This study examined the promotion policy of school-based educators and the manner in which it has been implemented in the Pinetown district of KwaZulu-Natal. Given the inordinately large number of disputes that have been declared since the inception of this policy in 1997 and the constant adverse publicity it has attracted in the media, the researcher sought to explore whether implementation of the promotion the policy is in keeping with national and provincial legislation. Given also that both provincial (Human Resource Management Circulars) and national (Employment of Educators Act 76 of 1998, The South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995, etc) legislation exist to guide the process, the researcher sought to examine the reasons for the apparent gap between formulation and practice. Using policy and policy analysis as the theoretical framework, the researcher explored the notion that policy tools model (authority, incentive, capacity, symbolic and learning) could be utilized both to understand and implement this process effectively. Although essentially qualitative in nature, the researcher utilized the survey questionnaire (secondary method) to elicit the views and perceptions of a wider range of role-players to inform the more intensive case study (primary method). The findings indicate great disillusionment on the part of the educator and parent establishment with a policy whose implementation is fraught with problems. Selectors in attaching personal meanings to the implementation process have deviated from the principles enunciated in the policy. To counter this, the researcher suggests that the policy tools model be utilized to further inform the process and that policy be viewed as an interactive, consultative process i.e. a cyclic model. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

The tendency of members under the South African Police Services (SAPS) to obtain tertiary qualifications relevant to policing has declined due to SAPS promotion policy. Those who do further their educations enroll into fields that will assist them to obtain employment outside of SAPS. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) under SAPS is solely responsible for the analysis of the police investigating officer’s evidence it receives. It is thus critical that FSL analysts are motivated and have high levels of commitment. This study will attempt to determine if SAPS promotion policy has an impact on the level of commitment of forensic analysts, with the aim of suggesting and recommending a Human Resource Management (HRM) policy or practice that will maintain or improve the level of commitment of Forensic analysts. The quantitative research approach was employed, and questionnaires were distributed to forensic analysts in FSL in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The study was important in gaining insight into the impact of SAPS promotion policy on organisational commitment of forensic analysts, and to understand what form or type of organisational commitment that drives continuous participation of analysts in the organisation. A probability sample of sixty six (66) forensic analysts was drawn from FSL in KZN (Amanzimtoti) with a population size of eighty (80) analysts. FSL-KZN was chosen because of the convenience access to the study sample and since provincial FSL’s are mostly affected by promotion policy procedure. Data was collected using questionnaires which were physical distributed by the researcher. The promotion policy was measured using promotion policy scale developed by the researcher together with biographical variables questionnaire such as age, gender, marital status, tenure, level of education and ranks level. Organisational commitment was measured using the Meyer and Allen (1991) Organisational Commitment Questionnaire. The study revealed that SAPS promotion policy has a significant impact on organisational commitment (affective and normative commitment) but no significant impact on continuance commitment. The study also showed no significant difference between some of biographical variables and organisational commitment (affective, normative and continuance commitment) and that continuance commitment was the most dominant form of commitment that drive analysts to continue to work for FSL. The study results could play an important role to managers who want to implement HRM practices and promotion policy that enhance the organisational commitment of employees with high expertise and skills such as FSL forensic analysts under SAPS. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

<p>The aim of this study was to investigate the barriers that impede the career advancement of women at an auditing firm in the Western Cape. These include internal and external barriers. More specifically, the study aimed to establish whether significant differences exist between women in different age groups, job levels, race groups and single, divorce/widowed and married groups in the firm, regarding their views in relation to their own career advancement.</p>

The study of career paths within organizations is an issue that has received strong attention in the theoretical literature of organizational economics and management1. From the empirical point of view, however, research in this topic is scarcer and less comprehensive. The gap has been caused to a large extent by the unavailability of data tracking worker's career moves in employee-level surveys and by the lack of information about career management policies in firm-level data. This thesis contributes to fill such hole. It investigates how workers' careers and their behavior as managers depend on the characteristics of the firms where they work and their own personal characteristics, with a strong emphasis in the role of human capital. The research is carried out using micro data at both worker and firm level, available only in relatively recent data sets. The interaction between accumulation of human capital and workers' employment horizons has been frequently recognized as a key issue in explaining why some firms maintain long-term relationships with their employees while others remain closer to what it could be considered spot-market labor contracting. There are nonetheless important factors that have been usually absent in the literature of organizations. This is the case of internal firm structures that may improve or discourage the interactions between different hierarchical levels, affecting eventually to the costs of job change involved in promotions. Both human capital and organization-relational aspects of career paths are objects of study of this thesis. First, it is analyzed how the characteristics of employers and the markets where they work affect the general or firm-specific nature of employees' human capital and, therefore, to the type of employment relationship held. Second, it is investigated how differences in employees' personal characteristics affect their career horizons, the management of their human capital and the type of career moves done. Finally, the effects of these factors on career path outcomes are examined, in terms of leadership behavioral differences among those arriving at managerial levels. A particular attention is paid the important differences between the careers of men and women that are also found in their managerial style. Overall, the research presented here sheds light on what career management schemes adapt better to different product and labor market circumstances. It opens as well a number of challenges for the study of human resources management and shows that population-wide surveys can be very useful tools to carry out empirical investigations in this area, usually dominated by narrower and less representative surveys.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2009. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references: (leaves 109-120) Also available online.

