O marketing de relacionamento contribui para a sobrevivência das empresas e para o sucesso dos negócios. Sua meta é desenvolver relacionamentos profundos, duradouros e mutuamente satisfatórios entre fornecedores e clientes. O marketing de relacionamento está associado a uma perspectiva estratégica, de posicionamento da empresa e da necessidade de a empresa se relacionar com outras organizações. Neste estudo são pesquisadas as trocas relacionais que ocorrem entre o distribuidor e o varejista, isto é, entre aquele que oferece vários produtos e serviços e aquele que vende esses produtos e serviços para o consumidor final. O assunto deste estudo trata do relacionamento entre a farmácia e a drogaria, situadas na Grande São Paulo, e o seu distribuidor principal de remédios. Comprometimento e confiança são conceitos importantes neste relacionamento, além de exercerem uma posição mediadora em um conjunto de variáveis existentes no relacionamento. Foi aplicado o modelo da teoria do comprometimento-confiança do marketing de relacionamento (Key mediating variable) de Morgan e Hunt (1994), com a inclusão do constructo poder. Inicialmente, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa, que contribuiu para um maior conhecimento do contexto farmacêutico e uma segunda pesquisa qualitativa para a avaliação dos constructos e seus indicadores. Em seguida foi realizada uma pesquisa quantitativa, que consistiu de entrevistas pessoais com os responsáveis pelas compras de medicamentos das farmácias e drogarias, para a obtenção de dados com o fim de se aplicar o modelo teórico no contexto farmacêutico. A principal técnica estatística utilizada foi a modelagem de equações estruturais com o software SmartPLS. Os resultados indicam que o constructo poder pode fazer parte do modelo, além de confirmarem que confiança e comprometimento são conceitos mediadores do relacionamento. Entre várias descobertas interessantes, foram constatadas: a necessidade de maior comunicação e cooperação entre as partes envolvidas; a relação inversa entre grau de comprometimento e propensão para deixar o relacionamento; a relação direta entre confiança e cooperação e entre confiança e comprometimento entre as partes envolvidas. O modelo utilizado deve ser testado em pesquisas futuras com um maior enriquecimento dos constructos utilizados, tanto no contexto farmacêutico em outras localidades, como em outros setores de atividade em que seja pertinente a análise das ações do marketing de relacionamento. Os profissionais de marketing podem avaliar o relacionamento com seus parceiros de negócios com a aplicação do modelo estudado e identificar orientações estratégicas para o fortalecimento deste relacionamento. / The relationship marketing contributes for the survival of companies and for the business success. Its goal is to develop deep, lasting and mutually satisfactory relationships between suppliers and customers. The relationship marketing is associated with a strategic perspective, with the company positioning and with the necessity of relationship of the company with the others organizations. In this study relational exchanges between the distributor and retailer are investigated, that is, between who offers various products and services and who sells these products and services to the final consumers. The subject of this study deals with the relationship between the pharmacy and drugstore, located in the Great São Paulo, and their main distributor of medicines. Commitment and trust are important concepts in this relationship, and play a mediator position within a set of existing variables in the relationship. The model of the commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing (Key mediating variable) of Morgan and Hunt (1994) was applied, with the inclusion of the construct power. Initially it was carried out a qualitative research, which contributed to a greater knowledge of the pharmaceutical context and a second qualitative research to assess the constructs and their indicators. Next, it was carried out a quantitative research, which consisted of personal interviews with those responsible for purchasing the medicines to the pharmacies and drugstores, to obtain data in order to apply the theoretical model in the pharmaceutical context. The main statistical technique used was structural equation modeling with the software SmartPLS. The results indicate that the construct power can be part of the model, and confirm that trust and commitment are mediators constructs of the relationship. Among several interesting findings were noted: the need for greater communication and cooperation between the parties, the inverse relation between the degree of commitment and the propensity to leave the relationship, the relation between trust and cooperation and between trust and commitment between the involved parties. The model should be tested in future research with a greater enrichment of the constructs used, both in the pharmaceutical context in other localities, as in other sectors of activity that is relevant to the analysis of relationship marketing actions. Marketing professionals can assess the relationship with theirs business partners with the application of the studied model and identify strategic guidelines for the strengthening of this relationship.

