The South African motor industry plays a pivotal role in the economy of South Africa and is a leading indicator in economic change. In general, satisfaction of customer service in the motor industry is steadily improving. However, as research has shown, there is still room for improvement within the industry. Knowing what customers expect is a critical step in delivering good quality service to ensure customer retention in the long-term (Zeithaml, Parasuraman & Berry 1990:62-63). Having a good understanding of the value of forming long-term relationships with customers and their evaluation of the quality of the service provided, cannot be underestimated, as failure to actually ask customers what they think of the service could be detrimental in the long-term. Vehicle manufacturers conduct ongoing research to monitor customer perceptions of the quality of the service provided by their vehicle retailers. The information generated from the research findings can be used by manufacturers to improve levels of service where this appears to be lacking, and deal promptly with any customer complaints. Against this background, how vehicle owners judge the quality of the service provided by a franchised vehicle retailer for a repair and maintenance service, will be crucial to understanding how customers form perceptions of service related firms specifically, and in general, even an entire industry. The primary objective of this study is to assess customer perceptions of service quality with a franchised vehicle retailer following a routine repair and maintenance service. The sample consisted of 3 859 respondents who had their vehicles serviced at a GM South Africa franchised vehicle retailer over a one month period. The empirical results of the study revealed that GM South Africa show general positive results in terms of customer service satisfaction, however, there are some areas where additional attention is required.

A research report Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Management in strategic marketing In the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand Wits Business School, Johannesburg March 2018 / The automotive industry has experienced immense pressure as a result of global factors - inflation, competition, technology and political factors. Changing trends in consumer expectations have put the automobile industry under increasing pressure with more choices available. The practise of using Social Media Advertising by organisations and clients has revolutionalised the advertising and business landscape as it might be the most cost-effective way that organisations can promote their goods and services in the future. The marketing environment has evolved and marketers need to keep up and find innovative, cost effective ways to build brands. The main aim of this research was to examine the effects of Social Media Advertising on Brand Image of motor cars in South Africa. The study was grounded using 2 theories , AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) and DAGMAR models. Social media involved the use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin social media platforms. The study introduced the Keller Model of Brand Knowledge and investigated the relationship between Social Media Advertising, Brand Image, Types of Brand Associations, Benefits (Functional, Symbolic and Experiential) and Attitudes. The research design entails a quantitative approach and involves a cross sectional study design. The sample (N = 254) comprises owners and drivers of motor vehicles. A snowball sampling technique was used in selecting the final sample for the current study. This method was the most practical and feasible to arrive at the selected sample. The data involved a 2 phased approach. This study emphasises the use of Social Media Advertising in brand building strategies, particularly through social media platforms - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. The findings also suggest that through social media platforms consumers’ attitudes are influenced towards advertising, brands and intentions in forwarding messages to other users. The conclusions of this study have implications for brand managers. The study reveals practical value because it demonstrates that social media activities do have a positive effect on brands because they are supportive of the buying process. / MT 2018

A project report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. Johannesburg, 1996. / This research project is an investigation into the effectiveness of an inspect and rework system called dynamic section control which has the purpose of improving the assembly quality of the BMW-3 series manufacturing in the Rosslyn Plant just outside Pretoria in South Africa, The system was introduced into the assembly plant in February 1995 to improve the assembly quality of the vehicles as quickly as possible. The main motivation behind the need for this system was to bring the quality onto the same level as the German plants in order to become recognised in the international network of BMW's manufacturing plants along with the new manufacturing plant in the USA The origins of the dynamic section control system come from the Munich 3-series plant as well as being based on the principles of poka yoke, a quality philosophy devised by the quality expert from Toyota in Japan, Shigeo Shingo, Defects found on the assembly plant's line, identified by the quality auditor and information from the marketing department regarding warranty claims are entered onto a checklist which is used by reworkers in the plant to inspect and make good the defects that have been found. The checklist is updated on a weekly basis, hence its name: dynamic section control. Seven rework stations, in which the dynamic section control reworkers work, have been strategically positioned in the assembly plant which trims the painted bodies it receives from the paint shop, The effectiveness of the system has been measured by analysing the information from the daily audits as well as investigating the trend of vehicles If rving the assembly plant still requiring rework and repairs off-line. The analyses were divided into three distinct periods. The first being approximately 4 months before the introduction of :he dynamic section control system, and the second and third periods after the introduction of the system. The results show that the dynamic section control system have a positive influence in improving the assembly quality of the vehicles, especially reducing the number of recurring defects. The number of defects that have only occurred once in each of the periods has remained reasonably constant indicating that the system has no impact in reducing the random occurrence of "one-off" defects. Another significant finding was. the increase in the number of vehicles requiring Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand repair off-line, attributable to the assembly plant, after the vehicle has left the assembly line. This increase is probably the result of an increased quality awareness within the assembly plant, resulting in reworkers identifying an increasing number of defects for repair off-line. Other factors such as clearer identification of production goals, training and development of a proportion of the assembly plant's workers in the German plants lor three weeks, reorganizing of support. staff by installing "the right people in the right place" and reducing the number of model derivatives in the plant have also contributed to the enormous quality improvement achieved. Further development of the. dynamic section control system is recommended by installing a rework station within each team area, and including the actions of dynamic section control in the work content of that team. Currently, the system uses external workers which are not part of individual teams as the current sections overlap team areas. Finally, it is recommended that the work of the dynandc section control reworker be incorporated as a noma! function within the team and be rotated amongst the team members. / AC2017

Text in English / In this study, the research problem sought to explore, identify and acknowledge the value of vehicle tracking technology within the South African Police Service (SAPS). National legislation in the Republic of South Africa allows the SAPS and private organisations, such as Tracker, to create partnerships to successfully combat crime, such as vehicle related crimes. Data was collected by means of a literature study, together with semi-structured interviews that were individually conducted with non-commissioned officers of the SAPS: West Rand Flying Squad. These members are deployed daily, in an operational environment, to deal with the recovery of stolen and robbed motor vehicles; they utilise vehicle tracking technology to fulfil this function. A detailed study of literature relating to national legislation, SAPS directives, media and newspaper reports as well as library resources and international studies was conducted. The research indicates the importance of vehicle tracking technology in assisting specialized units within the SAPS to successfully and efficiently track and locate stolen or robbed motor vehicles. It is evident that the use of this type of technology has become an invaluable tool to the SAPS: West Rand Flying Squad members in their daily duties. Furthermore, members at grassroots level understand and appreciate the assistance and value of technology, especially as the technology enables them to effectively recover stolen or robbed motor vehicles, and to successfully arrest the perpetrators responsible for these thefts. The recommendations made in this study may provide a number of solutions to the South African government, SAPS, insurance industry and the general public, regarding the value of vehicle tracking technology. In addition, the study indicates how this technology can effectively assist in curbing vehicle crimes and the recovery of stolen or robbed motor vehicles; in the process, recovery affects the arrests of criminals, thus saving the economy a significant amount of money due to crimes of this nature. / Police Practice / M.A. (Criminal Justice)