The average South African tertiary student spends more than the average South African individual each month, making them a valuable market to be understood by retailers. One technique retailers use to differentiate themselves from the increased competition is by relationship marketing through loyalty programmes. Research on the topic of loyalty programmes increased rapidly over the last decade. The problem, however, is that the majority of past research on the subject of loyalty programmes only focused on what happens after customers have already joined a loyalty programme. Little research exists regarding the factors that influence subject participation in loyalty programmes. Furthermore, to date no research study has investigated factors that might influence loyalty programme participation among South African students. The purpose of this study was to understand the tertiary student market by building on the research of De Wulf et al. (2013:69-83) as a vital study to explore factors that might influence them to participate in retail loyalty programmes. An exploratory study was conducted, in which data was collected from students studying at Pearson Institute of Higher Education/ CTI Pretoria by means of self-administered questionnaires. The study followed a quantitative research approach, in order to satisfy the research objectives. The results of the study indicate that the top four characteristics most likely to influence students to participate in a retail loyalty programme, include: a loyalty programme where you receive immediate discounts on certain items at purchase; a loyalty programme that allows you to use your loyalty card at more than one retailer; a loyalty programme with unlimited duration on the usage of benefits or rewards; a loyalty programme that rewards you by giving immediate benefits. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Master's thesis "Marketing research during the development of the Black pelican shopping centre" deals with the use of marketing research in the preparatory and the operational phase of the project Black Pelican shopping centre. The shopping centre is to be completed in the downtown of the České Budějovice in 2011. Theoretical part of the thesis dealing with the basics of marketing research is followed by the marketing research analysis during the preoperational part of the project. In this analysis, particular emphasis is set on the methodology of the carried out studies and on the summary of the importance of the marketing research in the project of Black Pelican shopping centre.. Next part of the thesis deals with the importance of the marketing research since the opening of the commercial gallery Black Pelican. . Beside the specific research studies that are proposed in this part of the thesis and that should be implemented, their organizational backup is also described.

В исследовании анализируются потребительские предпочтения, мотивы посещения заведений общественного питания, факторы, влияющие на выбор заведений, – личностные, культурные, социальные, экономические, маркетинговые. Исследование актуально в условиях роста урбанизации и изменения образа жизни городских жителей, что увеличивает важность понимания их предпочтений для эффективного маркетинга и управления предприятиями общественного питания. Эмпирическая база исследования включает результаты онлайн-опроса горожан и экспертных интервью с фуд-блогерами и владельцами заведений. Исследование выявило, что ключевыми факторами выбора заведений общественного питания являются качество еды, обслуживание и атмосфера заведений. Основные мотивы посещения заведений общественного питания – социальные взаимодействия и желание попробовать что-то новое. Практическая значимость работы заключается в разработке рекомендаций по улучшению маркетинговых стратегий и повышению уровня удовлетворенности клиентов. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы рестораторами для оптимизации работы и адаптации к меняющимся потребительским предпочтениям. / The author analyzes consumer preferences, motives for visiting public catering establishments, factors influencing the choice of establishments – personal, cultural, social, economic, and marketing. The study is relevant in the context of increasing urbanization and changing lifestyles of urban residents, which increases the importance of understanding their preferences for effective marketing and management of public catering enterprises. The empirical base of the study includes the results of an online survey of citizens and expert interviews with food bloggers and establishment owners. The study found that the key factors in choosing catering establishments are the quality of food, service and atmosphere of the establishments. The main motives for visiting catering establishments are social interactions and the desire to try something new. The practical significance of the study lies in the development of recommendations to improve marketing strategies and increase customer satisfaction. The results of the study can be used by restaurateurs to optimize their work and adapt to changing consumer preferences.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine consumers’ perceptions of loyalty programmes offered by cosmetic retailers in Durban and on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, South Africa. A broad and in-depth literature review of loyalty programmes as tools for retaining consumers, as well as the different types of loyalty programmes currently available in South Africa, was conducted. An empirical study was conducted by using an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect data from consumers who were members of cosmetic retailers’ loyalty programmes. A quantitative approach was followed in order to satisfy the research objectives of the study. Loyalty programmes are an integral part of many retail businesses as they allow retailers to reward returning consumers with (amongst others) discounts or special promotional offers when the loyalty programme is used at the point of sale. The rapid advancements in technology has also enabled retailers to maintain databases containing valuable information on consumers’ spending patterns, which informs retailers about products consumers prefer buying. Retailers all over the world have been using loyalty programmes to retain existing consumers by rewarding loyalty and win over new consumers. Although many South African retailers have introduced loyalty programmes into their businesses, consumers’ perceptions of loyalty programmes offered by cosmetic retailers have not been investigated here. The results of this research study indicate that consumers perceived loyalty programmes as easy to use at the point of sale when making purchases. Consumers also felt that loyalty programmes helped them to save money through the redemption of vouchers or points. Overall, consumers were satisfied as members of cosmetic retailers’ loyalty programmes. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