Encontramos no Brasil uma precisa descrição etnográfica do significado experiencial em possuir uma motocicleta Harley-Davidson em que os consumidores tendem a emular e apreciar a imagem rebelde ao se relacionar com a motocicleta e a marca. As comunidades da referida marca amplificam essa sensação por meio da sociabilidade entre seus membros, que compartilham similares valores, atitudes e comportamentos inerentes ao significado da marca, e em muitos casos, essa forma de organização social e o comportamento são apresentados como diferentes ou opostos à organização social e comportamentos do cotidiano desses mesmos indivíduos. O presente trabalho propõe um framework teórico que confirma a hierarquia dos constructos da marca Harley-Davidson a partir do constructo \"Entusiasta\" pela marca Harley-Davidson, para logo em seguida ao constructo \"Orgulhoso\" para finalmente concluir com o constructo \"Evangélico\" (mediada pelo constructo \"Prazer Tribal\") da marca Harley-Davidson com a moderação negativa do \"Nível Educacional\" dos respondentes. Foram encontrados claros indícios que corroboram com a tese de que existem significantes quantidades de proprietários das motocicletas Harley-Davidson com tendências de serem consumidores evangélicos da marca, apesar de relevantes reservas quanto a atendimento e serviço em pós-venda, qualidade e modernidade do produto, desempenho e o preço de peças. No entanto, todos esses fatores são esquecidos quando avaliamos a relação com a marca, lealdade e, principalmente, quando aferimos que os índices dos atributos comportamentais da marca avaliados pelos indivíduos são sempre significantemente superiores quando comparados aos mesmos índices comportamentais em relação a eles próprios. O presente estudo sugere que possuir uma motocicleta Harley-Davidson, para muitos brasileiros, é uma espécie de \"rito de passagem\" para um mundo onde sua opinião e afirmação podem ser validades pela simples aquisição da marca. / We find in Brazil a precise ethnographic description of the experiential meaning of owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in which consumers tend to emulate and appreciate the rebellious image when relating to the motorcycle and the brand. Harley-Davidson brand communities amplify this feeling through sociability among their members, who share similar values, attitudes, and behaviors inherent in the meaning of the brand, and in many cases, this form of social organization and behavior are presented as radically different or opposites to the social organization and behaviors of the daily life of these same individuals. Our work proposes a theoretical framework that confirms the hierarchy of the Harley-Davidson brand constructs from the \"Enthusiast\" by the Harley-Davidson brand, soon after to the construct \"Proud\" to finally conclude with the \"Evangelical\" construct (mediated through the construct \"Tribal Pleasure\") with the negative moderation of the \"Educational Level\" of the respondents. We find clear evidence corroborating with the thesis that there are significant amounts of individuals owning Harley-Davidson motorcycles with acute tendencies to be evangelical consumers of the brand, despite significant reservations about after-sales service, quality and modernity of the product, performance and the price of parts. However, all these factors are neglected when assessing the relationship with the brand, loyalty and especially when we realize that the indices of the behavioral attributes of the brand evaluated by individuals are always significantly higher when compared to the same behavioral indices in relation to themselves. In other words, the study suggests that owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle for many Brazilians is a kind of \"rite of passage\" for a world where your opinion and assertion may be valid by simply purchasing the brand.

