Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African table grape industry has a very fruitful history. The landscape of the South African table grape industry has changed at a rapid rate since deregulation in 1997. The sustainability of these changes was questioned and created the opportunity for this research. The orientation of this research report outlines the structure to this research. It indicates that the South African table grape industry is experiencing a strong trend of consolidation of the production and exporter base. Economically sustainable growers and marketing companies produce or attract more volumes of table grapes to export to global destinations. The environment provides the background to the South African table grape industry, since deregulation. Five major trends in this industry are important to mention and give perspective to the research question, namely: - The number of producers has declined at a rapid rate (about 52%) since deregulation. - Traditional production regions like the Berg and Hex River have become less important due to the timing of product supplied to the market. New geographic production regions have grown in importance, like the Orange River and Northern Province. - Production volumes of table grapes have slowed down over the last ten years and in certain regions have become stagnant. - The cultivar spectrum of table grapes has changed from seeded grape that is marginal to the market to a seedless product that earns premiums in the market. - There has been a shift in marketing of table grapes from Western countries like the UK and EU to Eastern countries. There are also certain factors that have a profound impact on the South African table grape industry, namely economic, environmental, political, social and global factors, which required further investigation. The evaluation of trends in the industry and the factors that affect the industry revealed the problem statement for this research and set the foundation for the research question. The research question of this study is: What are the distinguishable marketing models currently used by South African exporters and how sustainable is each model? The research methodology demonstrates that the South African table grapes industry is split into two dominant marketing models, which are the marketing agent and the grower-exporter model. A marketing model metrics was designed, based on literature and consultations with industry experts via a questionnaire, to evaluate the economic, social and environmental sustainability of these two marketing models. The method of data analysis was a qualitative investigation into the sustainability of marketing models that exist in the South African table grape industry. The structure of the holistic marketing dimension model which was used has the following four dimensions (Kotler & Keller, 2009:61): -Relationship marketing - Performance marketing - Integrated marketing - Internal marketing. Semi-structured interviews were held with six different marketing entities in the South African table grape industry, which represented 40 percent of the total population. The interviews were held by utilising a discussion guide that comprised of standard questions to all the interviewees. The information gathered from the interviews was used to design a conceptual marketing model, with the main objective of being sustainable on an economic, social and environmental level. This relevance and practicality of this conceptual marketing model was tested against a grower-exporter model in the South African table grape industry, called Angon Fruit. The findings of this research report focused on the triple bottom-line approach of building economic, social and environmental capital. The economic sustainability revealed the following factors to consider: - Grower-exporter model is a more sustainable marketing model, due to low cost operations. -Marketing agent model should have a definite competitive advantage, to justify relevance in the cost-chain. - Sustainable market share in volume of table grapes to export by a marketing company is five percent. - Prices paid to growers by a marketing company should keep track of inflation on inputs and a ten percent premium earned on top of the production cost is regarded as sustainable. - A sustainable commission percentage charged by marketing companies should not exceed five percent of free on board (FOB) value at Cape Town port. - Growers need to replace marginal seeded cultivars with premium seedless cultivars that are high in demand in global markets. - Marketing companies should supply table grapes at a split of 50 percent to Western countries and 50 percent to Eastern countries. - The sustainability of the Berg and Hex River production regions is at risk, due to global competitions from South American countries. The South African table grape industry revealed the following social sustainability findings: - A marketing company should have a social policy, which governs social responsibility projects (CSI). - The marketing company should be involved one major project instead of a few smaller projects. - Corporate social investment (CSI) projects should aim to provide the opportunity to improve education and training, improve health status and to develop sport among the youth. - The marketing company should not invest in CSI projects if the economic sustainability is at risk. The objective is to invest five percent of net profit in CSI projects, annually. Environmental sustainability revealed the following factors to consider: - A marketing company should have an environmental policy. - The company should measure its carbon and water footprint at least every two years, with the objective to reduce or optimise the level of use. - The company should embrace and implement green technology that utilises renewable energy to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and coal-generated electricity. - The use of water should be optimised, through implementation of advanced technology. - The marketing company should adopt the practice of recycling. The conclusion to this research report is that the table grape industry is still economically sustainable, however more work can be done on the social and environmental sustainability. Finally, ten recommendations are made to the South African table grape industry to consider from a sustainability perspective. Companies can consider implementing these best practices into their marketing of table grapes.

