Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal avaliar a qualidade da Feira de Produtos Coloniais e Agroecológicos de Chapecó-SC Centro 1 sob a perspectiva de seus consumidores. O ponto de Feira estudado é o mais antigo e estruturado dos dez existentes em Chapecó-SC, está localizado no centro da cidade, conta com vinte e nove bancas e funciona nas quartas-feiras à tarde e nos sábados pela manhã. A pesquisa foi realizada em dois momentos. No primeiro, de forma qualitativa, foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com os consumidores da Feira para identificar os atributos da qualidade percebidos. Estes dados foram analisados através de análise de conteúdo. Através desta pesquisa foram identificadas nove dimensões da qualidade, que são: organização da Feira, estrutura física, limpeza e higiene, relacionamento interpessoal, atendimento, oferta de produtos, qualidade dos produtos, embalagens e rótulos e preço. Posteriormente, através de entrevista estruturada, foram levantados dados quantitativos para avaliar, sob o enfoque dos consumidores da Feira, os atributos da qualidade identificados e também apontar os atributos que necessitam de melhorias na visão dos consumidores da Feira. Os dados foram processados através do software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), no qual foram realizados cálculos de estatística descritiva. Para a confiabilidade da consistência interna das dimensões foi utilizado cálculo Alfa de Cronbach. Além destes, foi calculado o índice de significância estatística, através da ANOVA e a análise da influência (ou ordem de importância). Finalizando o estudo, foram apresentadas as prioridades de melhorias da qualidade para os feirantes e a Prefeitura Municipal de Chapecó, com o intuito de contribuir para a gestão da Feira de Produtos Coloniais e Agroecológicos de Chapecó - Centro 1. / This work had as its main objective to evaluate the quality of the Fair of traditional and agroecological products of Chapecó - Center 1 from the perspective of its consumers. This fair is the oldest and most structured of the ten that exist in Chapecó, SC, it is located in the city center, has twenty-nine stands and opens to public on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. The survey was conducted in two moments. In the first, semi-structured interviews with consumers were made, in a qualitative way, to identify the attributes of quality they perceived. These data were analyzed using content analysis. Nine quality dimensions were identified: organization of the fair, physical structure, cleanliness and hygiene, interpersonal relationships, services, product offering, product quality, packaging and labeling, and prices. Later, through structured interviews, quantitative data were collected to evaluate the quality attributes and also to clarify the features that need improvement, from the standpoint of the consumers of the fair. The data were examined using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, in which performed calculations of descriptive statistics were made. Cronbach´s alpha was used to provide reliability to the internal consistency of the dimensions. In addition, the index of statistical significance was calculated using ANOVA and the analysis of influence (or order of importance). Finally, the study presents the priorities of quality improvement both to the marketers and to the City Council of Chapecó, aiming to contribute to the management of the Fair of traditional and agro-ecological products of Chapecó Center 1.