O marketing relacional tem se apresentado como uma alternativa muito promissora para empresas de diversos setores, pois desenvolve chances maiores de fidelização de clientes e promove a competitividade das organizações envolvidas. Apesar dessas vantagens, a maioria dos estudos encontrados sobre o tema, principalmente no setor do agronegócio e para mercados B2B, não se aprofundou na parte operacional de um relacionamento: as práticas e atividades. Com o intuito de explorar essa lacuna na literatura, o trabalho teve como objetivo identificar as práticas mais utilizadas pelos fornecedores e mais valorizadas pelos distribuidores de defensivos agrícolas em seus relacionamentos. Foi realizada uma pesquisa quantitativa por meio da aplicação de questionários com canais de distribuição de defensivos agrícolas. Esses questionários continham diversas práticas de relacionamento identificadas na literatura, variáveis de satisfação e caracterização das revendas. As práticas mais utilizadas e mais bem avaliadas são provenientes dos fatores comunicação, especificação dos papéis e motivação dos funcionários; por outro lado, as que apresentaram baixas taxas de utilização e de valorização foram a de laços, monitoramento e planejamento. A satisfação com os relacionamentos na amostra é afetada positivamente pelos fatores alinhamento, comunicação, especificação dos papéis e monitoramento. Também foram encontradas outras correlações com a satisfação e o tempo de duração do relacionamento. Concluiu-se que os relacionamentos nesse setor ainda são muito focados e concentrados nas vendas, mediante práticas e programas que estimulam resultados de vendas para os agricultores. Basicamente, dois grupos de práticas foram identificados: um em que as práticas são bastante usadas e valorizadas e, trazem satisfação; e as que não são tão usadas e valorizadas, porém aumentam o grau de fidelidade dos distribuidores e são fontes de poder e controle do fabricante. / Relational marketing has emerged as a very interesting alternative for companies from various industries because as it is more likely to develop customer loyalty and promote the competitiveness of the organizations involved. Nevertheless, most studies found on the subject, particularly in agribusiness and the B2B markets have not deepened on the operationalization of relationships: activities and practices. In order to exploit this gap in the literature, the study aimed to identify practices most used by suppliers and more valued by distributors of agrichemicals in their relationships. A quantitative survey was conducted through questionnaires with distribution channels for crop protection. These questionnaires contained several relationship practices identified in the literature, satisfaction variables and characterization of dealers. The most used and best evaluated practices were from the factors communication, role specifications and motivation of employees, on the other hand the ones with low utilization rates and poorest evaluations were the bonds, monitoring and planning. Satisfaction with relationships in the sample is positively affected by the factors alignment, communication, role specification and monitoring. Other correlations with the satisfaction and the time duration of the relationship were also found. It was concluded that relationships in this sector are still very focused and concentrated on sales, through practices and programs that stimulate sales results for farmers. Basically, two groups of practices were identified: one in which the practices are quite used and valued, and bring satisfaction; and those who are not as used and valued, but increases the degree of loyalty of distributors and are sources of power and control to the manufacturers.

Submitted by Anelise Machado de Araujo (anelisemaraujo@gmail.com) on 2013-12-11T21:26:07Z No. of bitstreams: 1 EBAPE_FGV - Dissertação - Anelise Machado de Araujo (dez de 2013).pdf: 1885339 bytes, checksum: af2c9a9dbc2822dffd05859566772fc7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2013-12-17T11:29:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 EBAPE_FGV - Dissertação - Anelise Machado de Araujo (dez de 2013).pdf: 1885339 bytes, checksum: af2c9a9dbc2822dffd05859566772fc7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2013-12-19T16:35:54Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 EBAPE_FGV - Dissertação - Anelise Machado de Araujo (dez de 2013).pdf: 1885339 bytes, checksum: af2c9a9dbc2822dffd05859566772fc7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-12-19T16:36:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 EBAPE_FGV - Dissertação - Anelise Machado de Araujo (dez de 2013).pdf: 1885339 bytes, checksum: af2c9a9dbc2822dffd05859566772fc7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-11-18 / Esta dissertação analisar gestão de marketing no agronegócio, especificamente no contexto da Associação dos Produtores de Soja e Milho do Estado de Mato Grosso (Aprosoja/MT); trata-se de uma iniciativa que pode ser considerada um novo perfil de liderança no sistema cooperativista. O problema de pesquisa é identificar quais são os fundamentos da gestão de marketing da Aprosoja/MT. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo de caso único, com finalidade exploratória e enfoque qualitativo. Durante a coleta de dados, além da análise documental, foram realizadas vinte entrevistas pessoais, primeiramente utilizando o método da teoria fundamentada, para posterior elaboração de um roteiro semiestruturado. Os relatos das entrevistas e o estudo de caso foram interpretados tomando por base o referencial teórico proporcionado por autores como Kotler, Levy, Vargo, Lusch, Zylbersztajn, Bialoskorski e Tejon, dentre outros estudiosos das áreas da lógica dominante de serviços (LDS), do marketing de relacionamento e do marketing do agronegócio. Os resultados da pesquisa indicam que a Aprosoja/MT tem uma visão e entendimento bastante avançados sobre os conceitos mais modernos do campo do marketing, não se restringindo ao marketing tático. Dessa forma, pode-se concluir que a Aprosoja/MT opera no nível estratégico do marketing, com forte orientação para o marketing de relacionamento. É possível afirmar que a gestão de marketing da Aprosoja/MT está fundamentada no relacionamento com seus stakeholders, em função do modelo da LDS. / This dissertation analyzes marketing management in agribusiness, specifically in the context of the Soybean and Corn Growers Association of the State of Mato Grosso (APROSOJA/MT); this is an initiative that may be regarded as a new leadership profile in the cooperative system. The research problem is identifying which are the fundamentals of marketing management in APROSOJA/MT. For this, a single case study was conducted, having an exploratory purpose and a qualitative focus. During data collection, besides documentary analysis, twenty personal interviews were conducted, first using the grounded theory method, for subsequent preparation of a semi-structured script. Reports from the interviews and the case study were interpreted according to the theoretical framework provided by authors such as Kotler, Levy, Vargo, Lusch, Zylbersztajn, Bialoskorski, and Tejon, among other scholars from areas such as service-dominant logic (SDL), relationship marketing, and agribusiness marketing. The survey results indicate that APROSOJA/MT has a very advanced view and understanding of the most modern concepts of the marketing field, not restricted to tactic marketing. Thus, we may conclude that APROSOJA/MT operates at the strategic marketing level, with a strong orientation towards relationship marketing. It may be claimed that the marketing management of APROSOJA/MT is grounded on the relationship with its stakeholders, due to the SDL model.

The relationship marketing is re-emerged with a potential for a new view of marketing. In a great part of business areas this approach has been researched, but in the sporting business there is a lack in which refers to this marketing paradigm. Because of this, it was decided by the research in soccer modality, for being this the biggest expression in the sporting business of Brazil, whose sporting spectacle nowadays is just possible in the intersection of relationship among clubs, administration entities, cheers, media, and investors, an imaginary organization here denominated of production nucleus of soccer product . And, knowing of the importance of the trust and the commitment as builders of relationship marketing, the aim of the work it was to know the factors who determine the commitment in the relationships between the agents of the soccer production nucleus. The research was in the kind of quali-quantitative, with an exploratory delineation. The data from the study were found in the relations established by the agents of the nucleus, by the occasion of the accomplishment of the Gaúcho Championship of Soccer. The sample selection was non probabilistic, in an intentional way, by convenience. Twenty two people took part of the sample, being: seven connected to the clubs, two to the Soccer Administration Entity, five to the Clubs Organized Cheers, five to the Sporting Media, and three to the investors. The data collection was done by semi-structured interview. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The information were submitted to a contend analysis. In a first moment, they were done thematic pruning to compound the register unities and, later, these unities were disposed in categories and sub-categories. After the presentation and discussion of the results, it is concluded that the determined factors of the trust and commitment are objectives and functional in the case of the relationship between the Club and the Gaúcha Soccer Federation, Sporting Media and Investors. In these relationships, because of the factors nature, it can infer that the limits among the organizations are clearer and fixed, what would be justifying this kind of interaction. And, when it is mentioned about the relationship between the Club and the Cheers and between the Club and the Adversaries, the factors are linked to subjective and affective questions, on the development of future projects. In this case, the limits between the organizations and agents are more obscure, so they interpenetrate the subjectivity of parts, making with there is more complicity in the interactions. / O marketing de relacionamento está re-emergido com potencial para uma nova visão de marketing. Em grande parte das áreas de negócios essa abordagem já vem sendo pesquisada, mas na área dos negócios esportivos existe uma lacuna no que se refere a este paradigma de marketing. Diante disso, optou-se pela pesquisa na modalidade de futebol, por ser esta a maior expressão dos negócios esportivos do Brasil, cujo espetáculo esportivo atualmente somente é possível na intersecção de relacionamentos entre clubes, entidades de administração, torcedores, veículos de comunicação e investidores, uma organização imaginária aqui denominada de núcleo de produção do produto futebol . E, sabendo da importância da confiança e do comprometimento como constructos do marketing de relacionamento, o objetivo do trabalho foi conhecer os fatores que determinam confiança e comprometimento nos relacionamentos entre os agentes do núcleo de produção do futebol. A pesquisa foi do tipo quali-quantitativo, com delineamento exploratório. Os dados do estudo foram encontrados nas relações estabelecidas pelos agentes do núcleo, por ocasião da realização do Campeonato Gaúcho de Futebol. A seleção da amostra foi nãoprobabilística, de modo intencional, por conveniência. Participaram da amostra 22 pessoas, sendo: 7 ligadas aos clubes; 2 à Entidade de Administração do Futebol; 5 às Torcidas Organizadas dos Clubes; 5 à Mídia Esportiva e 3 aos investidores. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de entrevista semi-estruturada. As entrevistas foram gravadas e transcritas. As informações foram submetidas à análise de conteúdo. Num primeiro momento, foram feitos recortes temáticos para compor as unidades de registro e, posteriormente, estas unidades foram alocadas em categorias e sub-categorias. Após a apresentação e discussão dos resultados, concluiu-se que os fatores determinantes da confiança e comprometimento são objetivos e funcionais no caso dos relacionamentos entre o Clube e Federação Gaúcha de Futebol, Mídia Esportiva e Investidores. Nesses relacionamentos, em função da natureza dos fatores, pode-se inferir que os limites entre as organizações são mais claros e fixos, o que estaria justificando este tipo de interação. Já, quando se trata do relacionamento entre o Clube e Torcedores e entre o Clube e os Clubes Adversários, os fatores estão vinculados a questões subjetivas e afetivas, em torno do desenvolvimento de projetos futuros. Nesse caso, os limites entre as organizações e agentes são mais obscuros, pois interpenetram a subjetividade de ambos, fazendo com que exista maior cumplicidade nas interações.

In the present study, relationship marketing actions have been approached from the symbiosis of the models described by Vavra (1993) and Souza (1997) in two groups of small retail sale companies together in a cooperation net. The nets 'Construmais' and 'Mania Sul", which work as a construction material store and a supermarket store, respectively, have been studied. These nets are composed of several small enterprises located in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul state and, have been created through a partnership between UFSM (Federal University of Santa Maria) and SEDAI/RS. It is named Program of Cooperation Nets. The study method was a multicase one, which made possible to analyse the above mentioned nets without worrying about comparing them. The research has been shared by the owners, the internal clients and the external clients. For the owners, a specific questionnaire answered by all owners has been used. Thew added up to 18 ones for 'Construmais' and 8 ones for 'Mania Sul'. For the internal and external clients two types of questionnaires have been used. They were structured in accordance with the scale 'Likert' and it used as a sample 71 and 84 internal clients and 393 and 383 external clients for 'Construmais' and for 'Mania Sul', respectively. This sample indication has been done considering an infinite population with a sample mistake of 3% counted by the 'Statistical Analysis System'. The results point out the increasing of sales in all stores of both nets, having as positive factors: better store windows, reduction of prices, the use of standardized uniforms of their employees and a better and faster service. Thus, it can be concluded that the model of cooperation nets is a favourable method for the small and medium businessmen who are able to become more competitive locally through actions of marketing on a collective and structured relationship, through the scale economy used in this sort of organizational group as it has been seen in these studied nets / No presente estudo foram abordadas as ações de marketing