The banking sector plays an important role in the economy of any country across the world. The recent financial crisis shows how much of the world’s economy is influenced by the banking sector. There are different roles that banks play in contributing to the operation and growth of an economy. Their role spreads from that of intermediary to that of provider of payment clearing services. Banks are an important and integral part of any economy. According to a study by Greenberg & Simbanegavi (2009), the South African banking sector is fertile ground for high levels of competition amongst its players. This competition is important for the proper working of the modern economy. According to Van Leuvensteijn et al. (2008), because banks act as the main vehicle for monetary policy, reduced competition in the banking sector can hinder the efficiency of monetary policy. As a result of the competition in the banking sector, customer retention is a key component of banks’ strategies in today’s market. The main aim of the study was to investigate factors affecting customer retention at Nedbank South Africa. The study focused on the institutional causes of bank customer defection and sought to investigate the effects of three factors (Customer service quality, Satisfaction with product, and Switching costs) on Customer Retention. This study showed the importance of customer retention and more importantly how the mentioned three factors affect customer retention at Nedbank South Africa. One of the highlights that came out of this research was that 50 perscent of the respondents were either considering closing their account or were likely to close their account within the next 12 months. In conclusion, these three factors were found to be important in the customer retention strategy of the bank. Recommendations were presented by the author on how to integrate the factors into a retention framework that can contribute to the profitability of the bank. Areas of future research that can be helpful to the bank were also highlighted by the author.

A crescente influência que a internet tem trazido à população e às organizações do início do século XXI é, certamente, um dos fatos marcantes desta época. Por sua versatilidade e custo relativamente baixo, a internet tem se destacado como meio de comunicação nas mais diversas formas, desde um simples e-mail à transmissão de imagem e som em tempo real. Todo este desenvolvimento não seria possível (pelo menos da forma que se conhece atualmente) se a tecnologia de transmissão de dados via internet não tivesse se desenvolvido a ponto de permitir velocidades adequadas para estas aplicações. Ou seja, evidencia-se a importância da internet em banda larga. No mercado de pequenas empresas (porém, não apenas neste mercado), constata-se que ainda há uma parcela significativa de usuários de internet discada que não aderiram à banda larga. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de identificar os motivos que provocam esta resistência (as chamadas barreiras de adoção). Para tanto, foi feita uma revisão da literatura sobre qualidade em serviço (seguindo a linha de pesquisa de Parasuraman, Zeithaml e Berry) e modelos de aceitação de tecnologia (seguindo a linha de pesquisa de Davis e Venkatesh) com seus respectivos desdobramentos. Baseado nesta literatura, este estudo foi composto de três partes: i) pesquisa qualitativa com um fornecedor de banda larga, ii) pesquisa qualitativa com usuários de internet discada e iii) pesquisa quantitativa com usuários e não usuários de internet. A pesquisa qualitativa com fornecedor foi focada no modelo de lacunas de qualidade (PARASURAMAN et al., 1985 e ZEITHAML et al., 1988). Nesta etapa, foram identificados dois tipos de lacuna: controladas e não controladas. Enquanto as lacunas não controladas são consideradas pouco significativas como barreiras de adoção (podendo, no entanto, estimular o cancelamento do serviço), as lacunas controladas são barreiras bem conhecidas: preço e forma de precificação (fixo versus variável). Como as decisões do fornecedor buscam geração de valor, estas barreiras são mantidas em um nível controlado, procurando-se um equilíbrio entre volume e preço. A pesquisa qualitativa com usuário de internet discada foi focada na UTAUT (VENKATESH et al., 2003). Teve o objetivo de avaliar qualitativamente as percepções de usuários de internet discada sobre o serviço de internet banda larga, à luz das dimensões de expectativa de desempenho, expectativa de esforço, condições facilitadoras e influência social. Neta etapa, identificou-se claramente uma barreira na percepção de valor (custo/benefício) por parte dos potenciais clientes. A pesquisa quantitativa também foi focada na UTAUT, mas com algumas adaptações ao contexto. Foram identificados como fatores relevantes para diferenciar os usuários dos não usuários de banda larga: intenção de comportamento, viabilidade (construto análogo às ?condições facilitadoras? da UTAUT original) e influência social. O resultado esperado (análogo à ?expectativa de desempenho?) não foi significativo na diferenciação dos dois públicos, contrariando uma forte hipótese da UTAUT. Por fim, o fator de facilidade esperada (análogo à ?expectativa de esforço?) também apareceu como não significativo; porém, sob alguns critérios, este fator apresentou sinais de que pode diferenciar os dois públicos. / The growing influence that internet has brought to population and to organizations since the beginning of 21st. century is, certainly, one of the outstanding factors of this time. For its versatility and relatively low cost, internet has been detached as communication means in many different ways, from a simple e-mail to the transmission of image and sound on real time. All this development would not be possible (at least as it is known nowadays) if data transmission technology through internet had not have been developed enough to allow adequate speed for these applications. Thus, it is shown the importance of broadband internet. In small business market (though not only in this market), one can still find significant part of dial-up internet users that have not adopted broadband. This work has the objective of identifying the reasons that lead to this resistance (the so called adoption barriers). For such, a literature review was done about quality service (following the research line of Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry) and technology acceptance models (following the research line of Davis and Venkatesh), with its respective deployments. Based on this literature, this study was composed by three parts: i) qualitative research with a broadband provider, ii) qualitative research with dial-up internet users and iii) quantitative research with broadband users and not users. The qualitative research with provider was focused on the quality gaps model (PARASURAMAN et al., 1985 and ZEITHAML et al., 1988). At this stage, two kinds of gaps were identified: controlled and uncontrolled. While the uncontrolled gaps are considered to be lowly significant as an adoption barrier (however, possibly stimulating the canceling of the service), the controlled gaps are well known barriers: price and pricing model (fix versus variable). Since the providers decisions aim value generation, these barriers are kept at a controlled level, seeking for a balance between volume and price. The qualitative research with dial-up internet users was focused on UTAUT (VENKATESH et al., 2003). It had the objective of evaluating qualitatively the dial-up internet users? perceptions about broadband internet, under the point of view of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions and social influence. At this stage, it was clearly identified a barrier of value perception (cost/benefit) by the potential clients. The quantitative research was also focused on UTAUT, but with some adaptations to its context. It was identified as relevant factor for differentiating broadband users and not users: behavior intention, viability (construct analog to the facilitating conditions) and social influence. The expected performance was not significant in differentiating the two publics, against one of UTAUT strongest hypothesis. At last, the factor expected facility (analog to effort expectancy) also appeared as not significant; though, under some criteria, this factor presented signs that it may differentiate the two publics.