O tema desta dissertação está centrado nos construtos que determinam a intenção de recompra, na qual a pesquisa se ambienta em uma Universidade de Caxias do Sul. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi o de desenvolver, testar e validar um Modelo Teórico que contemplasse os construtos determinantes da Intenção de Recompra. Sendo assim, foram selecionados os construtos Facilitação de Valor, Valor de Uso e Satisfação de Clientes como determinantes da Intenção de Recompra. O estudo foi desenvolvido no contexto de uma Instituição de Ensino Superior (IES) localizada na cidade de Caxias do Sul (RS). Neste sentido, foi realizado um levantamento teórico acerca dos construtos a serem contemplados na pesquisa, fundamentando a relação entre estes construtos, além dos efeitos moderadores que podem impactar nas relações propostas. Foi implementado um estudo quantitativo, de caráter descritivo, por meio de uma pesquisa do tipo survey com 316 alunos. A análise dos dados foi realizada por meio de estatísticas multivariadas, utilizando-se a técnica da Modelagem de Equações Estruturais para se analisar as relações intrínsecas ao Modelo Teórico proposto. A partir da aplicação da pesquisa e da análise dos resultados, foi constatado que o Modelo Teórico apresentou índices satisfatórios de ajuste, implicando que a Facilitação de Valor influencia positivamente o Valor de Uso, que a Facilitação de Valor influencia positivamente a Satisfação de Clientes, que o Valor de Uso influencia positivamente a Satisfação de Clientes, que o Valor de Uso influencia positivamente a Intenção de Recompra e que a Satisfação de Clientes influencia positivamente a Intenção de Recompra. Além disso, foi evidenciado o efeito da moderação do tempo de curso do aluno na relação entre o Valor de Uso e a Intenção de Recompra. Portanto, o estudo contribui para a literatura existente relatando os achados sobre a Intenção de Recompra em um contexto educacional. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES / The theme of this research was focused in the constructs that determine the repuchase intention, in which the research is based in a University of Caxias do Sul. The objective of this research project was develop, test and validat a Theoretical Model that contemplates the determinant constructs of Repurchase Intention. Therefore, the constructs Value Facilitation, Value-in-Use and Customer Satisfaction were selected as determinant of the Repurchase Intention. The study was developed in context of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) from Caxias do Sul (Rio Grande do Sul). In this sense, a theoretical research about the constructs was conducted to be contemplated in this research, covering the relation between these constructs, besides the moderating effects that can impact on the proposed relationships. Also, was developed a quantitative descriptive study, by means of a survey with 316 students. Data analysis was performed by means multivariate statistics, using the Structural Equation Modeling technique to analyze the intrinsic relationships to the proposed Theoretical Model. From the application of the research and analysis of the results, it was verified that the Theoretical Model presented satisfactory adjustment indices, implying that the Value Facilitation positively influences the Value-in-Use, the Value Facilitation positively influences the Satisfaction of Customers, the Value-in-Use positively influence Customer Satisfaction, the Value-in-Use positively influences the Repurchase Intention and Customer Satisfaction positively influences the Repurchase Intention. Besides the effect of the moderation of the class time of student in the relationship between Value-in-Use and Repurchase Intention. Therefore, the study contributes to the existing literature reporting the findings on Repurchase Intention in an educational context.

M.Comm. / The methodology of supply chain optimisation is a fairly new concept in the field of logistics management and is also referred to as value chain optimisation. This short dissertation explores and describes the effects of a national improvement in supply chain processes on the sales and profitability of RS Components SA. The study contains discussions from various theoretical disciplines and includes topics such as customer service, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, logistics management and supply chain methodology. The link between the performance of the logistics processes and perceived customer service levels is also discussed in detail. Finally the study will show how improved logistical performance can lead to improved levels of customer satisfaction, which in turn leads to customer loyalty and increased profitability. In order to improve the organisation's national supply chain, RS Components SA decided to open a new Trade Counter in the Cape Town sales region. Before the opening of this Trade Counter however, improvements were made to the national logistical network to ensure seamless integration of the new sales branch as a fully operational warehouse. Various financial indicators were measured for the year after the opening of the new Trade Counter in Cape Town, in order to compare such figures to the year prior to the opening of said Trade Counter. The primary results were as follows: Sales for the Cape Town sales region have increased by a greater margin than originally budgeted for. The sales growth target was exceeded by 30.21%. The number of invoices generated for the year after the opening of the Trade Counter in Cape Town has increased steadily while the average invoice value has shown no mentionable growth. This indicates that the Trade Counter in Cape Town has spurned a greater percentage of repeat purchases and that sales have not merely increased due to bigger sales orders. Growth in the number of individual purchasing customers for the Cape Town region also reached a staggering growth of 71.71% compared to the growth target of 45%. Substantial growth was also achieved throughout the year for the number of Trade Counter visits to the Cape Town Trade Counter. Whilst staggering growth rates were achieved in all of the above-mentioned categories, overhead expenses came in lower than was originally budgeted for the Cape Town sales region. A saving of 3.65% was achieved against a sales growth of 75.21%. In conclusion, this study indicated an increase in sales and profitability in the Cape Town sales region. Based on the success achieved through supply chain optimisation, both in terms of increased revenue as well as perceived levels of customer satisfaction, a recommendation is made for further expansion of the supply chain network of RS Components SA through the opening of a new Trade Counter in Durban.

