A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in the field of Strategic Marketing Johannesburg, 2017 / Sales promotions are ever-present occurrences in modern day markets with companies using them as part of their marketing mix (Blattberg & Neslin, 1990). They also have the ability to effect customer satisfaction and in turn the brand loyalty for that consumer (Li-Xin & Shou-Lian, 2010). Bawa and Shoemaker (2004) found links between non-monetary sales promotions and the brand loyalty of a consumer. Consumers exposed to sales promotions usually had increased purchasing probability and enhanced loyalty to the brand, compared to consumers that were not exposed to the promotion. This study set out to establish the effects on the attitudinal loyalty of consumers who missed the opportunity to partake in a free premium sales promotion. Utilizing a quantitative research methodology, data was collected by means of a structured questionnaire from respondents in South Africa. Internal factors such as the consumers experience of cognitive dissonance; emotion showed towards the brand; and their attitudes towards the brand, were measured and analysed through factor analysis. The most notable finding from the study was that the effect on a consumer’s attitudinal loyalty was contained to the attitude they have towards the brand, irrespective of the level of dissonance that might appear or even the emotional feelings they might have for the brand. Missing the sales promotion would almost certainly alter their perception of the brand and change the internal factors a consumer turns to when searching for information and evaluating their post-purchase consumption. Ultimately, a missed free premium sales promotion will do very little to destroy any brand loyalty that is already present with that consumer. / MT2017

This research is intended to provide the stewards of social media for Brigham Young University's football program with information that will allow them to make better decisions on what kind of content will maximize engagement and enhance brand loyalty among fans and consumers on Facebook. Using several variables, including the type or theme of content, post frequency, and sponsorship, content was compared against that from the University of Oregon's football program for the 2017 season. The results, found using quantitative data analysis, reveal that some variables have a significant impact on the quantity of engagement from viewers for both programs and provide valuable insights that will allow the universities to improve how and what they deliver on their Facebook pages.

abstract: 随着中国经济过去30多年的高速发展，出现了一大批的高收入人群，他们更注重生活的品质，如追求自然、简约、低调的休闲生活方式，更看重健康生活、自身的身心修养，和提高自身修养的内涵式生活，以及注重子女的内涵气质教育。 同时，具有很强烈地获得心理认同的需求，参加各种以消费和交往为媒介和主体活动的社群或“社交圈子”，在心理和情感上自我获得与其在财富、生活方式以及生活品位等诸方面都类似的群体间的身份认同感和归属感；更看着与其社会阶层相匹配的身份地位、社交人脉、兴趣爱好等。 因此，从运营的角度来看，如何增加上述这些高净值人群对高净值社群的归属感，进而提高其对高净值社群的忠诚度，是高净值社群进一步可持续经营和发展的基石。本研究以上海嘉庭俱乐部为例，在对问卷调查的基础上，通过实证研究，探讨影响高净值社群归属感与忠诚度的关键因素，高净值社群中会员的归属感与忠诚度的关系，会员生活型态的差异使得归属感与忠诚度的影响关系呈现显著的不同。 实证研究表明，“时尚流行”会员较为理性，其更注重休闲风尚；而“优雅休闲与享受尊荣”的会员则偏感性，其相当注重心灵感受与宁静舒适的感觉，强调全家共享以及纯封闭式的会员享受，能够更多地认识到与个人品味和品位相同的人，如对生活品质的追求、价值观、子女教育等；内心更开放、所接受教育程度更高的家庭，在嘉庭会感受到的归属感意识更高、其忠诚度也更高。 / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Business Administration 2019

abstract: How does a university create a culture of affinity where students seek and maintain life-long connections to the institution? The purpose of this action research study was to examine how affinity increased or developed for undergraduate students at the Arizona State University Polytechnic campus through meaningful student-centric activities. Three theoretical frameworks guided the study including the work of Baumeister and Leary, Kuh, and Ajzen. In this mixed method study, quantitative data about affinity, attitude, toward Arizona State University was collected using pre- and post-intervention surveys and qualitative data were gathered through individual semi-structured interviews at the conclusion of the study. Study participants were degree-seeking, undergraduate students whose degree programs were affiliated with the Polytechnic campus. The study was conducted during the first semester for first-year students. The intervention was implemented over a four-week period and consisted of providing information and opportunities to students to initiate connecting to the institution. Quantitative data exhibited slight upward changes or slight to modest decreases in the dependent variables between pre- and post-intervention assessments. Qualitative data provided a content-rich explanation that helped in understanding the quantitative results. For example, students indicated high behavioral beliefs, attitudes toward involvement, and intentions. Moreover, they demonstrated high levels of connectedness and loyalty to the institution. Discussion focused on describing the complementarity of the data, explaining outcomes relative to the theoretical frameworks, limitations, implications for practice and future research, and lessons learned. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2019

