van kliëntgedrag nie. Om dit reg te stel, het hierdie studie nieverbale houdings- en psigofisiologiese toetse toegepas om die gedrag van kleinhandelskliënte beter te begryp. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)