M.Comm. / Telkom is currently busy with extensive re-engineering of its customer interface operational structures. The primary goal of this study is to measure the impact of these re-engineering processes on Telkom customers' perceptions of service quality by way of tracking the impact of the current Telkom re-engineering process on customer satisfaction. The study consists of both a literary review and an empirical survey. The literature review consist of a study of service quality, the re-engineering process required in order to improve service quality, and service quality improvement in the South African environment with specific reference to Telkom. The empirical survey consist of comparing two research reports on customer service quality in Telkom. The research reports are the result of the customer satisfaction satisfaction monitor program that Telkom initiated to track customer perceptions of service quality. The main conclusions of the study are as follows: Many organisations' transformation efforts fail because of ineffective planning and execution. Research have identified various reasons why transformation efforts fail and what steps are crucial to the success of any transformation process. The studies have shown that there are no single success recipe when it comes to organisational transformation methodology. The micro environment as well as the macro environment influencing the organisation determines the manner in which a transformation process is structured, implemented and managed. This includes the strategic intent guiding the organisation, the architecture (or design) of the organisation; and the relationships between all the organisational stakeholders. The implementation of a chosen transformation process is essentially a team effort with strong leadership crucial to its successful management. The process can succeed or fail depending on the success of this alone. Culture change within the organisation is also crucial to success. The hardest part of transformation is getting employees not only to act differently, but to think differently as well. Employee's styles (the ways they think and behave) and their attitudes (what they believe is important about their work) must be realigned to fit the new process. It appears that South African organisations are not sufficiently prepared for the opening of its markets to international competition. Especially in highly competitive environments, a lot of South African organisations have been adversely affected. These organisations have not planned sufficiently for this threat and as a result few or no transformation efforts have been initiated to improve service levels to the standards of their international competitors. Telkom will play a key role in the future competitiveness of South African businesses. Through the effective provisioning of telecommunications, businesses are provided with one of the most essential competitive tools. According to the Telecommunications Act no 103 of 1996, Telkom are excluded from competition for the largest part of its business until 2001. Telkom has until then to raise service levels to international levels so as to attain customer loyalty when the period of exclusivity expires. To be as successful as possible in this task, Telkom started on a road of transformation in order to attain maximum effectiveness. Part of this transformation includes the constant re-engineering of processes and procedures involving all levels of Telkom. Telkom's Total Quality Management initiatives together with the Customer Satisfaction Measurement programme is geared toward identifying the critical areas where customers perceive Telkom to provide ineffective service quality, implementing action plans to improve the service level standards in these areas and continuously tracking the effect of these improvement initiatives on customer satisfaction levels.

M.Comm. / Customer service quality is an important aspect in the process required to make an organisation successful. Research has shown that it is very expensive to acquire new customers and that the ideal is to keep existing customers, to satisfy their needs and give them value for money to ensure that they return to the organisation. Servicing existing customers will also ensure that profitability improves over time. Seven leading organisations in South Africa were selected to investigate what they define as good quality customer service. The investigation revealed that management plays an important role in creating and maintaining a culture of quality customer service. Customer contact, listening to the customer, determining what his needs and expectations are, is required to ensure that the customer is satisfied with the organisation. It is furthermore clear that the demands of customer service change over time and that organisations need to be flexible to meet these changing needs. The quality customer service was measured in Rand Air and the SERVQUAL model of Parasuraman was used as a basis. The study gives a summary of the background of the model. The model was further adjusted to be relevant to the compressor hire industry. Rand Air (Pty) Ltd was used as the basis on which to do the study, and the industry was used for comparison purposes. Rand Air's history and present position were described, as well as what Rand Air does as far as customer service is concerned. The study was done over a two year period. Certain recommendations were made as areas for improvement.

