The main purpose of the study is to determine strategies for retaining valuable current customers and acquiring attractive new customers for Corobrik; therefore, the problem to be investigated is the reason for Corobrik’s inability to gain significant market share in the brick market over the last five years. Although there has been tremendous growth in the building industry, Corobrik has not been able to fully capitalise on the situation despite increasing its own capacity. A competitive-strength evaluation will form the basis of this study in order to determine customer preferences, as well as competitor performance relating to these preferences. The study will be limited to the Gauteng Province owing to the enormous number of customers in South Africa as well as to time constraints. The market in Gauteng is substantial enough to yield a fair representation of what is to be achieved with the study. A questionnaire will be distributed to Architects, Contractors and Distributors, which represent the different market segments, and the data will be collected by means of telephonic interviews. McDonald & Dunbar (2004) expounded on a method of competitive-strength evaluation, entailing a method of understanding the customers’ preferences and understanding their views of competitor performance in relation to the customers' own preferences. Based on this method, a questionnaire was drafted which will be distributed to role players in the market in order to collect the required data. This research study can be seen as exploratory, since future research tasks could be discovered during the study. This study will be a ‘snapshot in time’ because of time constraints, and could possibly yield different results if repeated at any other time. The questionnaire is such that the data could be analysed and certain propositions could be compared with the ratings. Therefore, a semi-quantitative study is possible, i.e. people’s perceptions can be measured. It is important that the study be done in a ‘field setting’ to reflect what would occur under actual conditions. In addition, exactly the same questionnaire was used for all respondents, minimising the possibility of the respondents or the researcher manipulating the ratings reflected in the survey. The main findings revealed that sales to Distributors and Contractors constitute approximately 85 per cent of the total product sales of Corobrik and that Distributors and Contractors perceived Corobrik as expensive, Price being rated as their most important DBC. Architects rated Quality and Aesthetics as the most important DBCs and they rated Corobrik the best performer in these categories. This finding implies that Corobrik manages to satisfy Architects’ most important needs; however, Price was also Corobrik’s worst performing DBC in terms of the Architect ratings. Corobrik does satisfy the needs of Architects fairly well; however, this study was limited to the brick industry and did not attempt to compare face bricks with rival materials such as glass, aluminium, wood, plaster and paint and others. Consequently, Corobrik’s performance was not compared with that of the manufacturers of these rival products with regard to the relevant DBCs. It is, therefore, recommended that such a study be conducted in order to determine how well Corobrik performs in comparison with the rival companies. In addition, Corobrik should consider a marketing objective of developing new products for existing market segments (Architects), i.e. products that are able to compete with glass, aluminium and other rival materials, or that could even be used to compliment one another. This initiative could lead to increased market share, not only in the brick market but also in the bigger construction market. It appears that Corobrik has to date followed the marketing strategy of supplying existing products to new segments such as the residential market, and the researcher’s impression is that this new segment does not really want the product because of its affordability. Therefore, Corobrik needs to consider developing new products for the relatively new residential market, but with the emphasis on affordability. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / M.B.L.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / The establishment of choice set from which consumers identify their preferred product and/brand choices arouses some interest among researchers, specifically within the context of international marketing. This curiosity about the influence of a product’s place of origin (country-of-origin: COO) on the establishment of consumer choice sets chiefly emanates from the growth of international trade and globalisation. The gap within the knowledge base surrounding consumer behaviour with respect to the purchase of foreign and domestic brands, specifically within Africa created the potential for research. As part of the evolution of COO research, this study looks into the construct of consumer ethnocentrism (CE) and its relationship with product selection and consideration. The aim behind the study can be summed up in the following objectives: firstly, to identify the moderating effects of consumer demographic variables on ethnocentric tendencies; secondly, to determine consumer attitudes towards foreign convenience goods; and, thirdly to establish the association between consumer ethnocentrism (CE) and brand selection for a consideration set. A structural model was developed illustrating the relationships (assumed) between consideration and CE. This resulted in the developed of five hypotheses. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted within Durban. A research instrument was developed combining ethnocentrism research and the concept of consideration. Within the study, an explanation of the research methodology utilised was provided. 500 questionnaires were distributed in order to obtain primary data for the purpose of the study. A presentation of the results obtained was provided. An analysis of the collected data was also provided using SPSS 21.0 with the aid of graphs and the appropriate inferential statistics. The research hypotheses were tested using an independent sample Kruskal-Wallis test and a Mann-Whitney U-test. A Spearman’s correlation test was used to test the relationship between consumer ethnocentrism and brand consideration. The chi-square test was used to test for the existence of variances within the responses provided by the respondents. The study revealed that only race had a significant relationship with consumer ethnocentrism while other demographic characteristics did not. Ethnocentric tendencies were strongest among Black South Africans. An association was also discovered between consumer ethnocentrism and the consideration of convenience products. The study, therefore, provides a better understanding into South African consumers’ selection of convenience products as influenced by consumer ethnocentrism. The theoretical and practical implications from the research findings have also been discussed within the report with the provision of suggestions regarding future research.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES The main aim of this thesis was to explore the possibilities of promoting the cultivation, utilisation and consumption of indigenous and traditional plant foods (ITPF) among urban and rural communities in the North West Province of South Africa that could possibly lead to increased IK and dietary diversity. The objectives were the following: Assess consumption of TLV in the rural and urban communities. Compare nutritional status of consumers and non-consumers of TLV using data obtained from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE-SA) study. Assess the availability, cultivation and consumption patterns of ITPF. Assess indigenous knowledge (IK) within the rural and urban communities. Assess consumers’ views of ITPF in the rural and urban communities. Assess consumers’ acceptance of, preference for and consumption intent of dishes made from cowpea leaves. To compile recipes for the most important ITPF commonly consumed in the study areas in order to promote the cultivation and consumption of ITPF (see Addendum D). STUDY DESIGN Health profile study: For the health profile study, a comparative study was conducted on the baseline data of the population that participated in the PURE-SA study (1004 urban and 1006 rural participants) which follows the health transition in urban and rural subjects over a 12 year period. The baseline data for the North West Province of South Africa were collected from October to December 2005. Utilisation of ITPF study: The study on the utilisation of ITPF used a sequential explanatory study design which involved the collection of quantitative and qualitative data and analyses. The consumer acceptance study consisted of an explorative and experimental phase. Participants were male and female, aged older than 20, residing in the selected communities and knowledgeable on the indigenous and traditional foods of the area. METHODS A variety of quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used. Data were generated through questionnaires, focus groups and individual - and group interviews. Health profile study: Demographic characteristics and frequency of consumption of TLV data were collected by the researcher from 396 randomly selected subjects from participating subjects in the PURE-SA study. An extensive nutritional profile of these subjects was compiled including blood samples, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements and total dietary intake by means of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Utilisation of ITPF study: A comparative study was conducted in rural and urban populations of the North West Province. Data were collected by the researcher using a questionnaire (n=396 households), key informant interviews (n=4), and four focus groups. Consumer study: Four focus groups were conducted by the researcher, two in rural and two in urban communities, to investigate consumers’ views about ITPF. Eighty-seven participants were recruited based on a specific purpose rather than randomly. Consumers’ acceptance of, preference for and intended consumption of products made with cowpea leaves were assessed. A 5-point hedonic scale and a 7-point food action rating scale were used for sensory evaluation. RESULTS Health profile study: As expected, rural inhabitants were more likely to consume TLV. However, no household reported to consume TLV more than ten times a month. Factors such as price (affordability) and availability and easy-to-get-to points of purchase were found to be major constraints in the consumption of TLV, especially in urban communities. Urban respondents had significantly higher macronutrient intakes than rural subjects. There was no significant difference between