The brand equity concept is one of the most significant concepts for branding and marketing and its model and measurement have interested many academics and practitioners. Most of the research on brand equity has focused on physical goods, with a dearth of studies on the service sector in general and particularly in the banking sector. The dearth of research in this area appears paradox as branding could be argued to play a distinctive role particularly in the service sector. This is because strong brands increase consumers' trust of the imperceptible purchase and reduce their perceived monetary, social, or safety risk in buying services, which are difficult to evaluate prior to purchase and for which it sometimes takes a long time after purchase to confirm the brand promise. Consequently, many scholars have called for an investigation of brand equity in the service sector. In addition, most of the research on brand equity has focused on developed countries which would suggest a regional focus on developing countries. To sum up, despite the importance of brand equity in the service sector, there is lack of empirical evidence in the service sector in general and specifically in the banking sector, particularly for developing economies. Furthermore, there is lack of studies that examined and compared service brand equity across bank type (local public, local private and foreign banks) to provide a benchmark especially for foreign banks. Contributing to scholarly attempts to fill the gaps in the brand equity literature. this thesis examines consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) in the Egyptian banking sector in general and based on each bank type: public, private and foreign. In addition, the study aims to find out the similarities and differences on brand equity based on bank type. The regional context of the study is Egypt As the largest Arab country and the entry point for the Middle East and Africa Egypt appeared to be of high practical relevance and be a suitable regional research context. Unlike previous researches, a mixed method approach was employed to achieve the research aims. Qualitative data was used to triangulate the quantitative data and gaining a richer understanding of the quantitative findings. Four hundred and sixty-eight self-administered questionnaires were collected by offline and online modes, and 14 semi-structured face-to-face interviews provided details about how consumers perceived consumer-based brand equity in Egyptian banking. Data was analysed using SPSS19. Different types of statistical applications were used, such as descriptive analysis, factor analysis and multiple regressions. Content analysis using NVivo10 software was used to analyse the interview data. The main findings reveal that CBBE is applicable in the Egyptian banking sector. The results show that brand awareness, reliable staff, brand association and brand loyalty are the most effective variables on overall value of brand equity in the Egyptian banking sector, while within public banks, reliable staff, brand association and brand loyalty have the most influence on the overall value of brand equity. However, private and foreign banks share the same variables which affect the overall value of brand equity; these variables are brand awareness, brand loyalty and brand personality. The findings reveal that there is a significant difference between public banks and private and foreign banks; however, there is no significant difference between private and foreign banks. The qualitative findings support and add meaning to the quantitative results. The current research contributes to knowledge in the field of service brand equity research and extend our understanding in developing economics and adding to the debate on the area of brand equity. Furthermore, it contributes methodologically by using mixed methods and mixed modes (offline and online). In addition, the study overcomes the limitations of previous studies in three ways. Firstly, different types of brand association were incorporated and real consumers were approached rather than relying on students’ samples. Secondly, perceived quality was measured using the SERVPERF scale, providing a more comprehensive quality measure than many studies. Thirdly, the data were collected from Egypt, which as a developing country establishes an underresearched regional context. Therefore, as is the case in many developing countries, there were many challenges involved in the data collection process. Based on the results, the study provides a number of pratical contributions: It offers a manageable scale ‘‘tool kit'' for managers in the banking sector, regardless of type of bank, to create, maintain and improve their brand equity. It also provides guidelines that public, private and foreign banks could use to compare their performance with competitors. The study emphasizes the importance of building and developing brand awearness for private and foreign banks. As