One of the major challenges facing service businesses today is the rapidly changing and highly competitive nature of service industries. As a result, customer expectations are also rising quickly. Increased competition in this regard has resulted in fitness facilities in particular aiming to improve their services in order for these businesses to differentiate themselves from their competitors. By improving their services, fitness facilities can better satisfy the needs of their members. Therefore, fitness facilities need to identify those service elements which are important to their members in order to satisfy members' service needs by improving the quality of services delivered. The primary objective of the study is to determine whether customers of fitness facilities in the North West Province are satisfied with the services that are provided by these facilities. The research study on fitness facilities was based on descriptive research in order to allow for the identification of service elements that are important to members of fitness facilities. During the course of the study, secondary data was used for the literature review in order to investigate the research problem through the use of publications such as books and reliable academic and research articles. A quantitative research design was used in the form of self–administered questionnaires with a view to determine the level of customer satisfaction as well as the desires, perceptions and expectations of members regarding fitness facilities. Pre–testing of the questionnaire was also performed during this study to ensure that the collection and analysis of data would proceed as smoothly as possible. Self–administered questionnaires were distributed to members of fitness facilities from the 17th of May to the 26th of May 2010 by three fieldworkers in the cities of Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp in the North West Province. A convenience sampling method was used, which implied that respondents who were readily available and willing to complete the questionnaire at selected fitness facilities were selected for participation in the study. Furthermore, an exploratory factor analysis was used to identify those service elements which are important to members of fitness facilities. Ten factors were identified, namely personnel professionalism, equipment condition, membership possibilities, fitness programmes, convenience issues, medical assistance, cleanliness, information availability, membership preferences and the opportunity to exercise in another town. The results indicated that differences exist in terms of respondents' gender, levels of education as well as differences between various age groups and the ten identified importance factors. Results also showed that customer satisfaction can influence customer behaviour, as satisfied customers would recommend the fitness facility to others and want to have a long–term relationship with the fitness facility. It is recommended that fitness facilities need to focus on those service elements that members view as important when planning and maintaining their service offerings. Furthermore, fitness facilities need to realise that all their members do not view the importance of service elements in the same way, and therefore they should deliver services specifically tailored to various age groups, levels of education and gender. Recommendations for future research include that a similar study can be conducted for individual fitness facilities, because fitness facilities are unique and have different capabilities to deliver services. When conducting a study for each individual fitness facility, a relevant comparison can be made between the services that the specific fitness facility offers and what the members of that fitness facility really want or view as important. Specific strategies can then be recommended to the individual fitness facility with a view to improve their service offering and concomitantly increase their member satisfaction. / Thesis (M.Com. (Marketing Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

