Despite the widespread adoption of Internet banking, no guidelines exist on what functionality the techno-savvy Generation-Y customer segment (20–37 years) expects from Internet banking websites. This research investigated the functionality that South African Generation-Y customers require from this transacting platform. A user-centred design philosophy with a mixed method research design was used. The technological characteristics of Generation-Y, abstracted from the literature, were aligned with functionality trends of future Internet banking websites to formulate an initial list of Internet banking functionality guidelines. These were evaluated using a survey and interviews, and were also used in a heuristic evaluation of the Internet banking platforms of five South African banks. The findings were integrated to synthesise functionality guidelines. A visual representation of these guidelines was constructed as wireframes for evaluation by Generation-Y users. This study makes a contribution by providing a validated list of Internet banking functionality guidelines for Generation-Y banking customers. / College of Engineering, Science & Technology / M. Tech. (Information Technology)

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the shift to an all-volunteer force and the end of the Cold War, armed forces across the globe are finding it increasingly difficult to attract, recruit and retain the right quantity and quality of recruits in the ranks. Similarly, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has expressed difficulties with recruitment but more so with the ability to attract ‘high calibre’ recruits in order to staff a defence force that is disciplined and technologically advanced. Although this is a consequence of various economic, social and political factors, one of the greatest challenges facing recruiters is the changing work values and preferences of the new millennial generation. As the title of this thesis postulates, evidence from the West suggests a ‘clash’ in values between millennials, who are individualistic, protected, ambitious and self-centred, and the military, which requires conformity, obedience and structure. While there is a vast amount of literature regarding the all-volunteer force and youth values of military service in the West, there is no study of this kind in South Africa. In this study, I aim to fill this void by exploring young South Africans’ perceptions and experiences of military service. As there is no existing literature on the propensity to enlist in South Africa, focus groups and interviews were conducted with high school learners, Military Skills Development System (MSDS) members who have completed one year of military service and recruitment officers who come into contact with school-leavers from across South Africa. These discussions were framed around two broad questions, namely what are the work values of young South Africans and what factors attract young people to or deter them from the military job. The conclusion is reached that the SANDF is not an employer of choice because of various institutional and societal factors. The military job is largely unappealing to young South Africans, who are risk-averse, individualistic and wish to be in close proximity to their families. The culture of the military is also unattractive to the majority who are not receptive to authoritarian regimes that expect unquestioning obedience and discipline and emphasise hegemonic masculine ideals. Besides this, two societal forces have a significant impact on the ability of the ability of the SANDF to attract recruits. The decline in the prestige of the military job and the presence of an ever-growing civilmilitary gap indicate that youth are neither informed about the military nor see the military as a high status job in society. Consequently, the inability of the SANDF to meet recruitment targets can be detrimental to the ability of the SANDF to fulfil its mandate. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert die verskuiwing na weermagte wat geheel en al uit vrywilligers bestaan en die einde van die Koue Oorlog vind gewapende magte wêreldwyd dit steeds moeiliker om voldoende rekrute van die regte kwaliteit te lok, te werf en te behou. Ook die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag (SANW) ervaar probleme met werwing, maar veral met die vermoë om ‘hoëkaliber’-rekrute te lok na ’n weermag wat gedissiplineer en tegnologies gevorderd is. Hoewel dit die gevolg van verskeie ekonomiese, sosiale en politieke faktore is, is een van die grootste uitdagings vir werwingspersoneel die veranderende werkwaardes en werkvoorkeure van die nuwe milenniumgenerasie. Soos die titel dit stel, dui getuienis uit die Weste op ’n ‘waardekonflik’ tussen hierdie generasie, wat individualisties, beskut, ambisieus en selfgesentreerd is, en die militêr, wat konformiteit, gehoorsaamheid en struktuur vereis. Hoewel daar ’n magdom literatuur oor vrywilligersmagte en jeugwaardes van militêre diens in die Weste bestaan, is geen studie van hierdie aard nog in SuidAfrika onderneem nie. Met hierdie studie wil ek hierdie leemte vul deur jong Suid-Afrikaners se persepsies en ervarings van militêre diens te verken. Aangesien daar geen literatuur bestaan oor geneigdheid om by die weermag in Suid-Afrka aan te sluit nie, is fokusgroepe gehou en onderhoude gevoer met hoërskoolleerders, MSDS-lede wat hul eerste diensjaar voltooi het en werwingsoffisiere wat met landwyd met skoolverlaters in aanraking kom. Hierdie gesprekke is afgegrens deur twee breë vrae, naamlik wat die werkwaardes van jong Suid-Afrikaners is en watter faktore jong mense na of van die militêre werk lok of afstoot. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die SANW om verskeie institusionele en maatskaplike redes nie ’n voorkeurwerkgewer is nie. Jong Suid-Afrikaners, wat risikoweersinnig en individualisties is en naby hulle familie wil bly, vind ʼn militêre loopbaan breedweg onaantreklik. Die militêre kultuur spreek ook nie die meerderheid aan nie, wat nie ontvanklik is vir outoritêre regimes wat onverbiddelike gehoorsaamheid en dissipline eis en hegemoniese manlike ideale beklemtoon nie. Hierbenewens is daar twee samelewingsfaktore wat ʼn beduidende impak het op die SANW se vermoë om rekrute te werf. Die kwynende prestige van ʼn militêre loopbaan en die teenwoordigheid van ʼn steeds groeiende kloof tussen siviel en militêr dui daarop dat jongmense nóg oor die militêr ingelig is nóg dit as ’n werk met status in die samelewing beskou. Gevolglik kan die SANW se onvermoë om werwingsteikens te behaal sy vermoë om sy mandaat uit te voer nadelig beïnvloed.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / The South African civil engineering profession is facing a crisis. This crisis which has occurred as a result of a diminishing numbers of qualified and experienced technical staff, which is due to an ageing professional population, a very understaffed 30 - 45 year old age group, and a relatively large junior technical staff component. This hour-glass shaped distribution of civil engineering technical staff has made experience and knowledge transfer difficult and extremely important. Civil engineering is a profession where a significant part of an engineer's knowledge is tacit and is gained from practical experience. To gain the necessary experience requires time, and it is in finding this time, amidst an increasingly competitive operating environment and overworked staff, that is becoming a hurdle for the civil engineering profession. The transfer of experience and knowledge needs to be accelerated; however, this requires an energised and motivated staff component. This relates to both those who pass on the knowledge and those that receive the same. This transfer process is time consuming and expensive. A consulting civil engineering company's financial investment in the training of its Generation Y (staff under the age of 30) is thus substantial. Because of this, the retention of these staff members becomes critical for the long term sustainability of the company. This research seeks to determine what motivates the Generation Y staff within Goba Consulting Engineers. Further to this, the research sought to determine what the preferred motivational factors are for the Generation Y staff who work for Goba Consulting Engineers. The objective of the research was for the results to be used as a tool for Goba Consulting Engineers to formulate a human resource policy that would seek to increase the motivation and job satisfaction of its Generation Y staff, and in so doing increase the retention rate of these personnel. Goba Consulting Engineers is a national civil consulting company that has 22 per cent of its staff in the Generation Y category (under the age of 30). These staff members were presented with a questionnaire containing questions about their basic needs, their preferred organisational structure and their preferred motivational factors. The questionnaire was housed on an external internet website and was to be completed electronically, which ensured anonymity of response. Only 37 per cent of the target population completed all the questions contained in the questionnaire. The responses were grouped, as per the research questions. The groups included individuals of different ethnic, administrative, regional and academic qualifications within Goba Consulting Engineers. The grouped responses were tested to determine whether they were statistically representative of the Generation Y staff within Goba Consulting Engineers. The results of the survey showed that the basic needs of the staff across the groupings were the same, with the need for growth being shown to be the most valued and desired. The responses also showed that the type of organisational structure preferred was that of a mechanistic type. The preferred motivational factor results revealed that differences between the groups, and that a strong emphasis was placed on factors that related to an integration of work and home/social/external life and influence. These results indicate that the conventional engineering management approach to motivation and reward may not be valid with respect to the Generation Y staff, and as such it may be prudent for Goba Consulting Engineers to formulate polices that are more applicable to these staff members.