Darbe palyginami pagrindiniai marketingo modeliai, nagrinėjama konkurencingumo problema bei marketingo įrankių panaudojimo galimybės veiklos tobulinimui. Analizuojamos mokymo paslaugų ypatybės, aukštųjų mokyklų orientavimosi į rinką stadijos, tikslinės rinkos ir atskirų vartotojų grupių poreikiai. Akcentuojama, jog esminė edukacinių paslaugų ypatybė yra ta, kad egzistuoja kelios vartotojų grupės, kurios turi esamų ir potencialių interesų: tai ne tik studentai, bet ir jų tėvai, darbdaviai, vyriausybinės organizacijos, aukštosios mokyklos darbuotojai ir t.t. Kiekviena iš šių grupių sudaro mokyklos tikslinę rinką ir joms reikia sukurti ir taikyti skirtingą marketingo priemonių kompleksą. Siūloma atsižvelgti ir į studentų kaip mokymo paslaugų vartotojų poreikių diferenciaciją. Įvertinus ŠU Edukologijos fakulteto studentų lūkesčių patenkinimo lygį, siūlomos esamos marketingo komplekso tobulinimo kryptys, užtikrinant šio proceso tęstinumą bei vykdymą kiekviename aukštosios mokyklos lygyje. Pateikiamas edukacinių paslaugų marketingo komplekso formavimo modelis. / In the present thesis, there are compared the main marketing models, considered the problem of competitive ability and possibilities to use marketing tools for activity improvement. The peculiarities of education services, the stages of market orientation of higher education schools, purpose markets and the needs of different groups of consumers are analysed. It is emphasised that the essential peculiarity of educational services is existence of several consumer groups, which have their existing and potential interests: these are not only students, however, also their parents, employers, governmental organisations, employees of higher education schools and etc. Each of these groups makes a purpose market of a school and they need different sets of marketing tools to be developed and applied. Having assessed the level of satisfaction of expectations of the students of Šiauliai University Educology Department, the trends and directions to improve existing marketing complex are proposed ensuring the continuity of the process and its performance on each level of a higher education school. The model of formation of educational service marketing complex is provided herein.

Effects of marketing mix tools, such as price promotions and digital advertising, are dynamic and long-term. Yet marketing literature has mainly focused on their immediate and short-term effects. Marketing Mix changes consumers' state, such as expectations and beliefs, and the changed state affects consumers' subsequent behaviors and responses to marketing stimuli and treatment, which may cause unintended consequences and generate important marketing opportunities as well. In Essay 1, we uncover the perils of tensile discounts (e.g., maximum discounts such as "up to 60% off") by examining their effects on store visits and purchases. Through a series of studies and using a multi-method approach including empirical data analysis, quasi-field experiment, numerical simulations, and controlled lab studies, we find that despite the initial efficacy in shaping consumer discount expectations and stimulating store visits, a maximum discount (vs. a minimum discount such as "starting at 20% off" or a range discount such as "20% off to 60% off") could reduce consumer purchases in many conditions. There is thus a need to balance the outcomes of the two stages and choose the optimal tensile discount under different discount distributions to maximize store sales. In Essay 2, we investigate how digital platforms leverage curation source (algorithm or human) advertising to promote depth or breadth selling and best sequence these two types of advertising to further improve advertising effects. Through a survey study and a field experiment, we find that consumers have a lay belief about the competitive advantages of algorithms and humans that algorithms (humans) generate personalized (novel) recommendations, and importantly, they consider and purchase products similar (new) to their previous preferences when receiving such advertising. Moreover, the complementarity between depth and breadth selling can be best leveraged in sequential advertising by the initial breadth selling amplifying the subsequent depth selling effectiveness. Thus, a carefully-sequenced hybrid advertising can help cultivate consumers’ ever-renewing interests and consumption. / Business Administration/Marketing

