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published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

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

by Cheung Kam-mui, Polina. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-81). / ABSTRACT --- p.iii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.v / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.vi / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / The Emergence of Private Banking --- p.1 / Objectives and Scope of Study --- p.3 / Chapter II. --- INDUSTRY SYNOPSIS --- p.7 / History --- p.7 / Present Development --- p.8 / Chapter III. --- THE FRAMEWORK OF PRIVATE BANKING --- p.13 / Framework Description --- p.13 / Customer Profile --- p.14 / Marketing Strategies --- p.19 / Private Banker Profile --- p.26 / Physical Environment --- p.31 / Product Profile --- p.33 / Invisible Part - Internal Organisational Structure --- p.39 / Chapter IV. --- MACROENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS --- p.41 / Competition Profile --- p.41 / Legal Environment Profile --- p.50 / Chapter V. --- POTENTIAL THREATS --- p.55 / The 1997's Issues --- p.55 / Internal Factors --- p.57 / Chapter VI. --- FUTURE TRENDS --- p.60 / Merging with Trustee Services --- p.60 / Customer Diversification - Active Investor Market --- p.61 / Control through Information System --- p.63 / Chapter VII. --- RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.65 / Personnel --- p.65 / Cross-selling Performance Evaluation System --- p.66 / "Bank Policy, Authorities and Flexibilities" --- p.68 / Marketing and Product Development --- p.70 / APPENDIX --- p.74 / REFERENCE --- p.76 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.78

by Ng Tze-fung, Victor. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Bibliography: leaves 100-103. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iv / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.v / LISTS OF TABLE --- p.viii / LISTS OF FIGURE --- p.ix / CHAPTER / Chapter I --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Definition of the Problem --- p.1 / Overview of Payment System --- p.2 / Overview of Innovations in Electronic Banking Technology --- p.3 / The Growth of Electronic Banking in Hong Kong --- p.5 / Development of EFTPOS in Hong Kong --- p.5 / Parties Involved in EFTPOS --- p.6 / Benefits of EFTPOS --- p.7 / Problems for EFTPOS Development --- p.8 / Motivation of Study --- p.9 / Chapter Summary --- p.11 / Chapter II --- THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK --- p.12 / Introduction --- p.12 / Consumer Adoption of Electronic Banking Technology --- p.13 / The Concept of Perceived Risk --- p.14 / Multi-dimensional Approach of Perceived Risk --- p.15 / Summary of Related Empirical Research --- p.16 / Study by Home (1982) --- p.16 / Study by Lau and Ng (1983) --- p.17 / Study by Motazedi (1984) --- p.18 / Summary of the Related Articles --- p.19 / Astbury (1985) --- p.19 / Friis (1985) --- p.19 / Aoki (1986) --- p.20 / Brobeck (1986) --- p.20 / Marketing News (1987) --- p.21 / Kuroda (1987) --- p.21 / Fitzgerald (1988) --- p.21 / Ho (1991) --- p.22 / Sowton (1989) --- p.23 / """Banking World's Special EFTPOS Report"" (1990)" --- p.23 / Nature and Scope of This Study --- p.23 / Development of the Research Hypotheses --- p.24 / Research Hypotheses in the Null Form --- p.26 / Chapter Summary --- p.27 / Chapter III --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.28 / Measurement of Perceived Risk --- p.28 / Design of Questionnaire --- p.30 / Layout of Part I --- p.31 / Layout of Part II --- p.32 / Layout of Part III --- p.33 / Layout of Part IV --- p.34 / Definition of Small and Large Purchases --- p.34 / Pre-testing and Adjustments --- p.36 / Selection of Respondents --- p.36 / Measurement Methods --- p.37 / Statistical Tests Employed --- p.38 / Response Rate --- p.40 / Chapter Summary --- p.41 / Chapter IV --- RESEARCH FINDINGS --- p.42 / Introduction --- p.42 / Overall Perceived Risk --- p.43 / Perceived Risk for Cash Payment --- p.44 / Perceived Risk for Credit Card Payment --- p.46 / Perceived Risk for EFTPOS Payment --- p.47 / Perceived Physical Risk --- p.49 / Definition --- p.49 / Physical Risk in Small Purchase --- p.49 / Physical Risk in Large Purchase --- p.50 / Overall Physical Risk --- p.51 / Perceived Performance Risk --- p.52 / Definition --- p.52 / Performance Risk in Small Purchase --- p.52 / Performance Risk in Large Purchase --- p.53 / Overall Performance Risk --- p.54 / Perceived Psychological Risk --- p.55 / Definition --- p.55 / Psychological Risk in Small Purchase --- p.56 / Psychological Risk in Large Purchase --- p.57 / Overall Psychological Risk --- p.57 / Perceived Financial Risk --- p.58 / Definition --- p.58 / Financial Risk in Small Purchase --- p.59 / Financial Risk in Large Purchase --- p.60 / Overall Financial Risk --- p.60 / Perceived Risk of Time Loss Risk --- p.61 / Definition --- p.61 / Risk of Time Loss in Small Purchase --- p.62 / Risk of Time Loss in Large Purchase --- p.62 / Overall Risk of Time Loss --- p.63 / Testing of Hypothesis One --- p.64 / Testing of Hypothesis Two --- p.66 / Comparison of User and Non-user --- p.67 / Testing of Hypothesis Three --- p.69 / Test on EFTPOS Knowledge --- p.69 / Testing of Hypothesis Four --- p.72 / Chapter Summary --- p.73 / Chapter V --- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION --- p.74 / Summary of Key Findings --- p.74 / Implications and Discussion --- p.76 / The Case of Super Ease Card --- p.78 / Limitation of Study --- p.79 / Contribution of Study --- p.79 / Suggestions for Further Study --- p.80 / Concluding Summary --- p.80 / APPENDIX --- p.82 / Sample of Questionnaire --- p.82 / Lists of Perceived Risk Equation --- p.98 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.99

