The main objective of this study was to critically investigate the mediating role that the use of mobile technology plays in the linkage between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in a semi-urban environment. The research problem focused on the application of mobile technology in the linkage between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the clothing industry in King Williams Town. In accomplishing this objective, this research study hypothesised that mobile technology plays a mediating role in the linkage between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty of customers of clothing retailers in South Africa. Multiple regression was conducted to test for the first hypothesis. The first secondary objective aimed at establishing if there is disconfirmation between customer expectations and the performance of clothing retail outlets in King Williams Town. In exploring this objective, it was hypothesised that there is negative disconfirmation between customer expectations and performance. A paired sample test was conducted to test for this hypothesis. In addition, the influence of service quality and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty was explored. To accomplish these, it was hypothesised that both service quality and customer satisfaction have an influence on customer loyalty. Pearson’s Correlation and the Chi-Square Test were applied to test the influence of service quality and Customer satisfaction on Customer loyalty. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical software. Regression analysis, chi-square tests, Paired sample tests and correlation reports were used to analyse data inferentially. Reliability and validity of the research was also tested using Cronchbach’s alpha test. The results show that mobile phones have become a basic necessity for customers and that mobile technology plays a mediating role in the linkage between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty; however, the mediation is partial. The results also show that there is positive disconfirmation between customer expectations and retailer performance; that both service quality and customer satisfaction have a positive correlation with customer loyalty and that mobile technology enhances customer loyalty. Finally, the results show that the total service experience of customers is favourable vii because the five components of service quality were rendered at a high level of service quality. The study offers several managerial recommendations. Firstly, retail managers should make strategic investments in mobile technology and use this technology to the full to reap the benefits of technologically advanced mobile communication. Secondly, managers should be creative in their use of this mobile technology to enhance customer satisfaction and, hence, customer loyalty. Thirdly, managers should prioritise the improvement of all five components of service quality in order to enhance customer loyalty. Finally, managers should provide a customer-centred service experience that exceeds customer expectations for service quality and mobile communication, one that maximises customer satisfaction and loyalty. The implementation of these recommendations could result in clothing retailers providing a customer-focused service experience in all five aspects of service quality. To successfully implement these recommendations, clothing retailers should: ensure that expectations created, could be accomplished or exceeded to build and enhance customer satisfaction; create expectations that are realistic to avoid negative disconfirmation and hence customer dissatisfaction; implement innovative and creative mobile communication strategies to build and enhance customer loyalty; and finally, improve loyalty programmes to enlarge the customer base.

In this thesis, we consider how service platforms can provide personalized service to incoming consumers in order to improve ease and convenience for their users, or to enhance their own revenues. With an increasing trend toward digitalization, there is now a massive amount of data that can be leveraged to accomplish this goal. In this thesis, we explore how to leverage feature data about the consumers and products, as well as the way consumers interact with the platforms, in order to make better operational decisions, such as pricing, ranking, and recommendations of products and services. In Chapters 1 & 2, we study platforms in which consumers' purchasing decisions are strongly influenced by reviews that are posted by previous consumers. In Chapter 1, we consider how a platform can learn from the choices that consumers make, as well as the reviews they leave, in order to form increasingly accurate estimates about product quality and consumer preferences, so that the platform can provide better personalized product rankings. In Chapter 2, we focus on platforms where each consumer forms an impression of a product by browsing the available reviews in a chosen order following a cascade click model. We consider how to rank the reviews as well as how to price a product given the reviews, in order to maximize short- and long-term revenue. In Chapter 3, we study a platform that offers a menu of memberships of different durations to a pool of heterogeneous consumers. A consumer's choice depends on both the menu prices and his personal intended usage time. The platform wants to maximize the long-term revenue while considering the choices made by heterogeneous customers. We show insights into the optimal solution of each problem when all the parameters are known. For the case where some parameters are initially unknown, we propose a joint learning and optimization algorithm, and provide theoretical guarantees for its performance.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Eriez Magnetics, a manufacturer of specialized magnetic and associated equipment, is well positioned in terms of image and reputation. However, a growing number of low cost competitors are continuously eroding its Market share. The objective of the study was to perform a comprehensive situational analysis, and identify key issues that are necessary for Eriez to improve its competitive position. Various analytic tools and filters were used to analyse the company information, which was predominantly obtained form structured interviews. The key issues identified were: a. No clear and visible vision, mission and objectives agreed and understood by all in organisation. b. No common value system threading through organisation. c. Lack oftrust between workers and management. d. No integrated information system to enable sharing of information. e. Lack of formal and visible performance. f. No formal quality plan in workshop that is adhered to for every job. g. Lack of concerted customer focus due to understaffed sales and marketing team. h. Potential for the diverse product range to be streamlined. i. Lack of Staff and Agent Training. j. Lack of Employee encouragement to submit ideas to enhance performance. In order to regain its position as the market leader, it needs to focus strongly on its people management, internal processes, customer service and core products, as detailed in this report. The Balance Scorecard is a tool that Eriez SA must consider using to actively monitor key variables identified that will enhance the company's competitive position. The next phase of the project is syndicating these findings and recommendations with Eriez SA top management with a view of setting up an implementation plan. