Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Technology Degree in Information Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2014. / The implementation of Microsoft (MS) technologies and solutions as organisational infrastructure within the higher education arena has become a popular choice both internationally and within South Africa. With benefits such as reduced costs, improved productivity and improved service delivery to both staff and students, MS technologies and solutions seem to be the preferred choice for many institutions worldwide. The Durban University of Technology (DUT) was the first university of technology in South Africa to implement all nine MS technologies simultaneously. Since migration to the MS platform in 2009, DUT staff have raised concerns regarding the new solutions, particularly with reference to aspects such as security, accessibility, and reluctance to use self-help tools to improve their IT experience. Migrating from a non-integrated system to an integrated MS platform thus resulted in IT service delivery becoming a contentious issue. . This study discussed: the quality of IT service delivery regarding the MS infrastructure within the DUT; the types of MS technologies and solutions implemented; the resulting impact that these have had on the full time administrative and academic staff at the DUT; and their perceptions and expectations of IT service delivery. Using a mixed methods research approach and underpinned by the modified SERVQUAL framework viz. RATER, the quality of this service was investigated. This study yielded both positive and negative findings regarding expectations and perceptions of the quality of IT services. Results indicated that although staff were generally positive about the migration and satisfied with the resulting IT service delivery, there was room for improvement in terms of the quality of IT services offered by DUT’s Information Technology Support Services Department. Based on the findings, recommendations for improved IT service delivery (ITSD) and IT service management (ITSM) were proposed. It was also recommended that the framework deemed most suitable in the MS dominant IT infrastructure, is the MS Operations framework.

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Masters Degree in Technology (Marketing), Marketing, Retail and Public Relations Department, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Interest in the quality of the health and fitness industry has grown considerably over the last decade. Gymnasiums are increasingly placing greater emphasis on meeting members‟ expectations and needs. As more competition enters this industry, members‟ perceptions of gymnasiums facilities and services are becoming more important. It is apparent that there is a need to measure members‟ expectations and perceptions of service quality at Virgin Active gymnasiums in the greater Durban area. The aim of this study was to investigate customer service quality at commercial health and fitness centres. The four objectives of this study were: firstly, to identify members‟ expectations in terms of the delivered services provided at Virgin Active gymnasiums; secondly, to ascertain the perceptions of members towards the services provided at Virgin Active gymnasiums; thirdly, to measure the gaps between members‟ expectations and perceptions of service quality, using a modified version of the SERVQUAL model, and fourthly, to calculate and measure the score of the SERVQUAL dimensions. The instrument used to assess the members‟ expectations and perceptions of service quality was the SERVQUAL questionnaire, measuring expectations and perceptions according to five quality dimensions. Four hundred and fifty members were surveyed using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The respondents were selected through non-probability sampling within which convenience sampling was applied. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Conclusions and recommendations were thereafter drawn from the literature and the findings of the study. The study shows that members‟ expectations of service quality exceeded their perceptions on the five service quality dimensions used in the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The smallest dimension gap score proved to be tangibles, while the largest gap score of the study proved to be empathy followed by responsiveness. iv Therefore, it is recommended that Virgin Active gymnasiums in the greater Durban area attend to these gaps and ensure that necessary strategies are implemented so that members receive a high level of service quality in all areas of the service dimensions.

