The global fashion retail industry has been characterised by fierce competition for numerous years. Boutiques face increasing pressure to distinctly differentiate themselves from competing retail stores offering fashion merchandise, since customers are becoming ever more demanding as fashion evolves and new trends reach South African retail stores. Accordingly, marketers have to ensure customer satisfaction, build store loyalty, and stimulate repurchase intentions in the fashion retail industry in order to survive and prosper. For marketers to attract and retain customers, they have to adjust their marketing strategies and utilise various elements in the marketing mix to compete for customers’ attention, satisfy their retail experience needs, and encourage them to return. Shopping for clothes forms a significant part of many South African females’ lifestyles. Customers to whom fashion is important, have specific needs and wants and desire specific retail experiences. These customers are also becoming increasingly more sophisticated and individualistic, and therefore turn to small, speciality retailers such as boutiques, which they believe can accommodate them by providing unique and tailored retail experiences. Essentially, these customers do not merely purchase the retailer’s merchandise; they want to experience the store atmosphere the retailer offers. Therefore, it is important for boutiques to be aware of their store atmosphere which can offer customers a satisfying, consistent and sound retail experience. Customers who positively experience a retailer’s store atmosphere may feel more satisfied with the boutique, and may return to the retail store in the hope of receiving a similar retail experience. Once the customer returns to the same retail store, the possibility arises that the customer may become store loyal. As soon as the customer keeps on returning to the same retail store, the probability of repurchase intentions becomes real. That said, store atmosphere is considered to be a significant marketing tool, given that it provides boutiques with the power to manipulate a customer’s retail experience which could ultimately influence, customer satisfaction, store loyalty and repurchase intention. The primary objective of this research study is to investigate store atmosphere as a second-order construct model comprised from four sub-dimensions (factors) namely the retail store exterior, interior, layout and design and point-of-purchase and décoration in order to determine the interrelationships between these sub-dimensions (factors), customer satisfaction, store loyalty and repurchase intention in the fashion retail industry. In order to address this, a descriptive research design was followed and self-administered questionnaires were fielded amongst females, 18 years and older with an average monthly household net income of more than R14 000 (medium-to-high household income) who have bought items most recently from boutiques in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp during the past six months. Judgemental, convenience and quota sampling methods were used to select the sampling units and sampling elements. A total of 361 questionnaires were ultimately analysed. With respect to the empirical results of this research study, respondents agreed the most that the exterior location of the boutique is convenient, the entrance to the boutique is inviting, the interior of the boutique is clean and that the temperature in the boutique is comfortable. Regarding the layout and design of the boutique, respondents agreed the most that the checkout and service points in the boutique are well placed and that all the spaces in the boutique are creatively utilised, as well as that the furnishings in the boutique are attractive. Finally, regarding the point-of-purchase and décoration of the boutique, respondents agreed the most that the pricing of the merchandise in the boutique is clearly visible and that the merchandise is well displayed. All the measurement scales measuring the sub-dimensions (factors) and constructs of this research study exhibit internal consistency reliability as well as content, construct and criterion validity. The standardised model results indicate that all statements included in the measurement model exhibit significant factor loadings above the recommended cut-off point, exhibiting a large effect in all instances, leading to the retention of all statements for further statistical analysis. With respect to the assessment of the structural model, the fit indices indicate an acceptable model fit. Based on the empirical results obtained from this research study, it became clear that store atmosphere has a large direct influence on customer satisfaction and store loyalty, albeit with no direct influence on repurchase intention. Both mediation relationships realised a medium indirect effect between store atmosphere and repurchase intention with customer satisfaction and store loyalty as mediators. The recommendations of this research study mainly focus on strategies to improve the store atmosphere of boutiques, since it positively influences customer satisfaction and store loyalty directly and repurchase intention indirectly. Limitations the researcher encountered were mainly related to budget and time constraints. Recommendations for future research include extending this research study to other Provinces of South Africa in order to determine the status quo in these Provinces and to determine whether statistical significant differences exist between respondents based upon demographic and geographic differences with respect to the constructs of this research study. / MCom (Marketing Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The global fashion retail industry has been characterised by fierce competition for numerous years. Boutiques face increasing pressure to distinctly differentiate themselves from competing retail stores offering