Spaceborne Remote Sensing, the observation of the features on ground from orbiting satellites is one of the expanding business areas of international space business, attracting the analysis of the markets and the growth patterns in the international arena. Whatever be the product/service, it is important for the market players to know the market characteristics to draw up marketing strategy and defining marketing mix, which becomes important for Remote Sensing services as well without an exception. The market for Remote Sensing data and services is influenced by a multitude of factors, which may seem unrelated at the outset. These may be Socio-Economic and Natural Resources related variables in addition to the expected product/market related variables. Hence the research work to model the market dynamics is taken up with the objectives of: 1)To identify factors influencing the market potential for Remote Sensing Data services 2)To model the relationship between these factors and the market potential 3)To validate and verify the model developed The analysis was carried out with 82 valid responses from respondents spread across 17 countries where Remote Sensing market is prevailing. A broad spectrum of economic, political, social, natural, and geographic variables believed to be influencing the Remote Sensing requirements were enumerated and validated through pilot study. Raw values for the variables were obtained from secondary sources and relative importance of these variables was determined through primary survey. The variables were synthesised into factors and captured into a regression model to arrive at the market potential index. This is statistically validated and also verified with market potential of a known country market, India. The analysis and results revealed that, market dynamics influencing market potential for Spaceborne Remote Sensing Data can be synthesised as the following three factors, explaining 80% of the variance in the market potential. (i)Politico Developmental factor-variables border related (Number of border countries, Border length, level of Border Disputes, Energy Production & Consumption, Economy and Information & Communication Infrastructure) (ii)Geo-Natural factor: represented by extent of Natural Resources, Energy Reserves etc. (iii)Market/Product related factor variables like product features, level of competition, availability of substitutes, current market position, and growth rate etc. The emergence of variables representing the developmental aspects on one side and political aspects on the other, as important factor is the outcome formally brought to recognition by the study. This is manifesting the growing importance of developmental activities and theatres of war as important additional market drivers in high and very-high resolution data services across the globe, in addition to the traditional applications like natural resources monitoring and management.

Apesar do valor percebido pelo cliente ser um dos principais determinantes da intenção de compra, lealdade e da satisfação dos clientes, observa-se que não existem modelos abrangentes de sistemas de serviço orientados para a entrega de valor ao cliente. Visando preencher esta lacuna, esta tese teve por objetivo desenvolver um modelo abrangente de sistema de serviço orientado para a entrega de valor ao cliente. Nesse sentido, inicialmente realizou-se uma pesquisa bibliográfica para levantar na teoria de marketing os diversos aspectos relacionados ao projeto e gestão dos sistemas de serviço e identificar modelos de sistemas de serviço focados no cliente desenvolvidos anteriormente. Os resultados da pesquisa bibliográfica forneceram a base para a construção do modelo proposto, o qual se fundamenta na orientação para o mercado, na cultura de serviço e no marketing interno para implementar os seguintes processos, cada qual se constituindo em um subsistema do sistema de serviços: desenvolvimento da orientação para o mercado; desenvolvimento da cultura de serviço; desenvolvimento de inovações; projeto do sistema de serviço; implementação do sistema de serviço; monitoramento do desempenho; desenvolvimento das ações de marketing interno. Para conferir maior robustez ao modelo proposto, considerou-se importante que ele fosse complementado com a visão de empresários do setor de serviços sobre os aspectos relacionados à entrega de valor ao cliente, a qual foi obtida mediante a realização de uma pesquisa empírica de dois estágios. No primeiro estágio realizou-se uma pesquisa descritiva quantitativa para identificar empresas cujos empresários possuíam atitude favorável à adoção do foco no cliente como direcionador-chave para o sucesso nos negócios e dos esforços para aperfeiçoamento do sistema de serviço. De uma amostra de 16 empresas, 4 foram selecionadas como casos a serem estudados no estágio 2. O segundo estágio da pesquisa envolveu a realização de um estudo de caso de caráter exploratório e natureza qualitativa para captar e entender a visão dos empresários das empresas objeto do estudo de caso sobre os diversos aspectos relacionados à entrega de valor ao cliente, o que foi feito através da condução de entrevistas semi-estruturadas. As informações