If you do not own the latest technology today it is thought that you are left behind in this technology driven age. More businesses use Self- Service channels to accommodate the increasing demands of customers. It has been said that the use of self-service channels can reduce input costs, increase efficiency and improve customer service. Unfortunately, many customers are left unsatisfied because retail banks are moving away from the human interaction when visiting a branch or advise customers to use their self-service channels, sometimes without any assistance. This causes customers to move banks, complain and in so doing reduce profits and customer relationships with their banks.This research’s main objective was to determine the impact of customer relationship management on retail banks that make use of self-service channels. A theoretical overview of self-service channels and customer relationship management was given. Advantages and disadvantages of each option were explored. The researcher wanted to explore the relation between customers using self-service channels and the assistance and protection provided by retail banks. The customer experience questionnaire used in this research asked retail banking customers from the South African population to determine how customers perceive and experience their banks’ self-service channels and customer service. Many questions relating to their needs and wants with regards to banking have been explored. The results show that most customers are satisfied with their banks in general but do feel that the banks can improve their customer service and assistance with regards to using self-service channels like ATM’s, online and telephone banking and E-Wallet. It has concluded that most customers choose their banks based on advertisements and other media, not customer service, product range or word-of-mouth. The general perception is that customers say that their bank charges do justify the customer service received.

This thesis looks at the feasibility of promoting knowledge intensive service (KIS) exports to Asia as part of a local economic development strategy. To this end a two part study was conducted, consisting of a postal survey and a series of elite interviews. The study demonstrates that many Vancouver KIS firms have already established a presence in Pacific Rim markets; furthermore, future growth in these markets is likely. The study examines various characteristics of KIS exporters to Asia so as to enable policy makers to draft appropriate recommendations. The remainder of the thesis outlines current initiatives at senior and local levels of government. A case is made for increasing the scope of local government action in this sphere, and some potential initiatives are suggested. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This research examined the influence of work status on attitudes and work outcomes. The two attitudes of perception of psychological contract violations, (violation of employment promise by employers) and fairness perception (fair treatment at work) were studied. This research examined the relationship between attitudes and work outcomes (organizational commitment, e.g. loyalty; organizational citizenship behavior, voluntary action done by employees for the sake of organizations and turnover intention). Individuals with family responsibility are attracted to work part-time voluntarily. Corporate downsizing has often forced individuals to go into part-time work involuntarily. Voluntary and involuntary work status had moderating effects on attitudes and work outcomes. The people that part-time workers chose to be compared with when they evaluate their fairness situation were also examined. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Respondents were asked about their perceptions towards their employment relationship with employers in the questionnaires. Part-time workers focus groups and supervisors interviews were used to supplement the quantitative methods by suggesting reasons to explain the part-time work issues, for example, on the compared referent selections. The findings showed that work status had a high moderating effect on the relationship between perceptions of psychological contract violations and voluntary actions and such interactions were much stronger on voluntary than on involuntary part-time workers. Work status also showed a high moderating effect on the relationship between fairness perception, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behavior, and such interactions were much stronger in involuntary than voluntary workers. Unexpectedly, work status did not have a moderating influence on the relationship between perception of psychological contract violations, organizational commitment, and turnover intention of involuntary part-time workers. Furthermore, work status showed a moderating influence on fairness perception, and turnover intention, and such a negative relationship was much stronger in voluntary than involuntary workers. It was also found that the compared referents of voluntary part-time workers were part-time workers working inside and outside organizations. The compared referents of involuntary part-time workers were full-time workers working outside the organizations and their past work experiences.

The literature clearly indicates that service organizations are lagging behind their manufacturing counterparts in terms of the effective deployment of total quality management (TQM) practices aimed at achieving operational and strategic objectives. The objective of this study is to shed some light on the current TQM practices of service organizations. In general, the results of this study appear to confirm the reported literature findings concerning outcomes and benefits of effective TQM implementation. More importantly, the results underscore the differences in TQM implementation practices and benefits due to some industry-specific factors. The lack of commitment to TQM implementation on the part of high percentage of the surveyed service organizations in this study is alarming.

