Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

M.Com. (Business Management) / What really drives business success? Ten, twenty years ago, it would have been somewhat easier to answer this pertinent question. What were seen as central to business success were functional hard core derivatives i.e. operational efficiency, financial discipline and speed to market. Customers, essentially customer experience, were never part of the equation. For those very few organisations that bid to be anything different, the concepts customer experience and customer satisfaction were merely an afterthought. Today the picture is slightly different. Organisations are now applying a contemporary business approach and showing more appreciation for customers. Organisations realise that by creating an environment that is pro—consumer, an environment that achieves and maintains a fair balance between organisational process efficacies and customers’ needs, an environment that harnesses employees productivity and encourages fluid communication passage between the organisation and its customers, they will not only connect with their customers on an emotional level, but they will be able to build a sustainable brand asset and a long-lasting profitable relationships with their customers. It is for this reason that the four customer experience elements namely: process, people, channel approach and branding were selected as premise for this study. This study tries to understand and establish the influence of customer experience elements on customer satisfaction at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). An investigation was conducted on customer experience within a process-centred approach at the IDC. The study was steered in two stages. The first stage focused on exploratory research, and the second stage focused on descriptive research. The sample consisted of 276 customers. In-depth interviews were conducted with customers to assist the researcher in developing the statements in the questionnaire. A self-administered questionnaire was designed based on theoretical literature provided within the study and information gathered through the in-depth interviews. Various statistical analysis procedures were used to achieve the objectives of the study, including factor analysis, rotated factor matrix, Cronbach’s alpha, multiple regression and comparison analysis.

M.Phil. (Engineering Management) / For over a decade, customer satisfaction has received increasing attention in marketing. Customer satisfaction is related to loyalty, which in tum is linked to increased profitability, market share, growth, and decreased costs.8 During the 1980s, Japanese firms won major market shares with their product quality and speed. As most leading western companies caught up with their Japanese competitors on quality, most Japanese firms were focusing on a new strategy to meet and exceed changing customer expectations in the 1990s.1 To produce loyalty to an organization became one of the most popular marketing trends of the last decade.1·32 However, customers remain loyal only as long as they are completely satisfied with the quality of the service or product provided? Research results show that it costs five to seven times more to recruit a new customer than it does to retain one." Numerous research studies have shown that the average customer who is happy with a product and a service tells at least three people of his satisfaction, while a dissatisfied customer tells 9 or 10 people about his dissatisfactionf Knowledge of customers' perceptions and attitudes about an organization's business will greatly enhance its opportunity to make better business decisions." More than 80 percent of innovations in high-performing companies come from customers' ideas.'

M.Tech. (Business Administration) / The purpose of this study was to determine the service quality perceptions of the internal clients who use Radiopark Studios' facilities. This subject is regarded as important in that Radiopark Studios now competes with outside facilities. Internal clients can hire studio facilities and personnel from different production houses. Radiopark Studios should, therefore, improve its clients relationship. The aim was to find out whether there were gaps between the internal clients' service expectations and the services delivered by Radiopark Studios. Zeithaml, Parasuraman, and Berry (1990) Servqual analysis was used as the primary theory base. The researcher investigated the following sections: • Booking office, • Production assistants, • Radio block (studios), • Technicians, • Radio main control, • Security and reception, and • Marketing. The main findings were that there were gaps between the service received by Radiopark Studios internal clients and the service they would like to get. It also showed that Radiopark Studios internal clients were receiving inconsistent service in that some were satisfied with the service delivery whereas others were dissatisfied. Recommendations are made in this report on how to close the service gaps identified in the study.

