M.Phil. (Business Management) / The purpose of the research was to explicate business competitive challenges through increasing scientific knowledge relating to the effect of Value Chain on the Customer Experience within the South African Mobile Telecommunications industry. Operators display a tendency of commoditised competition, offering little differentiation that Customers value. The qualitative and time bound study analysed the perspective of sixteen interviewees, representing the full Value Chain from respective operators. Following the aim to understand the participants’ perception of how the Value Chain impacts Customer Experience, the Content Analysis method of analysis was utilised for the gathering of insights. Findings reflect a lack of maturity in the understanding of Customer Experience and Value Chain, and a resulting incapability to maximise the effect of the Value Chain on the Customer Experience. Notwithstanding, there exists an opportunity to apply a Value Chain perspective in order to improve the Customer Experience and enhance mutual value.

The aim of my Master's Thesis is to analyse the local marketing communication of the Vodafone Czech Republic, a.s. company. I use current secondary information sources and primary resources are collected through in-depth interviews with specialists and a method of observation. My Master's Thesis starts from theoretical information on the issue, then it continues with practical findings and finally, I close up with a summary of the analysis and recommendations. I found out that the mobile telecommunications market offers a great potential for local marketing for both mobile service providers, as well as for other companies in the market. In the international Vodafone Group the marketing communication is directed mainly locally within the individual states, communication is unified and has the central character of the rules, but there are many local exceptions. In the Czech Republic, Vodafone has active, regionally based local marketing communications since the summer of 2010, but a local marketing potential is not fully utilized so far. Future trends in marketing suggest greater use of new technologies, mobile and online marketing. Local marketing will belong to the portfolio of a successful organisation.