fashion merchandise, since customers are becoming ever more demanding as fashion evolves and new trends reach South African retail stores. Accordingly, marketers have to ensure customer satisfaction, build store loyalty, and stimulate repurchase intentions in the fashion retail industry in order to survive and prosper. For marketers to attract and retain customers, they have to adjust their marketing strategies and utilise various elements in the marketing mix to compete for customers’ attention, satisfy their retail experience needs, and encourage them to return. Shopping for clothes forms a significant part of many South African females’ lifestyles. Customers to whom fashion is important, have specific needs and wants and desire specific retail experiences. These customers are also becoming increasingly more sophisticated and individualistic, and therefore turn to small, speciality retailers such as boutiques, which they believe can accommodate them by providing unique and tailored retail experiences. Essentially, these customers do not merely purchase the retailer’s merchandise; they want to experience the store atmosphere the retailer offers. Therefore, it is important for boutiques to be aware of their store atmosphere which can offer customers a satisfying, consistent and sound retail experience. Customers who positively experience a retailer’s store atmosphere may feel more satisfied with the boutique, and may return to the retail store in the hope of receiving a similar retail experience. Once the customer returns to the same retail store, the possibility arises that the customer may become store loyal. As soon as the customer keeps on returning to the same retail store, the probability of repurchase intentions becomes real. That said, store atmosphere is considered to be a significant marketing tool, given that it provides boutiques with the power to manipulate a customer’s retail experience which could ultimately influence, customer satisfaction, store loyalty and repurchase intention. The primary objective of this research study is to investigate store atmosphere as a second-order construct model comprised from four sub-dimensions (factors) namely the retail store exterior, interior, layout and design and point-of-purchase and décoration in order to determine the interrelationships between these sub-dimensions (factors), customer satisfaction, store loyalty and repurchase intention in the fashion retail industry. In order to address this, a descriptive research design was followed and self-administered questionnaires were fielded amongst females, 18 years and older with an average monthly household net income of more than R14 000 (medium-to-high household income) who have bought items most recently from boutiques in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp during the past six months. Judgemental, convenience and quota sampling methods were used to select the sampling units and sampling elements. A total of 361 questionnaires were ultimately analysed. With respect to the empirical results of this research study, respondents agreed the most that the exterior location of the boutique is convenient, the entrance to the boutique is inviting, the interior of the boutique is clean and that the temperature in the boutique is comfortable. Regarding the layout and design of the boutique, respondents agreed the most that the checkout and service points in the boutique are well placed and that all the spaces in the boutique are creatively utilised, as well as that the furnishings in the boutique are attractive. Finally, regarding the point-of-purchase and décoration of the boutique, respondents agreed the most that the pricing of the merchandise in the boutique is clearly visible and that the merchandise is well displayed. All the measurement scales measuring the sub-dimensions (factors) and constructs of this research study exhibit internal consistency reliability as well as content, construct and criterion validity. The standardised model results indicate that all statements included in the measurement model exhibit significant factor loadings above the recommended cut-off point, exhibiting a large effect in all instances, leading to the retention of all statements for further statistical analysis. With respect to the assessment of the structural model, the fit indices indicate an acceptable model fit. Based on the empirical results obtained from this research study, it became clear that store atmosphere has a large direct influence on customer satisfaction and store loyalty, albeit with no direct influence on repurchase intention. Both mediation relationships realised a medium indirect effect between store atmosphere and repurchase intention with customer satisfaction and store loyalty as mediators. The recommendations of this research study mainly focus on strategies to improve the store atmosphere of boutiques, since it positively influences customer satisfaction and store loyalty directly and repurchase intention indirectly. Limitations the researcher encountered were mainly related to budget and time constraints. Recommendations for future research include extending this research study to other Provinces of South Africa in order to determine the status quo in these Provinces and to determine whether statistical significant differences exist between respondents based upon demographic and geographic differences with respect to the constructs of this research study. / MCom (Marketing Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Magíster en Gestión y Dirección de Empresas / El presente plan de negocio para un hotel boutique en la ciudad de Granada, Nicaragua fue realizado con el objetivo de poder determinar la viabilidad de realizar este proyecto, para esto se dividió el estudio en algunas áreas relevantes para la ejecución de este. Primeramente realizamos un estudio del entorno (análisis ambiental e industrial), en el que se establecieron una serie