Aim: To investigate how the University of Gävle conducts relationship with graduate students and retains graduate students and creates loyalty. This study explores the importance of relationship marketing theories that intends to be applied in higher education through alumni programs and services. University of Gävle and Stockholm University will be compared in benchmarking to determine in what ways the alumni offices create relationships to retain and create loyalty to alumni students.  Method: A qualitative research was conducted on the University of Gävle and Stockholm University in Sweden for this study, which included interviews with the relation officers on this subject. Result &amp; Conclusions: It was evident that the University of Gävle alumni actually exist as titles, and there is no certain relationship strategy, however, only they are NOT actively operational. The study identified that the University of Gävle was not using a certain strategy to create lasting relationship, loyalty and increase prospective students. The study revealed the importance of relationship marketing strategy to effectively administrate the progress in establishing relationship with the alumni, to increase the prospective international students, to keep a regular track and communications with alumni. Suggestions for future research: This study focused on two universities, further research could be conducted to examine the relationship marketing with alumni students and investigate students’ relationship with university in other countries and institutions.

As marcas estão presentes no cotidiano dos consumidores e das organizações. Para os indivíduos, as marcas são carregadas de simbolismos, representações e complexos signos de posicionamento social enquanto, para as empresas, as marcas se tornam um ativo extremamente valioso, capaz de diferenciar as suas ofertas em um mercado comoditizado e influenciar o comportamento do consumidor. Neste cenário, o cuidado com a marca na percepção dos consumidores surge quase como condição para uma eficaz gestão estratégica de marketing nas empresas e, também, terreno fértil para pesquisas acadêmicas. Entre os cuidados que a empresa deve ter com as marcas sobre as percepções do consumidor, as estratégias promocionais baseadas na redução de preços merecem atenção. O presente estudo verifica o impacto que a promoção de preços (descontos e ofertas) exerce sobre o Consumer-based Brand Equity (CBBE). Por meio de uma pesquisa experimental do tipo between-subject, uma amostra de 300 estudantes universitários divididos igualmente em seis unidades de teste, foi estimulada através de anúncios impressos, a avaliar o CBBE de duas marcas de tênis (Diadora e Nike) que apresentavam três diferentes níveis de desconto (nenhum, baixo e alto) sobre um preço de referência - em um design fatorial 2x3 - a fim de avaliar se a presença e a intensidade das promoções de preços, presentes no anúncio, influenciariam as percepções dos respondentes sobre as marcas. A pesquisa também avaliou simultaneamente o comportamento de duas metodologias de mensuração distintas: (1) a metodologia de Yoo e Donthu (2001) que mensura elementos cognitivos e comportamentais e (2) a metodologia de Vázquez, Río e Iglésias (2002) que mensura o Consumer-based Brand Equity com base em duas dimensões de utilidade da marca: valor funcional e valor simbólico. Entre os principais achados desta pesquisa, pode-se destacar que - ao contrário do suporte teórico - neste experimento, a promoção de preços quando aplicada em anúncios impressos, não gerou impacto estatiscamente significativo sobre a média geral do Consumer-based Brand Equity e tão pouco sobre suas dimensões separadamente. A principal contribuição gerencial desta pesquisa consiste na indicação de evidências de que as promoções de preços, enquanto estratégias de curto prazo, podem continuar sendo uma das mais utilizadas estratégias de promoção