This study provides an integrated approach to understanding the relationship between destination branding and tourist behavior, and attempts to extend the theoretical and empirical evidence about the structural relationships among the following constructs: destination image, perceived quality, destination awareness (elements of destination branding), tourist satisfaction, and tourist loyalty (elements of tourist behavior) in the leisure tourism market. This study develops and empirically tests a destination branding model and its relevant components from the perspectives of tourists, so that it will help destination marketers to build more competitive tourism destinations. The destination brand model is based on relationship marketing theory, signaling theory, and brand equity theory. The model proposed four major hypotheses: 1) destination branding has a direct positive influence on tourist loyalty; 2) destination branding has an indirect positive influence on tourist loyalty through tourist satisfaction; 3) tourist satisfaction has a positive influence on tourist loyalty; and 4) the relationship between destination branding and tourist satisfaction is moderated by trip types. A sample population consisting of residents of Virginia was surveyed. A stratified sampling method and a random sampling method were used to select the sample. A total of 304 usable questionnaires out of 2,000 questionnaires were collected. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test hypotheses in this study. The results revealed that: 1) cognitive destination image and destination familiarity had a direct influence on tourist loyalty as well as an indirect influence on tourist loyalty through tourist satisfaction; 2) affective destination image had only an indirect impact on tourist loyalty through tourist satisfaction; 3) tourist satisfaction had a significant relationship with tourist loyalty; and 4) cognitive destination image, affective destination image, and destination recognition were moderated by trip types. This study can initiate the development of theoretical foundations for destination branding. Also, the implications of these findings can help destination managers and marketers build competitive strategies for destination branding in order to ensure long-term relationships between tourists and their destinations. / Ph. D.

En este trabajo de investigación se estudia la variación de precios y su relación con la preferencia de las marcas de las aerolíneas ubicadas en una guerra de precios. Se utiliza la herramienta estadística SPSS y Análisis Conjunto para dar respuesta a tres distintas hipótesis. En las tres hipótesis se ha buscado relacionar la sensibilidad al precio y la preferencia del público objetivo. Para las cuales, se utilizó el modelo de Análisis conjunto llamado ACBC debido a su exactitud para estudiar escenarios de precios. En lo que respecta a los hallazgos han permitido sacar a la luz la sensibilidad al precio de las cuatro marcas participantes del mercado y conocer el comportamiento del público objetivo ante cada una de las marcas. Esto último, ha permitido realizar oportunas recomendaciones a las gerencias de marca y precio. / In this research work, price variation and its relationship with the preference of the brands that are into a price war is studied. The statistical tool SPSS and Conjoint Analysis is used to answer three different hypotheses. In all three hypotheses, an attempt was made to relate price sensitivity and target audience preference. For which, the Conjoint Analysis model called ACBC was used due to its accuracy to study price scenarios. Regarding the findings, they have highlighted the price sensitivity of the four brands that make up this research and known the behavior of the target audience for each of the brands. Because of this have been allowed to recommend to brand and price managers on a best possible way. / Trabajo de investigación

Consolidar la lealtad del cliente es importante para las marcas. En los mercados modernos donde la competencia es feroz y los clientes sucumben fácilmente a la tentación de cambiar de una marca a otra, la consolidación de la lealtad del cliente es un objetivo clave de marketing. El objetivo del presente trabajo es estudiar los factores relevantes para lograr la lealtad de los clientes en las comunidades de marca, a través del método de investigación documental. Se aplicó como técnica de recolección de datos, la observación bibliográfica, con dos instrumentos de apoyo: registro de artículo científico y matriz general de la información. Una vez revisado y analizado cada uno de los artículos, se constató que las organizaciones empresariales tienen a su alcance diversos factores que le permiten logar la lealtad de sus clientes como: calidad de servicio, valor de marca, experiencia de compra, fidelización y precio. Concluyendo que, todos estos factores generan confianza en los clientes, de donde surge también su satisfacción, elevando el valor de la marca, sus atributos y por ende su imagen corporativa. Un cliente feliz es un cliente satisfecho, y por lo tanto será un cliente fiel y leal, impactando directa y positivamente sobre la rentabilidad de las organizaciones empresariales. / Strengthening customer loyalty is important for brands. In modern markets where competition is fierce and customers easily succumb to the temptation to switch from one brand to another, consolidating customer loyalty is a key marketing objective. The objective of this paper is to study the relevant factors to achieve customer loyalty in brand communities, through the method of documentary research. The bibliographic observation was applied as a data collection technique, with two supporting instruments: scientific article registration and general information matrix. Once each of the articles was reviewed and analyzed, it was found that business organizations have at their disposal various factors that allow them to achieve customer loyalty such as: quality of service, brand value, shopping experience, loyalty and price. Concluding that, all these factors generate trust in customers, where their satisfaction also arises, raising the value of the brand, its attributes and therefore its corporate image. A happy customer is a satisfied customer, and therefore will be a loyal and loyal customer, directly and positively impacting the profitability of business organizations. / Trabajo de Suficiencia Profesional