obtidas a partir dessas entrevistas proveram reflexões sobre os aspectos valorizados pelo cliente, as dificuldades relacionadas à entrega de valor ao cliente, as ações para se garantir a entrega de valor ao cliente e o projeto do sistema de serviço visando à entrega de valor ao cliente, as quais foram utilizadas para complementar o modelo construído anteriormente. Por ter sido concebido com base na abordagem sistêmica, o modelo se comporta como um sistema aberto que se relaciona com o ambiente, recebendo elementos dele (fatores motivadores, condicionantes externos e condicionantes internos), processando-os (atividades desempenhadas pelos diversos subsistemas que compõem o sistema de serviços) e devolvendo os elementos processados ao meio (resultados), gerando uma corrente de entradas e saídas, a qual faz com que o sistema opere como uma caixa preta, mas com mecanismos de controle e auto-regulação (feedback) que permitem conduzir e adaptar o processo de transformação de modo a se alcançar o objetivo de se entregar valor aos clientes. O modelo proposto destaca a necessidade de alinhamento entre filosofia, valores, comportamentos, métricas e sistemas a fim de se projetar um sistema de serviço orientado para a entrega de valor ao cliente e a necessidade de uma liderança forte para se implementar o projeto desenvolvido. Espera-se que o modelo proposto contribua para a ampliação do conhecimento sobre os componentes do sistema de serviço, dos relacionamentos entre eles e de como o aperfeiçoamento deles pode contribuir para a entrega de valor ao cliente, constituindo-se, assim, em uma ferramenta eficaz para o projeto e gestão dos sistemas de serviço. / Customer perceived value is one of major antecedents of buying intention, loyalty and customer satisfaction. In spite of it, we observe theres no comprehensive service systems oriented to customer value delivery. For filling this gap, this thesis had the purpose of developing a comprehensive model of service system oriented to customer value delivery. For getting this objective, a bibliographic research focusing marketing theory was conduced for collecting factors related to design and managing of service systems. The results of bibliographic research provided the foundation for building the proposed model, which is based on market orientation, service culture and internal marketing to implement the following processes, which are subsystem of service system: market orientation developing; service culture developing; innovation developing; service system design; service system implementation; performance monitoring; internal marketing developing. For fostering the proposed model, it was complemented with a perspective provide by service sector entrepreneurs about the aspects related to customer value delivery, which was obtained by a two-stage empirical research. The first stage used a descriptive and qualitative research for identifying companies whose entrepreneurs had a positive attitude to customer focus adoption a key-driver for getting success in the business and driving the efforts for service system improvement. From a sample of sixteen companies, four were selected as cases to be studied in the second stage. The Second stage of research involve a exploratory qualitative case study for getting and understanding the perspective of case study companies entrepreneurs about several aspects related to customer value delivery, which was done by conducing semi-structured interviews. These interviews provided insights about the aspects fostered by the customer, difficulties related to customer value delivery, and the design of service system oriented to customer value delivery. These insights were used to complement the proposed model. Because it used systemic approach, the proposed model works as an open system linked to the environment, receiving elements from it (drivers factors and external an internal antecedents) processing these elements (activities executed by the several subsystem of service system) and sending back these processed elements to the environment. This way, the proposed model provides an interrupt flow of entries and outs, which make the system work as a black box with feedback mechanisms that allow conducing and adjusting the transforming process for getting the purpose of customer value delivery. Proposed model highlights the need of aligning between philosophy, values, behaviors, metrics and systems towards designing a service system oriented to customer value delivery and of a strong leadership to implement the system designed. We hope proposed model helps to increase the knowledge about service system components, relationship between the components, and as their improvement can contributes to customer value delivery, working as an effective tool for designing an managing of service system.