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2011 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African Chenin blanc wine is characterised by its style diversity and has been receiving more industry limelight over the past few years. Three dry Chenin blanc wine styles are currently described by the wine industry as Fresh and Fruity (FF), Rich and Ripe unwooded (RR-unwooded) and, Rich and Ripe wooded (RR-wooded). According to the South African wine industry, however, consumers seem to be somewhat confused by these various Chenin blanc wine styles, which have not yet been clearly defined and classified. During this study we investigated the following perspectives of this wine style classification confusion: Currently, no specified sensory method is being used to differentiate between wine styles of a single wine cultivar, such as Chenin blanc. The sorting method can be used as a more cost and time effective classification and profiling method than general quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA). It was therefore investigated whether both uninstructed and instructed sorting, with consumers and wine experts, can be used to classify and describe the Chenin blanc wine styles similarly to QDA. The increase in young wine consumers, Generation Y, introduces new wine marketing opportunities for the wine industry which need to be investigated. Young consumers are not aware of the various Chenin blanc wine styles, which may influence their wine preferences. The influence of wine style knowledge on these consumers’ wine style preferences were investigated during blind and wine style informed preference test. Any segmentation within this Generation Y group was also investigated with regards to their Chenin blanc wine style preferences and/or exploratory data. The following scientific and industrial findings were made: QDA was successfully substituted by instructed and uninstructed sorting tasks. Although the sorting tasks easily differentiated between wooded and unwooded wines, QDA differentiated more successfully between the unwooded wines. Wine tasting experience did not significantly influence the sorting results of the consumers versus the wine experts, but more experienced panellists consistently used fewer descriptors than untrained consumers. All panellists sorted products slightly better when they were provided with wine style sorting instructions. However, there were no significant differences between the instructed and uninstructed sorting task results, i.e. a wine style descriptor list did not improve panellists’ abilities to describe their sorted wine groups. South African Chenin blanc wines can definitely be divided into wooded and unwooded wine styles, i.e. two wine style groups, but the unwooded Chenin blanc wine spectrum formed a wine-style-continuum. This finding is apparent from both the sorting and QDA methods. The unwooded continuum wines can further be differentiated from one another with the use of a fresh-to-mature scale and/or a light-to-full body scale during QDA. Generation Y wine consumers preferred all the Chenin blanc wine styles equally and moderately during the blind tasting, but their knowledge of the wine style concepts significantly increased their preferences for the wines during the informed wine style tasting. The cognitive influence of wine style knowledge is therefore powerful in terms of influencing a consumer’s wine preferences. Other interesting correlations were also made between Generation Y consumers’ wine style preferences and their exploratory data. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrikaanse Chenin blanc wyn word gekarakteriseer deur styl diversiteit en is die afgelope paar jaar meer in die kollig. Drie droë Chenin blanc wynstyle word tans deur die wynbedryf beskryf as: Vars en Vrugtig, Ryk en Ryp ongehout en, Ryk en Ryp gehout. Volgens die Suid- Afrikaanse wynbedryf is daar heelwat verwarring is tussen hierdie Chenin blanc wynstyle weens die feit dat hierdie wynstyle nog nie duidelik gedefinieer en geklassifiseer is nie. Tydens die huidige studie het ons die volgende perspektiewe van hierdie wynstyl-verwarring ondersoek: Huidiglik word daar geen gespesifiseerde sensoriese metode gebruik om te onderskei tussen verskillende wynstyle van ’n enkele wyn kultivar, soos Chenin blanc, nie. Die sorteringsmetode kan gebruik word, instede van kwantitatiewe beskrywende analise, as ’n meer koste- en tyd-effektiewe produk klassifikasie en profileringsmetode. DIt was dus ondersoek of beide geïnstrukteerde en ongeïnstrukteerde sorteringstake, met verbruikers en wynkundiges, gebruik kan word om die verskeie Chenin blanc wynstyle kan profileer en klassifiseer soortgelyk soos kwantitatiewe beskrywende