La compréhension de la façon dont les consommateurs interagissent avec le site Web d’une entreprise s’avère primordiale pour sa survie à l’heure actuelle. En effet, elle aide les gestionnaires de sites Web à améliorer la performance du site de manière à développer la satisfaction des consommateurs et ainsi leurs comportements d’achat et de fidélité. Le but de ce travail de recherche est double. Il vise dans un premier temps à développer un modèle conceptuel expliquant la fidélité intentionnelle des consommateurs, pour dans un deuxième temps, le tester empiriquement dans le cas des sites Web de voyage. Plus précisément, cette étude examine le rôle des perceptions des consommateurs sur leur satisfaction et leur fidélité. Cette dernière est appréhendée au travers des intentions d’achat, de recommandation et de visite du site. En outre, le rôle médiateur de la satisfaction des consommateurs entre la perception des consommateurs des attributs de site et la fidélité intentionnelle est examiné. Un cadre théorique est établi qui est soutenu par des preuves empiriques dans le contexte de voyage en ligne. Ce cadre théorique se penche essentiellement sur la théorie du choix raisonné de Fishbein et Ajzen (1975), Oliver (1999) et autres travaux majeurs dans le domaine du comportement du consommateur en ligne. Notre étude s’appuie sur une approche quantitative fondée sur les données recueillies auprès des consommateurs par le biais d’un questionnaire ciblant les voyageurs en ligne. Notre analyse est fondée sur des réponses d'un échantillon de 200 voyageurs.En ce qui concerne les résultats empiriques, la recherche apporte plus d’éclairage sur le lien entre les perceptions des consommateurs et leur intention de fidélité. Par conséquent, les résultats montrent l'impact direct de la perception sur les intentions de fidélité. Plus précisément, les résultats suggèrent que la perception du consommateur liée aux attributs fonctionnels et hédoniques du site Web de voyage est susceptible d'affecter son intention de fidélité.Les résultats empiriques montrent également que les deux dimensions de la perception des consommateurs à savoir les attributs hédoniques et fonctionnels peuvent potentiellement améliorer la satisfaction du consommateur. Cependant, la satisfaction est plus déterminée par les perceptions liées aux attributs fonctionnels que celles liées aux aspects hédoniques. En outre, bien que la satisfaction du consommateur est reconnue d’influencer les intentions de fidélité des consommateurs, mais seul ne suffit pas pour conduire les intentions de fidélité des consommateurs. L'étude se termine par une conclusion générale qui résume les principaux résultats mis en évidence dans cette recherche. Il aborde les contributions théoriques, méthodologiques, les implications managériales et les contributions de résultats empiriques de recherche. Enfin, cette recherche conclut sur des voies de recherche futures. / A better comprehension of how consumers interact with travel web site is primordial for its survival as it helps managers improve web site performance to levels that satisfy online travel purchaser, and thus create loyalty intentions resulting in a positive word of mouth and repurchasing behavior. Drawing upon the foundations of marketing literature and particularly the theory of reasoned action of Fishbein and Ajzen (1975), Oliver (1999) and other relevant major works regarding online consumer behavior, this research work aims at developing and test empirically a conceptual model that explains how online leisure traveler develops loyalty intentions towards travel web site. Specifically, this research study investigates the role of consumer’s perceptions and satisfaction on loyalty intentions. In addition, the mediating role of consumer satisfaction between web site attributes perceptions-loyalty intentions relationship is examined. The established theoretical framework is supported by empirical evidence in the online travel settings. Our research study uses quantitative approach leaning on data collected by consumer-based survey targeting online travelers. Our analysis is based from responses of a sample of 200 e-travelers.With regard to the empirical findings, the research brings more knowledge about the consumer’s perceptions-loyalty intentions relationship. Hence, findings indicate the direct impact of perception on loyalty intentions. More precisely, results suggest that consumer’s perception of functional-related and hedonic related attributes of travel web site is likely to affect his loyalty intentions. The empirical findings show as well that the two dimensions of consumers’ perceptions (hedonic and functional-relevant attributes) can potentially enhance consumer satisfaction. However, satisfaction is more driven by functional-related attributes than hedonic-related ones. Furthermore, though consumer satisfaction is deemed to influence consumer loyalty intentions but alone is not sufficient to drive consumer loyalty intentions. Finally, the research study ends with a general conclusion that summarizes the key findings highlighted in this research. It addresses the theoretical, methodological, managerial marketing implications and contributions of empirical findings. Then, it provides a basis for identifying several fruitful directions for future research.