de relacionamento, a partir da simbiose dos modelos descritos por Vavra (1993) e Souza (1997) em dois conglomerados varejistas de pequenas empresas, configurados em redes de cooperação. Estudaram-se as redes Construmais e Mania Sul que atuam, respectivamente, na comercialização de materiais de construção e supermercadista. Essas Redes são compostas por diversas pequenas empresas localizadas na Região Central do território Gaúcho e que foram constituídas, a partir da parceria, UFSM e a SEDAI/RS, denominado Programa Redes de Cooperação. O método de estudo foi o multicaso que possibilitou analisar as redes supramencionadas sem se ter a preocupação de compará-las. A pesquisa foi segmentada entre os proprietários, os clientes internos e os clientes externos. Para os proprietários foi utilizado um questionário específico em que todos os proprietários responderam, totalizando 18 e 8, respectivamente das Construmais e Mania Sul. Para os clientes internos e externos foram utilizados dois tipos de questionários estruturados na forma de escala Likert, tendo-se como amostra: 71 e 84 clientes internos, e 393 e 383 clientes externos, justamente das redes Construmais e Mania Sul. Essa amostragem foi feita considerando-se uma população infinita com um erro amostral de 3%, tabulados através do Statistical Analysis System. Os resultados apontaram para o crescimento das vendas em todas as lojas das duas redes, tendo sido destacado como fatores positivos: a melhoria das fachadas, a redução dos preços dos produtos, uniformização padronizada dos funcionários e a melhoria na presteza no atendimento. Desta forma, pôde-se concluir o modelo de redes de cooperação é uma metodologia favorável aos pequenos e médios empresários que podem melhorar a competitividade local, através de ações de marketing de relacionamento conjunto e estruturado, pela economia de escala exercitada neste tipo de conglomerado organizacional, como foi constatado nas redes estudadas

This study is conducted in Swedish. The way companies are working with marketing is constantly changing. The digital development is affecting the whole society and has enabled new ways of marketing. That makes it important to keep it up in a constantly changing world. A lot of focus is on developing and maintaining relationships. This qualitative case study aims to examine the subject relationship marketing and its meaning for companies in the event business. The focus is to find out how the marketing of relationships can be used through digital channels. The result is based on a case study of the event agency Xtended Business & Event. The purpose of this study is to examine the meaning of relationship marketing for the chosen company and to find out how they can use it as a strategy through their digital channels.Semi-structured interviews has been made to collect information from ten respondents where four of them works at the company we are studying, one is an existing client and five are potential customers. The study is built on the collection of theory from the subjects of relationship marketing and digital marketing and has together with the empiricism been put together in an analysis. The study shows that the company needs time and knowledge on how to develop and implement a relationship marketing strategy. / Sättet som företag arbetar med marknadsföring är under ständig förändring och den digitala utvecklingen påverkar hela samhället, vilket har gett upphov till nya tillvägagångssätt inom marknadsföring. I en ständigt föränderlig värld är det viktigt att följa med i utvecklingen och företag lägger idag stort fokus på uppkomsten och vårdandet av relationer.Den här kvalitativa fallstudien avser att undersöka ämnet relationsmarknadsföring och dess betydelse för företag inom eventbranchen. Fokus riktas till att ta reda på hur marknadsföring av relationer kan användas via digitala kanaler. Resultatet baseras sedan på en fallstudie av eventbyrån Xtended Business & Event. Studien undersöker relationsmarknadsföringensfördelar för fallföretaget samt att djupgående ta reda på hur företaget kan använda sig av relationsmarknadsföring via digitala kanaler. Semi-strukturerade intervjuer har använts som tillvägagångssätt för att samla in data från tio respondenter varav fyra arbetar på fallföretaget, en är en befintlig kund samt fem stycken externa aktörer som kan ses som potentiella kunder. Studien bygger på insamling av teori inom områdena relationsmarknadsföring och digital marknadsföring och har sedan tillsammans med det empiriska materialet från intervjuerna kopplats samman i en diskussion. Studien visar att fallföretaget behöver kännedom om sina kunder, bygga en kunddatabas, utveckla ett kundorienterat servicesystem och avsätta tid för att utveckla och implementera relationsmarknadsföring utifrån Grönroos modell. Studien visar även att fallföretaget kan få fördelar av att använda sig av relationsmarknadsföring via digitala kanaler, exempelvis en mer personaliserad bild av företaget, ökad tillit och förtroende från kunderna.

