Communication in its broadest connotation is a challenging subject, and one of vital importance to every industrial enterprise. The increasing trend toward specialization which characterizes industry today has made it mandatory that any industry which hopes to survive must keep a sensitive finger on the consumer’s pulse. The author has undertaken a detailed study designed to highlight the relationship between the manufacturers of wood utilization machinery and their consumer (which is the Southern Pine lumber industry) from the standpoint of both organizational structure and procedure. Against the background of the Forrester and Laitala concepts of information-feedback and the consumer-to-consumer cycle, respectively, this thesis develops the principle of organizational structure aa a means of insuring positive communication. Recognizing that no two industrial enterprises are ever quite alike, this thesis seeks to identify the techniques whereby the producer can develop a positive reaction to the environment and attitude of his consumer. The pros and cons of alternative methods are presented, together with a recommendation as to an appropriate course of action under a given circumstance. / Master of Science

The older female segment plays a critical role in society's fabric, as women past retirement volunteer a significant amount in their communities and provide essential caregiving to family members and friends. Moreover, older females outnumber older males and with the baby boomer population aging over 65, this segment is becoming more influential. Yet there is surprisingly little marketing research that focuses on this older female segment, their lived experiences, and their well-being. Working within the tradition of consumer culture theory, this project is an ethnographic exploration of the Red Hat Society (RHS), a brand community which focuses on celebrating older women. This research adds to the theoretical understanding of older female consumers by exploring how older women negotiate the meaning of aging, gender, and identity. Extending on brand community literature, I suggest how the RHS manages to create a supportive, 'safe space' in which members are able to engage play and learning. Play performances, enacted in through costuming and other rituals within the brand community, are extended beyond the bounds of this 'safe space' to influence the identities and well-being of these women. / Ph. D.

Yes / Purpose – The purpose of this study was to investigate the value to consumers of the brand name element for established brands, given that the focus in the literature has been on new brands. To accomplish this, conceptual development was initially undertaken in order to illuminate the links between the brand name element and the brand entity and to provide a theoretical framework for looking at changes in value of the brand name element to consumers over time. Design/methodology/approach – A conjoint analysis experimental approach was employed. This involved consumers making trade-off decisions between changes in brand name and changes in price for established brands, where they were active purchasers. This approach enabled isolation of the brand name element and obtained the relative value of the brand name element for each participant. Findings – The mean value obtained for the importance of the brand name element for established products appeared to show substantial importance to consumers. However, further analysis identified a position where the majority of participants placed little value on the brand name element and a smaller but material group perceived its value as of overwhelming importance. Originality/value – This paper advances branding theory through clarification of the relationship between the brand name element and the brand entity. It provides theoretical argument and empirical data for the value of the brand name element, to the consumer, differing between established and new brands.

Yes / There has been a substantial rise in the number of Chinese tourists, with the Chinese millennials being important influencers. Yet very little is known about their tourism behavior, particularly how their perceived destination brand values influence their destination loyalty. This study brings in the consumers’ perceived brand value concept from the branding literature to investigate Chinese millennial tourists’ destination loyalty. An online survey was adopted to collect data from 287 Chinese millennial tourists. The findings offer insight into the relative effects of five dimensions of tourists’ perceived destination brand values on their destination loyalty. The findings also extend existing tourism literature, showing the moderating effects of destination brand globality, destination status (domestic vs. international) and national brand attitude on the said relationships. Managerial implications to better target Chinese millennials are discussed together with future research directions. / Zhejiang Natural Science Funding [LQ17G020009]

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1965 B26 / Master of Science

No description available.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of the research was to investigate the decision-making styles of urban Zambian Generation X females shopping for apparel products. The research made use of a Consumer Styles Inventory (CSI) scale developed by Sproles and Kendall (1986) to measure the characteristics of various shopping styles. Out of 300 self-administered questionnaires distributed, 180 were used for data analysis. The Cronbach Alpha coefficients confirmed the reliability of the CSI scale on 7 out of 8 decision-making styles that could be associated with the consumers under review. The study then used Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to establish the variation between the different decision-making styles. The findings revealed that the decision-making styles of quality consciousness and a recreational shopping orientation are highly correlated. The research findings have policy implications and recommendations for the development of marketing strategies and further research have been made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die navorsing was om ondersoek te doen na die besluitnemingstyle van stedelike Zambiese vroue van Generasie X wanneer hulle klereprodukte koop. Die navorsing het gebruik gemaak van die inventaris van verbruikerstyle wat deur Sproles en Kendall (1986) ontwikkel is, ’n skaal wat in Engels as die Consumer Styles Inventory (CSI) bekendstaan, om die eienskappe van verskillende inkopiestyle te meet. Uit die 300 self-geadministreerde vraelyste wat versprei is, is 180 vir die ontleding van die data gebruik. The Cronbach Alpha-koëffisiënte kon die betroubaarheid van die CSI-skaal bevestig op 7 uit die 8 besluitnemingstyle wat geassosieer kon word met die verbruikers wat ondersoek is. Die navorsingstudie het daarna van variansieanalise gebruik gemaak om die variasie tussen die verskillende besluitnemingstyle te bepaal. Die bevindings het onthul dat die besluitnemingstyle van gehaltebewustheid en inkopies wat as rekreasie beskou word, hoogs gekorreleerd is. Die navorsingsbevindinge het implikasies vir beleid en aanbevelings is gedoen vir die ontwikkeling van bemarkingstrategieë en vir verdere navorsing.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration