This study sets out to validate that a Customer Relationship Management system is an enhancing factor in the sustainability of the short-term insurance broker’s business. This objective frolm the fact that very few brokers utilize a complete and integrated Customer Relationship System that could enable them to use the data and information they hold in an effective and sustainable manner. For this reason a primary objective was developed and from this secondary objectives supporting the key issues in Customer Relationship Management systems, sustainability, use ability, interphase, security and integration ability. An empirical study was conducted and a detailed representation of the facts and key issues to the problem statement was analysed. Various detailed analogies were created from which accurate and reliable deductions were derived. A sample population of bona-fide independent short-term brokers in the North-West province of South Africa were compiled by employing strict discriminatory criteria. A questionnaire was developed that tests the key aspects. The questionnaire used key demographic questions, while the component specific questions employed a Likert scale. A total of 75 questionnaires were distributed and 61 were received back that could be used for statistical analysis. Results from the research indicated that the factors contributing to Customer Relationship Management are cost and value enhancing. These factors signify sustainability and that a CRM system can deliver, user interphase, cloud computing, data security and system integration ability. The findings developed in a key conclusion shows that not only is Customer Relationship Management a key factor to sustainability, but it is an emerging factor of Customer Resource Management as well. A secondary finding is that most brokers have some sort of Customer Relationship Management system, but they do not know what they have and how to utilize it to the full. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Published Article / To assess and predict runoff and soil loss on different tillage methods coupled with alternative cropping systems in the central highland vertisols of Ethiopia, a study was carried out at Ginchi, Agricultural Research Sub-Center during 1996. The experiment was conducted on runoff plots of 4 meter wide by 22 meter long, on surface slopes that range between 0.1% and 2.3%. The data collected was analyzed using regression models and an empirical formula developed by the Soil Conservation Service of America (SCS, 1964; 1972), known as curve number (CN). Both the regression model and the SCS simulated the mean daily runoff reasonably well with R2 93% and 83%, respectively. The overall results obtained explain that the improved tillage practice, BBF could drain the excess surface water safely.

This study sets out to validate that a Customer Relationship Management system is an enhancing factor in the sustainability of the short-term insurance broker’s business. This objective frolm the fact that very few brokers utilize a complete and integrated Customer Relationship System that could enable them to use the data and information they hold in an effective and sustainable manner. For this reason a primary objective was developed and from this secondary objectives supporting the key issues in Customer Relationship Management systems, sustainability, use ability, interphase, security and integration ability. An empirical study was conducted and a detailed representation of the facts and key issues to the problem statement was analysed. Various detailed analogies were created from which accurate and reliable deductions were derived. A sample population of bona-fide independent short-term brokers in the North-West province of South Africa were compiled by employing strict discriminatory criteria. A questionnaire was developed that tests the key aspects. The questionnaire used key demographic questions, while the component specific questions employed a Likert scale. A total of 75 questionnaires were distributed and 61 were received back that could be used for statistical analysis. Results from the research indicated that the factors contributing to Customer Relationship Management are cost and value enhancing. These factors signify sustainability and that a CRM system can deliver, user interphase, cloud computing, data security and system integration ability. The findings developed in a key conclusion shows that not only is Customer Relationship Management a key factor to sustainability, but it is an emerging factor of Customer Resource Management as well. A secondary finding is that most brokers have some sort of Customer Relationship Management system, but they do not know what they have and how to utilize it to the full. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This study investigates the dynamic and challenging affluent market of the South African banking sector. An evolution in client demands has created a need for a more exclusive banking solution known as private banking. The research project takes place in the ABSA Private Bank Gauteng Division, the population of which are private bankers and financial planners involved in the actual client facing engagements. Through a questionnaire sampling 40 client facing staff, responses were gathered followed by deeper investigation into the objectives through interviews of both the direct reporting lines in each of the suites in the province, including the provincial executive.

Background: A low adherence is one of the reasons for the development of drug resistant Tuberculosis. One of the identified factors connected to adherence is the relations between health care personal and patient. Nurses all over the world daily work close to the patient supporting them to achieve a high adherence to their treatment plan. Still there is an underrepresentation in a scientific view of exploring and evaluating this preformed work. Aim: The aim of this study wad to explore how the Namibian nurses experienced adherence to treatment in patients diagnosed with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Method: A qualitative research technic was used to collect data. The interview questions were constructed in a semi-structure with partly opened questions. The data was analysed with Graneheim and Lundman (2004) analysis model. Result: Strategies that was used by the nurses to enable a high adherence was providing information, counselling and education to the patient together with a practical support of delegating DOTS and providing the patient with medicine. There was a divided opinion on how to communicate with the patient depending on the nurse fundamental view of adherence. A doctor centred view resulted in a one way communication by informing the patient. A patient centred view of adherence resulted in a two way communication when the nurse aimed to learn about the patient own point of views. Conclusion: To enable a high adherence there has to be a two way communication which demands high communicational skills from the nurse.

The rapid growth of e-commerce contributes to not only an increase in the number of online shoppers but also new changes in customer behaviour. Surveys have revealed that online shopper's brand loyalty and store loyalty are declining. Also the transparency of feedback affects customers' purchase intention. In the context of these changes, online sellers are faced with challenges in regard to their customer relationship managements (CRM). They are interested in identifying high-value customers from a mass of online shoppers, and knowing the factors that might have impacts on those high-value customers. This thesis aims to address these questions. Our research is conducted based on an eBay dataset that includes transaction and associated feedback information during the second quarter of 2013. Focusing on the sellers and buyers in that dataset, we propose an approach for measuring the value for each seller-buyer pair so as to help sellers capture high-value customers. For a seller, the value of each of its customers has been obtained, and we create a customer value distribution for the seller so that the seller knows the majority of its customers' consumption abilities. Next, we categorize sellers based on their customer value distributions into four different groups, representing the majority of customers as being of high, medium, low, and balanced values, respectively. After this classification, we compare the performance of each group in terms of the sales, percentage of successful transactions, and the seller level labelled by the eBay system. Furthermore, we perform logistic regression and clustering to the sellers' feedback data in order to investigate whether a seller's reputation has an impact on the seller's customer value distribution. From the experiment results, we conclude that the effect of negative ratings is more significant than that of positive ratings on a seller's customer value distribution. Also higher ratings about "Item as Described" and "Shipping and Handling Charges" are more likely to help the seller attract more high-value buyers. / Graduate

Background: Attachment theory represents a developmental framework which proposes that early relationships with primary caregivers have an enduring effect on interpersonal relationships, affect regulation and psychological functioning throughout the lifespan. It has been suggested that this occurs via the influence of internal representations regarding the self, others and relationships, which form the basis of an attachment style in adulthood. Attachment has been conceptualised as a constructive theoretical basis from which to consider psychological mechanisms underlying the emotional distress, interpersonal problems and difficulties in affect regulation commonly associated with psychosis. Aims: A systematic literature review was conducted investigating the current research findings regarding adult attachment style in psychosis and clinical correlates of this. An empirical study used a cross sectional design to investigate the role of adult attachment style in emotional recovery in psychosis. It was hypothesised that attachment insecurity would be associated with higher levels of depression and symptom related distress. Interpersonal problems and emotion regulation were also investigated and it was predicted that these variables would mediate the relationship between attachment insecurity and increased emotional distress. Method: Individuals with psychosis (n=70) completed self report measures of adult attachment style, interpersonal problems and emotion regulation. Clinician rated measures of depression and symptom related distress were also completed. Results: The literature review revealed that adult attachment style is of relevance in psychosis as consistent findings of greater attachment insecurity in psychosis compared with non clinical populations have been reported. Adult attachment insecurity has been associated with a number of clinical outcomes in exploratory research. The empirical study found support for hypothesised associations between attachment insecurity and greater emotional distress. Predicted relationships were also supported between attachment insecurity and higher rates of interpersonal problems and more use of expressive suppression as an emotion regulation strategy. Interpersonal problems significantly mediated the relationship between attachment insecurity and emotional distress. The hypothesised mediating role of emotion regulation was not supported. Conclusions: Findings of the empirical study suggest that insecurity in adult attachment style is an important variable in understanding emotional distress in individuals with psychosis and that difficulties in interpersonal functioning, as a mediating factor in this relationship, may represent a useful focus in clinical work.