<p>The dissertation consists of three chapters relating to pricing strategies. Chapter 1 studies coupons for prescription drugs and their impacts on consumer welfare, firm profits, and insurance payments. Chapter 2 examines consumer brand loyalty and learning in pharmaceutical demand and discusses implications for marketing and health care policy. Chapter 3 develops a framework for estimating demand and supply in an online market with many competing sellers and frequent price changes and proposes optimal pricing strategies for a large seller.</p><p>The first chapter studies an innovative price strategy in pharmaceuticals. Branded drug manufacturers have recently started to issue copay coupons as part of their strategy to compete with generics when their branded drugs are coming off patent. To explore the welfare implications of copay coupons, I estimate a model of demand and supply using pharmaceutical data on sales, prices, advertising, and copayments for cholesterol-lowering drugs and perform a counterfactual analysis where a branded manufacturer introduces coupons. The model allows flexible substitution patterns and consumer heterogeneity in price sensitivities and preferences for branded drugs. The counterfactuals quantify the effects of copay coupons for different assumptions about the take-up of coupons and the ability of the branded manufacturer to direct them to the most price-sensitive types of consumers. The results show that the agency problem between insurers and patients gives a branded manufacturer a strong incentive to issue copay coupons. Introducing copay coupons benefits the coupon issuer and consumers but raises insurance payments. In equilibrium, insurer spending can increase by as much as 25% even when just 5% of consumers have a coupon, with social welfare falling significantly.</p><p>Medicines for chronic conditions like high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes are repeatedly used for a long period of time. Consumer dynamics thus plays an important role in the demand for those drugs. In the second chapter, I estimate a demand model with brand loyalty and learning using micro-level data from cholesterol lowering drug markets in the United States. The estimates suggest high switching costs and strong learning effects at the molecule level in the markets. Switching costs raise the predicted probability of choosing the same drugs in a row and learning largely increases patient stickiness to a molecule in the long run. I discuss pricing implications of the estimation results for drug manufacturers, insurance companies, and policy makers. </p><p>The last chapter, coauthored with Dr. Andrew Sweeting and Dr. James W. Roberts, looks at pricing in a different context. We estimate a model of entry, exit and pricing decisions in an online market for event tickets where there are many competing sellers and prices change frequently. We use the estimates from our model to analyze the optimality of the pricing policy used by the largest seller (broker) in the market. We show that the broker's pricing policies substantially affect the prices set by his competitors. When we compare the broker's pricing policy with the prices that our model predicts are optimal we find that the broker sets approximately correct prices close to the game, when his pricing problem resembles a static one, but that he might be able to gain from using different pricing rules and updating prices more frequently further from the game.</p> / Dissertation

This thesis aims to explore the effects of tight budgetary control on employee behavior focusing on employee loyalty, employee satisfaction, job related tension and tendency towards data manipulation in public sectors. The study explores the subject on the population of three countries which includes Sweden, Jordan and Pakistan. In Pakistan and Jordan, no previous study has ever been performed which tried to explore effects of tight budgetary control in employee behavior. Method: Keeping the above fact in view, method derived for this study was the combination of qualitative and quantitative approach. Questionnaires were formulated and sent to employees of the sampled companies receiving 740 responses. For qualitative method, 5 employees were interviewed from entire three countries. Finding: the study revealed that all three countries are experiencing tight budgetary control whereas Jordan and Pakistan are experiencing it on higher level and Sweden is experiencing it in lower level as compared to Pakistan and Jordan. As far employee behavior is concerned, both the method proved that loyalty was negatively related to tight budgetary control for Pakistan and Sweden whereas positively related in case of Jordan. Satisfaction is also negatively related to tight budgetary control for Sweden and Pakistan while positively related for Jordan. Job related tension and tendency towards data manipulation are positively related to tight budgetary control for all three countries. Research type: Master’s thesis.