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the Masters Degree in Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / The aim of this study was to investigate customer service quality at DUT. The objectives were: to identify students’ expectations of service quality in sport at the DUT; to determine students’ perceptions of the service quality in sport at DUT; to determine the gap between expectations and perceptions; and to analyse the relationship between selected biographical characteristics and expectations and perceptions of students, using a questionnaire developed from the SERVQUAL instrument. A total of 400 students have completed the survey during the period May 2010 to June 2010. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Several service quality dimensions were identified and as expected, students’ experiences of service delivery fell short of their expectations particularly for the dimension. All the service quality dimensions in the students’ surveys of sport at the DUT contain negative mean gap scores. From these findings the Sports department at the DUT can identify more specifically the failures in its service quality and seek to improve upon them. Service quality dimensions that are deemed to be good predictors of service quality for students of the DUT sport offering have been related to factors such as the “Tangibility”, Reliability”, “Responsiveness”, “Assurance” and “Empathy. It can be observed that all these dimensions have highly negative mean gap scores. Consequently, the Durban University of Technology will have to address these dimensions more precisely in its attempt to improve its service quality, especially the “Reliability” Dimension, which has emerged as the most important service quality predictor.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Customer relationship management (CRM) is perceived as critical to the longterm success of any organisation, since CRM could be developed into a core competence providing a competitive advantage. Although the importance of CRM is recognised worldwide, most implementations of CRM systems fail to achieve their goals. Trends show that CRM success is still the exception and not the rule. The main objective of this study is to examine the value and characteristics of CRM systems and determine the most common factors that impact on the success of CRM systems implementations. CRM is a business strategy that integrates people, processes and technology, and places the customer at the core of the business. CRM aims to increase business performance and enhance customer value by increasing customer retention, acquisition, satisfaction and loyalty resulting in increased revenue and profitability. The study found that the implementation of CRM systems involves a completely new way of doing business. The major problems experienced in the implementation of CRM systems are identified as change management problems and too much emphasis on technology. The study paints out that technology alone will not guarantee the success of CRM systems implementations, since CRM systems are not so much about technology but more about people and business processes. It is recommended that more emphasis should be placed on cultural and behavioural change in the business environment by focusing on the management of change of the people using CRM systems. A CRM systems implementation model based on previous studies and literature relating to CRM has been developed in the South African context. This model is derived from the Gartner model, the customer management assessment tool and different readiness approaches for CRM systems implementations. The study concludes· with the development of a measuring instrument for the implementation of CRM systems. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die persepsie is dat klienteverhoudingebestuur (KVB) krities tot die langtermyn sukses van enige organisasie is, aangesien KVB ontwikkel kan word in 'n kernvaardigheid wat 'n kompeterende voordeel verskaf. Alhoewel die belangrikheid van KVB wereldwyd erken word, misluk die meeste KVB implementerings om hulle doelwitte te bereik. Tendense toon dat KVB sukses steeds die uitsondering en nie die reel is nie. Die doel van die studie is om die waarde en eienskappe van KVB stelsels te ondersoek en om die mees algemene faktore wat 'n impak op die sukses van KVB stelsels implementerings het, te bepaal. KVB is 'n besigheidstrategie wat mense, prosesse en tegnologie integreer en kliente as die kern van die besigheid beskou. KVB het ten doel om die werkverrigting van die besigheid en die waarde vir die klient te verhoog deur verbetering van die retensie, werwing, tevredenheid en lojaliteit van kliente, wat 'n verhoogde inkomste en winsgewendheid tot gevolg het. Die studie het gevind dat 'n KVB stelsel 'n totale nuwe manier van besigheid behels. Die belangrikste probleme wat met die implementering van KVB stelsels ondervind word, is geidentifiseer as veranderingsbestuursprobleme en te veel klem op tegnologie. Die studie het ook aangetoon dat tegnologie alleen nie die sukses van KVB stelsels implementerings sal waarborg nie, omdat KVB stelsels nie soseer om tegnologie gaan nie, maar meer om mense en besigheidsprosesse. Dit word aanbeveel dat meer klem op kulturele en gedragsveranderinge in die besigheidsomgewing geplaas moet word deur te fokus op die bestuur van verandering van die mense wat KVB stelsels gebruik. 'n KVB stelsels implementeringsmodel gebaseer op vorige KVB verwante studies en literatuur, is in die Suid-Alrikaanse konteks ontwikkel. Hierdie model is afgelei van die Gartner model, die klientebestuur assesseringshulpmiddel en verskillende gereedheidsbenaderinge vir KVB stelsels implementerings. Die studie sluit af met die ontwikkeling van 'n meetinstrument vir die implementering van KVB stelsels.

