D.Comm. / Die identifisering en evaluering van suksesfaktore is 'n baie belangrike aspek in die strategiese beplanningsproses. Dit vorm die hoeksteen waarop 'n onderneming se strategie rus en dit dien as integrasiemeganisme tussen bestuur se langtermyn doelwitte en die kanalisering van skaars hulpbronne. Suksesfaktore kom basies op alle terreine binne die onderneming voor. Die terreine kan in drie groepe gegroepeer word, naamlik: die makro-omgewing (die onbeheerbare eksterne veranderlikes soos politiek, ekonomie, tegnologie, mededingers, en so meer insluit). Tweedens die mikro-omgevving (die onderneming self, oftewel die beheerbare interne situasie wat die onderneming se hulpbronne en sy mense insluit) en laastens die aard en omvang (eiesoortigheid) van die bedryfstak. Alhoewel suksesfaktore op basies alle terreine van die onderneming voorkom, verskil die faktore van bedryfstak tot bedryfstak en self van onderneming tot onderneming. Verskillende tegnieke kan gevolg word om suksesfaktore te identifiseer. Die tegnieke kan afsonderlik of gesamentlik gebruik word om moontlik suksesfaktore te identifiseer. Alle geidentifiseerde faktore is nie noodwendig suksesfaktore nie. Vir die gedentifiseerde faktore om as suksesfaktore geldassifiseer te word, moet dit: Die internasionale makro-omgewing is saamgestel uit verskeie elemente, te wete: die ekonomie, geologie en infrastruktuur, tegnologie, mededinging, die sosiokulturele, politiek en wetlike aspekte. Die ekonomie van 'n land kan onderverdeel word in verskeie aspekte naamlik: die grootte van die mark, die aard van ekonomiese aktiwiteite, handelsblok, beskerming en handelsbeperkinge. Elk van hierdie aspekte hou potensiele kritiese suksesfaktore vir ondernemings in. Die internasionale fisiese omgewing is hoofsaaklik saamgestel uit geografie en infrastruktuur. Geografie is die fisiese eienskappe van elke mark in terme van afstand, topografie, klimaat, weersomstandighede en natuurlike hulpbronne, terwyl infrastruktuur weer energie, vervoer en kommunikasie insluit. Kultuur word gesien as die aspekte wat meebring dat samelewings van mekaar verskil. Kultuur word aangeleer en is rue aangebore eienskappe nie. Kultuur kan tereg beskou word as 'n mensgemaakte omgewing. Alle aktiwiteite van die mens kan in vyf dimensies verdeel word en uit hierdie dimensies is kultuur saamgestel. Die dimensies is: Materiele kultuur: tegnologie en ekonomie; Sosiale instelling: sosiale organisasie, opvoeding en politieke strukture; Sedes: oortuigings, godsdiens, bygelowigheid en verwante magstrukture; Die estetiese: grafiese kuns, musiek, drama, dans en volkskunde; en Taal. Die politieke bestel en regering bepaal die klimaat waarin internasionale handel plaasvind. Ondernemings wat internasionale markte betree, moet deeglik kennis dra van die huidige vorm van regering, die stabiliteit van die regering en permanensie van regeringsbeleid. Ondernemings moet ook bewus wees van die feit dat hulle die prooi van politieke aksies kan wees. Die regering van die dag bepaal en maak die wette wat in 'n land gebruik word. Landswette en die toepassing daarvan verskil van land tot land. Dit is nie moontlik om 'n enkele wet as 'n suksesfaktor uit to lig nie, maar die kontrak tussen 'n onderneming en die gasheerland kan as 'n suksesfaktor uitgelig word. Tegnologie beteken in bemarking die toepassing van bestaande kennis, wat gebaseer is op wetenskaplike ontdekkings, uitvindings en innovasies. Nie alle lande is tegnologies ewe ver gevorderd nie en daarom moet 'n onderneming ag slaan op die tegnologiese gaping tussen lande voordat daar in die gasheerland bele word. Uit die hoofstuk kan die volgende as krities beskou word vir die bemarking van industriele produkte oorsee.

A dissertation submitted to the faculty of Commerce, law and Management, at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements of the Masters’ in Commerce degree in the School of Economic and Business Science - Marketing / The world is changing at a rapid pace and consumer demands are constantly evolving. Innovation is key for brands that aim to stay relevant in todays’ markets. The brand extension strategy is a key marketing tactic to achieve innovation and it has therefore become crucial to understand how marketers can leverage on the parent brand image to build brand extensions. The primary objective of the study was to investigate how brand extensions can leverage on the parent brand image in order to achieve a positive brand extension perception. This was investigated in accordance with specific brand building constructs. The study focused on a consumers’ perspective of the Clover Tropika brand within emerging economic areas. Various literature relating to the parent brand image, brand extensions, as well as the relationship between the two were explored. Literature shows that newly innovated products have a high failure rate should and in an event where they are successful, it is as a result of a brand extension created from an existing brand, where congruency between the two exists. The research was based on a quantitative approach which adopted convenience sampling at Mall intercepts. A total sample of 238 consumers responded to a self-administered questionnaire at Southgate and Maponya Mall which are located in the south west of Johannesburg. All respondents were above the age of 18 and consented to participate in the research by willingly placing their completed questionnaires in the box provided on the day. The data techniques used included Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) which had a core focus on Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) which assisted in confirming the relationships proposed in the conceptual model. SEM also focused on path modelling to determine the causal relations. Nine out of the ten hypotheses proposed had a significant level of p<0.001 proving support for the proposed hypotheses. The research found that there is a significant relationship between brand awareness and brand attitudes, as this hypothesis had the highest path coefficient score. After the research was conducted. it was noted that high recall and recognition of the parent brand, accompanied by favorable attitudes, are key factors in leveraging on the parent brand image to build brand extensions. Moreover, brand extensions need to have high perceived fit in order to leverage extensively on the parent brand image. / NG (2020)