Vartotojų elgsenos aktualumas verslo praktikoje ir teorijoje neabejotinas – vartotojų elgsenos, ypač pirkimo sprendimo priėmimo stimulų, kylančių iš vartotojų asmenybės bei aplinkoje esančių ir skatinančių pirkti stimulų išskyrimas. Impulsyvaus pirkimo fenomenas mokslinėje marketingo literatūroje analizuojamas jau daugiau kaip penkias dešimtis. Todėl stimulai, sąlygojantys impulsyvaus pirkimo sprendimą ypač svarbūs – tokių stimulų sukūrimas skatintų vartotojus priimti pirkimo sprendimą per sąlyginai trumpą laiko tarpą, o pastaroji tendencija generuotų pelną organizacijai. Dar vienas itin plačiai mokslinėje literatūroje analizuojamas konceptas – prekės ženklo vertė. Prekės ženklo vertė pagrįsta vartotojo sąmonėje susiformavusiomis teigiamos asociacijos su prekės ženklu, prekės ženklo vertės vartotojui sukūrimu bei vartotojų lojalumu prekės ženklui. Visi pastarieji veiksniai mokslinėje literatūroje traktuojami, kaip skatinantys vartotojo sprendimo pirkti priėmimą. Prekės ženklas įvardijamas, kaip vienas iš impulsyvaus pirkimo stimulų. Darbo objektas – impulsyvaus pirkimo stimulai ir prekės ženklo vertė. Darbo tikslas – teoriškai pagrįsti ir empiriškai patikrinti impulsyvaus pirkimo ir prekės ženklo vertės sąsajas „Nivea“ prekės ženklo pavyzdžiu. Darbo struktūra. Magistro darbą sudaro trys dalys. Pirmojoje darbo dalyje pateikta ir nagrinėta impulsyvaus pirkimo koncepcija, vidiniai ir išoriniai impulsyvaus pirkimo stimulai. Taip pat analizuojami prekės ženklo vertę kuriantys... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of this master work – theoretically support and empirically examine the relationship between impulsive buying and brand equity. The structure of thesis. The Master work thesis consists of three parts. The first part of thesis represents and examines the conception of impulsive buying, its internal and external impulsive buying stimulus. It also analyzes the creating factors of the brand value. The analysis of impulsive buying models is also presented. The second part of the thesis represents the structural interface pattern of impulsive buying and the brand equity. The research methodology, aims and tasks are also given. A previous analysis of impulsive buying research results is done. The third part of Master work thesis does the empirical research of the relationship between impulsive buying and the brand equity; the results are generalized. Empirically checked structural model relationshiop between impulsive buying and the brand equity by the example of Nivea brand is done. At the end of the Master work the conclusions are made and suggestions are given. In order to make it more transparent, the work contains of 14 pictures and 17 tables. The theoretical analysis has been prepared using 117 English and Lithuanian literature sources.

Darbo tikslas: įvertinti odontologijos klinikos „X“ klientų lojalumą ir pateikti pasiūlymus pacientų lojalumo didinimui. Uždaviniai: 1. Atlikti vartotojų lojalumo teorinę analizę. 2. Atlikti odontologijos klinikos „X“ veiklos situacijos analizę. 3. Ištirti odontologijos klinikos „X“ pacientų lojalumą. 4. Identifikuoti klinikos problemines sritis, kurias patobulinus įmonė pasiektų didesnį vartotojų pasitenkinimą ir lojalumą. Tyrimo metodika. Anketinės apklausos. Tyrimo metu buvo apklausti klinikos pacientai ir personalas. Išvados: Nustatyta, kad įmonės pacientai yra patenkinti klinikos teikiamomis paslaugomis ir dažniausiai apie šią kliniką sužinojo iš kitų asmenų rekomendacijų. Tačiau nors ir klientai yra patenkinti įmonėje vyrauja didelė pacientų kaita. Lojalūs klientai nesudaro daugumos klinikos pacientų, tačiau tie, kurie jau yra lojalūs rodo stiprų lojalumą ir yra pastovūs įmonės klientai. Odontologijos klinikos „X“ silpniausios sritys lojalių vartotojų formavime yra: klinikos darbo laikas, didelės susidariusios eilės, ilgalaikiai santykiai ir aukšti įkainiai. / Aim of the study: to evaluate the loyalty of the dental clinic “X“ clients’ and to provide recommendations for patients’ loyalty growth. Objectives: 1. To make a theoretical analysis of the customers’ loyalty. 2. To make an analysis of the dental clinic “X” current bussiness situation. 3. To explore the loyalty of patients’ of the dental clinic “X”. 4. To indentify the problematic areas of clinics’ business, which, if improved, would help to increase the loyalty and satisfaction of the clinic’s customers. Research methods. The questionnaire surveys. During the reasearch, the clinics’ patients and personnel were questioned. Conclusions. It was identified that patients are satisfied with the services provided by the clinic. Most of the patients learned about the clinic from other peoples‘ recommendations. Although clients are contented the high turnover of the customers existence. Loyal customers are not a big part of all clinic patients, but those who are already loyal are showing strong loyalty. Dental Clinic "X" the weakest areas of the formation of loyal customers is: clinic time, long queues and high rates.