The rate of failure to manage e-waste and the business sectors' failure to produce more eco-friendly products is high. These failure rates cause companies to lose profits on expanding an eco-friendly customer market. The central research question addressed by this correlational design examined the quality, price, and brand loyalty of eco-friendly products related to customers' willingness to recycle e-products. Consumer and buying behavior theories served as the theoretical framework in this investigation. SurveyMonkey was used to distribute the researcher-developed survey to the participants for the collection of the data. The collection data instrument was validated by performing a pilot test using students of the subject organization. The final sample size consisted of 381 participants, 18-24 years old. The strength of the association between ranked variables was determined using Spearman correlation while the customer behavior relationships of interest were examined using ordinal regression. One of the key findings was that when customers had used a certain brand in the past, they were more likely to continue buying that brand, even when the price increased. However, another finding showed that some customers were not willing to recycle electronic devices even if more drop-off recycling facilities were available. The profitability of green product innovations due to brand loyalty, combined with a demonstration of social responsibility by a business, could create a powerful venue for positive social change. The socially-responsible activities of a business could promote awareness that green products and recycling of e-waste are important for an environmentally-secure future.

<p>This thesis aims at investigating consumers’ perceptions on the incorporation of an established brand and how the general attitude and buying behaviour is altered in the course of an acquisition. The combination of two or more brands in a newly formed conglomerate implies a combination of values, principles and associations that might affect a company’s appeal. Therefore, underlying reasons for M&As will be elaborated upon as well as branding concepts based on brand image, loyalty and reputation in order to bridge the two theoretical areas with a case study. The acquisition of Body Shop International by L’Oréal represents the practical case, which will be analysed in reference to consumers’ reactions towards it. Quantitative consumer questionnaires will be conducted in order to collect representative data on consumers’ perceptions and associations of the brand Body Shop. Moreover, an expert interview with a Body Shop representative will be executed in order to add the company’s perspective. By analysing the results of the questionnaire, the thesis reveals an observable trend towards a correlation of the awareness of the acquisition and a negative shift in customer perception. The buying behaviour is however not found to be influenced by the combination of the two firms. In conclusion, it can be stated that the need for pre-acquisition analysis regarding strategic fit and compatibility of values and associations is assured. The study clearly identifies that brand dilution is a possible threat for established brands and implies the risk of lost credibility and loyalty.</p>

This thesis aims at investigating consumers’ perceptions on the incorporation of an established brand and how the general attitude and buying behaviour is altered in the course of an acquisition. The combination of two or more brands in a newly formed conglomerate implies a combination of values, principles and associations that might affect a company’s appeal. Therefore, underlying reasons for M&amp;As will be elaborated upon as well as branding concepts based on brand image, loyalty and reputation in order to bridge the two theoretical areas with a case study. The acquisition of Body Shop International by L’Oréal represents the practical case, which will be analysed in reference to consumers’ reactions towards it. Quantitative consumer questionnaires will be conducted in order to collect representative data on consumers’ perceptions and associations of the brand Body Shop. Moreover, an expert interview with a Body Shop representative will be executed in order to add the company’s perspective. By analysing the results of the questionnaire, the thesis reveals an observable trend towards a correlation of the awareness of the acquisition and a negative shift in customer perception. The buying behaviour is however not found to be influenced by the combination of the two firms. In conclusion, it can be stated that the need for pre-acquisition analysis regarding strategic fit and compatibility of values and associations is assured. The study clearly identifies that brand dilution is a possible threat for established brands and implies the risk of lost credibility and loyalty.