The World Wide Web is an infrastructure to publish and retrieve information through web resources. It evolved from a static Web 1.0 to a multimodal and interactive communication and information space which is used to collaboratively contribute and discuss web resources, which is better known as Web 2.0. The evolution into a Semantic Web (Web 3.0) proceeds. One of its remarkable advantages is the decentralized and interlinked data composition. Hence, in contrast to its data distribution, workflows and technologies for decentralized collaborative contribution are missing. In this paper we propose the Structured Feedback protocol as an interactive addition to the Web of Data. It offers support for users to contribute to the evolution of web resources, by providing structured data artifacts as patches for web resources, as well as simple plain text comments. Based on this approach it enables crowd-supported quality assessment and web data cleansing processes in an ad-hoc fashion most web users are familiar with.

Diploma thesis is focused on the individualization in providing diets in three homes for the elderly in the South Bohemian region. The main goal of the qualitative research was to uncover what the options of the homes in providing the diets are, where the boundaries and the limits of the individualized care are and what the clients' attitude toward individualization is. Results of the research show that the homes for the elderly can accommodate just to the basic requirements of the client, such as replacing unpopular dish or side dish for another one. Medical restrictions of the clients in preparation and serving their food are taken into account. The homes don't have the capacity for greater individualization. Another problem is the lack of staff. The homes are limited by legislation rather than by their financial budget. Clients' conservative and conformal attitudes are not empowering managers to expand some options or to change the system. The concept of the individualization is interpreted by the homes for the elderly in different ways. In practice, they rather just try to individualize the diets, than truly doing it. It turned out that individualization is a complex phenomenon and the extend of its fulfillment depends mainly on organizations' overall approach to the clients and on the clients'...