Framväxten av flertalet detaljhandelsalternativ har resulterat i att modemarknaden blivit allt mer konkurrensutsatt vilket lämnar konsumenten till oändligt många valmöjligheter. Den föränderliga lojaliteten gentemot varumärken innebär flertalet utmaningar för företag att särskilja sig från mängden och erbjuda konsumenten värde för att därmed ha möjlighet till att upprätthålla en långvarig relation med konsumenten. Under senare tid har det blivit allt mer intressant att undersöka konsumenters ”kärlek” till varumärken och med tiden har begreppet varumärkeskärlek uppstått i forskningssammanhang. Varumärkeskärlek innefattar den grad av passionerad, känslomässig anknytning som en nöjd konsument har för ett visst varumärke. I studien presenteras teorierna Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE), 11 Dimensions of Love Toward a Brand och The Brand Love prototype som behandlar varumärkeslojalitet och varumärkeskärlek. Utefter förutnämnda teorier har författarna sedan utformat ett nytt teoretisk ramverk med sex stycken faktorer som förutsätts för att uppnå varumärkeskärlek. Studiens syfte är att ur ett konsumentperspektiv utforska vilka faktorer som skapar varumärkeskärlek samt hur varumärkesägande företag utefter detta skapar varumärkeslojala konsumenter. Resultatet från de kvalitativa, semistrukturerade intervjuerna och enkätundersökningen visar på att fyra faktorer var starkt kopplade till varumärkeskärlek: Förtroende, Identitetsskapande, Kärleksrelationer samt Upplevd och förväntad kvalité. / The fast evolvement of retail alternatives has resulted in an increasing competition in the fashion market which leaves the customer with a number of options to choose from. The change in loyalty toward brands means that companies have to face many challenges which involves distinguishing themselves from other companies. They have to offer the consumer value and thereby create an opportunity to maintain a long-term relationship with the consumer. In recent times it has become interesting to study consumers “love” towards brands and over time the concepts of brand love has emerged in research contexts. Brand love includes the level of passionate, emotional attachment that a satisfied consumer has for a particular brand. The study presents following theories: Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE), 11 Dimensions of Love Toward a Brand and The Brand Love prototype which manage brand loyalty and brand love. The authors has then used the earlier mentioned theories to create a new theoretical framework with six factors predicted for achieving brand love. The aim of the study is to examine in a consumer perspective which factors that create brand love and how brand-owned companies can create loyal consumers. Through qualitative, semi structured interviews and surveys the results indicates that four factors had a strong connection to brand love: Brand trust, Brand identification, Love relationship and Perceived and expected quality.

In this thesis paper, I will recount the creative and technical processes of making my graduate thesis film, KOOL. I will describe how the story was developed and written, then analyze the phases of pre-production, principle photography, and post production. I will then evaluate my leadership skills, and strengths and weaknesses as a film director.

What meanings have formerly engaged (radicalized) Salafists ascribed to their disengagement and how have they become embedded in their everyday lives? There are two narratives that can explain this question. On the one hand, there is a central inclusive narrative that suggest the institutionalization of the religious terrain in Morocco through the Institution of the Commander of the Faithful (mou’assassat imarat al mou’minine) or ICF, which allows the Monarchy to play the king-religious role as the guarantor of religion and other faiths. On the other hand, Salafi Jihadists represent the second exclusive narrative through a religious concept that has taken a violent understanding called “loyalty and disavowal” (Al Wal’a wal Bar’a) or WB. The power of this narrative lies in the ability to divide society into a near and far enemy. Put it another way, to ask how those very meanings affect their everyday lives, a change in Salafi worldview for example allows them to live lives that seemed not possible before far from violence. As a result, there is no one picture of disengagement. Disengagement happens very differently in each case. Specifically, we argue that Salafi Jihadists’ disengagement has been informed, and shaped, by the meanings they attribute to their experiences in the everyday life. As such, this thesis is not about process, or pathways, or models of engagement and disengagement it is about meanings each one assigns to his or her experience. In addition to advancing theories of violent radicalization and disengagement from violence, this thesis makes a methodological contribution to the study of the meanings of disengagement through an ethnographic fieldwork in Morocco and Jordan.