Apesar do valor percebido pelo cliente ser um dos principais determinantes da intenção de compra, lealdade e da satisfação dos clientes, observa-se que não existem modelos abrangentes de sistemas de serviço orientados para a entrega de valor ao cliente. Visando preencher esta lacuna, esta tese teve por objetivo desenvolver um modelo abrangente de sistema de serviço orientado para a entrega de valor ao cliente. Nesse sentido, inicialmente realizou-se uma pesquisa bibliográfica para levantar na teoria de marketing os diversos aspectos relacionados ao projeto e gestão dos sistemas de serviço e identificar modelos de sistemas de serviço focados no cliente desenvolvidos anteriormente. Os resultados da pesquisa bibliográfica forneceram a base para a construção do modelo proposto, o qual se fundamenta na orientação para o mercado, na cultura de serviço e no marketing interno para implementar os seguintes processos, cada qual se constituindo em um subsistema do sistema de serviços: desenvolvimento da orientação para o mercado; desenvolvimento da cultura de serviço; desenvolvimento de inovações; projeto do sistema de serviço; implementação do sistema de serviço; monitoramento do desempenho; desenvolvimento das ações de marketing interno. Para conferir maior robustez ao modelo proposto, considerou-se importante que ele fosse complementado com a visão de empresários do setor de serviços sobre os aspectos relacionados à entrega de valor ao cliente, a qual foi obtida mediante a realização de uma pesquisa empírica de dois estágios. No primeiro estágio realizou-se uma pesquisa descritiva quantitativa para identificar empresas cujos empresários possuíam atitude favorável à adoção do foco no cliente como direcionador-chave para o sucesso nos negócios e dos esforços para aperfeiçoamento do sistema de serviço. De uma amostra de 16 empresas, 4 foram selecionadas como casos a serem estudados no estágio 2. O segundo estágio da pesquisa envolveu a realização de um estudo de caso de caráter exploratório e natureza qualitativa para captar e entender a visão dos empresários das empresas objeto do estudo de caso sobre os diversos aspectos relacionados à entrega de valor ao cliente, o que foi feito através da condução de entrevistas semi-estruturadas. As informações obtidas a partir dessas entrevistas proveram reflexões sobre os aspectos valorizados pelo cliente, as dificuldades relacionadas à entrega de valor ao cliente, as ações para se garantir a entrega de valor ao cliente e o projeto do sistema de serviço visando à entrega de valor ao cliente, as quais foram utilizadas para complementar o modelo construído anteriormente. Por ter sido concebido com base na abordagem sistêmica, o modelo se comporta como um sistema aberto que se relaciona com o ambiente, recebendo elementos dele (fatores motivadores, condicionantes externos e condicionantes internos), processando-os (atividades desempenhadas pelos diversos subsistemas que compõem o sistema de serviços) e devolvendo os elementos processados ao meio (resultados), gerando uma corrente de entradas e saídas, a qual faz com que o sistema opere como uma caixa preta, mas com mecanismos de controle e auto-regulação (feedback) que permitem conduzir e adaptar o processo de transformação de modo a se alcançar o objetivo de se entregar valor aos clientes. O modelo proposto destaca a necessidade de alinhamento entre filosofia, valores, comportamentos, métricas e sistemas a fim de se projetar um sistema de serviço orientado para a entrega de valor ao cliente e a necessidade de uma liderança forte para se implementar o projeto desenvolvido. Espera-se que o modelo proposto contribua para a ampliação do conhecimento sobre os componentes do sistema de serviço, dos relacionamentos entre eles e de como o aperfeiçoamento deles pode contribuir para a entrega de valor ao cliente, constituindo-se, assim, em uma ferramenta eficaz para o projeto e gestão dos sistemas de serviço. / Customer perceived value is one of major antecedents of buying intention, loyalty and customer satisfaction. In spite of it, we observe theres no comprehensive service systems oriented to customer value delivery. For filling this gap, this thesis had the purpose of developing a comprehensive model of service system oriented to customer value delivery. For getting this objective, a bibliographic research focusing marketing theory was conduced for collecting factors related to design and managing of service systems. The results of bibliographic research provided the foundation for building the proposed model, which is based on market orientation, service culture and internal marketing to implement the following processes, which are subsystem of service system: market orientation developing; service culture developing; innovation developing; service system design; service system implementation; performance monitoring; internal marketing developing. For fostering the proposed model, it was complemented with a perspective provide by service sector entrepreneurs about the