by Lee Yuen-Yee Annisa. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-59). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / Chapter / Chapter I. --- Introduction / Objectives of the Project --- p.1 / Scope of Study --- p.1 / What is Private Banking ？ --- p.4 / Chapter II. --- Current Development of Private Banking Industry in Hong Kong Services provided by Banks --- p.7 / Services provided by Non-Bank Institutions --- p.12 / SWOT Analysis of Retail Banks in Hong Kong --- p.14 / Chapter III. --- Application of existing PBS in Marketing Model --- p.23 / Product Strategy --- p.25 / Service Strategy --- p.26 / Price Strategy --- p.27 / Communications Strategy --- p.27 / Sales Force Strategy --- p.27 / Distribution Strategy --- p.28 / Chapter IV. --- Research / Objectives of the Research --- p.30 / Scope of the Research and Design --- p.31 / Findings --- p.31 / Limitations of the Research --- p.38 / Chapter V. --- Recommendations / Target Segmentation --- p.40 / Market Objectives --- p.41 / Marketing Strategy --- p.43 / Chapter VI. --- Conclusion --- p.50 / APPENDIX --- p.51 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.58

by Cheung Chi-Wing, Julian, Lo Chi-Yun. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-56). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS --- p.vi / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.vii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Terminology --- p.2 / Scope of the Study --- p.4 / Literature Review --- p.5 / Methodology --- p.6 / Chapter II. --- CONSUMER ANALYSIS --- p.8 / Who will be the Customers --- p.8 / Death Care Goods and Services: A High Involvement Purchase --- p.9 / Complex Decision Making Process --- p.10 / Two Underlying Factors Affecting the Chinese in Purchasing Decision of Death Care Services --- p.12 / Confucian Values --- p.12 / "Superstition and""Feng Shui""" --- p.13 / Four Main Types of Consumer --- p.16 / Chapter III. --- ANALYSIS OF DEATH CARE INDUSTRY --- p.19 / Death Care Products (Goods and Services) in Hong Kong --- p.19 / Existing Players --- p.22 / Current Practices of Industry Players --- p.23 / Demand for Death Care Goods and Services --- p.25 / Analysis of the Performance of Funeral Homes of Hong Kong --- p.26 / The Perception of Death Care Providers --- p.29 / Deficiency in Existing Service --- p.31 / Chapter IV. --- PROPOSAL FOR INTRODUCING FREE GRIEF COUNSELING SERVICE IN FUNERAL HOMES --- p.34 / Bereavement Counseling in Hong Kong --- p.34 / The Jessie and Thomas Tam Centre --- p.34 / The Market Potential of the Service --- p.36 / Problems and Constraints of the Centre --- p.37 / Reasons behind Our Proposal --- p.37 / Contents of the Proposal --- p.39 / Setting up a Grief Counseling Division --- p.39 / Enhancing Communications with Other Bereavement Counseling Service Providers --- p.41 / Promotion of the Service --- p.42 / Actual Delivery of the Service --- p.42 / Pros and Cons for Funeral Homes as Counseling Service Providers --- p.44 / Chapter V. --- CONCLUSION --- p.48 / APPENDIX --- p.50 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.54