The number of public markets in the United States increased from more than 300 in the 1970s to more than 8,600 by 2016. This increase in markets is related to changes in food production, localism and the local food systems movement, socioeconomic changes, cultural changes, and perceptions of embeddedness. Research on the underlying conditions for the success of public markets is scant in the United States, and especially in the USDA Southwest Region. This study provides analysis of public market locations as compared with non-market locations by drive-time trade areas during a 20-year period, 1996 and 2016, to gain further insights into factors leading to their success. The results from logit regression analyses and simulations of socioeconomic, college-town status, and climate-grid classifications find an increased likelihood of public markets with population, education, college town status, and some climate-grid locations. Median income, surprisingly, has an inverse relationship with public market success. Qualitative data and a literature review point to three types of embeddedness that motivate customers to attend public markets. This study concludes that "local nontradable consumer goods" tied to place are offered at these "nontradable consumption amenities." These amenities are "third places" that promote social interaction and become important places of community, farmer support, and commerce across the Southwest Region.

Магистерская диссертация «Издательская составляющая мультипликационных брендов» состоит из двух частей. Магистерская диссертация содержит 59 страниц, 4 рисунка. В списке литературы содержится 32 библиографические единицы. Цель исследования – разработать критерии оценки качества изданий с использованием мультипликационных брендов. Объект исследования ‒ издания на основе мультипликационных брендов. Предмет – видовые, жанровые, структурно-содержательные и визуально-полиграфические особенности изданий на основе мультипликационных брендов. В первой главе были рассмотрены особенности издательской продукции с использованием мультипликационных брендов. Также рассмотрены определения понятий «бренд» и «мультипликационный», а также предложено понятие и определение мультипликационного бренда. Издания на основе мультипликационных брендов классифицированы по видам продукции. Во второй главе магистерской диссертации дана общая характеристика мультипликационных сериалов, проведено исследование потребительских предпочтений к мультипликационным брендам. В ходе опроса было выявлено, какие мультсериалы предпочитают потребители, какую издательскую продукцию на основе мультипликационных сериалов предпочитают, и какие критерии для целевой аудитории являются главными для приобретения данной издательской продукции. Результаты опроса были разделены по возрастным показателям целевой аудитории на три группы. На основе ответов респондентов определены критерии первой, второй и третьей степени важности. Отдельные положения проведенного исследования были представлены на международной научно-практической конференции «Книжное дело: достижения, проблемы, перспективы – VI», проходившей в апреле 2017 г. / The Master's thesis "Publishing Component of Animated Brands" consists of two parts. The master thesis contains 59 pages, 4 drawings. The list of references contains 32 bibliographic units. The purpose of the study is to develop criteria for assessing the quality of publications using animated brands. The object of the research is publications based on animated brands. Subject - Species, genre, structural and informative and visual-printing features of publications based on animated brands. The first chapter examined the features of publishing products using animated brands. Also considered the definitions of the concepts of "brand" and "animated" and proposed the concept and definition of an animated brand. Editions based on animated brands are classified by product. In the second chapter of the master's thesis, the general characteristics of animated series are given, and a study of consumer preferences for animated brands is conducted. The survey revealed which cartoon series consumers prefer, which publishing products based on animated TV series they prefer, and which criteria for the target audience are central to the acquisition of this publishing product. The survey results were divided by age indicators of the target audience into three groups. On the basis of the respondents' answers, criteria of first, second and third degree of importance are determined. Separate provisions of the study were presented at the international scientific-practical conference "Book Business: Achievements, Problems, Prospects - VI", held in April 2017.