by Chan Cho-mun, Eddie. / Bibliography: leaves 40-41 / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1984

M.Ing. / Nowadays successful companies realize that placing the customers' needs first is so important that it must be an attitude of all departments within the business, an attitude of everyone involved in the business and staff at large. They have to understand that the success of a company depends on customers. This research report will aim to emphasize that it is crucial for companies to satisfy and meet customer needs. Thus, the identification of customer needs, the satisfaction of customers and to satisfy the customers establishing product specifications are emphasized. The applications of the methods and techniques of the process of customer needs identification of a commercial product will be demonstrated and compared on a Turkish computer company and a South African computer company. As the market place, the South African and the Turkish computer market, as the commercial product, a computer and as the computer companies, the Surat computer company and the Microstar computer systems company will be chosen in the case study. The results of the case study will be presented in an integrated manner with the literature study. This report will be based on a case study of customer needs identification in computer technology.

The purpose of the study was to investigate cultural aspects that influence customer perception of service quality in the hotel industry, specifically those that influence Eastern and Western respondents. A questionnaire was developed to assess cultural differences on perceptions, which included a modified version of the SERVQUAL scales, an instrument used to measure service quality. The convenience sample consisted of students enrolled in the MBA program at a Western university (N=152; Eastern=57.9%, Western=34.9%, Other=7.2%). Findings indicated that there were no significant differences between Eastern and Western cultures in perceptions of service quality. A sample questionnaire is included.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Business Studies Unit, Faculty of Management Sciences, Durban University of Technology, 2008 / Customer satisfaction is the key ingredient to the success of any business. This is the most important factor that creates loyal customers. Presently, organisations are attempting to obtain increased customer satisfaction by focusing on the quality of their products and the service provided. Students were identified as customers of HEI’s. This research focuses on the determination of customer perception of service quality at the Business Studies Unit (BSU) of the Durban University of Technology. The objectives were: to identify expectations of students of the BSU; to identify the perceptions of students of the BSU and to measure and compare the expectations and perceptions of students using the SERVQUAL score. Customer perceptions were determined by means of a quantitative survey conducted at the BSU lecture venues using the self-administered SERVQUAL questionnaire. One hundred and ninety five respondents were surveyed. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The questionnaire measured students’ expectations and perceptions in five dimensions of service that consists of tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy. The results demonstrated that in each of the five SERVQUAL dimensions, there was a negative quality gap. The largest gap was in the tangibles dimension. Also, there were significant differences between perceptions and expectations of students in all of the five SERVQUAL dimensions (p<0.001) Improvements are needed across all five dimensions. Results have shown that students’ perception of service quality at the BSU falls below their expectations, presenting a great challenge to the institution. In order to improve service quality, it is recommended that the BSU regularly assesses employees, as well as customers’ experiences and provide prompt feedback.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Consulting engineers in South Africa are currently faced with numerous trends that have a negative impact on their business. The volatility of world and especially SA markets have caused investors to adopt a "wait and see" approach as to investing in large developments. The result was that private sector developments were lagging behind and forced consulting engineers to compete for the available work and inevitably suffer from reduced turnover. A further trend, and maybe more serious one for some traditional consulting engineers, was the change in focus by the newly elected Government in the mid nineties. With the focus on social and upliftment issues, government funds were allocated to new infrastructure developments associated with these issues. This caused a radical reduction of funds allocated to traditional areas like roads and bridges, an area where traditional consultants were predominantly positioned. Government also introduced various other policies, like allocating work to affirmative business enterprises, in order to level the playing fields. This, combined with the reduced available funds, compounded the situation for traditional consulting engineers. The above situation created many challenges for consulting engineers, of which the most important one is that of securing work for the future and competing for the reduced amount of available work. This brought to the fore the issue of marketing, an area that was not previously given too much attention. Market orientation is therefore proposed in this study as a solution to the problems faced by consultants. This study will examine the present situation, provide a literature background to marketing orientation, consider the relevance of market orientation to the consulting engineering industry, and then finally if it is accepted that market orientation is relevant, propose a model that could be used in addressing the situation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Raadgewende ingenieurs word tans aan verskeie tendense blootgestel wat 'n negatiewe uitwerking op hul besigheid het. Die onbestendigheid in wêreld markte, en spesifiek die Suid Arikaanse mark, het veroorsaak dat beleggers 'n "wag en kyk" benadering begin volg het met betrekking tot grootskaalse ontwikkelings. Die resultaat hiervan was dat privaatsektor ontwikkelings tot 'n groot mate afgeplat het en raadgewende ingenieurs gedwing is om mee te ding vir die beskikbare werk en onvermydelik gebukkend te gaan onder verlaagde omset. 'n Verdere tendens, en moontlik meer ernstige een vir sekere raadgewende ingenieurs, was die verandering in fokus deur die nuut verkose Regering gedurende die middel negentien negentigs. Met die nuwe fokus op sosiale aangeleenthede en opheffing van agtergeblewe gemeenskappe, word regerings fondse hoofsaaklik toegewys aan nuwe infrastruktuur onwikkelings wat verband hou met die nuwe fokus. Dit het 'n radikale verlaging in beskikbare fondse veroorsaak wat tradisioneel aan areas soos paaie en bruê toegewys was, 'n area waarin raadgewende ingenieurs oorwegend gepositioneer was. Die Regering het ook verskeie ander beleidsmaatreëls ingestel, soos die toekenning van werk aan regstellende besighede, ten einde die speelveld gelyk te maak. Dit, gepaardgaande met die verlaagde beskikbare fondse, het die situasie verder vererger vir tradisionele raadgewende ingenieurs. Bogenoemde omstandighede het baie uitdagings aan raadgewende ingenieurs gestel, waarvan die belangrikste waarskynlik die sekerheid aangaande toekomstige werk en die gepaardgaande mededinging ten opsigte van die verminderde hoeveelheid beskikbare werk. Hierdie omstandighede het die bemarkings-kwessie na vore gebring, 'n area waaraan nie veel aandag in die verlede gegee is nie. Mark oriëntasie word gevolglik voorgestel in hierdie studie as 'n oplossing vir die probleme waarmee konsultante gekonfronteer word. Hierdie studie sal die huidige situasie waarin raadgewende ingenieurs hul bevind ondersoek, 'n agtergrond van mark oriëntasieliteratuur verskaf, die relevansie van mark oriëntasie vir die raadgewende ingerneurs bedryf ondersoek en dan laastens, indien dit aanvaar word dat mark oriëntasie relevant is, 'n model voor te stel wat gebruik kan word om die situasie aan te spreek.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