de características y ventajas turística para la realización de nuestro proyecto. Identificamos tanto las oportunidades y amenazas del macro entorno, como las fortalezas y debilidades de nuestro proyecto como respuesta a los factores de su ambiente interno. A continuación se realizo un análisis estratégico minucioso de nuestra propuesta de valor para los clientes, identificando una estrategia competitiva y nuestros factores críticos de éxito. Dentro de este análisis logramos denunciar nuestra misión y visión y se plantearon objetivos concretos. Posteriormente se realizó una investigación de mercado para poder establecer las necesidades y expectativas de nuestros clientes potenciales y adicionalmente determinar nuestro mercado objetivo. Una vez identificado nuestro mercado objetivo se procedió a realizar un plan de marketing ó comunicación, que nos brinda información valiosa sobre los atributos de nuestro servicio, el posicionamiento deseado de nuestra marca, los canales de distribución, y el plan de promoción que se ejecutará para el cumplimiento de metas. Se realizó también un plan operativo que nos explica la ubicación e importancia de nuestro hotel en una cadena de suministro de servicios turísticos, en donde el flujo de información es vital para la consecución de clientes metas. Se elaboraron una serie de flujogramas de los diferentes servicios en donde se establecen funciones a seguir por parte de la empresa, accionistas y personal para un bien común y cumplimiento de nuestra estrategia competitiva. Por último, se presenta un plan de implementación de las actividades a seguir desde la constitución legal de la sociedad hasta el comienzo de la operación. Posteriormente se estableció la estructura organizacional de nuestra empresa para la puesta en marcha. Finalmente se presenta un plan financiero, en donde se muestra el plan de inversión necesario para la realización del proyecto y así mismo los flujos de efectivo que se producen para los próximos 10 años. Se presentan dos escenarios probables con sus respectivos estudios económicos y los índices de rentabilidad que dicho flujos generarán, así como el VAN, TIR y período de recuperación.

This thesis deals with the business plan to form a boutique law firm focusing on tax disputes. The thesis answers the question, whether the business plan can be successful. The first part of this thesis is theoretical. The next section contains analyzes related to setting up the firm. The last part deals with the financial plan. The thesis shows, that this business plan is very attractive while avoiding all the risks.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T16:27:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RESUMO - Renata Dos Santos FAVUFG.pdf: 28396 bytes, checksum: cee2f120aab8a40d12c4456f97045a49 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-03 / The investigation called Fashion before shoppings in Goiânia: the domestic boutique and the galery s glamour aim the location of points of fashion consumption (shops, boutiques and galleries in Goiânia in the 70 s decade, phase that already have no shoppings centers. The study, that rescue a feel of breath air in capital of Goiás in a time of deep transformations, identify forms and spaces of cloth consumption almost forgotten and any anothers tha maybe can be considered seeds for actual models. By portraying an age of human relations more close, we show that, in 70 s decade, suppliers of a clothing with tag inserted in daily life of people, not only like dictators of behavior and tendencies, but also like a kind of bridge for one social transit and a reinvention of everyday. The inquiry prove that this reality of Goiânia in growing up of 70 s decade was too experienced in a similar way at post-capitalist cities and in development, like the Paris of the beginning of century. Both of urbs were invade of breeze of the incessant search of new, that is the fertile ground (ou land) beside urban life, for the establishment of fashion like symbolic good, that comes over the function of cover the body. In Goiânia, such impulse course to the new not culminate in a development of the fashion industry like in others metropolis. However, the inquiry reveals that in Goiânia, on the 70 s age, the fashion commerce in Goiás State, although deep influenced for external realities, no was only of a simple reflection of global or copies of a bigger centres context recognized like established .The investigation arrest in the registration of an important phase of fashion commerce at city, like the Goiânia s residents experience new ways of acquire clothes and to leave in a polis. The inquiry recovery the epoch that the purchase of fashion and accessories in Goiânia came a happening. Like journalist and researcher, I ve been provoked to observe images that, behind of luxury, glamour, status and economic power, also can denote individual and collective attitudes that (ou postures) go further effects like of the alienation / Esta pesquisa, intitulada A Moda antes dos shoppings em Goiânia: a butique caseira e o glamour da galeria teve como objetivo localizar pontos de consumo de moda (lojas, butiques e galerias) em Goiânia na década de 70, fase em que ainda não existiam os shoppings centers. O estudo, que resgata um pouco do ar respirado na capital goiana numa época de profundas transformações, identifica formas e espaços de consumo de roupas quase esquecidos e outros tantos que talvez possam ser considerados sementes para modelos atuais. Ao retratarmos uma era de relações humanas mais estreitas, mostramos que, na década de 70, fornecedores de mercadorias de um vestuário com etiqueta inseriam-se no dia a dia das pessoas, não apenas como ditadores de comportamentos e tendências, mas também como uma espécie de ponte para um trânsito social e a reinvenção do cotidiano. A pesquisa comprova que tal realidade da Goiânia em crescimento dos anos 70 também foi vivenciada de modo semelhante