This study created a model using factor analysis and structural equation modeling to investigate the relationship of service quality, word-of-mouth recommendation and price sensitivity of individuals who experienced a timeshare mini vacation at a branded timeshare resort. The constructs of service quality were developed by creating a survey tool. A total of 4,797 surveys were electronically sent resulting in a total of 1,275 of the individuals surveyed who met the criteria of staying at a branded hotel or resort during their mini vacation. Six different variables were created from the ordinal level questions on the survey: Resort Accommodations, Sales Gallery, Sales Presentation, Resort Activities, Resort Staff and Brand Value. These were then used in an exploratory factor analysis to identify latent factors after which structural equation modeling was used to define the relationship between the factors and the independent variables. A total of 44 models were explored and evaluated based on goodnessof-fit metrics. The model that had the best level of fit was a first-order two-factor model. This model was created with an 80% subset and confirmed with a 20% subset of the sample. The factors found represent the Vacation Experience Promise (VEP) and the Vacation Experience Delivery (VED). There was a positive correlation for both VEP and VED with word-of-mouth recommendation and price sensitivity. The research also posited 24 hypotheses of the relationship between the service quality constructs, word-of-mouth recommendation and price sensitivity with the demographic characteristics of guest type, gender, stay type, age, marital status, gross income, timeshare ownership and the number of presentations attended. There was not enough information to support a relationship between the service quality constructs, word-ofmouth recommendation and price sensitivity with regards to gender, gross income and marital iv status. There was a difference in the scores for the service quality constructs and the varying categories within the age, stay type, and timeshare ownership demographic variables. There was a difference only in the VED scores and the varying categories within the guest type and presentations attended demographic variables. There was also a difference in the scores for the word-of-mouth recommendation construct and the varying categories within the age, guest type, timeshare ownership and number of presentations attended demographic variables. Lastly, there was also a difference in the scores for the price sensitivity construct and the varying categories within the guest type, timeshare ownership and presentation attended demographic variables. The research discusses the business implications associated with these findings and proposes next steps for future research.

Despite much interest in service quality and various other service quality measures, scholars appear to have overlooked the overall concept of quality. More specifically, previous research has yet to integrate the effect of the customer network and customer knowledge into the measurement of quality. In this work, it is posited that the evaluation of quality is based on both the delivered value from the provider as well as the value developed from the relationships among customers and between customers and providers. This research examines quality as a broad and complex issue, and uses the “Big Quality” concept within the context of routine healthcare service. The last few decades have witnessed interest and activities surrounding the subject of quality and value co-creation. These are core features of Service-Dominant (S-D) logic theory. In this theory, the customer is a collaborative partner who co-creates value with the firm. Customers create value through the strength of their relations and network, and they take a central role in value actualization as value co-creator. I propose to examine the relationship between quality and the constructs of value co-creation. As well, due to the pivotal role of the decision-making process in customer satisfaction, I will also operationalize the value co-creation construct. Building upon the “Big Quality” concept, this study suggests a new approach by extending the quality concept to include the value-creation concept in Service Dominant Logic. This study identifies the associated constructs and determinants of Big Quality in routine healthcare management service, and examines the relationship among the associated quality constructs, customer satisfaction, and customer commitment. This study employed an online survey methodology to collect data. In data analysis, I used the variance-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to confirm the factor structure, proposed model, and test the research hypotheses. The results show that the customer’s participation in in-role and extra-role behaviors are positively associated with their perceived quality, satisfaction, and commitment level. The major contribution of this study to decision sciences and the service quality literature is the development of a comprehensive framework explaining the importance of value co-creation within the context of healthcare quality. Finally, this work examines perceived service quality as a key factor of customer satisfaction and the relationship of Big Quality with commitment level in healthcare service management.