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master Of Technology: Marketing, Durban University Of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / The classical view that an industry is a customer-satisfying process and not a goods-producing process is vital for all businesses to understand. Today the mobile industry have produced a smartphone which represents a dramatic departure from traditional computing platforms as they no longer represent a static notion of context, where changes are absent, small or predictable. Therefore, today’s industries need to begin the production process with customer’s needs and not with patents, raw materials, products or selling skills. With this view rather, an organisation can only create the environment and the circumstances in which the consumer could have an experience. Furthermore, an organisation cannot grant an experience to the consumer in isolation. In seeking to expand an understating of the above classical view, this study inquired into customer experience derived from owing and using the most decorated product of the era, that is, the smartphone. The essence of this study aimed at investigating customer experience by studying smartphone usage from the students’ perspective. It studied the gap between students’ expectation and the subsequent experiences in order to determine satisfaction levels. Furthermore, cognitive dissonance was investigated to determine if there were any remorse feelings towards the smartphone. A descriptive study was employed with a quantitative inquiry and the survey used the convenience sampling method. A questionnaire was administered to students within the Durban University of Technology (DUT) fraternity. The Statistical Package for Social Science Software (SPSS) version 21 was used to analyse and to interpret the data. The key findings of the study indicate that South African university students (DUT) have positive experiences with the smartphones. Albeit, the findings indicate positive experiences, minimal presence of cognitive dissonance is also depicted. The presence of dissonance highlights that an idea cannot have a single measure which is universally meaningful. Therefore, the study expose that every product will always be exposed to suggestions of change, no matter how it can be deemed smart. / M

M. Tech. Business Administration / The purpose of this study is to improve service quality at Nedbank by using a modified version of the SERVQUAL model to identify the service quality gaps at Centurion Mall branch and highlight the areas that need to be improved so as to deliver superior quality service. To access the customer's expectation on service quality, a SERVQUAL questionnaire was used to measure expectation and perception according to five quality dimensions.

Thesis (PhD (Business Management))—University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / In 2008, retail banking in South Africa is a highly competitive industry with extensive customer bases that expect increasingly more from their banking experience. The retail bank with an appropriate strategic differentiator will gain a sustainable competitive advantage in the changing retail banking environment and add value to all its stakeholders. This study was conducted within the evolving retail banking industry and investigated customer experience as a possible strategic differentiator in this industry. The investigation included a literature study on the evolution of retail banking globally and in South Africa, the concepts strategy, differentiation and sustainable competitive advantage and customer experience. Quantitative and qualitative measurement frameworks were applied to measure the total customer experience and thereby illustrate through the research results the value of understanding the customer experience as differentiator in an organisation. The researcher determined through the investigation that customer experience can be a valuable strategic differentiator in retail banking today as it gives an organisation a competitive advantage through the focus on the total customer experience which includes the previous differentiators in the industry, namely product, price and service. The researcher also indicated that customer experience evolved over time and includes service quality and customer service from which it evolved. The implications of the study focus on management‟s role in developing a differentiated strategy which describes customer experience as the differentiator and implementing such a strategy implies a thorough understanding of customers and their experiences when interacting with the organisation and entrenching a customer experience culture and orientation in the organisation on all levels.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Value underlies the notion of marketing, yet it has not received as much attention in marketing literature as it demands. The importance of value co-creation and co-production has confirmed the importance of the active role customers play in value creation. Customers use functional and emotional benefits to guide their interactions with suppliers, which stem from value perceptions. To attract customers to engage in co-production, suppliers offer certain benefits via their value propositions, requiring suppliers to have a thorough understanding of these benefits to incorporate them into their co-production interactions. This study sets out to develop a scale to measure the benefits customers seek from their co-production interactions with suppliers in the travel planning context, because of the inherent nature of interaction, customisation and active customer participation in the ‘production’ of a trip. To develop a reliable and valid instrument to measure the benefits of co-production, Churchill’s (1979) scale development paradigm was followed in the present research design. Exploratory research in the form of a literature review, insight-stimulating examples, and in-depth interviews with tourism suppliers and travel customers were undertaken to specify the domain, define the construct, identify the dimensions, and generate a pool of 323 items, which was refined in two purification phases. Initially 10 benefit dimensions were proposed: customisation, convenience, confidence, expertise, enjoyment, exploration, financial, support, social and symbolic benefits. The pool of 323 items was subjected to expert judging, resulting in a 64-item scale measuring the 10 benefit dimensions. The questionnaire was formatted into an online survey to collect a convenience sample of 269 responses. The results of an exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach alpha estimates reduced this conceptualisation to 32 items measuring six dimensions: convenience, customisation, expertise, psychological, financial, and support benefits. The revised scale was used in a second purification phase to collect a judgement sample of 565 responses. A confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach alpha estimates were used to reduce the scale to 19 items, measuring three benefit dimensions: functional, financial, and psychological benefits. The final scale exhibited an acceptable model fit, and showed strong evidence of reliability and validity, therefore achieving the objective of the study. The study concludes with a reliable and valid instrument for academics and practitioners to measure the benefits of co-production in the tourism industry. The scale provides academics with empirical insight into the gap between conditions prior to customer participation and active customer participation in co-production. The scale enables travel agents to identify deficiencies in their co-production processes, and to evaluate the extent to which customer benefits are met. Once travel agents are aware of these benefits they can be integrated into their values propositions and co-production interactions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Waarde is onderliggend tot die idee van bemarking, maar dit geniet nie die aandag in bemarkingsliteratuur wat dit verdien nie. Die belangrikheid van waarde mede-skepping en mede-produksie het die gewig van die aktiewe rol wat kliënte speel in waarde-skepping bevestig. Kliënte word gelei deur funksionele en emosionele voordele gedurende hulle interaksies met verskaffers. Hierdie voordele spruit uit waarde persepsies. Om kliënte aan te moedig om aan mede-produksie deel te neem, bied verskaffers sekere voordele in hul waarde aanbiedings. Dit vereis dat verskaffers 'n goeie begrip moet hê van hierdie voordele sodat dit geïnkorporeer kan word in hulle mede-produksie. Hierdie studie se doel is om ‘n skaal te onwikkel wat die voordele wat kliënte rakende hulle mede-produksie interaksies soek met verskaffers sal meet. Die skaal is ontwikkel binne die konteks van reis beplanning in die toerismebedryf. Dit is as gevolg van die inherente aard van interaksie, aanpassing en aktiewe kliënt deelname in die ‘produksie’ van sulke beplanning. Om ‘n betroubare en geldige skaal te ontwikkel wat die voordele van mede-produksie meet, is die skaal ontwikkeling paradigma van Churchill (1979) gevolg in die huidige navorsingsuitleg. Verkennende navorsing in die vorm van 'n literatuurstudie, insig-stimulerende voorbeelde en in-diepte onderhoude met toerisme verskaffers en reiskliënte is onderneem om die domein te spesifiseer, die konstruk te definieer, die dimensies te identifiseer en 'n poel van 323 items te genereer wat in twee suiweringsfases verfyn is. Aanvanklik is 10 voordeel dimensies voorgestel: customisation, convenience, confidence, expertise, enjoyment, exploration, financial, support, social en symbolic. Die poel van 323 items is aan ’n paneel van kundiges voorgeleê en 'n 64-item skaal het hieruit voortgevloei. 'n Aanlyn-opname is gebruik en 'n gerieflikheidsteekproef het tot 269 response gelei. Die resultate van 'n exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis en Cronbach alpha analises het die 'n 64-item skaal konseptualisering tot 32 items verminder wat ses voordele dimensies meet: convenience, customisation, expertise, psychological, financial, en support. Die hersiene skaal is gebruik in 'n tweede suiweringsfase en die steekproef het 565 response gehad. Die resultate van ‘n confirmtory factor analysis en Cronbach alpha metings het die skaal verder verminder tot 19 items, meet drie voordele dimensies: functional, financial en psychological. Die finale skaal stel uit 'n aanvaarbare modelpassing, en het sterk bewyse van betroubaarheid en geldigheid en derhalwe is die doel van die studie bereik. Die studie sluit af met 'n betroubare en geldige instrument wat dit moontlik maak vir akademici en praktisyns om die voordele van mede-produksie in die toerisme-industrie te meet. Die skaal bied akademici met empiriese insig tot die gaping tussen die toestande voor deelname en na aktiewe kliënte deelname in mede-produksie. Die skaal sal reisagente in staat stel om leemtes in hul mede-produksie prosesse te identifiseer, en die voordele wat die kliënt uit die mede-produksie uit pit te meet. Sodra reisagente bewus is van hierdie voordele kan hulle die voordele ïntegreer in hulle waarde aanbiedings en mede-produksie interaksies.