em cidades pós-capitalistas e em desenvolvimento, como a Paris do início do século. Ambas as urbes foram invadidas pela brisa dessa busca incessante pelo novo, que é o terreno fértil junto da vida urbana, para o estabelecimento da moda como bem simbólico, que vai além da sua função de cobrir o corpo. Em Goiânia, tal impulso rumo ao novo não culminou no desenvolvimento da indústria da moda como em outras metrópoles. No entanto, o estudo revela que em Goiânia, nos idos setentistas, o comércio goiano de moda, embora profundamente influenciado por realidades externas, não se resumiu a um simples reflexo do global ou a meras cópias de contextos maiores reconhecidos como estabelecidos . O estudo se detém no registro de uma fase importante do comércio de moda na cidade, em que o goianiense experimenta novas formas de adquirir roupas e de viver na pólis. A investigação resgata a época em que o ato da compra de moda e acessórios em Goiânia se tornou um acontecimento social. Como jornalista e pesquisadora, fui instigada a observar imagens que, por trás do luxo, glamour, status e poder econômico, também podem denotar atitudes individuais e coletivas que se sobrepunham a efeitos como o da alienação

With the blooming of economy after the policy of reforming and opening up, China has become the world's factory, and meanwhile, the increasing income level has led to the demand for luxury consumption. However, those who cannot afford luxury consumption in the Chinese market turned to the counterfeit goods to meet their needs for a conspicuous satisfaction. For the counterfeiting issues in Chinese market, Chinese cultural has been blamed for the main cause, but rarely have researchers taken a delicate view of Chinese culture. This study take the concepts of authoritarian personality and face maintenance which are important in the Chinese cultural characteristics, combining with normative beliefs and cognition of regulative failure as independent variables to identify their relations with the attitude toward counterfeit boutique purchasing behavior, the dependent variable in this study. Meanwhile, we discovered some interesting findings after comparing data from Taiwan and China. In this study, cultural dimensions are used in market segmentation of strategic consideration, hoping for discuss the rampant counterfeiting problems in China. This study provides quality brands in the Chinese market different ways of thinking to fight against counterfeiting.

Abstract Coming with evolution of social structure, the industrial structure has been changed continually. From earliest agriculture and industrial society. Taiwan has gradually moved into modern society¡Vservice society. Within service society, department store is the most typical business. For the clerks of department store the most significant job is providing face-to-face service to customers. The working hours for the clerks are mainly concentrate on vacation and nighttime combined with long period standing. Hence the influential of physical and psychological stress will cause job burnout. Precisely, clerks are not directly employed by the department store, even they affect the sales and quality of department store nevertheless the department store could not implement the same motivation on clerks as they were hired by boutique. Managerial methods and strategies have become the critical topic for human resource mangers. This study focus on the source of job burnout, the clerk is the main component, job burnout is the media variance, using those factors to discuss the mediating effect among leadership, role stress, social support, turnover intention, sales performance and sales attitude to the job burnout. The consequence indicated that: 1.The clerks gained highest degree in the leadership of goal achievement. 2.With role stress, the role overloads that affect clerks is more seriously. 3.With social support, the colleagues supporting provide the highest support. 4.With job burnout, the exhaustion that affects clerks is more thoughtfully. 5.A negative correlation was identified between leadership and job burnout. Along the leadership, it emphasizes the goal and depersonalization has negative interaction but the interactive to the diminished personal accomplishment among leadership result positive effect. 6.The positive correlation was identified between role stress and job burnout of clerks. Once the role overloads of the role stress occur, the positive effect of exhaustion may take place and the negative effect may diminish personal accomplishment. Further the role ambiguity and role conflict of role stress may show the positive correlation. 7.A notable correlation was identified between social support and job burnout. The workman support of social support may have negative correlation on job burnout. Moreover, a negative correlation was identified between family supports of depersonalization and diminishes personal accomplishment. 8.A predictable correlation was identified between job burnout and turnover intention. The job burnout and turnover has positive correlation. 9.A diligent positive correlation was identified between job burnout and turnover intention. The exhaustion of job burnout and turnover intention has positive effect. 10.A significant correlation was identified between exhaustion of job burnout and diminishes personal accomplishment. Exhaustion of job burnout to the sales performance has positive effect, in addition diminish personal accomplishment of job burnout has positive effect to the sales performance. 11.A notable negative correlation was associated with job burnout and service attitude. Depersonalization of job burnout and diminished personal accomplishment creates negative effect. 12.In mediating effect, the leadership will affect the turnover intention by job burnout; the role stress will cause turnover intention and service attitude by job burnout. 13.The interaction among leadership, role stress and social support will influence job burnout precisely. KEY WORDS: Leadership, Role Stress, Social Support, Department Store, and Clerk of Boutique, Job Burnout

