M.Com. (Business Management) / The innovation and marketing of new products has become increasingly important for the profitability of companies. Developing new products is a risky endeavour. Research shows that new product development often fails. As such, it is very important that product development managers are aware of the factors that can cause product failure. This research studied the product innovation process in the South African electronics industry. The objective of the study was to prove the relationship between proficient development-activity execution and innovation success. The research took the form of a structured questionnaire, that was mailed to respondents. After analysis -of the data, it was possible to accept the research hypothesis. The research showed that marketing activities were not well executed; in contrast technical activities were better completed. It proved the notion that a market orientation should be favoured above a product orientation. Companies in the electronics industry seem to have enough marketing resources available. however. they under-utilize these resources - with disastrous results. The research proved that following a strict product development process can improve new product performance. No one activity causes success or failure but the combination of pivotal activities has a definite effect on product innovation success.

D.Comm. (Business Management) / Market orientation is increasingly becoming recognized as the basis and the starting point of effective business management. It has received extensive publicity in recent years, indeed so much so that the notion that businesses need to respond to markets and satisfy their customers' needs seems to be so widely accepted now that it scarcely needs saying. As the marketplace evolves under the converging pressures of changing demographics, economics, technology, and social mores, so do organisations change, along with the nature of cooperation and competition among them. As organisations change, so must their management philosophies. To survive in the future, everybusiness will have to be customer focused and market-driven and flexible in its ability to deliver superior value to changing customers in the competitive marketplace. On the grounds of poor service rendered by South African enterprises in general and manufacturing enterprises in particular, the research problem chosen for this study was the cloud of suspicion hanging over the market orientation and quality of service characterising South African manufacturing enterprises. The main emphasis was on market orientation and more particularly on determining whether manufacturers of consumer and industrial products and the different branches of the manufacturing industry differed to a statistically significant extent in their market orientation. A questionnaire was sent to respondents by mail to collect the necessary information. Sections A, Band C of the questionnaire were subjected to factor analyses and coefficient alpha in order to determine the validity and dependability of the questionnaire. The statistical analyses revealed that the questionnaire has a high degree of internal validity and dependability. Besides determining normal descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, averages and standard deviations, routine statistical tests, such as t-tests, Chi-squared tests and variance analyses were performec' where necessary. A significance level of 0,05 was used throughout. In the case of significant variance analyses post-hoc Tukey tests were performed to determine which groups differ in their average scores for the dimensions of market orientation. It is concluded that South African manufacturing enterprises are not fully market oriented yet. A difference in market orientation between manufacturers of consumer and industrial products was found, namely that market orientation is more pronounced among manufacturers of industrial than of consumer products, albeit not to a statistically significant extent. It was also found that the branches of the manufacturing industry do not differ to an statistically significant extent regarding their market orientation. On balance it is clear that South African manufacturing enterprises will have to pay closer attention to the handling of complaints, to personnel focus and to internal as well as external communication if they are to become more market oriented.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The industrial product manager is responsible for the development and marketing of a product. This includes more than just the properties of the product. To be successful during the process of development and marketing of industrial products, there must be sufficient knowledge about the factors influencing it as well as the relative importance that is placed on it by the target market. The aim of this study was to identify critical factors for the success of new products in the industrial environment. These critical succfess factors were further verified, and their rank of importance determined, in the chemical industry of South Africa. The results of this study can be used by product managers in the industry to improve their new product programs in those areas which are considered as important during and by the development and marketing processes of enterprizes. Thirteen critical success factors, and their rank of importance, were established as th following: 1. A superior product 2. Solid up-front homework prior to development 3. Quality technological actions 4. Quality marketing actions 5. Innovativeness 6. A ttractive markets 7. A quality launch 8. Low-risk, important purchase 9. Familiar, known arenas 10. Sharp and early product definition 11. Cross-functional team approach 12. Non-product advantage 13. High synergy None of these factors can be ignored during the development and marketing...