This thesis explores representations of the Holocaust in the Jewish Museum Berlin and the impact of commercialism on representational choices. Daniel Libeskind’s bold architectural design, which ultimately became the Jewish Museum Berlin, is in many ways a Holocaust memorial. By exploring curatorial strategies in regards to exhibition design and content, this thesis analyzes the debates within the Jewish Museum Berlin over the appropriate manner to represent the Holocaust to the museum-going public in contemporary Germany. This thesis argues that commercialism and the prospects of commercial viability played a significant role in curatorial decisions concerning exhibition narrative. Germany leads the world in acknowledging and exploring their past social crimes but, this thesis argues, an important opportunity for atonement was lost when the administration of the Jewish Museum Berlin privileged commercial success over the presentation of more difficult and uncomfortable, yet socially necessary, representations of the horror of the Holocaust.

Title of thesis: Marketing of the club FK ERA-PACK Chrudim to fans Aims of the thesis: The main aim of the thesis is to suggest a new concept of the communication, which is supposed to improve communication process between fans. Methods: personal questioning, written questioning, marketing analysis, SWOT analysis Results: By using selected methods it was found, that the current marketing communication of the club is sufficient. On the base of this fact there was established the concept of communication and suggestions for improving of the current communication in the club. Key words: fans, FK ERA-PACK Chrudim, marketing communication, marketing research, situation analysis

Title: Impact of corporate identity activities on the image of ČEZ Basketball Nymburk Objectives: The goal of this thesis is to determine how Prague home games spectators perceive each corporate identity components of the club ČEZ Basketball Nymburk, subsequently to analyze overall club image in the eyes of the spectators and to determine problematic areas using questionnaire which is serving as a stimulus for suggestions and recommendations. Methods: In the thesis was used quantitative method of questionnaire survey to provide greater number of respondents. Respondents were questioned in writing and electronically. Important source of information were also interviews with the club management and spectators. For interpretation of gained data were used graphs and statistical functions arithmetic average, median, modus, skewness, kurtosis and standard deviation. Results: Marketing research has shown that spectators perceive image of the club ČEZ Basketball Nymburk rather positively. However, some problematic areas has crystalized in particular components of the corporate identity where the club management can implement changes to strengthen the identity and positive perception of the club. Keywords: marketing research, questionnaire, corporate identity, corporate image, basketball club