Individuals who rely on mutual funds to accumulate wealth need advice on how best to select them (Ciccotello&Grant, 1996). The purpose of the study is to gain insight whether fund size and boutique or institutional fund structure of unit trusts affects returns. It expands the body of knowledge on investment performance factors and equips investors with a tool to make informed decisions when contemplating various fund manager offerings.Data was collected from the database of the Association for Savings and Investment (ASISA) for South African general equity unit trust returns and fund size information covering a period of 44 quarters from March 2001 to December 2011. Domestic general equity unit trusts were analysed during the period under review. A regression analysis was run to test for fund size as an indicator of investment performance. A parallel study was conducted to test whether boutique funds outperform institutional funds.The results indicate that fund size has no influence on fund performance. The findings also show that there is no significant difference between the performance of boutique style unit trust funds and institutional unit trust funds. These findings contradict the findings of previous research by (Fama, 1972); (Chen, Hong, Huang, &Kubik, 2004; Ciccotello&Grant, 1996; Droms&Walker, 1996) who found fund size, either positively or negatively have an influence on mutual fund returns while (Gallagher&Martin, 2005) and Schönfeld (2009) concluded that boutique funds offer better returns compared to institutional funds. Investors would be advised to carry out a fund by fund analysis to identify the optimal domestic unit trust investment fund when investing as opposed to an aggregated study. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

<p>This study explored the role of idiosyncratic service experience by redefining the wow experience in the context of boutique hotels. Despite the expansion of the boutique hotel segment, which seeks to provide a unique and singular experience, in the lodging industry and the growing popularity of pursuing novel experiences among Millennial consumers, the role of idiosyncratic experience in consumer behavior has not been explored. This left the potential antecedents and consequents of idiosyncratic hotel stay experience—and its role in consumer’s decision-making process—unknown. In this study, a consumer’s perception of a hotel stay experience, which is unusual in an interesting and surprising way, is coined as the perceived quirky experience (PQE). Utilizing the Mehrabian-Russel model, the relationship among boutique hotel service quality aspects, motives and barriers, PQE, and behavior intentions were examined. The consumer decision-making process is expected to be influenced by the optimal stimulation level (OSL); thus, the group differences between stimulation avoiders and seekers were also explored. </p> <p>Methodologically, the current study also seeks to provide a novel approach to amalgamate qualitative and quantitative data. By integrating qualitative analysis of 175,407 TripAdvisor reviews and quantitative analysis of field data (n = 498), topic modeling using an unsupervised machine learning process was performed. Identified keywords were used for aspect-based sentiment analysis and to construct measurement items for the quantitative study stage. Statistical tests were performed using logistic regression and path analysis—and multi-group analysis. The results of this study suggested that boutique hotel-specific service quality aspects have a stronger effect on PQE, and this internal state leads to strong behavioral intentions regardless of temporal differences. The consumer’s stimulation-seeking tendency influenced multiple paths in the consumer’s decision-making process. </p> <p>This study is the first to explore the role of idiosyncratic service experience in the boutique hotel setting and makes theoretical contributions to understanding consumer behaviors involving the perception of uncommon and interesting experiences. The findings of this study provide practical contributions to boutique hotel developers regarding the relative importance of service quality aspects to create a unique and singular stay experience and also provide hotel and brand managers with insightful marketing implications.</p>

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Allen Featherstone / Because agriculture is a cornerstone in the U.S. and World economies, the agricultural retail industry is becoming more competitive. To gain a competitive advantage, agricultural retailers must take advantage of competencies that they have. The thesis provides an in depth analysis of how FluidGro products effect the profitability of Centennial. It explores the issues impacting Ag Retail and how marketing concepts and theories can make a retailer achieve success in volatile times. Insight is provided regarding how Centennial Ag Supply can use those strategies to give them a low cost position and a differentiated product and how Centennial can improve profitability by implementing effective marketing strategies for the FluidGro brand of products. Finally, a couple of capital improvement options that Centennial Ag can invest in to increase the sales and profitability of their FluidGro product line and what impact that will have on company sales and profitability. A net present value analysis is used to analyze the capital improvements and linear regressions estimate the profitability of the FluidGro product line and how this will contribute to increased profitability to the parent company, Centennial Ag Supply. Results indicate that Centennial should first invest in a wholesale division. Next, Centennial should invest in a heat exchanger to allow it to manufacture additional products.