D.Com. (Marketing Management) / The size of South Africa's banking industry grew from R398 billion in 1995 to R471 billion in 1996 while banking transactions totalled R58 634 billion during 1996. Like most other service companies, the banking industry also experiences customer turnover. During the period March 1995 to February 1996 customer switch, which refers to the closing of an account at one institution and the opening of a new account at another institution, by clients of all banks amounted to 4,9 percent. Mutual interaction between a service provider and a client is a very important determinant of customer satisfaction with a service. It is therefore important for the company to focus on the retention of customers because it is more profitable to retain a customer rather than recruiting new customers. Customer switching can damage the future stream of income of a company. The loss of a customer therefore, is not only one transaction, the company looses a life long stream of income. Customer satisfaction therefore influences the primary source of future income of most companies directly. Quality service is of utmost importance for the success and survival of companies in today's competitive environment. To be successful it is necessary for each department within the company to operate effectively and to be client orientated. Companies believe that they will be more profitable if a marketing orientation is established within the company. Employees must therefore, understand their role in the total service chain. A client's perception of a service becomes reality when he/she experiences the service during a service encounter where interaction between the customer and the company takes place with the employee as intermediary.

Esta tese de doutorado tem como objetivo principal, a proposta de um sistema onde é possível avaliar abordagens diferentes para composição automática de Web services, baseando-se em parâmetros de QoS que dependem da execução para serem medidos. O objetivo foi atingido por meio da implementação de um sistema denominado AWSCS (Automatic Web Service Composition System). O AWSCS é um sistema onde é possível implementar abordagens diferentes para composição automática de Web services e também executar os fluxos resultantes dessas abordagens. Com o objetivo de demonstrar os resultados desta tese de doutorado, foram elaborados cenários, onde fluxos empíricos foram construídos para fazer a demonstração do funcionamento do AWSCS, uma vez que algoritmos para composição automática não foram encontrados para download na literatura. Com os resultados foi possível fazer um estudo do comportamento da execução de fluxos de Web services compostos, quando fluxos com mesma funcionalidade, mas estratégias de solução do problema diferentes foram comparados. Além disso, foi possível observar a influência das cargas aplicadas no sistema em execução, uma vez que o tipo de carga submetida ao sistema é um fator importante para se definir qual abordagem para composição de Web services pode levar ao melhor desempenho, de acordo com o ambiente e tipos de cargas que ele vai receber, quando em produção. / This PhD thesis has as main goal the propose of a system where it is possible to evaluate different approaches for automatic composition ofWeb services, based on QoS parameters that depend on the execution to be measured. The goal was reached by means of the implementation of a system named AWSCS (Automatic Web Service Composition System). The AWSCS is a system where it is possible to implement different approaches for automatic composition of Web services and also to execute the resulting flows from these approaches. Aiming at demonstrating the results of this PhD thesis different scenarios were developed, where empirical flows were built to demonstrate the operation of AWSCS, once algorithms for automatic composition were not found to download in the literature,. With the results it was possible to study the behavior of running composite Web services, when flows with the same functionality but different problem-solving strategies were compared. Furthermore it was possible to observe the influence of the load applied on the running system once the type of load submitted to the system is an important factor to define which approach for the Web service composition can take to the best performance according to the environment and types of load it will receive when in production.