aspects related to customer value delivery, which was obtained by a two-stage empirical research. The first stage used a descriptive and qualitative research for identifying companies whose entrepreneurs had a positive attitude to customer focus adoption a key-driver for getting success in the business and driving the efforts for service system improvement. From a sample of sixteen companies, four were selected as cases to be studied in the second stage. The Second stage of research involve a exploratory qualitative case study for getting and understanding the perspective of case study companies entrepreneurs about several aspects related to customer value delivery, which was done by conducing semi-structured interviews. These interviews provided insights about the aspects fostered by the customer, difficulties related to customer value delivery, and the design of service system oriented to customer value delivery. These insights were used to complement the proposed model. Because it used systemic approach, the proposed model works as an open system linked to the environment, receiving elements from it (drivers factors and external an internal antecedents) processing these elements (activities executed by the several subsystem of service system) and sending back these processed elements to the environment. This way, the proposed model provides an interrupt flow of entries and outs, which make the system work as a black box with feedback mechanisms that allow conducing and adjusting the transforming process for getting the purpose of customer value delivery. Proposed model highlights the need of aligning between philosophy, values, behaviors, metrics and systems towards designing a service system oriented to customer value delivery and of a strong leadership to implement the system designed. We hope proposed model helps to increase the knowledge about service system components, relationship between the components, and as their improvement can contributes to customer value delivery, working as an effective tool for designing an managing of service system.

In today’s society media is ubiquitous. Through its pervasiveness it plays an inextricable role in society, impacting on culture, economy, politics, education and communication. In a postmodern society technological advances have had a profound impact on the development of media, most notably digital media. The intention of this study was to establish whether, in the context of an assumed postmodern culture, young South African adults display behaviour that manifest the tenets of postmodernism in their reactions to contemporary marketing and/or marketing communication, as apparent through their attitudes towards retail shopping and brands, together with their attitudes towards and use of digital media. In this instance digital media is limited to social media and media accessible on mobile phones. The unique properties and interactive capabilities of digital media have altered the dynamics of communication and have given rise to new applications that were not previously possible. This poses challenges for organisations in terms of marketing communication practices with one of the problem areas being that marketers do not know: <ul><li> Whether young South African adults (Generation Y) exhibit postmodern behaviour, in the context of today’s postmodern culture. </li><li> How young South African adults (Generation Y) use digital media? </li><li> How to leverage the unique properties of digital media in marketing communication efforts directed towards young South African adults (Generation Y)? </li> </ul> The main purpose of this research was to reflect on the applicability of modern marketing and/or marketing communication theories, in their current state, in the context of a postmodern society, with specific emphasis on the use of digital media. The secondary purpose of the research was to investigate the affect of postmodern variables on Generation Y and the perspective of this population towards digital media and its role in marketing communication. The study aimed to contribute to the theoretical body of knowledge as follows: <ul><li> To question the application of modern marketing and/or marketing communication theories in postmodern society. In so doing, it suggested that in any given era marketing theories should be representative of the target society, therefore inferring the need to adjust existing theories and their application or formulate new ones that are representative of the specific era. </li><li> To empirically determine whether Generation Y are exhibiting characteristics indicative of postmodern society. </li></ul> Furthermore, the study added value from a practitioner perspective by contributing to new knowledge in the study of Generation Y and digital media. It is anticipated that an improved understanding of Generation Y’s attitudes towards marketing and digital media will serve to improve knowledge of how Generation Y will react in the future as they mature and potentially