analise. Die toename in jong verbruikers, Generasie Y, skep nuwe wynbemarkingsgeleenthede wat ondersoek moet word. Jong verbruikers se onbewustheid van die verskeidenheid Chenin blanc wynstyle mag hulle voorkeure vir hierdie wyne beïnvloed. Die invloed van wynstyl kennis op hierdie jong verbruikers se wynstyl voorkeure was ook ondersoek gedurende ’n blinde en ’n wynstyl-ingeligte voorkeur toets. Enige segmentasie binne hierdie Generasie Y verbruikersgroep was ook ondersoek in verband met hul Chenin blanc wynstyl voorkeure en/of verkennende data. Die volgende wetenskaplike en industriële bevindings is gemaak: Kwantitatiewe beskrywende analise kan suksesvol vervang word deur beide geïnstrukteerde en ongeïnstrukteerde sorteringsmetodes. Alhoewel die sorteringsmetodes maklik gebruik kon word om te onderskei tussen gehoute en ongehoute wyne, kan kwantitatiewe beskrywende analise fyner onderskeid tref tussen die individuele ongehoute wyne. Die wynproe-ervaringsvlak het geen invloed op die sorteringsresultate gehad nie, maar meer ervare paneellede het konsekwent gebruik gemaak van minder beskrywende terme as onopgeleide verbruikers wat baie meer en verskillende soorte terme gebruik het. Beide panele het effens beter gesorteer wanneer hulle spesifieke wynstyl sorteringsinstruksies ontvang het. Daar was egter geen beduidende verskille tussen die geïnstrukteerde en ongeïnstrukteerde sorteringsresultate nie, wat daarop dui dat sorteringsinstruksies en ’n lys van wynstyl beskrywings nie die paneellede se wyse van sortering verander het nie. Suid-Afrikaanse Chenin blanc wyne kan definitief verdeel word in gehoute en ongehoute wynstyle, d.w.s twee wynstyl groepe, maar die ongehoute Chenin blanc wyn spektrum vorm ’n wynstyl-kontinuum. Laasgenoemde is bevind tydens beide die sorteringstake asook kwantitatiewe beskrywende analise. Die ongehoute kontinuum wyne kan verder van mekaar onderskei word met behulp van ‘n vars-tot-volryp en/of ‘n ligte-tot-volmond skaal tydens kwantitatiewe beskrywende analise. Alle jong wyn verbruikers het ewe veel van al die wynstyle gehou tydens die blinde wynstyl voorkeur toets, maar tydens die wynstyl-ingeligte voorkeur toets het hulle voorkeure vir al die wynstyle drasties verbeter. Die kognitiewe invloed van Chenin blanc wynstyl kennis kan dus lei tot hoër voorkeure vir die wynstyle. Ander interessante korrelasies is ook bevind tussen hierdie Generasie Y wyn verbruikersgroep se wynstyl voorkeure en hul verkennende data.

As societies across the world are facing grim problems regarding the consumption of tobacco products and alcohol, the Governments of these societies are adapting their strategies to reduce the consumption of these harmful products. These demarketing strategies are implemented to discourage the use of these products and increase the health of consumers. These strategies include a strenuous legal limit when driving under the influence of alcohol, enforcing the placement of warning labels on both cigarette packages as well as alcoholic beverages. Also included are penalties when failing to adhere to these laws, increasing prices, limiting the availability, restricting promotion and advertising, the list goes on. It is therefore seen fit to examine the attitudes of black Generation Y students’ towards the demarketing of smoking and alcohol consumption, because of the research gap concerning black Generation Y students. The primary purpose of this research study was to conclude the attitudes towards the demarketing of smoking and alcohol consumption amongst black Generation Y students within South Africa, and more specifically the Vaal Triangle region. The target population for this study comprised black Generation Y students, aged 18 to 24. A non-probability convenience sample of 200 respondents at each of the two higher education institutions was randomly chosen to participate in this research study making the total sample size 400. A self-administered questionnaire was handed out to each of the respondents to complete. The questionnaire consisted of three sections; Section A – demographical information, Section B – tobacco questionnaire and Section C – alcohol questionnaire. It was required of the respondents to complete the three sections, indicating their agreement or disagreement towards demarketing on a five-point Likert scale. The literature review included in this study comprised marketing as an organisational philosophy and function, market segmentation, targeting and positioning, as well as demarketing. The traditional marketing mix, consumption patterns within South Africa concerning smoking and alcohol, demarketing as a form of social responsibility were also discussed. The term demarketing, the marketing mix in terms of demarketing and the Generation Y cohort were also included within the literature review. The main finding obtained from the main survey questionnaire was that black Generation Y students’ had a positive attitude towards the demarketing of smoking and alcohol consumption. The remaining findings obtained are