[pt] Estoques são importantes nas empresas atuais e podem representar uma parte significativa do patrimônio delas. Em indústrias de serviços ligadas ao ensino, como universidades, escolas ou instituições similares, existe a oportunidade de se atentar a outros fatores que potencializem o desempenho além do ensino, como por exemplo, a gestão de estoque. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo apresentar os ganhos através da implantação de um estoque centralizado na universidade, na qual compara a fase de pré-implementação com a fase de pós-implementação do projeto, além de sugerir propostas de melhorias para uma gestão mais eficiente do estoque. A contribuição do estudo é de entender as particularidades da universidade no quesito gestão de estoque, propor melhorias, analisar os ganhos e servir como referência para outras instituições de ensino. O método utilizado foi um estudo de caso ex-post facto combinado com políticas de estoques e métodos de estimativas, tais como: políticas de estoques (s, Q), (s, S), (R,S), (R, s, S), curva ABC, classificação XYZ, política de duas gavetas e o algoritmo de Wagner-Whitin. Ao término do estudo, concluiu-se que com o projeto implementado, a universidade apresentou melhorias qualitativas: processo integrado entre as áreas, compras qualificadas, maior controle dos materiais e dos serviços, atividades apoiadas pelo sistema. Já se tratando de melhorias quantitativas: houve uma redução dos gastos com materiais em aproximadamente 22 por cento e um aumento do número de serviços realizados e computados em aproximadamente 26 por cento, na comparação do ano de pré-implementação com o de pós-implementação do projeto. Por fim, para novas pesquisas sugere-se que sejam utilizadas novas variáveis para complementar os resultados, tais como: tempo de realização de um serviço, quantidade de materiais comprados e gastos, tempo de fila para retirada de materiais. Além disso, uma outra variável a ser considerada é o preço médio do item ou o preço praticado a cada compra, e não o último preço unitário do item. / [en] Stocks are important in today s companies and can be an important part of their assets. In service industries related to education such as universities, schools or similar institutions, there is an opportunity to look at other factors that improve performance beyond education, such as stock management. This dissertation aims to show the results of the implantation of a centralized stock in the university, which compares before the implementation phase with after the implementation phase of the project, besides suggesting improvement proposals for a more efficient stock management. The contribution of the study is to understand the particularities of the university in terms of stock management, propose improvements, analyze gains and serve as a reference for other educational institutions. The method used was an ex post facto case study combined with stock policies and estimation methods such as: stock policies (s, Q), (s, S), (R, S), (R, s, S), ABC curve, XYZ classification, two drawer policy and Wagner-Whitin algorithm. At the end of the study, it was concluded that with the project implemented, the university showed qualitative improvements: integrated process between areas, qualified purchases, greater control of materials and services, activities supported by the system. In terms of quantitative improvements: materials costs were reduced by approximately 22 percent and the number of services done and computed increased by approximately 26 percent compared to the year before the implementation and after the implementation of the project. Finally, for new researches it is suggested that new variables can be used to complement the results, such as: time taken to do a service, quantity of materials purchased and spent, queue time to take the materials. In addition, another variable to consider is the average price of the item or the price for each purchase, and not the last unit price of the item.