In this paper we investigate whether power structures in organizations have an influence in the process that leads to burnout. We analyze if these power structures affect the individual’s health condition toward burnout in a way that leads to disability and subsequent absence from work. In the study, six persons who all have been unable to work due to burnout have been studied through qualitative, semi-structured interviews. The material have been coded with three different themes; leadership and hierarchy, responsibility and delegation of responsibility and performance and loyalty. These themes have been analyzed with Walter Korpi’s (1985) theory of power and power resources and Johan Asplund’s (2004) theory of social responsivity. Both theories may be associated with power structures in organizations. The result shows that organizational power structures do affect the process towards burnout in such a way that the ability of the individual to activate power resources to influence its situation is diminished and that the individual eventually loses his/her ability altogether. Further, we reached the conclusion that one of the basic factors that lead to burnout is the lack of power resources in the individual’s work situation. / I denna studie undersöker vi om maktstrukturer i organisationer har en inverkan i utbrändhetsprocessen som leder till utbrändhet. Syftet är att undersöka om maktstrukturer inom organisationer påverkar individens utbrändhetsprocess på så sätt att det leder till sjukskrivning. I studien har sex personer, som alla varit sjukskrivna för utbrändhet, intervjuats genom kvalitativa, semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Intervjumaterialet har kodats med hjälp av tre olika teman; ledarskap och hierarki, ansvar och ansvarsfördelning och prestation och lojalitet och sedan analyserats utifrån Walter Korpis (1985) teori om makt och maktresurser samt Johan Asplunds (2004) teori om social responsivitet. Båda teorierna kan kopplas till maktstrukturer i organisationer. Resultatet visar på att maktstrukturer i organisationer påverkar utbrändhetsprocessen hos individen på så sätt att förmågan att påverka sin situation försvagas och att individen till slut mister förmågan helt. Vidare kom vi fram till att en av de grundläggande faktorerna som leder till utbrändhet är bristen av maktresurser som individen innehar i sin arbetssituation.

This paper argues that the despite the apparent rejection of the shareholder primacy model by the Supreme Court of Canada in Peoples Department Stores Inc. (Trustee of) v. Wise and BCE Inc. v. 1976 Debentureholders, there is a strong tradition of shareholder primacy in Canada that has persisted in jurisprudence and legislative materials. The dislodging of shareholder primacy as the guiding force in directors’ duties is discordant with this tradition and per incuriam. As such, at the moment, the duty of loyalty of directors to the corporation is adrift, lacking substantive guidance from the Supreme Court. This guidance, this paper argues, can be found in the “enlightened shareholder value” model embodied in s. 172 of the United Kingdom’s Companies Act 2006 which holds to shareholder primacy while exhorting directors to adopt an inclusive approach to the interests of non-shareholder stakeholders.

This paper argues that the despite the apparent rejection of the shareholder primacy model by the Supreme Court of Canada in Peoples Department Stores Inc. (Trustee of) v. Wise and BCE Inc. v. 1976 Debentureholders, there is a strong tradition of shareholder primacy in Canada that has persisted in jurisprudence and legislative materials. The dislodging of shareholder primacy as the guiding force in directors’ duties is discordant with this tradition and per incuriam. As such, at the moment, the duty of loyalty of directors to the corporation is adrift, lacking substantive guidance from the Supreme Court. This guidance, this paper argues, can be found in the “enlightened shareholder value” model embodied in s. 172 of the United Kingdom’s Companies Act 2006 which holds to shareholder primacy while exhorting directors to adopt an inclusive approach to the interests of non-shareholder stakeholders.

