Thesis (MBus) -- Auckland University of Technology, 2004. / Also held in print (120 leaves, 30 cm.) in City Campus Theses Collection (T 658.812 ZHA)

Relationship marketing reduces emphasis on the sales focus that organizations traditionally place on profitability, shifting towards a campaign that emphasizes customer relations and retention. The aim of this study is to determine how relationship marketing can be used to assist Botswana Railways to address issues pertaining to customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention, and at assessing how customers currently perceive the quality of service rendered to them. The extant literature emphasizes that trust is the main pillar of a relationship between customers and service providers. This relationship is nurtured though constant communication to manage expectations as well as perceptions, including therein some consideration for the seven (7) P's which are central to most service marketing concepts. Data for this study was collected by means of self-administered questionnaires which were completed by a broad spectrum of Botswana Railways customers. The questions were designed around a Likert scale technique, with the data then being processed using the Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings of the study reveal that although a reasonable number of customers are relatively satisfied with the service-delivery aspects they get from Botswana Railways, there was little to no communication between their businesses and Botswana Railways, and that the various aspects that are integral to the realization of relationship marketing do not exist in the organization. This is supported by the fact that most of the customers interviewed have revealed that there is no system of communicating carriage policies and informing them about new products. These findings suggest that a number of initiatives must be introduced to enable the organization to move from transactional-based activities to relationship-based activities. / Thesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2010

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / Customer Relations Management (CRM) can be defined in many ways. In this thesis, it is defined as the business process an organization uses to provide exceptional acquisition services to existing customers to retain their business and to motivate prospective DOD commands to become new FISC Norfolk Detachment Philadelphia customers. The four key elements to a Customer Relations Management system are 1) customer identification, 2) customer differentiation, 3) customer interaction, and 4) customized customer service. FISC Norfolk Detachment Philadelphia can apply CRM practices into the pre-solicitation, pre-negotiation and post negotiation phases of the acquisition process to add value to the customers' acquisition experience. Customer Relations Management encourages early customer involvement and communication along with the application of industry best practices, and the use of innovative acquisition process to save the customer both time, money. The implementation of CRM practices at FISC Norfolk Detachment Philadelphia will not go against the Federal Acquisition Regulations or the FISC Norfolk Philadelphia Mission Statement. / Civilian, Department of the Navy

Frederick Hong-kit Yim. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-108). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT (ENGLISH) --- p.i / ABSTRACT (CHINESE) --- p.iii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iv / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.viii / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research Objectives --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Outline of This Study --- p.4 / Chapter CHPATER TWO --- BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS RESEARCH --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- Reasons for the Prominence of Relationship Marketing --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- The Growth of the Service Economy --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- The Heightening of Competitive Intensity --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- The Building of Customer Relationships to Gain a Competitive Advantage --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2 --- "Relationship Marketing, CRM and CRM Orientation" --- p.8 / Chapter 2.3 --- Two Major Confusions concerning CRM identified in the Literature --- p.11 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Obsessive Emphasis on the Technology Component --- p.11 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- The Distinction between CRM Orientation and Market Orientation --- p.11 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- CONCEPTUALIZATION: CRM ORIENTATION --- p.13 / Chapter 3.1 --- Support for our Conceptualization --- p.14 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Components of the CRM Orientation --- p.16 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Focusing on Key Customers --- p.17 / Chapter 3.2.1.1 --- Customer-centric Marketing --- p.18 / Chapter 3.2.1.2 --- Key Customer Lifetime Value Identification --- p.20 / Chapter 3.2.1.3 --- Personalization --- p.22 / Chapter 3.2.1.4 --- Interactive Cocreation Marketing --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Organizing around CRM --- p.26 / Chapter 3.2.2.1 --- Organizational Structure --- p.26 / Chapter 3.2.2.2 --- Organization-wide Commitment of Resources --- p.28 / Chapter 3.2.2.3 --- Human Resources Management --- p.28 / Chapter 3.2.2.3.1 --- Market Training and Education --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2.2.3.2 --- Internal Communication --- p.30 / Chapter 3.2.2.3.3 --- Reward Systems --- p.31 / Chapter 3.2.2.3.4 --- Employee Involvement --- p.31 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Knowledge Management --- p.32 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Knowledge Learning and Generation --- p.34 / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Knowledge Dissemination and Sharing --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.3.3 --- Knowledge Responsiveness --- p.37 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Technology-based CRM --- p.38 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.41 / Chapter 4.1 --- Overview --- p.41 / Chapter 4.2 --- Item Generation and Content Validity --- p.41 / Chapter 4.3 --- Instrument Pretest --- p.44 / Chapter 4.4 --- Sample and Data Collection --- p.47 / Chapter 4.5 --- Identification of the Underlying Factor Structure --- p.56 / Chapter 4.6 --- Item Analysis and Reliability Assessment --- p.58 / Chapter 4.7 --- Validity Assessment --- p.60 / Chapter 4.7.1 --- Convergent Validity --- p.60 / Chapter 4.7.2 --- Discriminant Validty --- p.63 / Chapter 4.7.3 --- Nomological Validity --- p.66 / Chapter 4.8 --- The Relative Impacts of CRM Orientation and Market Orientation on Business Performance --- p.72 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- DISCUSSION --- p.77 / Chapter 5.1 --- Academic and Managerial Contributions --- p.77 / Chapter 5.2 --- Implications --- p.78 / Chapter 5.3 --- Limitations --- p.81 / Chapter 5.4 --- Directions for Future Research --- p.81 / APPENDICES --- p.85 / APPENDIX I. QUESTIONNAIRE --- p.85 / APPENDIX II. CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT ORIENTATION SCALE ITEMS (AFTER PURIFICATION) --- p.88 / REFERENCES --- p.90