A university’s alumnus grouping is one of its most valuable assets in terms of its potential financial, strategic and social contribution towards the credibility and longevity of the institution. The goodwill and support of a primary stakeholder grouping such as the alumni is crucial to the aspirations of a Higher Education institution wanting to prosper in a fast-changing and highly competitive market. Alumni members have the capacity to assist in strategically positioning a tertiary institution as a market leader in the South African Higher Education Sector (SAHES) by means of representation on the institutional council and their involvement in networking, lifelong learning, career services, mentoring, fundraising and community development activities. In light of the restructuring and transformation that this sector has undergone since 1994, building and maintaining valuable relationships with alumni stakeholders of tertiary institutions in South Africa has become a new and more difficult challenge. The integrated network approach of relationship management could give an institution the opportunity to create a win-win situation for all stakeholders involved. Information technology has had a significant impact on the power structure and relationship between organisations and their publics, stakeholders and the media. It has become extremely difficult for organisations to define and segment these audiences as, for example, Internet audiences are widely spread across geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries. This makes the packaging and dissemination of information a much more challenging task, as information needs to be generic enough to be commonly understood, but should also be personalised in such a way that it still addresses the different audience segmentations effectively. However, the identification and profiling of target audiences is critical for successful information dissemination, as this knowledge will guide the information managers within organisations in compiling relevant (to the target audiences) content and packaging the information in a way that is most suitable to the needs and resources of the targeted group. At the core of developing an alumni network is a secure database with an interactive Web-based platform allowing the alumni management teams and members to disseminate and share relevant information freely. According to a research project (the first phase of a longitudinal study) about disseminating information to UJ alumni, 98,2% of the respondents indicated that they wanted to have contact with the UJ Alumni Relations Office (Barnard, Rensleigh & Niemann, 2005). The majority of respondents, 86,7%, indicated that they preferred to receive the information via electronic mail or from the website. The research findings indicated that the UJ alumni stakeholder group is part of a privileged section of the South African population in the global and national digital divide. Thus, the alumni management of UJ had the opportunity to explore and use the information-sharing options offered by online and digital technologies. This research project forms the second phase of the ongoing research project in an attempt to discard the “one-size-fits-all” notion with regard to information sharing with the alumni stakeholders of tertiary institutions in South Africa. The aim of this research project is to determine the extent to which an online community portal could manage the information needs of alumni stakeholders in the SAHES, using the alumni of the University of Johannesburg as a case study. Establishing an online (virtual) community Web portal for UJ alumni will support a customised approach in terms of information content, dissemination, context and commerce. An online community environment will offer alumni opportunities to re-establish contact with peers and nurture relationships with one another through frequent social interaction (chat). Such a facility would allow and encourage conversations that are of value to all stakeholders, as these communities can exist beyond the boundaries of location and time. They foster not only the potential to promote business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C), but also consumer-to-consumer (C2C) interaction and could even exploit the possibilities of human-resource placements. The research consisted of an extensive literature review followed by a quantitative empirical survey and a qualitative discussion forum. The purpose of the literature review was to establish a theoretical framework in order to lay a solid foundation from which the empirical research was conducted. The different components of the research problem were discussed as well as possible variables that could influence the research problem. The restructuring of the South African Higher Education Sector was investigated, with specific focus on the University of Johannesburg and its alumni stakeholder group, taking an in-depth look into the value that an alumni stakeholder group holds for an institution. The management of alumni information needs was discussed, using Web-technology as focal point. Online community portals were defined, emphasising the benefits that this information tool could have for Higher Education alumni. As part of the quantitative study, an empirical survey was conducted in April 2006 among the alumni of the University of Johannesburg to determine their information needs concerning an online community portal, and the content required of such an online community model. A total number of 10 380 questionnaires was distributed to graduates of the University of Johannesburg at the Autumn Graduation ceremonies. The questionnaire consisted of four sections, namely Section A: Biographical Information, Section B: Online Activities, Section C: Alumni Information Services and Section D: Alumni Community Needs. In total, 1 703 questionnaires were completed and returned by these graduates to the UJ Alumni Relations Office. In addition, a qualitative discussion forum was conducted among 35 alumni management representatives from fourteen SAHES institutions during August 2006. The representatives indicated how information was disseminated electronically to alumni target audiences and their opinions towards alumni online community portals were tested. The research results indicated that an online community portal, could manage, to a great extent, the information needs of alumni in the South African Higher Education Sector (UJ alumni case study). Consequently, a prototype was proposed for an online community portal for SAHES alumni that would have a significant impact on the information and communication methods used to build alumni networks, for the benefit of both the alumni stakeholders and the Higher Education institutions in South Africa. Although the alumni of the University of Johannesburg served as a case study for this research project, the proposed prototype could be tailored to the needs of other alumni organisations throughout the South African Higher Education Sector. In terms of inter-institutional collaboration, this research project offers an opportunity to liaise and share information with other alumni organisations of the SAHES. This could result in successfully identifying a best practice model for managing the information needs of alumni stakeholder groups of tertiary institutions in developing countries, which is significantly different from the philanthropic approach to these stakeholder groups in first world countries. As a result, the employment sector of Higher Education institutions in South Africa could gain from the research outcomes, as the proposed prototype will offer an ICT and Web-based solution which could be applied for the mutual benefit of the relevant stakeholder groups and the institutions. / Prof. Chris Rensleigh