The project comprising this doctoral dissertation investigated long-term patterns of inter-cultural contact and exchange in Ouvea, a Polynesian Outlier in the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia. To address the research question, an interdisciplinary approach involved ethnohistory, linguistics, and archaeology, with an emphasis on the contribution of archaeology. Ethnohistory offered insight into the contexts of inter-cultural contact and traditional exchange systems in Ouvea and also provided a hypothesis of settlement chronology. Linguistic information proposed a relative sequence of events and processes reflecting contact-induced changes in the Ouvea communities. The archaeological field work for this project concentrated on two rockshelters (Sites LUV029 and LUV030) and an adjacent beach dune (Site LUV028) in Muli Islet of Ouvea. Initial human occupation on a temporary recurrent basis in one of the rockshelters (LUV030) was dated to the first few centuries A.D., followed by permanent habitation and an expansion of occupation to include both rockshelters and agricultural use of the associated beach dune around A.D. 1000. In the subsequent centuries of continuous human occupation, evidence indicated an adaptation to the local physical and cultural environment through intensification in local resources, production of specialized material objects, and an increase in the abundance and diversity of imported exogenous materials. Interpretation of research results from Muli related to internal production and exchange systems in Ouvea as well as to larger spheres of contact and exchange that encompassed the New Caledonia region and even more distant island archipelagos.

Att ha en fungerande kommunikation mellan kund och bolag är viktigt för att en verksamhet ska kunna fungera. Genom kommunikation byggs även lojalitet där kunderna återkommer i framtiden och blir därigenom mer lönsamma för ett bolag. De förändringar inom IT som ägt rum i samhället har förändrat den kommunikation som finns mellan kund och bolag, inte minst inom banksektorn där kunder numera kan utföra nästintill alla ärenden online. Då den personliga relationen mellan personal och kund minskar är det svårt att upprätthålla nivån av lojala kunder. De flesta större aktörer inom bank- och försäkringsbranschen har, för att skapa lojala kunder, i olika utsträckning infört så kallade helkundskoncept där målet är att få en kund att samla alla sina tjänster i samma bolag. De två övergripande frågorna som behandlas i denna uppsats är dels hur arbetet med helkundskoncept har förändrats i och med ökat IT-användande och dels om helkundskonceptet kan bidra till att öka kundernas lojalitet gentemot det undersökta bolaget och dess varumärke. Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur den ökade användandet av IT påverkat det valda företaget samt hur arbete med helkundskonceptet utvecklats över tid och vad det har inneburit för såväl kunder som företag. Den teoretiska bakgrunden behandlar ämnen som varumärkens funktioner, marknads- och kundkommunikation, återkoppling från kunder samt lojalitetsbegreppet. Undersökningen gjordes som en fallstudie av ett bolag som verkar inom områdena bank, försäkring, pension och fastighetsförmedling. Data samlades in dels genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med ett antal ledande befattningshavare och dels genom en marknadsundersökning gjord av företaget PFM Reserch. Resultaten visar att det blivit svårare att nå och kommunicera med kunderna efter den ökning av digital kommunikation som ägt rum. Detta beror till stor del på att fler ärenden uträttas online vilket gör att de personliga relationerna blir lidande och att lojaliteten minskar. Helkundskoncept är ett sätt att motverka den minskande lojaliteten genom att det blir för arbetsamt för kunden att byta bolag när den väl samlat allt hos en aktör. Kunden får även lägre priser när den endast använder sig av en leverantör vilket tillsammans med den enkelhet som kan upplevas när allt är samlat på samma ställe talar för att kunder ska samla alla sina tjänster hos samma bolag. För bolagets del har det visat sig att helkunder stannar längre och är mer lojala, de har färre skador än andra kunder samt att de över lag har en större tolerans mot bolaget vid missnöje. / It is important that communication between a customer and a company works properly. Loyalty is in many ways based on the communication and the bonds that exits between a customer and the personnel of a company. IT has made it possible to execute many seines online which also have affected the communication and customer loyalty. One possibility to keep the customers loyal is to apply the total customer concept which means that the customer gather all his services to only one company in order to receive more beneficial offerings. In this study I have investigated how IT has affected a bank- and insurance company and if the total customer concept is approved to bring more loyalty to the company and the trademark. The result shows that it is harder to get in touch with the customer today than before and that customers is less loyal than before the IT revolution. The total customer concept is one possibility to gain more loyal customer who also becomes more profitable to the company.