Att ha lojala kunder har blivit avgörande för företag i servicebranschen. När en kris uppstår i samhället där viktiga delar av människors liv förändras, där råd och rekommendationer från myndigheter gör att man inte längre rör sig ute på samma sätt tvingas företag till förändringar och uppoffringar. När denna studie utförs pågår det en pandemi av viruset Covid-19 som påverkar hela världen. För att bibehålla citykärnan i en mellanstor stad krävs det att konsumenter är lojala och fortsätter stötta servicebranschen i den mån det är möjligt. Här är alltså kundlojalitet avgörande för många företag. I denna studie har vi undersökt hur kundlojaliteten ser ut hos företag och konsumenter i Linköpings city samt hur man kan bibehålla den under en kris. Syftet med studien var då att studera vilka aspekter konsumenter anser är viktigast för att vara en lojal kund samt vilka åtgärder företagen inom servicebranschen har gjort för att på bästa sätt anpassa sig för den rådande situationen. Studien är baserad på kvantitativ data i form av enkätundersökningar hos både konsument och företag i Linköping city för att få en bredare och ett mer valid resultat. Konsumentrespondenterna var totalt 156 stycken och företagsrespondenterna var sammanlagt 20 stycken där alla är baserade i Linköpings city. En kvalitativ analys har sedan utförts genom en tematisk analysmetod där empiri och teorier från teoretiska referensramen ligger till grund för analys och slutsatsen för studien. I slutsatsen besvaras studiens tre forskningsfrågor där vi bland annat kommit fram till vilka aspekter som företagen bör fokusera på för att bibehålla kundlojalitet, vad kundlojalitet innebär, hur kundlojalitet ser ut i Linköping city samt hur den har förändrats under en kris. I slutet av studien ger vi även rekommendationer för framtida forskning. / Having loyal customers has become vital for companies in the service business. When a crisis occurs in a society where important parts of people’s lives change, where advice and recommendations from authorities makes it difficult to live like we used to, companies have to make changes and sacrifices to survive. When this research is done a global pandemic from the virus Covid-19 are affecting the whole world in many different ways. To maintain the city center customers have to stay loyal and support their local businesses to the extent possible. In this study we have examined how companies and consumers customer loyalty looks like and also how you maintain customer loyalty during a crisis. The aim of this study was to see what aspects consumers think are most important to become a loyal customer and also what actions companies within the service business have done to best adjust to the ongoing situation. The study is based on quantitative data made from surveys that got answered from both companies and consumers to obtain a wider and more valid result. It was 156 consumer respondents and 20 company respondents that answered where all the respondents were based in Linköping city. A qualitative analysis has been made with a thematic analysis where empirical data and theoretical information builds the foundation to the analysis and the conclusion. In the conclusion we answer our three research questions where we among many things answer what aspects companies should focus on in to be able to maintain customer loyalty, what customer loyalty is, how customer loyalty looks like in Linköping city center and how it has changed during a crisis. In the end of the study we give recommendations for future research within this subject.

While ethical codes have been established for practitioners, there is a possibility that dual loyalty affects occupational medical practitioners’ (OMPs) decisions in determining fitness status of employees. Literature indicates dual loyalty of OMPs leads to ethical dilemmas. The study’s main objective is to determine if dual loyalty participates in OMPs’ decisions and influences OMPs to breach medical ethics required in their profession, resulting in employees unfairly losing their jobs. The study interrogates literature review on dual loyalty and adopts a multi-layered approach focussing on the Constitution; relevant Acts and guidelines; case law and ethical principles. Case studies from the Medical Inspector’s archives are interrogated to determine the influence dual loyalty has on OMPs’ decision-making. Case law indicates that conflict of interest is the source of dual loyalty. Occupational medical practitioners have fiduciary duties and need to serve the best interests of the employees. From case studies discussed, the study shows that OMPs are affected by dual loyalty and tend to disregard medical ethics. They may be conflicted when making decisions concerning employees’ fitness to work, especially when individualised assessments are not conducted. A guideline addressing ethical obligations and human rights should be drafted for OMPs, guiding them on dealing with dual loyalty. Employers will need awareness training in various institutions so that OMPs are supported and encouraged to have sound medical ethics. This will promote best practice in doctor-patient relationships, avoiding dual loyalty dilemmas. / Mini Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Public Law / MPhil / Unrestricted

