M.Com. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Com. (Enterprise Management) / This study is concerned with the marketing of dental services in South Africa. The past, present and future, with special reference to the role of the Dental Association of South Africa and the dentist in private practice. The distinguishing characteristic of every profession is a very long tradition of service to mankind. Significantly it is this ethos which today has given impetus to the need to develop marketing skills to sustain and further the socially valuable aspects of the professions' service. In the past there was massive resistance by professional people to the concept of marketing. Primarily it was fear of the unknown. It was a basic misunderstanding of what marketing is and an alarm at the twin thoughts of what it might be and what It might do. There was a fear that marketing is advertising and that the high cost of advertising will be exacerbated by the need to cut fees to gain promotional advantages. Reduced fees will mean trimmed service and a consequent drop in professional standards. All of this will be ruinous to the professional and worse, will damage the dignity that underpins the professional ethos. Marketing is not only perfectly compatible with the professional ethos but in many ways is to be regarded as a professional responsibility, it follows that universities and the teachers of aspirant practitioners should accept marketing principles and acquaint themselves with marketing practices. It is important for the dentist to have a fundamental knowledge of the principles of marketing and the legal aspects that restrict the freely use of all the tools of marketing. Since marketing is based on an understanding of consumer behaviour this is a very important study. Today, more than ever, businesses are looking for a competitive edge, a strategic uniqueness to distinguish themselves from their competition. One strategic route is emerging as the answer, namely customer satisfaction, through the principal factor of customer service quality. Understanding customer expectations is a prerequisite for delivering superior service...

M.Comm. / The size of South Africa's banking industry grew from R398 billion in 1995 to R471 billion in 1996 while banking transactions totalled R58 634 billion during 1996. Like most other service companies, the banking industry also experiences customer turnover. During the period March 1995 to February 1996 customer switch, which refers to the closing of an account at one institution and the opening of a new account at another institution, by clients of all banks amounted to 4,9 percent. Mutual interaction between a service provider and a client is a very important determinant of customer satisfaction with a service. It is therefore important for the company to focus on the retention of customers because it is more profitable to retain a customer rather than recruiting new customers. Customer switching can damage the future stream of income of a company. The loss of a customer therefore, is not only one transaction, the company looses a life long stream of income. Customer satisfaction therefore influences the primary source of future income of most companies directly. Quality service is of utmost importance for the success and survival of companies in today's competitive environment. To be successful it is necessary for each department within the company to operate effectively and to be client orientated. Companies believe that they will be more profitable if a marketing orientation is established within the company. Employees must therefore, understand their role in the total service chain. A client's perception of a service becomes reality when he/she experiences the service during a service encounter where interaction between the customer and the company takes place with the employee as intermediary. Employees of the company are seen as individuals who are in a relationship with the company similar to that between an external customer and the company. A company must therefore concentrate on both his external and internal clients because quality service rendered to internal clients results in quality service to the external client. The rendering of quality service is a very important dimension, in ensuring success and survival of a company. If investment in service quality therefore results in perceived improvement in service, quality is a profit strategy. Although theoretical studies suggest that companies offering a higher degree of service quality generate higher profits, no published studies or model exist where the total series of consequences, from the allocation of resources to customer satisfaction and eventually profitability, is discussed. Researchers believe that customer satisfaction results in profitability, but question the possibility of a positive correlation between market share and customer satisfaction. Against this background it was the purpose of this study to determine the impact of service quality, customer retention and staff retention on the market share and profitability of a financial institution by constructing a service quality-profitability relationship model to determine the relationship between the different dependent and independent variables. A literature and empirical study was therefore undertaken to on the one hand evince the role and importance of the relationship between the service company and the customer, employee and internal markets in accomplishing a loyal customer base and enduring market share and to on the other hand relate service quality with market share and profitability. The primary finding of this study is that relationships exist between the various dependent and independent variables of the hypothesized model which confirms that service quality do impact on market share which in turn correlates with the profitability of a company. Moreover, customer retention positively correlates with profitability. It was also determined that customer retention positively correlates with market share. It was, however, found that no correlation exists between service quality and customer retention whilst relationships between marketing costs and market share and marketing costs and profitability could also not be determined. In view of the findings of the empirical investigation, it is recommended that the chosen bank attends to the following aspects: the improvement of service excellence; the improvement of aspects accomplishing customer and employee retention; establishing a more Afrosentric rather than a Eurosentric dimension of culture within the organisational culture and managerial practice of the bank; determining the critical psychological state of employees; establishing a positive and constructive psychological state within the bank; revising the format of reporting management information in order to calculate the impact of service quality on profitability rather than determining relationships between the elements. In taking this approach, the bank should be able to employ the service quality-profitability relationship model to the advantage of the bank to measure the impact of service quality on profitability and optimizing the relationship between service quality and profitability.