Thesis (MA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is a developing country and is experiencing all the problems, challenges and opportunities associated with that situation, one of which is a very definite shortage of relevant and appropriate human resource, technical and managerial skills. This is having a negative effect in many areas, including in the public sector. Public sector organisations are faced with another dilemma arising from the shortage of skilled employees. The issues relating to service delivery which have led to violent protests in communities around the country at the time of writing (August 2009) have been in part been exacerbated by the ever-increasing lack of managers and other personnel. There is also the problem of experienced personnel who have accepted more senior positions in their organisations or have accepted positions in other organisations, being replaced with qualified, but inexperienced staff. A third problem which occurs is when new, but inexperienced personnel are appointed in an organisation. It is necessary, in all instances, to develop the skills within the organisation through a mixture of formal and informal approaches to ensure that the people-related short-, medium- and long-term goals of the organisation are addressed. One of the interventions which can be utilised to deal with the lack of administrative, technical and managerial skills in the public sector in South Africa is coaching. A literature review is presented which covers a historical and conceptual overview of coaching and an in-depth review of a variety of coaching models and their application. There is also a literature review of the public sector in South Africa, the history and the key legislation and policy documents setting out the human resource approaches and strategies to to Copyright © 2009 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved 3 establish a link between the problems, challenges and opportunities in the public sector and coaching as an intervention to improve individual performance. A model for coaching which can be utilised in the public sector has been constructed utilising the latest concepts and theories. This model has been reviewed and evaluated by subject matter experts to assess its relevance and appropriateness as a suitable intervention to deal with people-related issues in the public sector in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid Afrika is ʼn ontwikkelende land en ondervind al die probleme, uitdagings en geleenthede wat met daardie situasie verband hou, een waarvan die baie definitiewe tekort aan relevante en geskikte menslike hulpbron-, tegniese- en bestuursvaardighede. Dit het ʼn negatiewe effek in baie areas, insluitend in die openbare sektor. Openbare sektor organisasies staar ʼn ander dilemma in die gesig wat uit die tekort aan bekwame werknemers voortspruit. Die geskilpunte rondom dienslewering wat tot die geweldadige protesaksies in baie gemeenskappe (Augustus 2009) is gedeeltelik vererger deur die toenemende tekort aan bestuurders en ander personeel. Daar is ook die probleem van ervare personeel wat meer senior posisies in hul organisasies aanvaar het of posisies in ander organisasies aanvaar het en wat deur gekwalifiseerde, maar onervare personeel vervang word. ʼn Derde probleem wat voorkom is wanneer nuwe, maar onervare personeel in ʼn organisasie aangestel word. Dit is nodig, in alle gevalle, om die vaardighede binne ʼn organisasie te ontwikkel, deur ʼn mengsel van formele en informele benaderings, om te verseker dat die mensverwante kort-, medium- en langtermyn doelwitte van die organisasie geadreseer word. Een van die intervensies wat gebruik kan word om aandag aan die tekort aan administratiewe, tegniese en bestuursvaardighede in die openbare sektor in die Suid Afrikaanse te gee is “coaching” (dit is interessant dat daar