discussed in order to enhance the understanding of the black Generation Y students’ cohort attitudes. The recommendations for this study are given to guide the successful implementation of demarketing of cigarettes and alcohol. It is concluded from the research, that black Generation Y students’ attitudes towards the demarketing of smoking and alcohol consumption is positive, and that they are in favour of persuading consumers to reduce consumption and ultimately quit the consumption of these products. Therefore, organisations and the Government should continue to implement these demarketing strategies towards smoking and alcohol, especially amongst the black Generation Y students. / Thesis (MCom (Marketing management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

M. Tech. Business Administration / The aim of this study was to determine the most important factors that influence the adoption of fashion clothing amongst the Generation-Y consumers living in Ga-Rankuwa and how that influences broader societal trends in the retail market. The purpose of this study is to assist marketers and retailers to sustain their businesses by examining the relationship between fashion involvement, fashion innovativeness, fashion opinion leadership and fashion adoption, based on this group’s perception.

面臨創新不斷的產業趨勢與組織轉型，日漸成為職場主力的Y世代員工之人力資源需求亦走向複雜。本研究藉由與臺灣六家企業的人力資源主管作深度訪談，探討企業對Y世代員工的特性觀點，以及其就相應特性與資源制訂的人資專案，了解現行措施的關鍵推行與障礙因素，以期作為日後Y世代員工管理之參考。 本研究發現，Y世代員工於科技生活中發展出追求挑戰、工作意義，以及工作與生活平衡的獨特思維，形成了高人才流動率的問題；而Y世代員工措施會因資源與利害關係人之支持而受限，故企業應作工作系統與授權之革新，以利Y世代員工發揮資訊力；另外，人資部若採以適切的溝通與完善的培訓規劃，則能強化組織文化與非財務誘因，達成跨世代對相關措施的共識，以利人資部推行之。 / The facing of industry trends and innovative organization has gradually made the main force of the Generation Y’s workplace human resource needs become increasingly complex. In this study, six human resources managers of Taiwanese enterprises were subjected to in-depth interviews discussing the characteristics of the enterprise viewpoint of Generation Y, as well as their respective characteristics and resources on the development of human resource projects and the understanding of the implementation of existing measures and key obstacles in order for the considerations of future management for Generation Y. The study found that, the development of Generation Y in not only pursuit of scientific and technological challenges of life, but also the meaning of work, thinking and unique work-life balance, all formed a high turnover of personnel issues. Additionally, Generation Y measures was limited by resources and by support for the interested party, so companies should adopt a working system and authorization of innovation for the benefit of Generation Y’s information ability. In addition, if the human resources sector adopts an appropriate communication and comprehensive training plan, it can strengthen organizational culture and non-financial incentives, aiding to reach an intergenerational consensus across generations of related measures to facilitate human resource implementation.

Young adults of the twenty-first century face a long path to adulthood marked by uncertainty and lack of stability. In response, young adults are heading back to or failing to leave their family homes in higher numbers than generations before (Jacobsen and Mather 2011; Qian 2012). These macro-level trends bring about questions about their impact on family relationships as well as how these relationships have evolved over time. My thesis investigates parent-child relationships during co-residence with a specific focus on generation and gender differences. Through secondary data analysis of the National Survey of Families and Households, I explore how parent-child relationships during co-residence differ between parents of Generation Xer young adults (born between 1965-1980) and Millennial young adults (born between 1981-1996). Additionally, I examine gender differences between these two generational cohorts. My findings offer support that intergenerational relationships are not necessary closer, but look different for parents of Millennials as compared to Generation Xers. I also find that there are significant gender differences between mothers and fathers of Generation Xers versus those of Millennials. I find that mothers of Generation Xers report more time shared with co-residing young adults and increased frequency of perceived emotional support from their child than fathers; yet, fathers of Millennials report more perceived support than mothers. I suggest these findings offer support for the notion that gendered roles play out into young adulthood and potentially have more flexibility for fathers across time. As the economic and social landscape continues to change and present more uncertainty, family relationships become a form of social security; thus it becomes increasingly important to understand these dynamics. My findings are significant as they contribute to a better understanding of parent-child relationships over time and offer discussion on the potential implications.