the service encounter is the “moment of truth” and is one of the most important determinants of brand equity, public banks should place more emphasis on their internal branding as well as on external consumers. Top management should invest in cultivating their brand values to their employees, particularly front-line employees, as they will deliver them to consumers through the service encounter. Another interesting finding with practical relevance was that although the majority of banks in Egypt has online banking services, most of the study respondents did not use them, therefore they might be well advised to collaborate with the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) to organise a campaign to cultivate trust in the country’s online banking infrastructure and promote the advantages of using it. Online banking could be one of the solutions to overcrowding and long queues in public banks and improve the quality of the service provided which will lead to consumers’ satisfaction and increase the level of brand equity. Most consumers of public banks perceived their banks as the only secure banks guaranteed by the Egyptian government. Similarly to promoting the use of online banking, there is a need to develop a better public awareness of the role of the CBE in supervising all banks in Egypt regardless of their type. This will ensure fair and equal opportunities for all banks, which will foster real competition and hence is argued to affect the quality of the service provided. Despite the research achieved its planned objectives, as any social research, it has certain constraints and limitations. These limitations could offer opportunities for future research to address. Firstly, due the lack of detailed information about the study population, this research used a convenience sample of induvadul commercial bank consumers in the Greater Cairo. Future research could employ probability sampling if possible. Moreover, future studies could cover more cities in Egypt, not only the Greater Cairo area (even though the focus on this area has been discussed and justified in the thesis). Secondly, although the importance of CBBE has been analysed mainly from a consumer perspective it might be useful to examine service brand equity from the points of view of employees (managers and front-line) in banks in order to gain a better and comprehensive understanding from both perspectives. Thirdly, while this study examined and compared CBBE in diffrent bank types (public, private and foreign) in Egypt. It is suggested that a comparison could be made based on the top bank in each types, as this could give more specific recommendations for these banks. Fourthly, due to limitations of time and funds, future reseach could examine and compare CBBE in different services sectors and in different countries. Fifthly, this study focused on commercial banks in Egypt in general without distinguish between Islamic and conventional banks. Therefore, future research could carefully distinguish between Islamic and conventional banks and compare CBBE across them to gain a better understanding of the differences and similarities. Sixthly, it could be worth comparing the CBBE of foreign banks when they operate overseas (e.g., Barclays Bank and HSBC).

服務貿易的管制密集，因此管制也最有可能形成主要的貿易障礙，然而服務貿易總協定第6條第4項國內規章準則的談判卻幾近停滯。本文探究其中原因，著眼於管制、國內規章準則的共同點皆在於「管制」，而好的管制必然植基於成本效益評估，因此必要性測試即成為國內規章準則的核心。必要性測試的核心為管制目的、成本效益評估，本文觀察必要性測試的談判歷程，認為必要性測試的談判實不應透過管制目的的限縮，而應著重於成本效益的衡量，因此著重於成本效益評估要件的設計方有可能於必要性測試的議題取得突破。 / As service sector is heavily regulated, domestic regulation might become the major trade barrier. However, the negotiation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) article 6.4 is almost stalled. The paper aims at analyzing the challenges in the negotiation. Focusing on the common nature of “governance” between domestic regulation and trade governance in GATS article 6.4, the paper argues that good governance must be based on impact analysis, which makes necessity test the core of GATS article 6.4 negotiation. The paper examines the negotiation history of necessity test, and argues that the focus of negotiation should be the necessity analysis, rather than the scope of objectives in necessity test. The solution of the negotiation challenge is therefore focusing on the elements of necessity analysis, particularly the trade restrictiveness.