nog geen geskikte Afrikaanse woord vir “coaching” na vore gekom het). ʼn Literatuuroorsig word aangebied wat ʼn historiese en konseptuele oorsig van “coaching” dek en ʼn indiepte oorsig van ʼn verskeidenheid van “coaching”-modelle en hul aanwending. Daar is ook ʼn literatuuroorsig van die openbare sektor in Suid Afrika, die geskiedenis en die belangrikste Copyright © 2009 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved 5 wetgewing wat die benaderings oor menslike hulpbronne en die strategieë om skakel tussen die probleme, uitdagings en geleenthede in die openbare sektor en “coaching” as ʼn intervensie om indiwiduele prestasie te verbeter. ʼn Model vir “coaching” wat in die openbare sektor kan gebruik kan word is uit die jongste konsepte en teorieë saamgestel. Hierdie model was deur onderwerpdeskundiges nagegaan en geëvalueer om die relevansie en geskiktheid daarvan as ʼn intervensie om mensverwante-geskilpunte te hanteer in die openbare sektor in Suid Afrika.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An investigation of the servicisation phenomenon and its influence on the product life cycle of high technologically manufactured goods. Rising demand for services and ongoing commoditisation of goods has forced businesses to purse alternatives to differentiate themselves in the market place. This has renewed interest to reposition the unit of exchange from a goods dominant to a service dominant perspective. Although applicability of the product life cycle as a marketing tool has often been questioned, it continues to form a fundamental building block of marketing theory. The purpose of this research report was to determine whether the servicisation phenomenon can be utilised as part of corporate strategy to extend the product life cycle of high technological goods. The primary objective was to gain new insight into the interesting and profitable combination of goods and services within the goods manufacturing industry. The main focus was to test whether a service dominant business model can extend the product life cycle. A case study of the product life cycle of the Apple iPod versus Creative’s digital media player value offerings was analysed. The main finding was that the iPod as opposed to Creative’s media player, did show signs of a longer product life cycle in the role of a service delivery vehicle. The service dominant business model has created many alternative revenue streams for Apple. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Ondersoek oor die dienste verskynsel en die invloed daarvan op die produkleefsiklus van hoë tegnologiese goedere. ‘n Toename in die aanvraag na dienste, en voortdurende omskepping van verbruikersartikels in kommoditeite, forseer besighede om na alternatiewe te soek om hulself in die markplek te differensieer. Daar is dus nuwe belang om die eenheid van handel te herdefinieer vanuit ‘n diens perspektief teenoor die tradisionele goedere een. Alhoewel die toepaslikheid van die produkleefsiklus, as ‘n instrument vir bemarkingsbesluitneming, talle keer bevraagteken is, bly dit ‘n hoeksteen van bemarkingsteorie. Die doel van hierdie navorsingsprojek was om te bepaal of die dienste verskynsel gebruik kan word in korporatiewe strategie om die produkleefsiklus te verleng. Die hoof doelwit was om nuwe insig te kry oor hoe ‘n produk en dienste gekombineer kan word om winste van vervaardigers te verbeter. Die hoof fokus was om te toets of ‘n diensgesentreerde besigheidsmodel die produkleefsiklus kan verleng. ‘n Studie van die produkleefsiklus van Apple se iPod is gedoen teenoor dié van Creative se digitale mediaspeler. Daar is bepaal dat die iPod, teenoor Creative se mediaspeler, wel tekens van ‘n langer produkleefsiklus toon, in die rol van ‘n diensleweringsinstrument. Dié diens gesentreerde besigheidsmodel voorsien Apple van vele alternatiewe bronne van inkomste.