A research report submitted to the faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing / Since the 1980s, marketing researchers have conceptualised market orientation as an organisational culture that is geared towards delivering supreme customer value. However, one of the shortcomings of the market orientation concept is that it has failed to recognise the potential significance of strong brands, that is, it did not acknowledge brand orientation. A few studies have investigated the conceptualisation of brand orientation in relation to brand loyalty; and the involvement of brand commitment and brand trust in mediating this association in the business-to-business context. Thus, it is the aim of this study to examine the impact of brand orientation on brand loyalty, and the roles played by brand commitment and brand trust in mediating the impact in the South African business-to-business environment. Two hundred and sixty one questionnaires were completed by top and senior managers of a B2B organisation in South Africa. Structural equation modelling and Smart Plus were employed in this study to examine the relationships between the constructs. This study provides empirical evidence that brand orientation has a positive and significant relationship with brand commitment and brand trust, and that brand commitment and brand trust have positive and significant respective relationships with brand loyalty in the South African B2B context. The results indicate that brand orientation (BO), brand commitment (BC) and brand trust (BT) all have a strong influence on Brand Loyalty (BL). Implications and limitations, as well as future research, are discussed in the study. Keywords: Brand Orientation, Brand Commitment, Brand trust, Brand Loyalty, B2B / GR2018

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: E-commerce in South Africa is currently experiencing considerable growth, as in the rest of the world. Substantial foreign investments are being made in selected South African online retail stores and the majority of businesses have an online presence to sell or promote their products and services. Yet, as e-commerce is a dynamic and relatively new industry, there is a need for South African companies to understand business model adaptation for e-commerce, and specifically for successful e-marketplace participation. Kalahari Marketplace was established in 2011 as a C:C platform for customers to sell books and media. In January 2014, this platform was expanded to a fully integrated B:C platform that enables third-party retailers to sell directly to Kalahari.com customers in various categories. The Kalahari Marketplace platform follows the same development outline as the very successful Amazon.com Marketplace platform in the United States. The premise is that sellers have an additional channel to sell to customers they would not normally have had, and customers benefit by having access to a wide product range and competitive pricing. The aim of this research study is to understand the typical business model of a successful e-marketplace participant. It furthermore set out to explore the success factors, which translate into value creation for the seller achieved through participation in an e-marketplace. This investigation was done through a case study approach by examining existing sellers retailing through Kalahari Marketplace. To achieve the research aim, qualitative, exploratory research was conducted. The research method involved a combination of primary and secondary research. Secondary research was conducted regarding the external environmental factors of Kalahari Marketplace sellers. Primary data was gathered through in-depth semi-structured interviews with Kalahari Marketplace sellers. The external environmental analysis for participating in an e-marketplace, such as Kalahari Marketplace, was overall positive, taking into consideration challenges such as expensive Internet and low Internet usage penetration. The key findings from the internal analyses were that participating in an e-marketplace has substantial benefits for a traditional retailer that wants to trade online. These advantages include transaction cost savings, exposure to new customers, and reduced marketing expenses. The following recommendations were made for successful e-marketplace participation: • Take an active involvement in e-marketplace listings; • Effective procurement and use of resources; • Excellent customer service; • Build reliable and cost effective delivery channels; and • Offer a wide and mixed product range. The research limitation of this study stated that Kalahari Marketplace is a moderately new B:C e-retailing platform; therefore, retailers are still learning to adapt. Suggested additional research involves a wide-reaching quantitative research into key success factors for e-marketplace participation from a South African perspective.

Arivia.kom was formed out of a merger of the information technology (IT) departments of Eskom, Transnet and Denel. The aim was to address skilled staff losses and to achieve economies of scale. Agreements were drafted ensuring arivia.kom business patronage for a period of five years. Arivia.kom's commencement was accompanied by problems, affecting its customers to the extent that they indicated dissatisfaction with performance. This study established the extent of those problems, and the reasons for their occurrence. A market analysis was conducted with specific focus on customer and competitor analysis. An investigation was conducted into the quality of service, overall customer impression of the organisation since its inception, as well as performance against competitors. The major findings indicated that performance problems were not isolated incidents but consistent across the organisation. These problems stemmed from poor organisational design, poorly evolved organisational culture, unclear positioning and poor competitor and customer intelligence capability. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)

Arivia.kom was formed out of a merger of the information technology (IT) departments of Eskom, Transnet and Denel. The aim was to address skilled staff losses and to achieve economies of scale. Agreements were drafted ensuring arivia.kom business patronage for a period of five years. Arivia.kom's commencement was accompanied by problems, affecting its customers to the extent that they indicated dissatisfaction with performance. This study established the extent of those problems, and the reasons for their occurrence. A market analysis was conducted with specific focus on customer and competitor analysis. An investigation was conducted into the quality of service, overall customer impression of the organisation since its inception, as well as performance against competitors. The major findings indicated that performance problems were not isolated incidents but consistent across the organisation. These problems stemmed from poor organisational design, poorly evolved organisational culture, unclear positioning and poor competitor and customer intelligence capability. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)