基於語言、歷史、文化與政治因素，台日商策略聯盟具備進軍中國大陸市場的優勢。「十二五規劃」發展服務業與城市化，台商與日商攜手進軍中國大陸市場，可為雙方帶來綜效。 本研究整理與分析策略聯盟理論與相關文獻，並對台日商策略聯盟解析。依本文台日商策略聯盟服務業分析，以品牌授權為最佳模式。筆者赴上海田野調查一月，訪談十七位台商與學者，其中發現：採用授權合作模式，台日雙方可保有最大自主性，亦可充分發揮雙方競爭優勢，在中國大陸市場應可獲得最大利益。 台日商服務業策略聯盟，具有以下綜效意義與價值：(1)技術共 享與策略協調。理解並善用雙方優勢與清楚定位，提高技術與成本綜效。(2)有形資源共享。台日商就產品設計、創新、行銷、品牌以及服務，清楚分工，並達成共識，選擇中國大陸優良廠商製造，發揮本土化與降低成本等天時、地利，及人和效益。(3)垂直功能整合。台商著重行銷服務，與日商負責研發創新的垂直分工，創造高附加價值績效。(4)談判能力的結合。臺日結盟，產生規模經濟的合作型態尚未出現。隨著臺灣中小企業在中國大陸市場逐漸大型化，期望與日本企業形成談判能力，突破成本困境。(5)創新事業的整合。善用雙方策略性互補與深厚的信賴關係，擴大合作綜效與機會。 臺日雙方以開放、分享的態度，減少反綜效發生，強化技術、資源、以及成本與整合等優勢，始能發揮最大效果。在兩岸ECFA簽訂後，台日商，特別是中小企業如何在信任基礎上，建立有效合作模式，結合優勢、相容性、產業價值鏈之互補性，策略運用，以及合作思維調整，以因應市場變化，應為重要課題。 / The “12th Five-Year Plan” focuses on the development of the service industry and urbanization. With mainland China’s immature services development, the alliance among Taiwanese and Japanese entrepreneurs has the advantage to enter the market. This study systematically organizes and analyzes the theories of international strategic alliances, as well as the relevant literature review. The author who spent a month of fieldwork in Shanghai interviewed 17 entrepreneurs and scholars to find that licensing model could maintain maximum autonomy between Taiwanese and Japanese companies, and at the same time, give full competitive advantage to both sides, which allows complete access to the best interests in mainland China. The Taiwan-Japan strategic alliance in the service sector has the following meaning and value of synergy: (1) to understand and take advantage of strengths and clear positioning to both sides by technology sharing and policy coordination to improve the technical and cost synergies, (2) to reach a consensus on tangible resource sharing, such as product design, innovation, marketing , branding, services and choice of excellent manufacturers in mainland China to localize and reduce costs, (3) to be responsible for marketing by the Taiwanese, and research as well as innovation by the Japanese to create high value-added performance, (4) to look forward to combine bargaining power by generating economies of scale with Taiwan’s SMEs large-scaled formation in mainland China to break through the cost dilemma, (5) to use strategic complementarity and deep relations of trust of both sides to expand business cooperation synergy and opportunities. Strategic alliance between Taiwanese and Japanese entrepreneurs achieves maximum results with an open attitude to reduce the occurrence of anti-synergy and enhance technology, resources, cost and integration. Developing the domestic market is the government policy of mainland China. After the signing of the cross-strait ECFA, Taiwanese and Japanese entrepreneurs should establish an effective and a systematic evaluation criteria based on trust from both sides, exploiting superiority, compatibility and complementarities of industry value chain to work on the maximum benefit.

Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. Since the 1980s the role of tourism as a means of achieving the objectives of economic development has received prominence within the sustainable development paradigm. This dissertation examines the role of international tourism in achieving the objectives of economic development in terms of its impact on key social and economic variables, such as the balance of payments, inflation, employment and the social fabric of host communities. It also examines the constraints facing international tourism, such as the effect of perceptions on tourism flows and the powerful position of multinationals in influencing the tourist decision-making process. The success of the international tourism industry in selected countries is assessed and the relative position of the South African tourist offering is highlighted in an attempt to draw lessons for the future development of the industry in South Africa. / Economics / M. A. (Economics)

The post-modern western city is going through two central changes in the organization of paid labour. One is the switch from production of goods to production of services, and the other is the increasing rift between well-paid labour with permanent jobs, and temporarily employed workers with low wages. Both of these processes are rasified and gendered, and strike harder against women, young persons and people of emigrant background. The flexible capitalism creates an informalization of the economy, breaking with earlier regulations of the labour markets, in which workers also need to find informal strategies in their individual and collective struggles. In this paper, I search for these “new” experiences of living and working in late capitalist society, by doing open interviews with three women of Latin-American origin, working without official permission (without documents) in the informal economy of Stockholm. Analyzing their narratives, I look for the agency and resistance that, according to my theoretical perspective, is part of everyday life of all suppressed subjects. I come to the conclusion that irregular systems of recruitment and other forms of interdependency could be useful for other groups of precarious workers. The interviewed women also use strategies such as fantasizing about a reversed world or focusing their thoughts on the future, and deceiving or avoiding the power(full), to cope with their everyday work situations and the contradictory class mobility they experienced in the migration. However, these strategies often reproduce an acceptance of power more than a resistance to it, and show us how the capitalism works as an hegemonic ideology incorporated in us all.