Extant literature identified the value of innovative firm behavior for organizational success for manufacturers and service providers (Christensen, 1998; Damanpour, 1991; de Brentani, 1993; Easingwood, 1986; Schumpeter, 1939; Senge, 1994). Increasing complexity of consumer markets, information technologies and an economic environment that forces organizations to rethink their business strategies are especially characteristic for service providers, making the development of new services an essential, but also risky task. A series of organizational conditions, such as a formalized new products/service development process, managerial support for innovation and a culture that encourages innovation were identified as critical for the successful development of innovations. Little research, however, has been done to understand the role of partners for the development of new service, and in particular to evaluate which aspects of new service development benefit the most from partner involvement. To understand the link between organizational settings for innovation and inter-organizational relationships in the new service development process, this study incorporates three areas of research: innovation, supply chain management and inter-organizational relationships. This study was framed within tourism destinations, especially destination marketing organizations (DMOs). They are responsible to market and develop a destination and, due to their role as information intermediaries, their need to collaborate with destination businesses to deliver a seamless tourism experience. This study consists of two major phases. First, a national study among the population of American DMOs was conducted to identify the extent of innovation, the drivers of partner integration in new service development as well as their impact on new services. Second, the value of organizational innovation settings on partnership integration was identified. Study results provide insight into the current status of innovation development and partner integration in the new service development process. The results also indicate that the nature of DMOs was changing from pure marketing organizations to management organizations that actively participate in destination development through innovation. In this study innovation was measured by three core elements: orientation towards demand, strategic and corporate fit as well as newness. DMOs do collaborate with partners to develop new tourism products and services. Partner integration was driven by top management support, as well as a strategic and long-term perspective towards partnerships. Furthermore, partner integration was found to have a positive effect on the strategic and corporate fit as well as market orientation. Lastly, DMOs that organize for the development of new services were found to achieve a more positive effect on innovation. This study concluded that organizations strategically need to engage in inter-organizational relationships with the goal to incorporate partners in the new service development process. Furthermore, organizational strategies towards innovation are critical as they enable the organization to achieve better results. Partnerships, thus, are critical for innovation, whereby innovation can be programmed given that it is supported through organizational settings. / Business Administration

This was accomplished by first examining the nature of competitive strategies within the lodging industry. Subsequently the relationships among competitive strategies, three dimensions of organization structure, company size, and five measures of firm performance were examined. Furthermore to more rigorously control for environmental effects this analysis was undertaken for the industry as a whole as well as within four distinct subsegments of the industry. Six hypotheses were developed, that dealt with the nature of competitive strategy types; and the relationship among strategy types and 1) the degree of organization structure, 2) organizational performance, and 3) organization performance where a strategy/structure match had been achieved. The findings of this study tend to indicate that the nature of the industry or environment in which organizations compete may be an important factor in determining the content of competitive strategies employed in that environment. Furthermore, not only do industry characteristics tend to affect the content and appearance of competitive strategy profiles, but different segments within an industry also impact the appearances of different competitive profiles. However, the perspective that organizational variables are in a direct relationship with contextual variables is not supported by this study. The critical link appears to lie in the decision makers evaluation of the organization's environment and the choices they consequently make regarding the organization's competitive strategy and its internal structure. The structure that is appropriate to a particular competitive strategy profile is not constant. Rather, the nature of the operating environment intervenes in the appropriate strategy/structure "match" relationship. Organizational performance is contingent upon a "match of the strategic choices of strategy and structure, but the "appropriate " choice appears to be modified by subenvironmental factors. / Ph. D.

The Fairfax County Public Schools and neighboring business/industry have perhaps one of the oldest and most satisfactory school/business partnerships in Virginia. A case study was made of the Fairfax County Public Schools School/Business Partnership to identify factors that make a partnership work and to provide information to assist a school system or business/industry interested in the establishment of a partnership. The population for this case study research was made up of school system and business/industry persons who had first-hand knowledge of the partnership. To begin the study a document search of the files and program was made. This document search resulted in a set of interview schedules which were then administered to the stakeholders. Data resulting from these schedules were coded and reported in narrative form. Results indicated that commitment from top level management from both the school system and business/industry to the partnership, a project of major proportion, and a program designed in a way to permit mutual pursuit of the goals of the partners are important if the partnership is to work. / Ed. D.

This study contributes to the hospitality and strategic management literature through the development of a mid-range approach to the study of environment and strategy. Through the use of cluster analysis and multiple discriminant analysis, four commonly recurring environmental settings were identified. These were (1) a high growth environment, (2) a complex environment, (3) a dynamic environment, and (4) a low growth environment. The significance of the environmental typology was then determined by investigating the proposition that different strategies are associated with high profit performance in each type of environment. In order to investigate this proposition use was made of Miles and Snow's (1978) strategic typology of generic business strategies. No Significant relationship was found between environment, strategic posture and performance. A description of the methodology and statistical approaches used for the investigating the research propositions is included. / Ph. D.

This paper is to evaluate the sales program at Arrowhead Credit Union, and make recommendations for enhancing and improving it. This paper provide guidance and direction to assist the Arrowhead Credit Unions transition to a sales focused organization.