The purpose of this study is to seek answers how editorial leaders reason around the journalistic balance between democracy and market, together with how they create involvement, attraction and increase the loyalty of the newspapers´ subscribers. The theoretical framework was constructed by using social constructionism, agenda setting theory, democracy perspective and commercialization. The scientific method used in this study has been qualitative interviews with editorial leader in four differents newspapers; Svenska Dagbladet, Folkbladet Västerbotten, Sundsvalls Tidning and Göteborgs-Posten. The study shows that the editorial leaders described the democratic mission as the most important in the journalistic assignment. But based on the answers by the respondents there were also tendencies to financial adaptions in the journalistic work in order maintain profitability. The analysis also shows that the quality in the journalistic content was crucial to get subscribers to stay.

In a competitive environment, ensuring to provide high quality can be considered as one of the key objectives of the organizations. For guaranteeing that, the firms should communicate efficiently regarding quality, in order to influence the consumers´ perception towards quality. A high perception of quality requires a strong brand, which should guide the consumers in their choice and let them to refuse the competitors. Among the different strategies that can be put in place by the firms, co-branding is a joint strategy that is trying to combine the value of both brands in a synergy effect. Ingredient branding is a type of branding that entails the use of a component from one brand in a product of another brand, moreover these stimuli that are influencing the consumers´ behaviour. This stimulus will impact the quality perception of the brand and the consumers´ willingness of choosing the brand, therefore the brand would be preferred to other brands and make the consumer be loyal to the host brand. This study was conducted by employing a quantitative approach based on an experimental design with a focus on the automotive industry. A survey was distributed among students and young professionals, which are considered as actual or prospective car buyers. A total of 116 responses contributed to the sample of this research. The findings show that an ingredient brand with high perceived quality can increase the perceived quality of the host brand and that the increased quality of the host brand can lead to brand loyalty.