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Eriez Magnetics, a maatskappy wat gespesialiseerde magnetiese en assosieerde toerusting vevaardig het 'n goeie reputasie en beeld wereld wyd. Hulle mark word huidiglik bedreig in Suid Afrika deur 'n groeiende aanslag van lae koste vevaardigers. Die uiteensetting van die skrif is gegrond op 'n analiese van Eriez se huidige situasie, om sleutel items te identifiseer wat hulle in staat sal stel om hulle mark posisie te verbeter. Informasie vanuit die maatskappy was grooteliks bekom deur gestruktureerde onderhoude met sleutel staf. Verskillende analietese applikasie toerusting was gebruik om die maatskappy se informasie te evalueer. Sleutel punte was as volg:: a. Daar is geen duidelike, sigbare visie of rigting wat almal in die organisasie kan verstaan en identifiseer mee nie. b. Geen waarde sisteem was opsigtilik in die organisasie. c. Daar bestaan 'n duidelike wantroue tussen werkgewer en werknemer. d. Daar is geen sentrale informasie stelsel wat werknemers toegang tot het nie. e. Geen formele werk verrigtings stelsel. f. Geen formele kwaliteits standaarde wat toegepas word nie. g. Bemarking en verkope span is erg beperk in terme van staf, dit impak op kliente fokus. h. Hulle diverse produk reeks behoort krities ondersoek te word. i. Minimale staf en agente opleidings programme in plek. j. Werknemers word nie aangepor om konstruktiewe idees voor te lê nie. Indien Eriez sy posisie as mark leier wil herwin, sal hy streng fokus op sy bestuur, interne prosesse, kliente diens en kern produkte moet plaas, soos beskryf in die verslag. Eriez SA word ook aangeraai om die gebalanseerde telkaart metode toe te pas, wat fokus sal plaas op koste besparing en ook sy kompeterende posisie verhoog. Die volgende fase is om die bevindinge, soos saamgevat in die verslag, voor te lê aan Eriez SA hoofbestuur en om 'n implementeerings program daar te stel.

Thesis (M.B.A.: Business Studies Unit)-Durban University of Technology, 2007. 127 leaves / Retailing no longer involves just growth or expansion into new product, consumer segments or geographic areas. Organisations are now learning to shift their emphasis to managing under conditions of modest, zero or for some organisations, under negative growth. This is to a large extend has been the result of changing consumer behaviour, the emergence of new competitors, global economic recession, and rapid technological advances in the retailing industries. These pressures of business today make many people think that the only thing that counts is financial success, i.e. being the investor of choice. In successful organisations everyone's energy is focused on the "Triple bottom line" as the target. That is, if the organisation has been built the right way, it will be the Provider of Choice, Employer of Choice, and Investor of Choice. The leaders of these organisations believe that people, their customers and business partners are as important as their bottom line. These companies realise that profit is the applause you get for taking care of your customers and creating a motivated environment for your people. Despite its importance, this topic has been given little attention in the academic literature. In the case of retailing, services are designed more to augment the core offering or add value rather than represent the core offering itself? The limited and fragmented research on retail services focuses on specific areas such as quality issues and store image. Thus given this void in the literature, the bases of the study would be to approach retail services as a strategic perspective by focusing on the service orientation of a retailer's business strategy. If a retailer decides to strategically augment its products with services, it is essential that the retailer make this change systematically with a long-term orientation. The study would involve examining one level of service orientation, i.e. individual level. In this research stream, a service orientation is treated as a personality measure whereby certain people are more service orientated than others. / M

Thesis (M.B.A.: Business Studies Unit)-Durban University of Technology, 2007. 127 leaves / Retailing no longer involves just growth or expansion into new product, consumer segments or geographic areas. Organisations are now learning to shift their emphasis to managing under conditions of modest, zero or for some organisations, under negative growth. This is to a large extend has been the result of changing consumer behaviour, the emergence of new competitors, global economic recession, and rapid technological advances in the retailing industries. These pressures of business today make many people think that the only thing that counts is financial success, i.e. being the investor of choice. In successful organisations everyone's energy is focused on the "Triple bottom line" as the target. That is, if the organisation has been built the right way, it will be the Provider of Choice, Employer of Choice, and Investor of Choice. The leaders of these organisations believe that people, their customers and business partners are as important as their bottom line. These companies realise that profit is the applause you get for taking care of your customers and creating a motivated environment for your people. Despite its importance, this topic has been given little attention in the academic literature. In the case of retailing, services are designed more to augment the core offering or add value rather than represent the core offering itself? The limited and fragmented research on retail services focuses on specific areas such as quality issues and store image. Thus given this void in the literature, the bases of the study would be to approach retail services as a strategic perspective by focusing on the service orientation of a retailer's business strategy. If a retailer decides to strategically augment its products with services, it is essential that the retailer make this change systematically with a long-term orientation. The study would involve examining one level of service orientation, i.e. individual level. In this research stream, a service orientation is treated as a personality measure whereby certain people are more service orientated than others.