M.B.A. / Straddling the tropic of Capricorn, land-locked Botswana spans a vast 581,730 square kilometres in area. The country shares borders with Namibia to the north and west, Zambia and Zimbabwe to the north-east, and South Africa to the east and south. The Botswana Central Statistics Office (CSO) estimate a 2001 population of 1,68 million with an annual growth rate of 2.4% (Annual Economic Report, (2003)). The population is concentrated mainly in the fertile eastern and southern one third of the country. The remaining two thirds of the country's land is covered with the thick sands of the Kgalagadi Desert. Rainfall in the country is sporadic and erratic. According to the 2001 National Census the urban population of the country stands at 52.1% with the capital Gaborone accounting for 10.1% of the country's population. Francistown, the second and only other city, accounts for 4.9% of the country's population. The remainder of the urban population is distributed among 14 smaller urban centres. Gaborone accounts for 26.9% of the country's population between the ages of 25 and 54 years (Annual Economic Report, 2003.) 1.1.2. Communication The communication network is fairly sophisticated with 19.4% of the county's roads paved. The telephone network is fully digital, with Internet, e-mail, fax facilities available in all major centres of the country. Telex, data-switching, satellite-link and voice-mail service are also available nationwide. There are two cellular phone service provides and eleven internet service providers (ISPs). There are 27 Batswana to a telephone. (See Table 1: Botswana Social Statistics 2001 Table 1: Botswana Social Statistics: 2001 Life Expectancy 65.2 Population per Physician 3448 Persons per telephone 27 Persons per radio 95 Daily Newspapers 1 Persons per vehicle 21 Paved roads % 19.4 Primary School numbers 330,767 Tertiary education numbers 128,744 Literacy rate % 70 (Source: Annual Economic Report: 2003) 1.1.3. Economic performance Domestic output, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is estimated to have grown, in nominal terms from P16.54 billion (SAR 25,47 billion) in 2000/2001 to P16.91 billion (SAR 26,04 billion) in 2001/2002, representing an increase of 2.3%. The increase for the previous year had been 17.2% (Annual Economic Report 2003) A slump in mining, with a growth rate of 3.1% (17.2% the previous year) was the major contributor to the slow growth. Banks, Insurance and Business services also shared significant growth among the non-mining sectors of the economy. (See Table 2: Economic Structure).

The nature of relationships that consumers form with their brands has been well documented in the marketing literature, but research conducted to date has not focused on the relationships that low income consumers form with brands, despite this being an extremely important market globally. Through understanding the consumer-brand relationships with low-income consumers better, companies have greater opportunities for new markets as well as leading to increased innovation. This paper highlights low-income consumers as value-conscious consumers through the brand relationships they have. Results from thirteen in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 13 women from Alexandra Township in South Africa are presented. Low-income consumers form many different relationships based on value, quality, choice and service, to name a few – with very few relationships being based on price. The low-income consumer requires trustworthiness, innovativeness and a willingness to do things differently. Understanding of their situation and a willingness of management to design processes and procedures around this is found to relate to improved relationships with an extremely brand-loyal market. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The research project investigated the applicability of the Service-Profit Chain model in the context where there are bottom of the pyramid customers who service bottom of the pyramid consumers in a middle income country. All businesses are concerned about creating value for themselves. In the past a lot of initiatives have focused on internal restructuring measures as well driving one of the most valuable assets they have their brands. However, there is now a growing realisation by businesses driven by a number of factors that a the management of customer relations is one of the most effective tools to manage and increase profitability. In view of the increasing emphasis that is being placed on the role of customers in creating value for businesses the service-profit chain is an appropriate response to how businesses can go about managing customer profitability. The research project was done using a quantitative research method with customers of one of the leading softdrinks beverage companies in the country. Prior to this a thorough literature review was conducted which showed the relevance of the service-profit chain model in managing customer profitability. The main finding from the research is that the service-profit chain does not apply to the context described above and in the study. This is mainly because there was no relationship found between customer loyalty and customer profitability. However, the last chapter proposes a model to help with establishing this relationship. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The results of the exploratory research revealed the existence of perceptions and myth amongst low-income consumers in respect of the banking sector. Numerous pieces of research have been undertaken deriving reasons for people’s continued refusal to access the banking sector. Some of these reasons have been cited as cost, access and complexity of available products. A key factor to success in reducing the number of unbanked consumers in South Africa is the understanding of the aspects of human psychology that drives consumer behaviour. This was an exploratory piece of research that derived its questions from the disciplines of Philosophy, Behavioural Economics, Social Psychology and Strategy. The questions this research sought to answer were viz • What are the myths and perceptions people have about the banking sector? • How do myths and perceptions influence consumer behaviour in respect of financial services? As a result of it being exploratory research, qualitative surveys using in depth interviews was the chosen methodology. The results of the qualitative survey revealed the existence of perceptions and myths among consumers in the Banking Sector. The extent, to which these impacted consumer behaviour, was derived from a combination of direct feedback from the participants and a sense of what could potentially happen. The concluding discussion points out that sustainable solutions will follow an organisational approach, which reveals a deep respect for these consumers as capable human beings who require a collaborative (and not paternalistic) partner to improving their lives. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