D.Phil. (Marketing) / Despite the extensive research undertaken in the subject area of services marketing, much is still unknown about services internal marketing, specifically internal marketing mix elements and how they affect brand awareness in services organisations. This study attempted to address this limitation. The study revolved around eleven internal marketing mix elements and their influence on brand awareness dimensions in the South African car rental industry. Services organisations of which car rental companies are an example playa vital role in South Africa's economy, as services organisations contribute 74% to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GOP). Car rental companies like many other services organisations, are operating in a complex and extremely competitive environment. In order to attract and retain external customers, car rental companies need to focus on programmes to enhance their services delivery. Employees are the most valuable asset of an organisation, especially in the services environment. Internal marketing programmes aimed at employees are crucial to motivate them to improve service delivery to external customers. The four traditional internal marketing mix elements, namely internal product, price, promotion and place, as well as the three services internal marketing mix elements, namely internal people, process, and physical evidence are well known in product and services markets. However, this study contributed to the body of knowledge by adding four recent internal marketing mix elements, namely internal personal relationships, packaging, positioning and performance. Brand awareness refers to the strength of a brand's presence in the customer's mind. Awareness is measured according to the different ways in which customers remember a brand, ranging from recognition (exposure to the brand) to recall (What can be recalled about the brand) (Aaker, 2004:10). Brand awareness recall is associated with three dimensions, namely trustworthiness, overall evaluation and loyalty. In order to establish the influence of the eleven internal marketing mix elements on the brand awareness as perceived by the customers of selected car rental companies, an empirical investigation was conducted. The primary objective of this study was to determine the perceived influence of the different elements of internal marketing on the brand awareness as perceived by selected car rental customers in South Africa. Avis First Car Rental and Hertz were prepared to participate in this study. Combined they have a market share of more than 55%, thus it was believed that they were a fair representation of the car rental industry in South Africa. Probability sampling in the form of directly proportional stratified sampling was used in terms of selecting only customers of the three car rental companies, not including employees. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of internal marketing on the brand awareness perceived by customers, therefore, only customers were selected for the purpose of the study. The sample unit included customers who rented cars from the Avis, First Car Rental and Hertz over a period of three months, namely November 2010 untit January 2011. The sampling elements were customers who rented vehicles at airports, nameLy OR Tambo, Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Nelspruit, Kimberley and Lanseria and city branches, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Nelspruit and Kimberley. The required sample size of respondents was between 375 and 750 and the- actue* sample size was 581. The measuring instrument was a questionnaire that included a current and ideal situation. The main technique for analysing data was structural equation modelling and equivalence testing to determine if there was any difference between the status quo and ideal situation as perceived by car rental customers. The empirical investigation conducted among customers of Avis, First Car Rental and Hertz revealed that significant positive relationships existed between the services internal marketing element process and brand recognition, trustworthiness, overall evaluation and loyalty; as well as between the recent internal marketing element internal performance and trustworthiness, overall evaluation and loyalty. These relationships imply that if car rental companies improve their internal process and performance, the brand awareness of the car rental company would improve. Other internal marketing mix elements that positively influenced brand awareness were people (employees), physical evidence, personal relationships, packaging and positioning. Based on the positive relationships described above, as well as the strong influence internal process and performance have had on brand awareness, a model as guideline to car rental companies was developed. The purpose of the model is to emphasise internal marketing elements on which car rental companies should focus to improve brand recognition, trustworthiness, overall evaluation and loyalty amongst their customers. The model was tested and proved to be applicable to both the status quo and ideal situation. In addition to the model, the study indicated that car rental companies should implement strategies to improve their internal marketing programmes. These strategies will contribute to improvement of employees' satisfaction and subsequently customer satisfaction. Satisfied customers will remain customers of their car rental company and ultimately profits and competitiveness of the particular car rental company will prosper. Eventually employees, customers and car rental companies and the whole economy of South Africa will benefit.

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

The role of brand has evolved to take on a broader application as a post-modern management concept and has attracted increasing attention in the 21st century as a key component for the development of competitive advantage. Far removed from its origins as an identity device, branding now transcends the pure marketing interpretation and is increasingly seen as a catalyst for corporate strategy and a tool for holistic reputation management and business performance. This thesis evaluates the extent to which brand is being adopted as a mechanism to align with corporate strategy, internal culture and supporting behaviours and external delivery or organisational performance: in essence, the concept of a brand-driven organisation that deploys brand as a core capability in pursuit of competitive advantage. This evaluation takes into account defined South African perspectives and examples in a case research approach. It seeks to evaluate how the brand alignment methodology can advance current theory and be applied as a management practice. The research argues that brand extends beyond the marketing function or the end-point of organisational systems and delivery. Rather, it suggests that brand becomes integrated as one of the primary elements of corporate strategy and seeks to embrace strategic organisational intent, internal culture and external manifestation of the business vision and results. The organisational architecture model is adapted to suit this research and offer a brand alignment framework that facilitates the effective and efficient implementation and realisation of strategic intent. This links brand alignment to resource-based theory and posits that it is considered as a core capability within the firm, enabling the attainment of competitive advantage. iv This thesis concludes that brand is not confined to an aspect of marketing, but should be deployed holistically in the organisation as a core capability and opportunity for competitive advantage. The research demonstrates an emerging body of thought and advances theory and practice in this area of business, both academically and in a professional management context, offering possibilities for continued further research in this field of management. / Business Management / D.B. L.