In this research customer service excellence in First National Bank in the Port Elizabeth metropole was investigated. From the industry and competitor analysis it can be concluded that banking is a highly competitive industry that is undergoing constant change because of fierce competition. The literature survey was aimed at placing the concept of service quality, excellence and customer loyalty which lead to customer retention into perspective. The concept of total quality management outlining the specific requirements of how the concept can be utilised and how a service quality programme can be implemented was discussed. The purpose of the empirical study was to test customers’ perceptions of service provided by First National Bank and to contribute with useful information to the bank studied. From these findings improvements and recommendations were suggested as a guideline for any bank to follow to improve customer service levels. The empirical study results were satisfactory and informative. The meaningful positive responses that were identified can be utilised as competitive marketing strategies by FNB. The meaningful negative concerns the bank should consider improving upon and attention should be given to the language and SBU differences outlined.

From Introduction: While companies in their initial stages may well produce only one product, most established companies produce a number of products. Reference can therefore be made to their product mixes which serve as their source of revenues and profits. The product mix must be carefully planned. Inherent in such planning is the monitoring of the mix to determine whether or not it strikes a good balance in terms of factors such as sales growth, sales stability and profitability. The product mix must be optimal vis-a-vis the opportunities and threats present in the external environment at any point in time. Since the latter changes over time, so too should the product mix change in order to maintain the required balance between the environment and the product mix, as well as the required balance in terms of sales growth, sales stability and profitability.

The purpose of this study was to explore the interaction between respect or disrespect and the customer value proposition, including identifying experiences of respect or disrespect, within the context of low income consumers. The study was conducted by means of exploratory research, applying the critical incident technique, whereby a positive and a negative experience in the marketplace was analysed for each low income participant. The study showed that low income consumers value respect in the marketplace, and are typically prepared to pay a premium for respectful treatment. As regards disrespectful treatment, the study showed that low income consumers have a strong tendency to complain when faced with disrespect, and if this is not remedied, the low income consumer is extremely likely to not purchase from the relevant supplier then or in the future, regardless of price or convenience. This study also highlighted various actions or behavior categories that low income consumers consider respectful or disrespectful within the marketplace. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / lmgibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore the interaction between respect or disrespect and the customer value proposition, including identifying experiences of respect or disrespect, within the context of low income consumers. The study was conducted by means of exploratory research, applying the critical incident technique, whereby a positive and a negative experience in the marketplace was analysed for each low income participant. The study showed that low income consumers value respect in the marketplace, and are typically prepared to pay a premium for respectful treatment. As regards disrespectful treatment, the study showed that low income consumers have a strong tendency to complain when faced with disrespect, and if this is not remedied, the low income consumer is extremely likely to not purchase from the relevant supplier then or in the future, regardless of price or convenience. This study also highlighted various actions or behaviour categories that low income consumers consider respectful or disrespectful within the marketplace. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / lmgibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

M.Ing. / The telecommunications industry worldwide is experiencing massive downsizing activities as the mobile telecommunications market is flooded with mobile operators. In Europe and other leading countries world wide, fixed line operators are able to cover more than 90% of the population of the country and there is not such a necessity for a mobile service as in a country such as South Africa, where less than 50% of the population is connected to a fixed line operator. Together with many investors, planning to create substantial returns on investments saturated the communication market in these worldleading countries. When mobile data transfer, in the form of GPRS (General Packet Radios Services) and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System), was developed it was estimated that the amount of mobile data transferred (via mobile operators) per annum would exceed the amount of data transferred by normal fixed line transport (fixed line operators). Many mobile cellular operators worldwide have invested in these technologies but their ROI (Return on Investment) is not nearly as good as was estimated in the initial feasibility study of the technologies. Together, these issues have had a negative impact on all the world leading mobile communication infrastructure suppliers, which had to downsize to accommodate the decrease in world business. Only 3rd world countries (such as in Africa) are still expanding their mobile networks and are creating some business opportunities for the world leading suppliers, but it is unfortunately not sufficient to sustain the current business. With the initial roll out of GSM (Global system for mobile communication) network infrastructure suppliers could ask what they want for the equipment and services supplied, as these were hard to imitate, but as the market grew, more competitors were able to meet their standards in equipment quality and better the price and service.