Thesis. (M. Tech. (Dept. of Marketing, Faculty of Management Sciences)) -- Vaal University of Technology, 2011. / The underlying determinants of how and why people shop has been a topic of study for many years, when typologies of shopping styles were developed. These studies have been successful in demonstrating that some shoppers display consistent shopping orientations that can be diametrically opposed, for example, the functional shopper versus the recreational shopper. This study concentrates on purchasing patterns of consumers by examining the decision-making styles of Generation Y consumers with regard to fashion apparel. The study reports on various stages that consumers undergo when confronted with a decision situation. These stages are outlined as need recognition, information search, pre-purchase evaluation, purchase, consumption and post-consumption. The buying behaviours influencing consumers were categorised into internal and external factors. The internal factor includes perception, motivation, learning, attitudes, personalities, self-concept, lifestyle and demography. The external factors comprised the following variables, namely, cultural background, subculture, family influence, and the social factor. The general characteristics of Generation Y were briefly discussed. Various dimensions used to measure consumer decision-making styles were reviewed in the study related to perfectionism, brand consciousness, novelty-fashion consciousness, recreational consciousness, price-and-value-for-money consciousness, impulsiveness and confusion as a result of overchoice of brands. The study adopted quantitative approach. A structured questionnaire was used to survey 230 students who were selected using non-probability convenience sampling. Seven dimensions measuring consumer decision-making styles were found to be applicable within the Generation Y context. These consumers were profiled as being quality conscious, brand conscious, novelty-seeking, hedonistic, confused by overchoice, habitual, brand loyal and fashion conscious. Differences were found between consumers who are confused by overchoice and younger Generation Y consumers. Younger consumers were found to be more confused by overchoice compared to their older counterparts. It is suggested that apparel retailers should try to use communication channels which will be more understandable by Generation Y consumers, and they should provide information that assists buyers to make a rational decision in the buying process. Differences were also confirmed between habitual, brand-loyal consumers and age. It was found that younger consumers are more likely to be loyal to specific brands as compared to their older counterparts. Differences were noted between brand conscious, confused by overchoice and gender. Brand consciousness was regarded as a reflection of men‟s desire to use shopping as a demonstration of their superiority, as well as being beneficial because they reduce search costs. It was revealed that males were more brand conscious than their female counterparts. It also highlighted that males were more confused by overchoice than females. The study found that the majority of Generation Y does pursue quality, even if it means paying higher prices. It is recommended that retailers should continue to emphasise their well-known brand names and set prices at levels where consumers perceive the quality of the product by its price. Retailers should focus on diverse designs, sizes and colours in their product assortment and range. The introduction of new products through the use of fashion shows, fashion magazines and advertisements may provide added advantages in terms of brand awareness / Central Research Committee of the Vaal University of Technology

The goal of this thesis is to clarify the status of books in the current Czech culture using scientific methods. Since there are many possible ways to achieve this widely defined goal, it was necessary to choose certain methods (and therefore an overall angle of the examination). Two specific methods were selected - a questionnaire for members of Generation Y and media analysis of culture sections of the Czech daily newspapers, Mladá fronta DNES and Právo during the months of June and December of 2017. Theoretical background, description of the methods and explanation of all the key terms are part of the theoretical section. The objective of the questionnaire is to map reading preferences and habits of young readers. The questions are focused on qualitative and also quantitative aspects of book reading. The overarching objective of the media analysis is to provide an accurate image the media paint about books. This will be achieved by thorough examination of all the articles that mention them. Just like with the questionnaire, qualitative and quantitative aspects will be tracked.