by Chung Kai-Ho, Fung Wai-Chung. / Includes questionnaire. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-79). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Background --- p.1 / Objectives of This Study --- p.2 / Chapter II. --- THE FEATURES OF PRIORITY BAKING SERVICES --- p.4 / The General Features of Priority Banking Services --- p.4 / Financial Benefits --- p.4 / Convenience & Efficiency --- p.4 / Personal Care --- p.5 / Product Features of the Five Subject Banks --- p.5 / Hong Kong Banks - Asset Vantage Account --- p.5 / Hang Seng Bank - Bank Smart Account --- p.6 / Standard Chartered Bank - Priority Banking --- p.7 / Yien Yieh Bank - Prestige Bank Account --- p.7 / Belgian Bank - Premier Banking --- p.8 / Pricing Features of the Five Subject Banks --- p.9 / Chapter III. --- CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS --- p.10 / Introduction --- p.10 / Perceptual Map by Factor Analysis --- p.10 / Theory of Reasoned Action (TORA) --- p.11 / Chapter IV. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.15 / Interviews --- p.15 / Sample and Sampling Procedure --- p.15 / Data Collection and Questionnaire --- p.15 / Operationalization --- p.17 / Section One --- p.17 / Section Two --- p.18 / Data Analysis --- p.19 / Chapter V. --- RESULTS --- p.20 / Perceptual Map by Factor Analysis --- p.20 / Factor Analysis --- p.20 / Perceptual Mapping --- p.22 / Factors Affecting Customer Intention to Subscribe Priority Banking Services --- p.26 / The Original Model --- p.26 / The Reduced Model --- p.29 / Chapter VI. --- CONCLUSION & MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS --- p.32 / Managerial Implications - Perceptual Map by Factor Analysis --- p.32 / Market Positioning Target --- p.32 / Recommend Strategies --- p.33 / Hong Kong Banks - Asset Vantage Account --- p.33 / Hang Seng Bank - Bank Smart Account --- p.35 / Standard Chartered Bank - Priority Banking --- p.36 / Yien Yieh Bank - Prestige Bank Account --- p.37 / Belgian Bank - Premier Banking --- p.37 / Managerial Implications - Structural Equation Modeling --- p.38 / Limitations of the Study --- p.40 / APPENDIX --- p.41 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.78

We developed a price-based resource allocation scheme for Differentiated Service (DiffServ) data networks. The DiffServ framework was proposed to provide multiple QoS classes over IP networks. Since the provider supports multiple service classes, we need a differentiated pricing scheme, as supposed to the flat-rate scheme employed by the Internet service providers of today. Charging efficiently is a big issue. The utility of a client correlates to the amount of bandwidth allocated. One difficulty we face is that determining the appropriate amount of bandwidth to provision and allocate is problematic due to different time scales, multiple QoS classes and the unpredictable nature of users. To approach this problem, we designed a pricing strategy for Admission Control and bandwidth assignment. Despite the variety of existing pricing strategies, the common theme is that the appropriate pricing policy rewards users for behaving in ways to improve the overall utilization and performance of the network. Among existing schemes, we chose auction because it is scalable, and efficiently and fairly shares resources. Our pricing model takes the system's availability and each customer's requirements as inputs and outputs the set of clients who are admitted into the network and their allocated resource. Each client proposes a desired bandwidth and a price that they are willing to pay for it. The service provider collects this information and produces parameters for each class of service they provide. This information is used to decide which customers to admit. We proposed an optimal solution to the problem of maximizing the provider's revenue for the special case where there is only one bottleneck link in the network. Then for the generalized network, we resort to a simple but effective heuristic method. We validate both the optimal solution and the heuristic algorithm with simulations driven by a real traffic scenario. Finally, we allow customers to bid on the duration for which the service is needed. Then we study the performance of those heuristic algorithms in this new setting and propose possible improvements.

M. Tech. Business Administration / Review of literature shows that traditional commercial banks in South Africa do not serve low-income earners, micro-entrepreneurs and the poor (collectively referred to as the unbanked population), mostly due to the high cost involved in rendering such services to the poor. South Africa's unbanked population is estimated to be more than 13-million people who have no access to either banking or insurance products. But it appears as if the big four banks have been slow to tap into this potential, preferring to battle for market share among existing customers, competing for a larger slice of an existing cake. At the same time, Capitec Bank is trying its best to fill the gap left open by the big four South African banks. The objective of this research is to explore the innovative banking services and products that have been developed by Capitec Bank with a view to be of service to the unbanked population of South Africa.