The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of using loyalty programs on sport fans’ relationship quality and fan engagement toward sport organizations. This study also sought to explore which relationship quality and fan engagement factors potentially differed as a result of using loyalty programs. Since there are two major defined sport levels, differences were explored across niche and mainstream sport organizations. Using relationship marketing as the theoretical framework, participants (n = 678) were administered a 55-item instrument that included revised relationship quality and fan engagement scales. Quantitative data were used to run confirmatory factor analyses, analyses of covariance, and multivariate analyses of covariance. Results first showed that significant differences existed between mainstream sport fans that have access to a loyalty program and mainstream sport fans that do not have access to a loyalty program. Mainstream sport fans that have access to a loyalty program had higher identification and reciprocity. Mainstream sport fans that do not have access to a loyalty program were found to have higher overall fan engagement, commitment, intimacy, and performance tolerance. Results also showed differences between niche sport fans that have access to a loyalty program and mainstream sport fans that have access to a loyalty program. Mainstream sport fans that have access to a loyalty program were divided into two groups (simple or complex) based on the design of the loyalty programs. Niche sport fans that have access to a loyalty program were found to have higher overall relationship quality, trust, intimacy, management cooperation, and performance tolerance. The findings provide an introduction in to the possibility that loyalty programs could be effective for increasing relationship quality for both niche and mainstream sport organizations. Moreover, for niche sport organizations that have access to fewer resources, it is encouraging that the use of a loyalty program appears to have the capabilities to build stronger relationships and engagement. These results provide several implications for sport organizations and sport marketers and serve as a foundation for which future research on loyalty programs can build.

Healthcare industry owners who have unsatisfactory customer care services may experience a financial risk and create dissatisfied patients. The purpose of this case study was to explore customer care strategies that managers of urgent care businesses used to improve customer care services and patient satisfaction. The target population consisted of 1 urgent care manager from 3 separate urgent care clinics with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in Alabama. The urgent care managers were knowledgeable about effective customer care strategies that improved customer care services and patient satisfaction. Customer loyalty theory with emphases on customer behavior, customer attitude, repeat patronage, and loyalty was the conceptual framework for the study. Semistructured interviews and patient survey forms were the data sources. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis which identified similar codes, patterns, and themes. The 3 primary themes that emerged from thematic analysis were patient-focused care, social media outreach, and employee engagement. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to enhance the quality of healthcare experiences, which may empower individuals to seek medical care. The patients might become trusting of healthcare providers and become collaborators in responding to medical care requests by medical staff to improve their quality of life.

This is a qualitative case study conducted to investigate the relationship between consumers who are brand loyal to a certain product and the groups that are formed to bring these enthusiasts together, using the Chevrolet Corvette and its community as a model. Qualitative research lends itself to studying relationships and social situations, in being able to observe and participate in a social context, rather than analyzing it from the outside looking in. By approaching this subject as a case study, an element of flexibility was allowed. This study primarily focuses on one main phenomena, the social groups formed by loyal consumers. The specific context studied is the Chevrolet Corvette's community. By using in-depth interviews of Corvette enthusiasts, owners and company employees, a deeper understanding of why people are loyal to a product and how they use enthusiast clubs to sustain their loyalty will be uncovered. Those interviewed were asked open-ended questions pertaining to their feelings about the community they are a part of, and the brand they are loyal to. A qualitative, ethnographic approach was taken, and interviews were conducted more as conversations than as formal, structured interviews. Through participant observation at various Corvette events, the researcher compared what participants said and what they were observed doing. Participants are from varying backgrounds, ages and genders as to provide a broad base of information. Data gathered were analyzed using grounded theory, a research method that seeks to develop theory that is grounded in data systematically gathered. Grounded theory allows for a continuous interplay between data collection and analysis. Three overarching themes were constructed to organize the data, with various sub-categories to further explain the findings. The results of this study have shown that the object of enthusiasm, in this case the Chevrolet Corvette, is the basis for social interaction between owners and those involved with the car. While the physical car must uphold a superior standard, the consumer loyalty shown in this community is reinforced through interpersonal relationships formed with others sharing a common interest of enthusiasm for the automobile. The research has shown that there is a linkage between media efforts, automobile purchase, and social interaction. A cycle is formed from company executives releasing information and marketing to the public, inspiring consumers to purchase the car, and the community reinforces their purchase decision and fosters their brand loyalty.