CAPES / As Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) possuem papel social extremamente importante, são elas as responsáveis pelo local em que atuam, por formar cidadãos que contribuam para uma sociedade justa e solidária em seu entorno. As universidades podem envolver-se com o desenvolvimento sustentável no seu planejamento, gerenciamento, educação, pesquisa, operações, serviços comunitários, aquisição de materiais, transporte e infraestrutura. A presente pesquisa busca analisar as práticas de sustentabilidade nas operações de serviço em Instituições de Ensino Superior da Rede Federal de Educação Profissional, Científica e Tecnológica no Brasil, por intermédio de um modelo desenvolvido e aplicado denominado Sustainability Assessment for Higher Technological Education (SAHTE). Para atender ao objetivo proposto, foi realizado um levantamento sistemático da literatura científica sobre modelos de avaliação de sustentabilidade em instituições de ensino superior, possibilitando identificar as características e funcionalidades dos modelos existentes, ao todo foram identificados doze modelos. Por meio de estudos de casos múltiplos foi aplicado o modelo e a proposta é comparar o desempenho de sustentabilidade de operações de serviço entre instituições individuais, usando uma metodologia comum. Apresenta cinco áreas a serem avaliadas nas IES, sendo: Governança e Políticas, Pessoas, Alimentos, Água e Energia e Resíduos e Meio Ambiente, tendo um total de 134 quesitos. Foi constatada a necessidade de maior apoio da alta direção das instituições, em formular e desenvolver políticas sobre desenvolvimento sustentável, uma vez que, quando evidenciada a ausência de políticas sobre sustentabilidade nas operações de serviço, as iniciativas tendem a ser isoladas. A participação de alunos e professores em estudos sobre as operações diárias dos campi pode ser ampliada e mais difundida. O modelo busca avaliar práticas sustentáveis nas operações de serviço da rede federal de educação profissional, científica e tecnológica brasileira, visto que estudos correlatos à avaliação sobre ensino e sustentabilidade são ausentes, bem como se faz necessária a aplicabilidade do modelo em instituições privadas e, também, em outros países. Os resultados obtidos com a aplicação do modelo SAHTE são úteis para a elaboração e desenvolvimento de políticas sobre desenvolvimento sustentável, principalmente, nas operações de serviço das IES pesquisadas. Os resultados podem sensibilizar funcionários e estudantes, levando-os a refletir sobre seus papéis nas IES, bem como a comunidade e fornecedores. / Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have an extremely important social role, they are responsible for the place where they work and to form citizens who contribute to a fair and cooperative society. Universities can engage with sustainable development in planning, management, education, research, operations, community services, procurement of materials, transportation and infrastructure; this research seeks to analyze the sustainability practices in service operations in the Higher Education Institutions of the Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education in Brazil through the development and application of a model called the Sustainability Assessment for Higher Technological Education (SAHTE). To achieve the proposed goal, a systematic survey of the scientific literature on sustainability assessment models in higher education institutions was conducted, making it possible to identify the characteristics and features of existing models. The model was applied through multiple case studies. The proposal compares the sustainability performance of service operations among individual institutions using a common methodology. It presents five areas to be evaluated in the HEI: Governance and Policies, People, Food, Water and Energy, and Waste and Environment, with a total of 134 questions. The need for greater support from the senior management of institutions to formulate and implement policies on sustainable development was identified when the lack of policies on sustainability in service operations was found; initiatives tend to be isolated. The participation of students and teachers in studies on the daily operations of the campus can be expanded and more widespread. The model seeks to evaluate sustainable practices in the service operations of the Brazilian Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education; studies related to the evaluation of teaching sustainability are absent and the applicability of the model in private institutions and other countries is needed. The results obtained with the application of the SAHTE model are useful for the preparation and development of policies on sustainable development, especially in the service operations of the surveyed HEI. The results can sensitize staff and students, who can reflect on their roles in the HEI, as well as the community and suppliers.