M.Comm. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Com. (Business Management) / This study will focus on the hunting industry in South Africa. Being a dedicated hunter the researcher has great enthusiasm for and interest in the local hunting and wildlife industry. The study focuses on the marketing of the South African hunting industry. Therefore, this will be a study regarding the marketing of the South African hunting industry in general. The researcher will investigate the hunting industry and the background of the hunting industry, problems facing the hunting industry, future prospects and also the marketing related aspects of all the stakeholders within the industry. The investigation will focus on the hunting industry with consideration to the practical implication of marketing strategies, attitudes, and marketing objectives, current and future challenges for effective management of the industry. The empirical investigation will focus on the future of the hunting industry as a whole and what local farmers and game ranchers anticipate.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / Indications from the initial phase of this study suggest that key marketing fundamentals apparent in this business sector differ significantly from those generally recognisable in commodity, consumer product and industrial marketing. It is postulated that whilst these differences are probably symptomatic of particular professional service practice norms and business ethics the formulation, implementation and evaluation of effective marketing can be facilitated utilising appropriate contemporary marketing paradigms. This study explores the current marketing milieu in a multinational professional services organisation and attempts to identify factors relevant to marketing within the organisation. The objective of this study was to identify the critical factors that influence the successful marketing of professional services and to develop a framework to support these findings. In order to accomplish this objective, the study was undertaken from a phenomenological, rather than a positivist paradigm. An exploratory quantitative Likert-scale survey combined with the allowance for qualitative open-ended comments/ feedback was adopted. The quantitative study incorporated employees in managerial, middle and junior roles from the Specific Professional Services Organisation ‘SPSO’s’ national offices based in Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town. Marketing representatives from the ‘SPSO’s’ international offices were also included in the survey. It can be summarised that the main factors influencing the marketing of professional services can be grouped according to Strategy, Product/ Service, Price, Place, Promotion, Physical Evidence, People, Process, and Other. A framework was devised, comprising the nine identified groups of factors including correlating recommendations, as well as a tabular outlay of additional constructive qualitative comments recorded from respondents with recommendations.

M. Tech. Entrepreneurship / The high failure rate of small businesses in the Soweto area is a source of great concern. Many small businesses are unable to sustain themselves for an extended period due to their inability to retain current customers and attract potential clients into their establishments. The other factor that threatens these businesses is that too little effort is expended towards marketing. The aim of this study was to establish how effective entrepreneurs in the Soweto area are applying marketing communications tools, especially internet marketing, with a view to obtain and increase customer support for their small, medium and micro-sized enterprises.