Wan, Chun Ying Lisa. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-92). / Abstracts in English and Chinese ; appendix also in Chinese. / ABSTRACT (ENGLISH) --- p.i / ABSTRACT (CHINESE) --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.viii / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.0 --- Overview --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research Objectives --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Significance of This Thesis --- p.5 / Chapter 1.4 --- Outline of This Thesis --- p.7 / Chapter CHPATER TWO --- LITERATURE REVIEW AND MODEL DEVELOPMENT --- p.8 / Chapter 2.0 --- Overview --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- Conceptual Definitions --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Two Types of Service Failure --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1.1 --- Service Quality --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1.2 --- Service Failure --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1.1.3 --- Exchange Resources --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.1.4 --- Intended Contributions --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Personal Values --- p.13 / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Fate Belief --- p.14 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- Face Concern --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Dissatisfaction --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Dissatisfaction Responses --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.4.1 --- Complaining and Negative Word of Mouth --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.4.2 --- Tipping Behavior --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2 --- Hypotheses --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Impacts of Fate Belief and Face Concern on Dissatisfaction --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Impacts of Fate Belief and Face Concern on Dissatisfaction Responses --- p.31 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.34 / Chapter 3.0 --- Overview --- p.34 / Chapter 3.1 --- Research Design --- p.34 / Chapter 3.2 --- Pretest --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Participants --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Design --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Materials --- p.37 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Scenarios Development --- p.37 / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Fate belief and Face Concern Scales --- p.38 / Chapter 3.2.3.3 --- Manipulation Check Items --- p.38 / Chapter 3.2.3.4 --- Dependent Measures --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Procedures --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Results --- p.40 / Chapter 3.3 --- The Main Study --- p.42 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Participants --- p.42 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Design --- p.43 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Materials --- p.43 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Scenarios --- p.43 / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Fate Belief and Face Concern Scales --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3.3.3 --- Manipulation Check Items --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3.3.4 --- Dependent Measures --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Procedures --- p.46 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION --- p.49 / Chapter 4.0 --- Overview --- p.49 / Chapter 4.1 --- Manipulation Checks --- p.49 / Chapter 4.2 --- Reliability and Validity of Scales --- p.50 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Reliability Analysis --- p.50 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Factor Analysis --- p.51 / Chapter 4.3 --- Classification of Fate Belief and Face Concern --- p.52 / Chapter 4.4 --- Hypotheses Testing --- p.56 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- The Impacts of Fate Belief and Face Concern on Customer Dissatisfaction --- p.57 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- The Impacts of Fate Belief and Face Concern on Dissatisfaction Responses --- p.65 / Chapter 4.5 --- Other Findings --- p.69 / Chapter 4.6 --- Discussion --- p.71 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- CONCLUSION --- p.73 / Chapter 5.0 --- Overview --- p.73 / Chapter 5.1 --- Contributions --- p.73 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Theoretical Contributions --- p.73 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Managerial Contributions --- p.74 / Chapter 5.2 --- Limitations --- p.76 / Chapter 5.3 --- Future Research Directions --- p.77 / Chapter 5.4 --- Conclusion --- p.80 / APPENDIX I PRETEST SCENARIOS --- p.81 / APPENDIX II BOOKLETS --- p.83 / REFERENCE --- p.84