Co-branded products emerge when two or more brands combine their forces to create a new product with its own identity. More and more companies use cobranding strategy to reduce the risks inherent in creating new products. Moreover, consumers evaluate some of those products favorably. Understanding of consumers&rsquo / perceptions of co-branded products is important for learning the importance of product design on these products. This thesis explores the reasons why consumers perceive one of the partner brands of a co-branded product more dominant than the other and presents the outcomes of a survey study carried out for that purpose. The thesis comprises a two-part literature review on co-branding and brand dominance. The survey study comprises a questionnaire that is filled out by 48 Dutch participants. Through such a study the reasons of consumers&rsquo / perceptions of partner brand dominance were revealed / the strong influence of the fit between a partner brand and the co-branded product and product design on consumers&rsquo / perceptions of a dominant partner brand was evidenced. Moreover, the implications of gaining such an insight about the reasons of partner brand dominance for designers and brand owners were discussed.

The literature on status, product symbolism, product involvement, and reference group influence is reviewed to conceptually define the Product Symbolic Status construct. The research consisted of two studies (N = 524) that examined 17 different product types to develop and validate the Product Symbolic Status (PSS) scale. The PSS scale is comprised of four facets: self-concept, impression management, lifestyle, and social visibility. The PSS scale consists of nine items which produced an average reliability of α = .90 and showed evidence of convergent and discriminant validity in MTMM analyses with the constructs of product value-expressiveness, product involvement, and product exclusivity/luxury. The PSS scale can also be used for brand symbolic status research. The marketing and advertising research implications are discussed.

Customer perception and the way this phenomenon impacts customers' choices when purchasing products is an extremely significant marketing aspect in any industry. In a competitive market and economy, understanding and being able to predict consumer perceptions and responses is a crucial competitive factor that all suppliers should have an in–depth knowledge and understanding of. This applies especially to the South African beer market with more than forty competing beer brands. This study examines the aspect of customer perception in terms of the three central variable perceptions of price, taste and brand image. Furthermore, the study takes into account the interaction between these variables and attempts to ascertain whether one is more significant than the other. To this end an empirical research study was undertaken by means of a questionnaire that examined the responses from 225 participants. These responses were analysed in terms of a number of significant variables in relation to perceptions of price, taste and brand image. The results were also compared to the literature and theory on the subject. Among the findings from this research was that while all variables were important, price was considered by the participants to be a constant factor in the decision–making process. However, it was also found that price as a perception could not be viewed in isolation as a separate and autonomous variable. It was found that aspects such as brand image could have a significant impact on other perceptual factors such as taste. The study concludes with the recommendation that the perceptions of price, taste and brand image should be considered in terms of their affect on each other and should be further researched in terms of a more holistic understanding of their interconnections. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Customer perception and the way this phenomenon impacts customers' choices when purchasing products is an extremely significant marketing aspect in any industry. In a competitive market and economy, understanding and being able to predict consumer perceptions and responses is a crucial competitive factor that all suppliers should have an in–depth knowledge and understanding of. This applies especially to the South African beer market with more than forty competing beer brands. This study examines the aspect of customer perception in terms of the three central variable perceptions of price, taste and brand image. Furthermore, the study takes into account the interaction between these variables and attempts to ascertain whether one is more significant than the other. To this end an empirical research study was undertaken by means of a questionnaire that examined the responses from 225 participants. These responses were analysed in terms of a number of significant variables in relation to perceptions of price, taste and brand image. The results were also compared to the literature and theory on the subject. Among the findings from this research was that while all variables were important, price was considered by the participants to be a constant factor in the decision–making process. However, it was also found that price as a perception could not be viewed in isolation as a separate and autonomous variable. It was found that aspects such as brand image could have a significant impact on other perceptual factors such as taste. The study concludes with the recommendation that the perceptions of price, taste and brand image should be considered in terms of their affect on each other and should be further researched in terms of a more holistic understanding of their interconnections. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