A destination is often given its identity by its brand name, creating an image thereof in the customers’ minds which means that destinations exist not only physically but also mentally in the minds of people. Destination marketers play a role in the creation of the images of such destinations which is dependent on what the destination offers in its depth and breadth. Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) should be able to not only understand their destination’s offerings but also who they are targeting and how they should market the destination. DMOs have evolved to become more than mere destination information providers as considerable destination information is now created by fellow travellers which are shared via social networks. The most important change resulting from adopting the concept of social capital in the context of tourism would be that tourism scholars and DMOs become aware of the importance of resources obtained through an individual’s social interactions. Despite the fact that the town of George has a number of attributes it is able to market to potential visitors, it does however not automatically make it a desired destination. The main objective of this treatise is to determine what would give George its marketable destination identity which will be achieved by gaining an understanding of the local residents’ viewpoints of George and to measure them according to specific attributes which are carefully formulated in a survey questionnaire. This treatise aims to determine what George can do to create a destination identity and how such an identity can be applied in the successful marketing of George as a destination town. It is an exploratory quantitative study consisting of literature and case study components used to test proposed hypotheses. It aims to provide guidance to the destination marketers by way of researched literature on the topic of destination marketing as well as offer empirical data gathered from responses to a survey conducted with local residents of George which is focused on creating a destination identity through its business, cultural and sporting events. Based on the statistical analysis of the survey results it will be shown that a relationship exists between Destination Marketing and Events, Branding and Media,which plays a pivotal role in the successful marketing of such events and thereby the brand image of the destination. Based on the literature findings and the empirical data gained for this treatise it was shown that events can be used to create a new brand image for a town like George which already possesses a natural beauty and friendly people. Examples will be discussed where destinations throughout the world have managed to change their brand without changing their environment, from which they have gained a new destination brand. George can strategically convert what it already has to become the destination of choice in terms of intra-town activities and events which could not only enhance its own economy but also that of the surrounding towns. The geographic location of George and that of the Surrounding tourist attractive towns make it possible to design and implement intra-town events with relative ease. As found in researched literature, the residents should be made part of any destination marketing campaign. These events should be designed to incorporate the surrounding towns to capitalise on the concept of intra-town events where George becomes the main centre but uses outlying towns to lure tourist. Respondents to the survey indicate that they somewhat agree that George has sufficient infrastructure to host sports (μ = 3.77), cultural (μ = 3.61) and business events (μ = 3.88) and that hosting such events in George would create job opportunities. The responses for all three event types in this regard have a mean value above μ = 4. Respondents indicated that religious events are deemed the most important (mean value μ = 4.25) while also indicating that they agreed with a mean value of μ = 4.18 that entrance fees influence their decision to attend events. The empirical research conducted in George was designed to gain a representative viewpoint of its residents in terms of what they deem the identity of George to be, the main objective (ROM) of which was to determine what would give George its destination identity. The composite image of the residents of George was measured according to specific attributes which were carefully formulated in the survey.

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.

The use of social media in the retail banking environment has changed the way the banking industry communicates with customers, creates sales and performs marketing and operational tasks. Social media strategies need to be aligned to business goals and effectively used to integrate social media as part of the overall marketing strategy. Only by understanding brand loyalty, multi-channel systems and social media channels can marketers effectively implement social media. In measuring brand loyalty, factors that influence customer buying behaviour and components that influence online interaction are essential in engaging different groups of customers in social media. This research study aimed to examine the use of social media within the South African retail banking environment with a focus on creating and maintaining brand loyalty. An exploratory, mixed method research design was employed. Data collection instruments used in the study includes online surveys, structured interviews, and focus groups. Participants consisted of marketing personnel and customers. Three lead/head social media marketing personnel participated in the interview process, 14 marketing personnel took the online survey and 4 participated in a focus group. Participants for the online survey also consisted of 40 customers who were connected through the internet and performed various online banking activities. Data was analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Data from the online surveys completed by customers was analysed quantitatively using descriptive analysis, structural equation modelling (SEM) and factor analysis which was performed on the brand loyalty variables and the brand loyalty measures. Content analysis was used to qualitatively analyse data from the structured interviews. Data from the online surveys completed by marketing personnel was analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings indicated that social media forms an integral part of the marketing strategy that needs be aligned with the core business goals. Banks therefore need to focus on creating campaigns that are fun, exciting and appealing to the target market. A culture of innovation and new ideas is essential to grow the product/service. Building brand trust and creating customer satisfaction forms the core of creating brand loyalty on social media. Banks need to be aware of factors that influence customer brand loyalty and components that influence loyalty on social media in order to measure things that matter through analytical tools so that an actionable strategy can be put in place and implemented.