The role of brand has evolved to take on a broader application as a post-modern management concept and has attracted increasing attention in the 21st century as a key component for the development of competitive advantage. Far removed from its origins as an identity device, branding now transcends the pure marketing interpretation and is increasingly seen as a catalyst for corporate strategy and a tool for holistic reputation management and business performance. This thesis evaluates the extent to which brand is being adopted as a mechanism to align with corporate strategy, internal culture and supporting behaviours and external delivery or organisational performance: in essence, the concept of a brand-driven organisation that deploys brand as a core capability in pursuit of competitive advantage. This evaluation takes into account defined South African perspectives and examples in a case research approach. It seeks to evaluate how the brand alignment methodology can advance current theory and be applied as a management practice. The research argues that brand extends beyond the marketing function or the end-point of organisational systems and delivery. Rather, it suggests that brand becomes integrated as one of the primary elements of corporate strategy and seeks to embrace strategic organisational intent, internal culture and external manifestation of the business vision and results. The organisational architecture model is adapted to suit this research and offer a brand alignment framework that facilitates the effective and efficient implementation and realisation of strategic intent. This links brand alignment to resource-based theory and posits that it is considered as a core capability within the firm, enabling the attainment of competitive advantage. iv This thesis concludes that brand is not confined to an aspect of marketing, but should be deployed holistically in the organisation as a core capability and opportunity for competitive advantage. The research demonstrates an emerging body of thought and advances theory and practice in this area of business, both academically and in a professional management context, offering possibilities for continued further research in this field of management. / Business Management / D.B. L.

This research was motivated by the lack of systems and methodologies in the automotive retail business sector to adequately monitor and analyse prospective customers' behaviours as a basis for developing sales. The objective of this research was to determine if lead scoring would indeed represent a good investment of time and resources for Barloworld Motor Retail. The real value for Barloworld Motor Retail is in the proven methodology for properly managing leads and the sales process. Lead scoring should have sales teams more focused because of the qualified opportunities. The sales cycle can also be efficiently managed from introduction to closure. What is Lead Scoring? In short, lead scoring identifies or measures the value of a lead to determine to which extent a lead could result in a sale. The aim of the lead scoring process is to gather as much information as possible from the prospective customer. Once information has been acquired, it is important to hand over the hot leads to sales while the warm and cold leads remain with marketing to be nurtured. A lead is a potential customer who wants to learn more about what a company has to offer, and who has acknowledged having a requirement or need that a company could help satisfy. Where this position is coupled with elements of the ideal or desired customer profile, a meaningful lead definition emerges. When a salesperson receives a lead as depicted in Figure 1, the decision must be made as to whether to promote the lead into an opportunity or recycle it back to marketing. The crucial determination would be whether the prospect is ready to enter a buying cycle, or not. Figure 1 also illustrates the lead scoring "evaluation" process. The researcher used the Barloworld Automotive www.mywheels.co.za Webpage to obtain information for this research project. The results obtained from this measurement were compared with the results obtained from other marketing initiatives and practices in the automotive industry to describe the value of lead scoring. This research is undertaken under two main headings, namely marketing and evaluating a lead management system by introducing lead scoring. In reference to marketing, Albee (2010) says that lead scoring is based on marketing that can automate the ability to know exactly when the leads in the nurturing program are sales ready and then transition them to the sales force without delay. Chekitan and Schultz (2005), introduced the notion of SIVA which stands for Solution, Information, Value, and Access. This is basically the four p's of the marketing mix, namely product, promotion, price and placement Kotler (2000) renamed and reworded to provide a customer focus. Marketing managers use this model to generate the best possible response from the target market by blending four or more combinations in the best way. The elements of the marketing mix are all controllable variables. The marketing mix can be adjusted on a frequent basis to meet the changing needs of the target market and the other dynamics of the marketing environment. The study of internet consumer behaviour is a fundamental part of the gathering of information related to lead scoring. To an extent it is also relevant to the formulation of a leads nurturing model that will positively influence buyer perceptions and help to trigger the purchase decision. With regard to the purchasing of motor vehicles, consumers will seldom make a purchase decision without personal exposure by way of sensory explanation (look, feel and touch). Internet marketing connects the physically remote consumer with the product benefits through a process of abstract positioning, and focuses on obtaining "hits" from consumers who are competent and enabled to make a positive purchase decision. Internet marketing refers to the strategies that companies use to market their products or services online. The marketing concept remains the guiding concept for companies wishing to design and implement an effective leads scoring system. Lead scoring is the process that involves the following activities: • Lead identification; • Lead collection and consolidation; • Predictive analysis of lead scoring; • Lead nurturing; • Lead distribution.

Companies in commoditised marketplaces such as the fresh milk market in the Western Cape are seeking ways to improve sales and increase their market shares relative to the competition. This study explored differentiation as a viable competitive strategy in the Western Cape fresh milk market to increase market share and drive brand preference. Using telephonic interviews to administer a structured questionnaire to a randomly selected sample of 300 respondents, the study undertook to identify Western Cape milk consumers’ procurement behaviour, the attributes that consumers look for when selecting fresh milk and their selection criteria when choosing between fresh milk brands. The study found that nine attributes influenced the consumer’s choice of fresh milk brand, with price, consistency of taste, consistency of colour and expiry date being the most important. Brand attributes such as the company image, environmental concerns, company location, animal welfare and packaging played a less prominent role, but were also considered by consumers when selecting a brand of fresh milk. The study concluded that while price was the overriding decision-making variable, a differentiation strategy based on the nine identified attributes, or a subset thereof, will influence consumer procurement behaviour and potentially sway consumer preference. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on differentiation as a competitive strategy and specifically applies it to the Western Cape fresh milk market. / Marketing and Retail / M. Com. (Marketing and Retail Management)