For decades, the speed of commercial aviation was constrained by the sound barrier. However, recent noticeable growth in air traffic and the recognition of the “time” as a valuable asset for passengers, call for more efficient, faster commercial transport. The commercial supersonic flight, able to fly above the speed of the sound has not been around ever since Concorde made its last trip in 2003, but it is promised to be on its way back. Currently, several existing and emerging companies are competing to revive the concept by developing and launching efficient supersonic plane between 2020-2025. The aircraft could operate on long-haul intercontinental flights about 2.6 times faster than current subsonic airplanes, targeting primarily business travelers. However, such a technological leapfrogging innovation embodies several engineering, economic, environmental and other factors, vital for its commercial success.                                The overall purpose of this master thesis is to investigate which factors could ensure the success of the upcoming supersonic commercial flight. The research will examine whether the new generation of supersonic planes can achieve maintainable commercial success by introducing industry expert opinions and exploring the perceptions of potential passengers towards supersonic flight as a possible future transportation mode.                               The limited literature on the subject created the need for descriptive research to expand the understanding. The chosen deductive approach relies on adopting the theoretical conceptions on the Theory of Disruptive Innovation and the Extended GAP Model of Service Quality. Pragmatic research philosophy is used due to the fact that it was deemed necessary to pursue multiple views to enable best answering the research questions. Qualitative interviews with ten industry experts have been conducted, capturing both the market specifications and the technical functions of the planes. Furthermore, 28 potential consumers who have flown in a business class on a long-haul flight gave valuable insights on the service quality perceptions.                                The results show that demand for supersonic flight exists and people are willing to use it as long as the plane satisfies their expectations of service quality. Based on the predictions of industry experts and the high level of curiosity of the potential customers interviewed, and their positive perceptions towards using it, the commercial  supersonic flight has the scale possibility to be highly successful. However, the upcoming supersonic aircraft should find a balance between the main service quality attributes, such as speed, comfort, convenience, and safety, in relation to the economic, environmental, and engineering challenges.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo analisar a contribuição do design de superfície no design de embalagem, através do estudo da aplicação de texturas visuais em embalagens de cosméticos femininos como fator de diferenciação em relação a produtos de uma mesma categoria. A dissertação delimitou-se no estudo da aplicação de texturas visuais utilizadas em embalagens de cosméticos femininos, sob o enfoque simbólico e estético. Realiza o estudo de caso de uma empresa de cosméticos localizada em Porto Alegre, que possui a maior linha de marca própria do Brasil, em número de itens, no ramo farmacêutico. O tema da dissertação busca compreender a relação entre design de embalagem e o design de superfície como fator de diferenciação e sucesso comercial de um produto cosmético feminino. Esse estudo foi realizado através de pesquisa qualitativa que se aprofunda e embasa sobre o assunto explorado. Utilizaram-se como técnicas de coleta de dados a pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, entrevistas em profundidade e grupos focais. Através desta dissertação, ampliou-se a área do conhecimento que circunscreve o design de embalagem e o design de superfície demonstrando que as suas relações e contribuições são relevantes e que refletem no olhar do público. / This dissertation aims to analyze the contribution of surface design in packaging design by studying the application of visual texture in female cosmetics packaging and differentiation factor for products in the same category.The thesis was delimited to study the application of visual textures used in female cosmetic packaging, under the symbolic and esthetic approach. Proposes the case study of a cosmetics company based in Porto Alegre, which has the largest range of own brand in Brazil in number of items in the pharmaceutical industry. The theme of the dissertation seeks to understand the relationship between packaging design and surface design as a factor of differentiation and commercial success of a cosmetic product for women. This study was conducted through qualitative research that underlies and deepens on the subject explored. Were used as data collection techniques to bibliographic and documentary research, interviews and focus groups.Through this dissertation, has widened the area of knowledge that limits the design of packaging and surface design demonstrating that their relationships and contributions are relevant and which are reflected in the public eye.