de vendas sem prejuízo ao valor da marca na percepção do consumidor. Sob o ponto de vista acadêmico, este trabalho contribui principalmente na validação da escala de Yoo e Donthu (2001) no contexto brasileiro e em pesquisas experimentais. Da mesma forma, esta pesquisa ajuda a validar a ainda pouco utilizada escala de Vázquez, Río e Iglésias (2002) indicando que esta escala de mensuração precisa de outros estudos mais robustos até adquirir a solidez necessária à sua ampla utilização. Também como uma das implicações acadêmicas desta pesquisa, destacam-se os indicativos que, em um contexto de pesquisa experimental, os achados de alguns autores como Yoo, Donthu e Lee (2000), Villarejo-Ramos e Sanchez-Franco (2005) e Buil, Chernatony e Martínez (2008, 2011) que identificaram a influência das promoções de preços sobre certas dimensões do Consumer-based Brand Equity merecem ser revistos. / Brands are present in consumers life and organizations. For individuals, brands are loaded with symbolism, representations and complex social positioning signs. As for businesses, brands become an extremely valuable asset, able to differentiate their offerings in a commoditized market and influence consumer behavior. In this scenario, the care with the brand in consumers' perception emerges almost as a condition for effective strategic marketing management in firms and also fertile ground for academic research. Among the care the company should have with brands on consumer perceptions, promotional strategies based on reducing prices deserve attention. This study evaluates the impact of price promotions (discounts and offers) exerts on the Consumer-based Brand Equity (CBBE). Through an experimental study of the between-subject type, a sample of 300 college students divided equally into six test units was stimulated through print ads, to evaluate the CBBE of two sneaker brands (Nike and Diadora) which had three different discount levels (none, low and high) on a reference price - in a 2x3 factorial design - in order to assess if the presence and intensity of price promotions, present on the announcement, influence the perceptions of respondents about brands. The survey also assessed simultaneously the behavior of two different measurement methodologies: (1) the methodology of Yoo and Donthu (2001), which measures cognitive and behavioral elements and (2) the methodology of Vázquez, Rio and Iglesias (2002) which measures the Consumer-based Brand Equity based on two dimensions of use of the mark: functional value and symbolic value. Among the key findings of this research, it can be noted that - unlike the theoretical support - in this experiment, the promotion price when applied in print ads did not generate statistically significant impact on the overall average of the Consumer-based Brand Equity and neither on its dimensions separately. The main managerial contribution of this research is the indication of evidence that price promotions, when used as shortterm strategies, may still be one of the most used strategies to promote sales without prejudice to the value of the brand in consumer's perception. From the academic point of view, this work contributes mainly in the scale validation of Yoo and Donthu (2001) in the Brazilian context and experimental research. Likewise, this research helps validate the still underused scale of Vázquez, Rio and Iglesias (2002) indicating that this scale of measurement needs other more robust studies to acquire the necessary strength to its extensive use. Also as one of the academic implications of this research highlight the indicative that in the context of experimental research, the findings of authors like Yoo, Donthu and Lee (2000), Villarejo-Ramos and Sanchez- Franco (2005) and Buil, Chernatony and Martínez (2008, 2011) who identified the influence of price promotions on certain dimensions of Consumer-based Brand Equity deserve to be reviewed.