CAPES / As Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) possuem papel social extremamente importante, são elas as responsáveis pelo local em que atuam, por formar cidadãos que contribuam para uma sociedade justa e solidária em seu entorno. As universidades podem envolver-se com o desenvolvimento sustentável no seu planejamento, gerenciamento, educação, pesquisa, operações, serviços comunitários, aquisição de materiais, transporte e infraestrutura. A presente pesquisa busca analisar as práticas de sustentabilidade nas operações de serviço em Instituições de Ensino Superior da Rede Federal de Educação Profissional, Científica e Tecnológica no Brasil, por intermédio de um modelo desenvolvido e aplicado denominado Sustainability Assessment for Higher Technological Education (SAHTE). Para atender ao objetivo proposto, foi realizado um levantamento sistemático da literatura científica sobre modelos de avaliação de sustentabilidade em instituições de ensino superior, possibilitando identificar as características e funcionalidades dos modelos existentes, ao todo foram identificados doze modelos. Por meio de estudos de casos múltiplos foi aplicado o modelo e a proposta é comparar o desempenho de sustentabilidade de operações de serviço entre instituições individuais, usando uma metodologia comum. Apresenta cinco áreas a serem avaliadas nas IES, sendo: Governança e Políticas, Pessoas, Alimentos, Água e Energia e Resíduos e Meio Ambiente, tendo um total de 134 quesitos. Foi constatada a necessidade de maior apoio da alta direção das instituições, em formular e desenvolver políticas sobre desenvolvimento sustentável, uma vez que, quando evidenciada a ausência de políticas sobre sustentabilidade nas operações de serviço, as iniciativas tendem a ser isoladas. A participação de alunos e professores em estudos sobre as operações diárias dos campi pode ser ampliada e mais difundida. O modelo busca avaliar práticas sustentáveis nas operações de serviço da rede federal de educação profissional, científica e tecnológica brasileira, visto que estudos correlatos à avaliação sobre ensino e sustentabilidade são ausentes, bem como se faz necessária a aplicabilidade do modelo em instituições privadas e, também, em outros países. Os resultados obtidos com a aplicação do modelo SAHTE são úteis para a elaboração e desenvolvimento de políticas sobre desenvolvimento sustentável, principalmente, nas operações de serviço das IES pesquisadas. Os resultados podem sensibilizar funcionários e estudantes, levando-os a refletir sobre seus papéis nas IES, bem como a comunidade e fornecedores. / Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have an extremely important social role, they are responsible for the place where they work and to form citizens who contribute to a fair and cooperative society. Universities can engage with sustainable development in planning, management, education, research, operations, community services, procurement of materials, transportation and infrastructure; this research seeks to analyze the sustainability practices in service operations in the Higher Education Institutions of the Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education in Brazil through the development and application of a model called the Sustainability Assessment for Higher Technological Education (SAHTE). To achieve the proposed goal, a systematic survey of the scientific literature on sustainability assessment models in higher education institutions was conducted, making it possible to identify the characteristics and features of existing models. The model was applied through multiple case studies. The proposal compares the sustainability performance of service operations among individual institutions using a common methodology. It presents five areas to be evaluated in the HEI: Governance and Policies, People, Food, Water and Energy, and Waste and Environment, with a total of 134 questions. The need for greater support from the senior management of institutions to formulate and implement policies on sustainable development was identified when the lack of policies on sustainability in service operations was found; initiatives tend to be isolated. The participation of students and teachers in studies on the daily operations of the campus can be expanded and more widespread. The model seeks to evaluate sustainable practices in the service operations of the Brazilian Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education; studies related to the evaluation of teaching sustainability are absent and the applicability of the model in private institutions and other countries is needed. The results obtained with the application of the SAHTE model are useful for the preparation and development of policies on sustainable development, especially in the service operations of the surveyed HEI. The results can sensitize staff and students, who can reflect on their roles in the HEI, as well as the community and suppliers.