En fixant des normes et des interdits, les valeurs morales participent du bon fonctionnement d'un groupe ou d'une société (Haidt & Kesebir, 2010 ; Janoff-Bulman, Sheikh, & Hepp, 2009). Lorsqu'une norme sociale ou morale est transgressée, l'individu est parfois pris du désir de sanctionner l'auteur de la transgression, même s'il n'en a pas lui-même souffert les conséquences (Chekroun & Brauer, 2008 ; Fehr & Fischbacher, 2004). Ce type de sanction aurait pour fonction de maintenir l'ordre social et la coopération entre les individus (Fehr & Gächter, 2002 ; Ginits, Henrich, Bowles, Boyd, & Fehr, 2008 ; Jensen, 2010). Afin de mieux comprendre ce phénomène, nous avons étudié le rôle joué par les valeurs morales dans le déclenchement de ces conduites punitives « désintéressées ». De nombreuses études ont mis en évidence la force motivationnelle dont sont pourvues les valeurs, poussant l'individu à agir en adéquation avec elles (e.g., Hertel & Kerr, 2001 ; Maio, Pakizeh, Cheung, & Rees, 2009). Partant de cet état de fait, nous avons postulé l'existence d'une deuxième composante motivationnelle propre aux valeurs morales, conduisant l'individu à les faire respecter en sanctionnant les personnes qui ne les respectent pas. Nous avons testé dans un premier temps cette hypothèse à travers l'impact du système moral individuel sur le jugement punitif dans le cadre de situations moralement ambivalentes dans lesquelles le protagoniste respectait une valeur morale (e.g., l'équité) aux dépens d'une autre (e.g., la loyauté). Les résultats suggèrent que plus les individus adhèrent à une valeur, plus ils souhaitent voir sanctionnées les personnes transgressant cette valeur. Dans un second temps, nous avons étudié à l'aide de différentes procédures d'amorçage l'influence momentanée que peuvent avoir les valeurs morales sur les tendances punitives lorsque le contexte les rend saillantes. Les effets de l'amorçage spécifique d'une valeur, la loyauté, ont été testés dans le cadre de situations fictives moralement ambivalentes ainsi que dans des conditions écologiques. Les résultats montrent que l'amorçage spécifique de la loyauté entraine une augmentation de la sévérité du jugement punitif ainsi qu'une baisse des tendances prosociales à l'égard d'une personne ayant agi de façon déloyale. L'apparition de ces effets semble néanmoins dépendre du niveau d'implication des individus vis-à-vis de la situation. Ce travail de recherche nous a aussi permis de constater que lorsqu'une valeur est accessible (de façon chronique ou temporaire), l'individu a davantage tendance à percevoir les événements à travers celle-ci. Dans l'ensemble, les résultats obtenus à travers cette série d'études mettent en évidence l'influence exercée par les valeurs morales, liée à leur niveau d'accessibilité et de désirabilité, entrainant les individus à les faire respecter en sanctionnant leurs transgresseurs. / Moral values take part in the effective functioning of a group or society by setting prescriptive and proscriptive norms (Haidt & Kesebir, 2010, Janoff-Bulman, Sheikh, & Hepp, 2009). When witnessing the violation of a social or moral norm, people sometimes wish to punish the transgressor, even if they do not suffer any negative consequences of the violation (Chekroun & Brauer, 2008 ; Fehr & Fischbacher, 2004). The function of this kind of sanction would be an upholding of the social order and cooperation between group members (Fehr & Gächter, 2002 ; Ginits, Henrich, Bowles, Boyd, & Fehr, 2008 ; Jensen, 2010). In order to better understand this phenomenon, we studied how moral values can trigger such third-party punishment. Numerous studies highlight the motivational nature of moral values, driving people to act in line with these ideals (e.g., Hertel & Kerr, 2001 ; Maio, Pakizeh, Cheung, & Rees, 2009). With this in mind, we suggested the existence of a second motivational component, specific to moral values, driving the individual to enforce them by punishing their transgressors. Firstly, we tested this hypothesis through the impact of the individual moral system on punitiveness in morally ambivalent situations describing a protagonist respecting a value (e.g., fairness) at the expense of another (e.g., loyalty). According to the results, the more participants agreed with a value, the more they wanted to see someone who violated the value being punished. Then, we studied the influence exerted by moral values on punitiveness when they are salient within the situation, using different priming procedures. We tested the priming effects of one specific value, loyalty, using morally ambivalent situations and ecological designs. According to the results, priming loyalty led to an increase of punishment severity and to a decrease of prosocial intentions toward a person who didn't act loyally. However, these effects seem to be moderated by the level of personal involvement vis à vis the situation. This research also revealed that when a value is accessible (chronically or temporarily), one tends to perceive the events through the value. All in all, the results gathered through this series of studies reveal the influence exerted by moral values, linked to their levels of accessibility and desirability, which drive people to enforce them by sanctioning their transgressors.

Franchised small businesses will not survive their first 5 years if they cannot implement marketing strategies that appeal to their customers. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the marketing strategies that successful franchise small business leaders used to retain customers. The population comprised 4 business leaders at franchise small businesses in North Carolina. Competitive advantage theory and blue ocean theory grounded this study. Data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews and review of company marketing materials. Data were thematically analyzed, and 6 themes emerged: personalization of customer service, market segmentation, innovative advertising, networking, brand identity, and loyalty programs. Market segmentation and innovative advertising are fundamental strategies for retaining customers within the target market, whereas personalization of customer service can help build positive relationships with customers. These findings could improve customer loyalty and customer satisfaction, which might increase the number of successful small businesses in the United States. The implications for positive social change include the potential for business leaders to develop effective marketing strategies to retain customers, which may benefit customers through an increase in job opportunities in the local business community.

Despite more than $769 million in charitable gifts in 2013, U.S. nonprofit organizations lost $735 million in lapsed and reduced gifts. Donor attrition is a problem for most charitable organizations, and many are using the Internet to cultivate donors. Online communication has become an important part of fundraising for many charitable organizations. The online communication factors in the current study include trust, credibility, and satisfaction. These factors may affect donor loyalty. Donor loyalty may increase or decrease donor attrition. Reducing donor attrition is important to anyone who plays a role in the success of a nonprofit organization. The purpose of the current cross-sectional quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the communication factors and the loyalty among online donors. The theoretical foundation for this study includes Bandura's social cognitive theory and Luhmann's social systems theory. Data were collected online from a random sample of online donors aged 18 years or older in the United States. Spearman correlation was used to assess the correlation between the independent and dependent variables. The results indicated there is a correlation between communication factors and loyalty among online donors in the United States. This study may help organizations communicate better with donors in an online environment and reduce online donor attrition. Reducing attrition will increase funding to a charitable organization through repeat donations, thereby helping improve finances to support the organization's mission and positively influencing societal change.