Background: A history of complex trauma alters basic self-structure, attachment system and core areas of interpersonal functioning and relationships. There is increasing recognition of the high proportions of complex trauma histories within substance misusers and limited research into the sequelae of complex trauma, particularly in relation to comorbid complex trauma and substance misuse. There is a distinct lack of adequate theory and guidelines for treatment. Research Aim: to explore psychologist’s experiences of and perspectives about their work with substance misusers with a history of complex trauma. Complex trauma is a term used to describe experience’s which arise from severe, prolonged and repeated trauma which is often interpersonal in nature. Courtois & Ford (2009) have defined complex trauma as “involving stressors that: are repetitive or prolonged, involve direct harm and/or neglect and abandonment by ostensibly responsible adults, occur at developmentally vulnerable times in the victim’s life, such as early childhood, have great potential to compromise severely a child’s development.” (p1). The prototype trauma that was first described under the term complex trauma was child abuse and neglect. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven clinical and counselling substance misuse psychologists working across four health boards in Central Scotland. The data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results: Six main superordinate themes emerged from the data: 1. Challenges in negotiating therapeutic relationship; 2. Balancing relational forces; 3. Walking the tightrope of comorbidity; 4. Conceptual dearth (surrounding complex trauma); 5. Emotional impact of Work, and, 6. Core role of therapeutic relationship (in treatment and recovery). Discussion: Participants accounts suggest there are many risks to balance as well as paradoxes inherent in this type of work. The nature of a history of complex trauma means that often clients have difficulties with attachment and relational aspects in their lives, which in turn affect their engagement in the therapeutic relationship. The findings of this study suggest that it is precisely because relationships seem so threatening and challenging for these clients, that the therapeutic relationship appears to form such a vital role in the therapeutic treatment and recovery process for these client.

The aspect of relationships has been underlined to be of substantial significant within B2B contexts, particularly within consultancy, all alongside the importance of trust within the clientsupplier interaction. An element that has been claimed to derive directly from the client-supplier experience and voiced to be of key in order to reach success. It has been stated that the behaviour of consultants can be generalized to the corporate brand, individual demeanours and actions declared to be of essential influence of affecting customer perception of the company and its brand. It has been remarked that, “employees are the public face of the organization, and their performance affects customers' interpretation of the brand”. Public procurement has been described as a process for the purchase of goods and services made by the public sector, procurements regulated by LOU, i.e. special laws and regulations. All member states of the European Union are subjective to procurement directives, injunctions regulating each procurement. In service marketing, traditionally, clients have relied on long-term relationships or been guided by recommendations from external parties when selecting supplier. Public procurement regulations have enclosed such use of informal selection bases, whereas instead requirements for supplier are obliged to be based on objective criteria and non-personal sources. The restriction of non personal-relationships between client and supplier derived the problem question of potential consequences the regulation might bear. Thereupon, the purpose of this study was to examine the corporate brand image of a knowledge- intensive service firm operating within the public sector. The empirical findings for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews with 5 Swedish customers of Ecenea Väst, a consultancy firm operating within the public sector. The role of the theory were of abductive view, were theory was developed, refined and adjusted throughout the process. The findings of the interviews where analysed using a content analysis approach. The empirical investigation of this study confirms previous studies arguing for the importance of relationship and trust within service marketing, particularly consultancy. It also concluded that it is the behavior of the consultants that influence the client's perception of the company’s image and brand.

The objective of this study is to investigate the concept of trustworthiness and then examine its effect within the venue of the hotel sector. Given trustworthiness accepted importance to relationship marketing, there appears to be a failure to develop a coherent framework to indicate trustworthiness. This is a gap that this thesis addresses and by doing so, it will extend the body of knowledge by contributing to our understanding of the construct and its determinants. The main hypothesis in this thesis is identifying the determinants of trustworthiness with an outcome as part of a causal model. Within the proposed model, the determinants; consistency, competence, integrity, benevolence, value alignment and communication are assumed to have a positive impact on trustworthiness. In turn, trustworthiness has a positive impact on both attitudinal loyalty and behavioural loyalty, the two types of loyalty are proposed as the model outcome, whereas the previous six determinants are proposed as antecedents of trustworthiness. In order to test the proposed hypotheses, a new measurement scale was developed in order to evaluate trustworthiness with its determinants and outcome, the model was tested within the hotel sector in Jordan where over 526 respondents took part in the main survey collection, 60 respondents participated in the pilot study along with 11 interviewees. The results from the empirical study revealed that the hypothesised model is valid and significant, in which all the antecedents of trustworthiness had a significant loading as well as the model corollaries. These loadings vary in its significance and strength; this created a clearer picture on the expected impact of each of these determinants once the model being applied within service organisations.