the selected micronutrient intakes between consumers and non-consumers of TLV. Non-consumers of TLV had higher blood lipid levels than consumers from both the rural and urban areas. In the urban subjects the relative risk to develop high blood pressure was higher in non-consumers of TLV than in the consumers. However, the risk ratios of raised serum cholesterol and triglycerides were not significantly different. Utilisation of ITPF study: More plant foods were available and consumed in the rural area than the urban area. However, fewer species were available than expected due to insufficient rainfall, poor soil quality, deforestation and over harvesting. Consumption of indigenous foods was influenced by price, culture, seasonality/availability, accessibility and diversity in markets. A lack of markets for indigenous crops, insufficient rainfall and diseases and pests were cited as the major cultivation problems, followed by a lack of capital to buy farming implements, veld fires and poor soil quality. Consumer study: Based on the qualitative focus group discussions, factors that influence the consumption of ITPF were identified. These factors included benefits and barriers of ITPF consumption. Ways to increase ITFP consumption were also identified. Health and nutrition; tradition and culture; and food safety emerged as drivers for ITPF consumption. A lack of knowledge and skills of food preparation and negative images and unfamiliarity of ITPF acted as barriers. Differences in views existed between older and younger consumers. In general younger consumers found ITF rather revolting and undesirable, humiliating to consume. Sensory evaluation of food samples for the pooled data of the total study population showed that significant differences existed between the acceptability of all attributes, overall acceptance and consumption intent. Socio-demographic backgrounds such as place of residence (urban or rural), levels of education and age were shown to influence the acceptability of food samples and consumption intent. There was no positive association between acceptability of food and gender. CONCLUSIONS Health profile study: This study showed the possibility of beneficial effects of rural diets, however, the lack of knowledge concerning the bioavailability of nutrients from TLV and lack of information on food consumption database, of these vegetables constitute main barriers to obtaining information on nutrient intake. The low frequency of consumption of TLV is of concern. Taking into consideration safe agricultural practices, the promotion of TLV might be a solution towards healthier diets and combating poverty. More research is needed to investigate the health effects of these vegetables. Utilisation of ITPF study: It is evident that there was a limited number of ITPF species cultivated and consumed. Consumers, especially older people, were found to possess extensive knowledge regarding the availability of ITPF species, their habitat and uses, seasonality and potential health benefits. There is a need to intensify education on conservation of natural resources and more studies should be undertaken to document and disseminate traditional food systems. In addition, there is a need to integrate existing health and nutrition interventions with traditional food promotion. Consumer study: The results highlighted the importance of making use of a mixed method approach which made it possible not only to identify factors that influence the consumption of ITPF but also to understand the dynamics thereof from focus group discussions and how they influence acceptability, preference and consumption intent. Important benefits (drivers) of and barriers to ITPF consumption as well as suggestions on how to increase ITPF consumption were identified. Barriers to ITPF consumption and low scores of acceptability provided by younger participants can be connected to misconceptions about ITPF and lack of familiarity with the products. Therefore, a combination of strategies aimed at enhancing individual awareness of the health benefits of ITPF, decreasing barriers and conducting more acceptability studies may have a positive impact on the younger segment of the population. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Consumer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

As the largest and fastest growing U.S. minority, the Hispanic market has become an increasingly significant contributor to the nation as a whole. More so than ever, marketers would greatly benefit from reaching out to this demographic, drawing inspiration from the all of the characteristics that make it unique. In seeking to increase the appeal of their products, advertising plans should be developed such that all efforts take advantage of an opportunity such as this without negatively affecting any serious conditions prevalent among the population. In the case of Latino adolescents who are more likely to consume certain products such as sports drinks, but suffer disproportionately from obesity, it is crucial that food and beverage manufacturers like Gatorade approach this target strategically. Gatorade’s strong dedication to improving athletic performance offers the chance to become a positive contributor to the health and well being of Hispanic teens. The analysis and recommendations herein seek to guide Gatorade in addressing Hispanics in light of recent trends and demographic shifts. The tactics