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The alignment of Sanlam Life with the transformation process of Sanlam, as a national financial services group, necessitated the implementation of an improved service delivery model in 1998. The vision to be world class, brought forward some challenges in terms of cost, service levels as well as the type of service channel. Strategically, it was decided that Sanlam Life should centralise its services, which had enormous implications for Sanlam Life's staff as well as its clients. This resulted in the establishment of a more "impersonal" service channel, which could, at the same time, deliver a more effective service in terms of speed and quality. Decentralised walk-in centres thus, had to make place for two, centralised, client contact centres and a personal, face-to-face, service was replaced with a technologically effective call and correspondence centre. After a period of approximately two years of operational functioning, it was decided by Sanlam Life Exco to do a thorough diagnosis of the overall functioning of the Client Contact Centre (CCC).The specific aims of this diagnosis can be summarised as follows: • To gain insight into the level of employee satisfaction and morale. • To identify the factors which contribute to employee satisfaction and morale. • To evaluate the efficiency of the service delivery processes. • To ascertain what the current culture is within the CCC, in order to decide if it is the type of culture that should be vested in the rest of Sanlam Life. In preparation to the diagnostic survey and with the aim to improve the effectiveness of the CCC, the principles of organisational diagnosis will be discussed in this study, and will include the following: • The importance of a diagnostic model, which is central to the diagnostic process as well as further action plans. • A description of the diagnostic process and the importance of feedback and action planning in order to ensure organisational improvement. The results of the diagnostic survey of the Sanlam Life CCC, indicated the work climate can primarily be described as negative, and that improvement of especially the work processes and management behaviour, is required. The negative perception of the CCC staff around their service delivery, however does not correlate with the experience of the Sanlam Advisors regarding CCC service. This finding is contradictory to that of previous research, which indicated a positive relationship between employee and client satisfaction. This finding should thus be investigated to a greater extent. Organisation diagnosis is a sensitive process, which can create the expectation with employees that something will be done with the information. The greatest challenge therefore does not only lie in the diagnosis itself, but in the utilisation of the information for continuous improvement. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die belyning van Sanlam Lewens met die transformasieproses van Sanlam, as nasionale finansiële dienstegroep, het die implementering van 'n verbeterde diensleweringmodel in 1998 genoodsaak. Die visie om wêreldklas te wees, het sekere uitdagings gestel op die gebied van koste, diensvlakke asook die tipe dienskanaal. Strategies is besluit dat Sanlam Lewens moet sentraliseer, wat enorme implikasies ingehou het vir Sanlam Lewens se personeel asook hul kliënte. Dit het gelei tot die totstandkoming van 'n meer "onpersoonlike" dienskanaal wat terselfdertyd meer effektiewe diens in terme van spoed en kwaliteit tot gevolg sou hê. Gedesentraliseerde instapkantore moes dus plek maak vir twee, gesentraliseerde, kliëntekontaksentrums en persoonlike, aangesig-tot-aangesig, dienslewering is vervang deur 'n tegnologies effektiewe inbel- en korrespondensiesentrum. Na 'n tydperk van ongeveer twee jaar van operasionele funksionering, het die uitvoerende bestuur van Sanlam Lewens besluit dat 'n deeglike diagnose na die algehele funksionering van die Kliëntekontaksentrum (KKS) gedoen moet word. Die spesifieke doelwitte van die diagnose kan as volg opgesom word: • Om insig te verkry ten opsigte van die vlak van werknemertevredenheid en moraal. • Om die faktore wat bydra tot werknemertevredenheid en moraal te identifiseer. • Om die effektiwiteit van die diensleweringsprosesse te bepaal. • Om te bepaal wat die huidige kultuur binne die KKS is, sodat daar besluit kan word of dit die tipe kultuur is wat in die res van Sanlam Lewens gevestig moet word. As voorbereiding tot die diagnostiese ondersoek in die Sanlam Lewens KKS en ook met die doel om die effektiwiteit van die KKS te verbeter, word die beginsels van organisasiediagnose in hierdie studie bespreek, en bestaan uit die volgende: Die vestiging van 'n begrip van organisasie-effektiwiteit en die bydrae wat organisasiediagnose kan lewer tot volgehoue organisasieverbetering. • Die belang van 'n diagnostiese model, wat sentraal staan tot die diagnostiese proses asook verdere aksieplanne. • 'n Omskrywing van die diagnostiese proses en die belang van terugvoer en aksiebeplanning ten einde organisasieverbetering te verseker. Die resultate van die diagnostiese ondersoek na die funksionering van die Sanlam Lewens KKS het aangedui dat die werksklimaat in die KKS hoofsaaklik as negatief beskou kan word en dat verbetering ten opsigte van veral werksprosesse en bestuursgedrag nodig is. Die negatiewe persepsie wat by KKS personeel bestaan ten opsigte van hul dienslewering korreleer egter nie met die ervaring van Sanlam Adviseurs ten opsigte van KKS diens nie. Hierdie bevinding is teenstrydig met vorige navorsing, wat 'n positiewe verband gevind het tussen werknemer- en kliëntetevredenheid, en moet dus verder ondersoek word. Organisasiediagnose is 'n sensitiewe proses wat die verwagting by werknemers skep dat iets met die inligting gedoen gaan word. Die grootste uitdaging lê dus nie net in die diagnose nie, maar in die gebruik van die inligting vir volgehoue verbetering.