Algumas empresas de transporte intermunicipal e interestadual de transporte rodoviário de passageiros, objetivando maiores lucros, têm se dedicado ao transporte de determinados tipos de cargas e encomendas, aproveitando-se do fato do bagageiro do ônibus ser uma oferta fixa para o transporte. No entanto, percebe-se algumas deficiências de caráter operacional que podem comprometer a qualidade e o custo do serviço prestado. Portanto, essa pesquisa tem por finalidade analisar o transporte de cargas executado por ônibus sob a ótica da qualidade e do custo. Partindo-se da adaptação do modelo clássico de Parasuraman, bem como da adoção de direcionadores de custo, de acordo com o método de custeio baseado em atividades, pretende-se apresentar como as principais atividades que compõem os processos do transporte rodoviário de cargas são afetadas durante a prestação do serviço. Para tanto, é apresentada uma análise crítica qualitativa que estabelece a forma como essas atividades são influenciadas pelos gaps do modelo de qualidade proposto e como as mesmas influenciam o custo operacional. Tal análise é resultado de duas pesquisas realizadas. A primeira pesquisa foi de profundidade numa empresa que atua no segmento. Foram obtidos alguns indicadores de desempenhos que são vitais para que as atividades sejam executadas de acordo com as conformidades previstas. A segunda pesquisa, via questionário, possibilitou identificar as principais expectativas dos clientes. Mesmo com o índice reduzido de respostas do questionário, foram levantados pontos que são extremamente fundamentais para a formação das expectativas dos clientes. Entre esses pontos destacam-se o tempo de atendimento, o treinamento dos funcionários e o cumprimento dos horários preestabelecidos. Dos processos que caracterizam o transporte de cargas, deve-se destacar o processo de entrega que além dos problemas provenientes da operação propriamente dita, sofre ainda a interferência, em algumas atividades, da participação direta do cliente e dos fatores externos da operação (ambiente não controlado). / Some interurban and interstate passenger highway transport enterprises, aiming to increase their income, have currently performed the transport of some types of freight and packages taking advantage of the bus trunk space always available for such type of transportation. However, some operational featured deficiencies are noticed, jeopardizing the quality as well as the cost of the mentioned service. The present research aims at the analysis of the freight transportation performed by bus from a quality and cost standpoint. Starting from the adjustment of the Parasuraman classic model, as well as the adoption of costs drivers, and acording to activity-based costing methodology, it shows how the main activities which constitute the processes of road freight transportation may be affected during the performances of the services. A critical qualitative analysis in also presented in order to establish how such activities are influenced by the gaps of the proposed quality models and how they also may directly influence the operational cost. Such analysis is an outcome of two researches already developed. The first was performed at transport enterprise. From this research some performance indicators, which are vital for the activities to be accomplished according to the proposed agreements, have been obtained. The second research, performed with the aid of a questionnaire, allowed identifying the client\'s main expectations. Even with the low index from the questionnaire responses, important factors be observed for the formation of the clients\' expectations. Among them, the attendance time, the employees\' trainning and the accomplishment of the proposed timetable must be stressed. From the processes concerning the freight transportation, the delivery process must also be mentioned as it shows operation problems and may be also influenced by the straight participation of the client and external factors (non-controlled environments).

A forma de operação descentralizada de serviços possui peculariedades próprias de operação. Estas características, especialmente no que se refere à forma de relacionamento entre alguns elementos da organização, como a organização do trabalho, estrutura, tecnologia e estratégia, ainda são poucos discutidas pela literatura. Com relação especificamente à organização de trabalho, a literatura explora bastante a questão da autonomia na industria, principalmente em estudos relacionados a atuação de funcionários de chão de fabrica, porém é carente em estudos relativos a funcionários de nível gerencial e em organização de serviços. A análise da atuação de funcionários de linha de frente é crítica para o sucesso e a qualidade de uma operação de serviços. Neste trabalho, são estudadas a organização de trabalho, as estruturas organizacionais possíveis de escolha para a empresa analisada e de que maneira a atuação do gerente é fator determinante na percepção de qualidade final sentida pelo cliente. A pesquisa é desenvolvida em forma de estudo de caso em uma empresa especializada em administração predial. Constatou-se que há benefícios em se proporcionar autonomia ao funcionário de linha de frente, sendo esta uma escolha estratégica da empresa estudada. A escolha da estrutura organizacional mais apropriada para a empresa neste tipo de atuação é ainda um ponto que deve continuar a ser motivo de atenção e estudo, sendo que os principais problemas de implementação de um novo modelo organizacional nessa empresa residem nos aspectos relativos a tecnologia e organização do trabalho. / The decentralized operation of services has its own particular characteristics. Such characteristics have received little attention in literature, especially regarding the way in which some organizational elements relate to each other: work organization, structure, technology and strategy. It is clear that, regarding work organization, literature has focused on the issue of autonomy in the industrial sector - specifically, past and recent studies have addressed the role factory employees play in industry. However, there still is a lack of discussion of autonomy related to the perform of both the managerial level of employees and services organization employees. For a corporation to guarantee a successful and high quality delivery of its services, it must thoroughly, analyze and understand the behavior of its front-office employees This study investigates work organization, the autonomy of the managerial level employee, the possible organization structures available and the ways in which the manager\'s behavior can be significant when it comes to the client\'s final perception of quality. This research adopts a case-study of a company whose core business is building management. It was verified that there are many beneficial outcomes for the company that invests in the autonomy of its front-office employees - which in fact is the studied company\'s strategic position. Nevertheless, the choice of the appropriate organizational structure should be the subject matter of further studies. The main implementation problem of the new organizational model in the case-study lies in the technology, the structure and the work organization particular to the case.