provide an indication of forthcoming generations’ attitudes towards marketing. Nine research objectives emanating from the research problem were empirically tested through a cross-sectional quantitative exploratory descriptive survey research design. Items in the survey were developed on the basis of observable postmodern characteristics presented in the literature and in consultation with a panel of experts. The survey was distributed by email, which provided a web-based link to access the survey, to the sampling frame; a database comprising of 2,265 students, between the ages of 18-34, enrolled full-time with the department of Marketing and Communication Management (University of Pretoria) during 2011. Convenience sampling was used until a sufficient quantity of fully completed surveys had been collected; 333 usable questionnaires were obtained. The collected data received statistical treatment primarily through the application of exploratory factor analysis and multivariate analysis of co-variance. The theoretical synthesis showed that characteristics of postmodernism are evident in society and affect marketing and/or marketing communication activities. The results of the empirical phase of the investigation demonstrated that respondents show postmodernism traits in their behaviour towards digital media and their reactions towards brands and marketing and/or marketing communication. The most dominant postmodern characteristics displayed by respondents were hyperreality, de-differentiation and fragmentation. Several factors were found to be statistically significant, which may be related to socio-economic conditions, behavioural patterns, and digital infrastructure. These were: ethnicity, cell phone usage, frequency of social media usage, cell phone plan, average monthly Internet expenditure for cell phones, use of Internet bundles on cell phones, and the device used most often to access the Internet. Social media use was identified as an important behavioural outcome by respondents, and the most significant influencing factors related to the dependence that respondents placed on their cell phones and the need to fulfil certain activities only available in the social media space. Finally a conceptual framework was proposed, which integrated theoretical and empirical findings. This framework suggested a broadening of certain roles within marketing and/or marketing communication, namely: consumers transforming to collaborators; communication transforming to interaction; and value exchange transforming to value-in-use. It is anticipated that this study has added to the theoretical level of knowledge by indicating the need to readdress principles and theories of marketing and/or marketing communication in the context of a postmodern society and in particular the use of digital media. An outcome of the study was the proposition of a conceptual framework, which addressed a number of aspects in the transformation from modern to postmodern marketing. Furthermore, at the practitioner level the study has broadened understanding of Generation Y’s behaviour towards digital media in the marketing and/or marketing communication context. Managerial recommendations were expressed on the basis of the theoretical and empirical findings. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Marketing Management / PhD / Unrestricted

Miljömedvetenheten i världen ökar. Samhällsdebatten formas allt mer av ett miljöperspektiv på flera olika fronter. Allt fler börjar förstå att jordens resurser är ändliga och vi måste tänka om hur vi lever idag. Den producerande industrin står för stor dela av brukandet av råmaterial, men hur kommer industrin se ut i framtiden? Framtidens industri beskrivs ofta som en cirkulär ekonomi där minimala mängder råmaterial bryts och den största parten av det material som faller ur användning går åter in i produktionen. Verkligheten vi lever i idag är en annan, större parten av världens industri fortsätter med linjär produktion där råmaterial brukas i tillverkningen och produkter deponeras vid slutet av dess livscykel. Projektgruppen undersöker byggstenarna inom cirkulär ekonomi och var vi egentligen befinner oss i utveckling mot en hållbarare hantering av råvaror. Syftet med rapporten är att utreda vilka ekonomiska drivkrafter som finns för företag att själva gå mot cirkulär ekonomi i form av nya marknadsmodeller. Möjligheter till dessa marknadsmodeller växer ofta fram med hjälp av ny teknik från Industri 4.0 som Internet of Things och Big Data. Vi har nått slutsatsen att marknadsmodeller som pay-per-use där företagen behåller ägandet av produkten ofta är enkla att implementera i cirkulär ekonomi, då företaget själva kan kontrollera hela kretsloppet för produkten. De underlättar om man ska basera sin produktion på retur av produkter om man själv har kontroll över volymerna. Dessa modeller bygger ofta på att man säljer service-baserade tjänster som är beroende av Internet of Things och Big Data. / Environmental awareness in the world