Introduction International guidelines endorse the screening of patients for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Chlamydia trachomatis before assisted reproductive techniques (ART). At present no such guidelines exists in South Africa. At the Reproductive and Endocrine Unit (referred to as “the Unit”) of Steve Biko Academic Hospital, all patients with unknown HIV status are counselled and a blood sample is collected during the initial visit for automated laboratory based HIV screening. These HIV results are not available before semen samples are processed. Furthermore, patients are not screened for HBV, HCV and Chlamydia trachomatis. Couples attending the Unit are of a low to middle socio-economic status and experience financial constraints. Moreover, automated laboratory based assays are expensive to perform. Rapid testing is a cost effective and practical method from screening patients, with a 20–30 minute result turnover time. Until screening at the Unit is improved, the possible identification of semen characteristics that could indicate HIV infection would be a useful tool. Materials and Methods The following rapid point-of-care assays were evaluated: Determine® HIV-1/2 combo test (n=100), Determine® HBsAg test (n=100), DIAQUICK HCV kit (n=74), and the DIAQUICK Chlamydia trachomatis kit (n=30). For profiling, parameters from a basic semen analysis of HIV-positive males (n=60) were compared with HIV-negative males (n=60). Information pertaining to CD4 count, antiretroviral treatment and plasma viral load of HIV-positive males were analysed. Results From all patients included in the study, 8% tested positive for HIV. The risk of a female being HIV-positive was 3.73 times higher than for males. In the pilot study to explore rapid testing for HBV and HCV, 1% and 1.4% of patients tested positive respectively. When testing for Chlamydia trachomatis 31.3% of females, but no males tested positive. Comparing semen profiles, no significant differences were found between samples from HIV positive and negative males or between HIV positive males categorised by CD4 cell count (p>0.05). For the HIV-positive group with a detectable plasma HIV viral load (>40 copies/ml), a significant difference was observed in the semen viscosity (p=0.0460). Significant differences were noted in the sperm motility (immotile sperm p=0.0456, progressive sperm p=0.0192) of patients receiving antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. Discussion and Conclusion The use of rapid testing is an acceptable and feasible option for improving current screening protocols at the Unit. The absence of definite alterations in the semen characteristics of HIV-positive men further motivates the need for a simpler, point-of-care screening protocol. The prevalence of HBV was lower than that reported in the general population of South Africa and further investigation is needed. Although the sample size was small, HCV prevalence was similar to that of the general population. One third of females tested positive for Chlamydia trachomatis. The methodology used was possibly not appropriate for males. This study highlighted the need for guidelines that address the specialised needs of ART clinics in resource-limited and developing countries with a high HIV prevalence. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / unrestricted

La presente investigación se enfocó en el impacto que tuvo el COVID-19 en el sector servicios específicamente en el inmobiliario. Por tanto, se planteó como objetivo general analizar el impacto económico y financiero de las estrategias ante el COVID-19 de la Inmobiliaria Ingenierías Energías y Medio Ambiente SAC años 2019 a 2022. La metodología de estudio empleada fue cuantitativa, de tipo aplicada y nivel descriptivo, a su vez, un diseño experimental de corte de transversal. Así mismo, la población sujeta de estudio es la inmobiliaria teniendo como muestra a la información financiera para la elaboración de indicadores financieros, implementando estrategias para la toma de decisiones. Por ello, se utilizaron instrumentos como la entrevista y el análisis documental. Los resultados evidenciaron la elaboración de un diagnóstico de la situación económica financiera de la Inmobiliaria Ingeniería Energía y Medio Ambiente SAC, con esta información se observó una rentabilidad y liquidez no significativa; además se analizaron las medidas de reactivación económica empresarial aplicadas por la inmobiliaria durante la pandemia las cuales fueron estrategias operativas y de mercado, así pues, se evaluó el efecto por el COVID-19 en los estados financieros de los años 2021 al 2022 un ligero mejoramiento en sus ratios de rentabilidad y liquidez. Por lo tanto, la elaboración de estrategias complementarias nos va permitir enfrentar la situación económica de la Inmobiliaria Ingeniería Energía y Medio Ambiente SAC para el año 2023. / The present investigation focused on the impact that COVID-19 had on the services sector, specifically on real estate. Therefore, it has been proposed as a general objective to analyze the economic and financial impact of the strategies before the Covid-19 of the Inmobiliaria Ingenierías Energías y Medio Ambiente SAC years 2019 to 2022. The study methodology used was quantitative, of an application type and level descriptive, in turn, a cross-sectional experimental design. Likewise, the population subject to study is real estate, having as a sample the financial information for the elaboration of financial indicators, implementing strategies for decision making. For this reason, instruments such as the interview and documentary analysis were used. The results evidenced the elaboration of a diagnosis of the financial economic situation of the Inmobiliaria Ingeniería Energía y Medio Ambiente SAC, with this information a non-significant profitability and liquidity was observed; In addition, the business economic reactivation measures applied by the real estate company during the pandemic were analyzed, which were operational and market strategies, thus, the effect of Covid 19 on the financial statements for the years 2021 to 2022 was evaluated, a slight improvement in their profitability and liquidity ratios. Therefore, the elaboration of complementary strategies will allow us to face the economic situation of the Inmobiliaria Ingeniería Energía y Medio Ambiente SAC for the year 2023.