The continued advances in service-oriented computing and global communications have created a strong technology push for online information sharing and business transactions among enterprises, organizations and individuals. While these communities offer enormous opportunities, they also present potential threats due to a lack of trust. Reputation systems provide a way for building trust through social control by harnessing the community knowledge in the form of feedback. Although feedback-based reputation systems help community participants decide who to trust and encourage trustworthy behavior, they also introduce vulnerabilities due to potential manipulations by dishonest or malicious players. Therefore, building an effective and resilient reputation system remains a big challenge for the wide deployment of service-oriented computing. This dissertation proposes a decentralized reputation based trust supporting framework called PeerTrust, focusing on models and techniques for resilient reputation management against feedback aggregation related vulnerabilities, especially feedback sparsity with potential feedback manipulation, feedback oscillation, and loss of feedback privacy. This dissertation research has made three unique contributions for building a resilient decentralized reputation system. First, we develop a core reputation model with important trust parameters and a coherent trust metric for quantifying and comparing the trustworthiness of participants. We develop decentralized strategies for implementing the trust model in an efficient and secure manner. Second, we develop techniques countering potential vulnerabilities associated with feedback aggregation, including a similarity inference scheme to counter feedback sparsity with potential feedback manipulations, and a novel metric based on Proportional, Integral, and Derivative (PID) model to handle strategic oscillating behavior of participants. Third but not the least, we develop privacy-conscious trust management models and techniques to address the loss of feedback privacy. We develop a set of novel probabilistic decentralized privacy-preserving computation protocols for important primitive operations. We show how feedback aggregation can be divided into individual steps that utilize above primitive protocols through an example reputation algorithm based on kNN classification. We perform experimental evaluations for each of the schemes we proposed and show the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost of our approach. The PeerTrust framework presents an important step forward with respect to developing attack-resilient reputation trust systems.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for a Degree of Master of Technology: Human Resource Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / While research has been conducted, with regard to motivational factors impacting service delivery performance globally, not many studies have focused on public sector employees’ motivational factors and how they are perceived by the public, with specific reference to the South African public sector. Therefore, the understanding of these factors are clearly explained and clarified, in order to assist the South African public sector to improve service delivery performance across the board and to attract and retain a motivated, professional workforce. Motivational factors that influence the service delivery performance of employees include, salaries and benefits, training and development, and promotional opportunities, as well as employee recognition, job security and so on. The research sample was selected randomly, using a stratified sampling method and consisted of 100 participants, required to complete a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire in the presence of the researcher, who was present to assist in providing clarity where needed. A combined method of both quantitative and qualitative techniques was employed, while the analysis of data was done using the statistics package SPSS, version 21.0, with the results presented by figures developed in Microsoft Excel and gross tabulation tables. The findings of the study revealed that a lack of employee training and development negatively compromises quality of service delivery performance in the public sector. The study results further discovered that the absence of career development opportunities hinders the improvement of service delivery performance, as employees perceive this as an obstacle to their earning abilities in the long-term. Leadership was identified as a major factor that contributes considerably in influencing employees’ performance in the public sector. Moreover, the study’s results and literature show that the South African government has policies regulating motivational factors, for example the Performance Management System (performance appraisals), as well as the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998 (training and development). Nonetheless, public servants still exhibit signs of poor motivation. Therefore, the findings from this study can assist the public sector to enhance the motivational levels of employees, while improving public service delivery performance, as a whole. / M