In South Africa’s automotive industry where product features are very similar among vehicles, where there is huge competition between the vehicle brands, whether they are imported or locally produced, what is the leverage one can use to gain a competitive advantage? What will be the means of differentiation? The answer and the ultimate business advantage may very well be customer service excellence. In an effort to measure service excellence, South African customer satisfaction questionnaires, have historically via the questions that they ask and the weightings they give to these questions emphasised the transactional component of customer satisfaction. South African automotive retailers however need to understand the relationship component of the satisfaction of customers. This research shows that the current definition of Customer satisfaction does not measure this relation component as defined by emotional intelligence of the service advisors. Suggestions are given at the end of the report as to how this situation can be changed and the advantages that can be taken for automotive retailers. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

South Africa is ranked 44th place out of 53 countries (IMD 2011). It would seem imperative for the South African Government and the private sector to pay close attention to studies of this nature that indicate the importance of certain factors on the motivation of employees. In essence this study could assist Government and the private sector in understanding the importance of different factors that influence motivation of employees and the profitability of organisations. Should organisations re-align their focus on motivation of employees by taking cognisance of the elements addressed in this study, it could have a positive effect on the productivity of individual firms as well as on national productivity. The purpose of this study was to establish which motivational factors have an effect on the motivation of employees that would affect their individual, the organisational performance and customer satisfaction. The study aimed at firstly identifying motivational factors that has an influence on organisational performance. Secondly, investigating the effect of employee performance on organisational performance and thirdly investigating the impact of employee performance on customer satisfaction. The primary objective of this study was to establish which motivational factors have an effect on the motivation of employees thus affecting their individual and organisational performance and customer satisfaction. The relationship between work motivation, performance and productivity is complex. Although work motivation seems to have a significant impact on performance and productivity, it is certainly not the only influencing factor (Fisher, Katz, Miller & Thatcher 2003:82). Research has indicated that besides motivation, productivity is influenced by a variety of factors which could include the employee’s ability, skills, training, and availability of resources, management practices and economic conditions. In the light of the above, this study endeavoured to establish which dominant motivational factors have an influence on employee, corporate performance and customer satisfaction. Different motivational factors including hygiene factors, such as attitude, job satisfaction, rewards, leadership styles and communication were discussed as well as their influence on employee and organisational performance Information was gathered through secondary research. The investigation also included an exploration of different research methodologies, methods of data collection and analysis for this specific study. The main empirical research findings indicated that there is a positive relationship between motivator factors and employee performance as well as between management communication and employee performance. It is recommended that a policy and control manual should be compiled and distributed to new employees as part of their induction programme. The policies should be updated annually to incorporate changes in the organisation and to indicate to employees that management is serious about creating positive relationships between employees and employers. There is also a positive relationship between employee performance and organisational performance. It is recommended that organisations implement employee performance management systems that link to organisational performance goals in order to be able to critically access the performance of the employee in relation to the broader goals and results of an organisation. The relationship between motivational factors and customer satisfaction should however be investigated further. There seems to be different views in the literature on whether customer satisfaction surveys (or other measurements) should be used to support this relationship.