abstract: This study explores domestic and international tourists' perceptions of nature-based tourism using the North-South conceptualization of nature and the setting up of national parks as a conceptual framework. In addition, using Urry's (1990) tourist gaze, the study assesses tourism promotions in Botswana from locals' and tourism marketers' points of view. Moreover, the study assesses locals' tourist gaze and compares it with the international tourist gaze. Qualitative methods were used to collect data, including in-depth interviews with local residents, international tourists, and tourism promoters such as government agencies and the private sector. Photo-elicitation interviews were also carried out to help identify the respondents' gaze. Six study sites, including the protected areas of Chobe National Park (CNP), Moremi Game Reserve (MGR), two cities of Gaborone and Francistown, and two urban villages of Palapye and Maun were selected for this study. Results indicate that the way people in the South conceptualize nature is different from the way international tourists do, and this has an impact on visitations to national parks. While for international tourists nature symbolizes recreation, rejuvenation, and an opportunity `to get away from it all', for locals it is seen as a part of everyday life. Furthermore, tourism promotions in the country are geared towards promoting Western tourists' gaze with the local market gaze being totally ignored by the sector. The local gaze is also different from the Western gaze. While for international tourists visiting Botswana the gaze is directed towards wildlife and wilderness, for locals, the gaze is directed towards more traditional destinations, such as farms, as well as more `modern' attractions and `touristic' attractions. However, it is the Western gaze that is taken into consideration by tourism promoters, thereby questioning the sustainability of an industry that disregards one group over another. The results also indicate that culture and historical events have an impact on visitations to protected areas. Policy implications are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Community Resources and Development 2014

This study consists of an investigation of the relationship between the values of the organization, the work-related values of managers, and the career advancement of female managers within the British Columbia Public Service. Organizational value priorities were determined through the categorization by Deputy Ministers of fifteen organizational values. Through statistical analysis, the study established: the extent to which the values of public service managers are shared with those of their organization; the relationship between career advancement and value congruency; the change in managers' values over time; and managers' perceptions of the influence of other factors on career advancement. Anecdotal data were treated non-statistically. The study concludes that there are few individual value differences between The British Columbia Public Service and its managers regardless of level or gender. Although no significant differences were observed between the composite values of the various management groups and the organization, correlations between the values of the two bodies diminish as one descends the organizational hierarchy. These findings suggest that values do have an influence on the achievement of senior administrative positions, and that women at all management levels have the value potential to reach these positions. However, since women's level of attainment of top positions is much lower than that of their male colleagues, it is suggested that other value-based factors, possibly including educational level, family responsibilities and organizational bias against women may be as influential on career advancement as the organizational and work-related values examined in the study. On the whole, managers' values were not found to change significantly over their years of experience with the organization, therefore the study concludes that hiring practices within the British Columbia Public Service are effective in identifying managerial employees who share the organization's values, although this may be an unconscious process. It is also concluded that male junior managers may feel that their careers will be particularly vulnerable to the effects of the career advancement of female managers, and that managers of both genders feel undervalued as employees and are struggling to balance work and family responsibilities, although the latter problem appears to affect women more than it affects men. / Graduate