is increasing. The social debate is increasingly formed by an environmental perspective on several fronts. More and more people are beginning to understand that the earth's resources are finite and we must think about how we live today. The producing industry accounts for a large part of the use of raw materials, but how will the industry change in the future? The industry of the future is often described as a circular economy where minimal amounts of raw materials are broken and the majority of the material that is in use goes back to production. The reality we live in today is another, the greater part of the world's industry continues with linear production where raw materials are used in manufacturing and products are deposited at the end of its lifecycle. The project group examines the building blocks of circular economy and where we are today in the development towards sustainable management of raw materials. The purpose of the report is to investigate the economic advantages for companies to change to circular economy in the form of new business models. Opportunities for these business models often grow with the help of new technology from Industry 4.0 like Internet of Things and Big Data. We have the conclusion that business models such as pay-per-use where companies maintain ownership of the product, often are easy to implement in circular economics, since the company itself can control the entire circuit for the product. They make it easier to base their production on return of products if they control the volumes of the returned products themself. These models are often based on selling services that are dependent on the Internet of things and Big Data.

Miljömedvetenheten i världen ökar. Samhällsdebatten formas allt mer av ett miljöperspektiv på flera olika fronter. Allt fler börjar förstå att jordens resurser är ändliga och vi måste tänka om hur vi lever idag. Den producerande industrin står för stor dela avbrukandet av råmaterial, men hur kommer industrin se ut i framtiden?Framtidens industri beskrivs ofta som en cirkulär ekonomi där minimala mängder råmaterial bryts och den största parten av det material som faller ur användning går återin i produktionen. Verkligheten vi lever i idag är en annan, större parten av världensindustri fortsätter med linjär produktion där råmaterial brukas i tillverkningen och produkter deponeras vid slutet av dess livscykel. Projektgruppen undersöker byggstenarna inom cirkulär ekonomi och var vi egentligen befinner oss i utveckling mot en hållbarare hantering av råvaror. Syftet med rapporten är att utreda vilka ekonomiska drivkrafter som finns för företag att själva gå mot cirkulär ekonomi i form av nya marknadsmodeller. Möjligheter till dessa marknadsmodeller växer ofta fram med hjälp av ny teknik från Industri 4.0 som Internet of Things och Big Data. Vi har nått slutsatsen att marknadsmodeller som pay-per-use där företagen behåller ägandet av produkten ofta är enkla att implementera i cirkulär ekonomi, då företaget själva kan kontrollera hela kretsloppet för produkten. De underlättar om man ska basera sin produktion på retur av produkter om man själv har kontroll över volymerna. Dessa modeller bygger ofta på att man säljer service-baserade tjänster som är beroende av Internet of Things och Big Data. / Environmental awareness in the world is increasing. The social debate is increasingly formed by an environmental perspective on several fronts. More and more people are beginning to understand that the earth's resources are finite and we must think about how we live today. The producing industry accounts for a large part of the use of raw materials, but how will the industry change in the future? The industry of the future is often described as a circular economy where minimal amounts of raw materials are broken and the majority of the material that is in use goes back to production. The reality we live in today is another, the greater part of the world's industry continues with linear production where raw materials are used in manufacturing and products are deposited at the end of its lifecycle. The project group examines the building blocks of circular economy and where we are today in the development towards sustainable management of raw materials. The purpose of the report is to investigate the economic advantages for companies to change to circular economy in the form of new business models. Opportunities for these business models often grow with the help of new technology from Industry 4.0 like Internet ofThings and Big Data. We have the conclusion that business models such as pay-per-use where companies maintain ownership of the product, often are easy to implement in circular economics, since the company itself can control the entire circuit for the product. They make it easier to base their production on return of products if they control the volumes of the returned products themself. These models are often based on selling services that are dependent on the Internet of things and Big Data.