Sit Yau Fai. / Thesis submitted in: July 2005. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-66). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT (ENGLISH) --- p.i / ABSTRACT (CHINESE) --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vii / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Overview --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Background and Purpose --- p.1 / Chapter 1.3 --- Significance of this Thesis --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4 --- Outline of this Thesis --- p.4 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Overview --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2 --- Service Marketing and Trust --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Dimensions of Trust --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Benevolence and Competence Trust --- p.7 / Chapter 2.3 --- Trust Based Service Relationship and Customer Reactions --- p.9 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Satisfaction and Service Relationship --- p.10 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Behavioral Intentions and Service Relationship --- p.11 / Chapter 2.4 --- "Culture, Self-Construals and Trust" --- p.12 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1 --- Overview --- p.15 / Chapter 3.2 --- Effectiveness of Benevolence and Competence Trust --- p.15 / Chapter 3.3 --- Self-Construals and Service Failure --- p.19 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Satisfaction and Repatronage Intention --- p.22 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Complaint Intention --- p.24 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.24 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.24 / Chapter 4.2 --- Research Design --- p.24 / Chapter 4.3 --- Procedures --- p.25 / Chapter 4.4 --- Participants --- p.26 / Chapter 4.5 --- Measures --- p.27 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- RESEARCH FINDINGS --- p.29 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.29 / Chapter 5.2 --- Manipulation Checks --- p.29 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results --- p.30 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Main Effects of Service Relationship --- p.32 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Interaction Effects of Service Relationship --- p.34 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- Satisfaction --- p.34 / Chapter 5.3.2.2 --- Repatronage Intention --- p.37 / Chapter 5.3.2.3 --- Complaint Intention --- p.39 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- CONCLUSION --- p.43 / Chapter 6.1 --- Overview --- p.43 / Chapter 6.2 --- Discussion --- p.43 / Chapter 6.3 --- Limitations and Future Research --- p.48 / APPENDIX I Service Scenarios --- p.51 / APPENDIX II Demographics Profile --- p.53 / APPENDIX III Measures of Trust Used in the Study --- p.54 / APPENDIX IV Self-Construal Scale --- p.55 / REFERENCES --- p.56

Thesis (M.Com.(Menslike Hulpbronbestuur))--Universiteit van Pretoria, 2001.

Thesis (M.S. in Contract Management)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): E.C. Yoder, Peter A. Parrott. Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-75). Also available online.

published_or_final_version / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Failures are common in business and lead to negative repercussions for organizations. However, through the use of explanations, firms can diminish the negative consequences of their failures. Unfortunately, researchers do not have a clear idea about why one type of explanation is better than another. The current study examined organizational explanations (including excuses, justifications, and apologies) to determine which components of these explanations work to make a difference in consumer satisfaction following a service or product failure. Results indicated that explanations that were considered believable, appropriate, considerate, and accepting of responsibility made a difference in the way consumers perceived organizations that failed them. Specifically, organizational communication that included these components were more likely to lead to an increased willingness to conduct business with an organization in the future, increased positive perceptions of company credibility, increased satisfaction with an organizational response, decreased perceptions of negativity about the failure episode, and decreased perceptions of company control over a failure than communication that did not include these components. Additionally, results showed that excuses, justifications, and apologies also functioned independently of believability, appropriateness, consideration, and responsibility to influence consumers' perceptions of their organizations. The presence of excuses led to lower perceptions of company control and higher perceptions of negativity about a failure episode. The presence of justifications led to lower perceptions of negativity and the presence of apologies led to increased perceptions of negativity. These results combined with the results from the hypotheses suggest that the hypothesized components of explanations and the form of explanations used in remedial responses both influence people's perceptions of organizations and organizational responses following complaints about a failure. / text