The increasingly competitive business environment has influenced contemporary organisations to build mutual beneficial relationships with their customers indicating a paradigm shift from transactional marketing. In order to compete in this intense competitive environment, organisations are creating competitive advantage over their rivals through service quality that will influence customer satisfaction which subsequently leads to customer loyalty. Service quality has been found to be the key strategy of success and survival for most organisations like retail supermarkets who want to win the loyalty of their customers because of its positive effect on customer satisfaction. The purpose of this research was to determine the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the retail supermarket industry. An empirical study was conducted in Grahamstown between two main supermarkets through a survey that determined customers’ perceptions on service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty respectively. The empirical findings of this research study revealed that moderate to strong positive linear relationships exists between the dimensions of service quality (namely physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem solving and policy) and customer satisfaction at the 5% level of significance. Furthermore, this study showed that dimensions of service quality (namely physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction and problem solving) have weak negative linear relationships with price sensitivity dimension of customer loyalty. The study further showed that the dimensions of service quality (namely physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem solving and policy) have weak to moderate positive linear relationships with the purchase intentions dimension of customer loyalty. In addition, all the dimensions of service quality (namely physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem solving and policy) showed moderate positive linear relationships with word of mouth communication dimension of customer loyalty. A weak negative linear relationship between price sensitivity dimension of customer loyalty and customer satisfaction was revealed in this study. Purchase intentions dimension of customer loyalty was also found to have a moderate positive linear relationship with customer satisfaction. In addition, word of mouth communication dimension of customer loyalty showed a strong positive linear relationship with customer satisfaction. There is sufficient evidence that the customers of the two supermarkets in this study have different perceptions on problem solving dimension of service quality. This study further provides sufficient evidence of the significant difference between gender on the levels of customer satisfaction. In addition, this study showed that customers of various levels of education and occupations differ in price sensitivity dimension of customer loyalty. The average scores for word of mouth communication, purchase intentions and price sensitivity dimensions of customer loyalty were found to be significantly different between the two supermarkets investigated in this study. Therefore, for supermarkets to compete effectively in the intense retail supermarket industry in South Africa they have to manage their service quality dimensions so as to influence customer satisfaction and customer loyalty respectively.

Influerare är det mest attraktiva marknadsföringsverktyg just nu. Tack vare utvecklingen av AI-teknologin har nu en modernisering skett i form av robot influerare. Syftet med denna uppsats är att studera mottagligheten av robot influerare hos potentiella konsumenter med avgränsning till generation Z. Ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt i form av fokusgruppsintervjuer har gjorts. Intervjupersonerna var mellan 20–25 år och vara alla aktiva användare av Instagram. Efter en analysering av materialet har fyra huvudsakliga teman kunnat urskiljas med hjälp av kodning. Resultatet visar att generation Z har en delad uppfattning kring robot influerare. Många av deltagarna tyckte det var främmande och svårt att ta till sig av fenomenet, men samtidigt fanns en viss attraktion på grund av intresset för nyhetsvärdet. En aspekt respondenterna tog upp var en känsla av förändrat ideal, där det fanns en förstärkt känsla av otillräcklighet och en pådrivning av orealistiska förväntningar i takt med att virtuella influerare har blivit allt vanligare. Det mest centrala som avläses ur resultatet är att den marknadsföring respondenterna anser mest trovärdig beror på vilken produkt som marknadsförs och den relaterbarhet som skapats till denna robot influerare sedan tidigare. / Influences are currently the most attractive tool in marketing. Due to the development of the AI-technology a modernization has taken place in form of robot influences. The aim of this research is to study the way robot influencers are received by potential customers with a demarcation to generation Z. A qualitative approach in the form of group interviews have been carried out. The interview participants were in the age of 20-25 and are all active Instagram users. After an analyzation of the material four main themes could be distinguished. The result presentate that generation Z has a split perception regarding robot influencers. Several of the participants perceived the phenomenon as unfamiliar and hard to relate to, but at the same time there was a feeling of attraction purely because of the news factor. Another aspect that was mentioned by the participants was a sense of changing ideals, due to an emphasized feeling of inadequacy and unrealistic expectations, developed among the growing popularity of virtual influencers. The key point from this study is that the kind of marketing that participants find most credible, depends on what type of product it is and the type of relationship that previously has been built with said robot influencer.