As marcas estão presentes no cotidiano dos consumidores e das organizações. Para os indivíduos, as marcas são carregadas de simbolismos, representações e complexos signos de posicionamento social enquanto, para as empresas, as marcas se tornam um ativo extremamente valioso, capaz de diferenciar as suas ofertas em um mercado comoditizado e influenciar o comportamento do consumidor. Neste cenário, o cuidado com a marca na percepção dos consumidores surge quase como condição para uma eficaz gestão estratégica de marketing nas empresas e, também, terreno fértil para pesquisas acadêmicas. Entre os cuidados que a empresa deve ter com as marcas sobre as percepções do consumidor, as estratégias promocionais baseadas na redução de preços merecem atenção. O presente estudo verifica o impacto que a promoção de preços (descontos e ofertas) exerce sobre o Consumer-based Brand Equity (CBBE). Por meio de uma pesquisa experimental do tipo between-subject, uma amostra de 300 estudantes universitários divididos igualmente em seis unidades de teste, foi estimulada através de anúncios impressos, a avaliar o CBBE de duas marcas de tênis (Diadora e Nike) que apresentavam três diferentes níveis de desconto (nenhum, baixo e alto) sobre um preço de referência - em um design fatorial 2x3 - a fim de avaliar se a presença e a intensidade das promoções de preços, presentes no anúncio, influenciariam as percepções dos respondentes sobre as marcas. A pesquisa também avaliou simultaneamente o comportamento de duas metodologias de mensuração distintas: (1) a metodologia de Yoo e Donthu (2001) que mensura elementos cognitivos e comportamentais e (2) a metodologia de Vázquez, Río e Iglésias (2002) que mensura o Consumer-based Brand Equity com base em duas dimensões de utilidade da marca: valor funcional e valor simbólico. Entre os principais achados desta pesquisa, pode-se destacar que - ao contrário do suporte teórico - neste experimento, a promoção de preços quando aplicada em anúncios impressos, não gerou impacto estatiscamente significativo sobre a média geral do Consumer-based Brand Equity e tão pouco sobre suas dimensões separadamente. A principal contribuição gerencial desta pesquisa consiste na indicação de evidências de que as promoções de preços, enquanto estratégias de curto prazo, podem continuar sendo uma das mais utilizadas estratégias de promoção de vendas sem prejuízo ao valor da marca na percepção do consumidor. Sob o ponto de vista acadêmico, este trabalho contribui principalmente na validação da escala de Yoo e Donthu (2001) no contexto brasileiro e em pesquisas experimentais. Da mesma forma, esta pesquisa ajuda a validar a ainda pouco utilizada escala de Vázquez, Río e Iglésias (2002) indicando que esta escala de mensuração precisa de outros estudos mais robustos até adquirir a solidez necessária à sua ampla utilização. Também como uma das implicações acadêmicas desta pesquisa, destacam-se os indicativos que, em um contexto de pesquisa experimental, os achados de alguns autores como Yoo, Donthu e Lee (2000), Villarejo-Ramos e Sanchez-Franco (2005) e Buil, Chernatony e Martínez (2008, 2011) que identificaram a influência das promoções de preços sobre certas dimensões do Consumer-based Brand Equity merecem ser revistos. / Brands are present in consumers life and organizations. For individuals, brands are loaded with symbolism, representations and complex social positioning signs. As for businesses, brands become an extremely valuable asset, able to differentiate their offerings in a commoditized market and influence consumer behavior. In this scenario, the care with the brand in consumers' perception emerges almost as a condition for effective strategic marketing management in firms and also fertile ground for academic research. Among the care the company should have with brands on consumer perceptions, promotional strategies based on reducing prices deserve attention. This study evaluates the impact of price promotions (discounts and offers) exerts on the Consumer-based Brand Equity (CBBE). Through an experimental study of the between-subject type, a sample of 300 college students divided equally into six test units was stimulated through print ads, to evaluate the CBBE of two sneaker brands (Nike and Diadora) which had three different discount levels (none, low and high) on a reference price - in a 2x3 factorial design - in order to assess if the presence and intensity of price promotions, present on the announcement, influence the perceptions of respondents about brands. The survey also assessed simultaneously the behavior of two different measurement methodologies: (1) the methodology of Yoo and Donthu (2001), which measures cognitive and behavioral elements and (2) the methodology of Vázquez, Rio and Iglesias (2002) which measures the Consumer-based Brand Equity based on two dimensions of use of the mark: functional value and symbolic value. Among the key findings of this research, it can be noted that - unlike the theoretical support - in this experiment, the promotion price when applied in print ads did not generate statistically significant impact on the overall average of the Consumer-based Brand Equity and neither on its dimensions separately. The main managerial contribution of this research is the indication of evidence that price promotions, when used as shortterm strategies, may still be one of the most used strategies to promote sales without prejudice to the value of the brand in consumer's perception. From the academic point of view, this work contributes mainly in the scale validation of Yoo and Donthu (2001) in the Brazilian context and experimental research. Likewise, this research helps validate the still underused scale of Vázquez, Rio and Iglesias (2002) indicating that this scale of measurement needs other more robust studies to acquire the necessary strength to its extensive use. Also as one of the academic implications of this research highlight the indicative that in the context of experimental research, the findings of authors like Yoo, Donthu and Lee (2000), Villarejo-Ramos and Sanchez- Franco (2005) and Buil, Chernatony and Martínez (2008, 2011) who identified the influence of price promotions on certain dimensions of Consumer-based Brand Equity deserve to be reviewed.