considered include the promotion of the many healthy options among Gatorade’s existing product lines, as well as ways to develop new ones targeted at young Latino males. Drawing from current advertising reaching out to the leading sports drink consumers, ‘REPLAY The Series’ would be another method that could be tailored to reach a greater number of this ethnicity. Finally, in recognition of the many advancements in digital technologies such as location based services, and young Hispanics’ greater likelihood to make use of cell phone applications, a mobile component is recommended, focusing on bringing these teens together and facilitating physical activity. With marketing ideas built upon the role sports drinks could play in getting Hispanic adolescents active, Gatorade can continue its dedication to superior athletic performance with further potential to become a role model for the marketing industry as a whole / text

AIM AND OBJECTIVES The main aim of this thesis was to explore the possibilities of promoting the cultivation, utilisation and consumption of indigenous and traditional plant foods (ITPF) among urban and rural communities in the North West Province of South Africa that could possibly lead to increased IK and dietary diversity. The objectives were the following: Assess consumption of TLV in the rural and urban communities. Compare nutritional status of consumers and non-consumers of TLV using data obtained from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE-SA) study. Assess the availability, cultivation and consumption patterns of ITPF. Assess indigenous knowledge (IK) within the rural and urban communities. Assess consumers’ views of ITPF in the rural and urban communities. Assess consumers’ acceptance of, preference for and consumption intent of dishes made from cowpea leaves. To compile recipes for the most important ITPF commonly consumed in the study areas in order to promote the cultivation and consumption of ITPF (see Addendum D). STUDY DESIGN Health profile study: For the health profile study, a comparative study was conducted on the baseline data of the population that participated in the PURE-SA study (1004 urban and 1006 rural participants) which follows the health transition in urban and rural subjects over a 12 year period. The baseline data for the North West Province of South Africa were collected from October to December 2005. Utilisation of ITPF study: The study on the utilisation of ITPF used a sequential explanatory study design which involved the collection of quantitative and qualitative data and analyses. The consumer acceptance study consisted of an explorative and experimental phase. Participants were male and female, aged older than 20, residing in the selected communities and knowledgeable on the indigenous and traditional foods of the area. METHODS A variety of quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used. Data were generated through questionnaires, focus groups and individual - and group interviews. Health profile study: Demographic characteristics and frequency of consumption of TLV data were collected by the researcher from 396 randomly selected subjects from participating subjects in the PURE-SA study. An extensive nutritional profile of these subjects was compiled including blood samples, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements and total dietary intake by means of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Utilisation of ITPF study: A comparative study was conducted in rural and urban populations of the North West Province. Data were collected by the researcher using a questionnaire (n=396 households), key informant interviews (n=4), and four focus groups. Consumer study: Four focus groups were conducted by the researcher, two in rural and two in urban communities, to investigate consumers’ views about ITPF. Eighty-seven participants were recruited based on a specific purpose rather than randomly. Consumers’ acceptance of, preference for and intended consumption of products made with cowpea leaves were assessed. A 5-point hedonic scale and a 7-point food action rating scale were used for sensory evaluation. RESULTS Health profile study: As expected, rural inhabitants were more likely to consume TLV. However, no household reported to consume TLV more than ten times a month. Factors such as price (affordability) and availability and easy-to-get-to points of purchase were found to be major constraints in the consumption of TLV, especially in urban communities. Urban respondents had significantly higher macronutrient intakes than rural subjects. There was no significant difference between the selected micronutrient intakes between consumers and non-consumers of TLV. Non-consumers of TLV had higher blood lipid levels than consumers from both the rural and urban areas. In the urban subjects the relative risk to develop high blood pressure was higher in non-consumers of TLV than in the consumers. However, the risk ratios of raised serum cholesterol and triglycerides were not significantly different. Utilisation of ITPF study: More plant foods were available and consumed in the rural area than the urban area. However, fewer species were available than expected due to insufficient rainfall, poor soil quality, deforestation and over harvesting. Consumption of indigenous foods was influenced by price, culture, seasonality/availability, accessibility and diversity in markets. A lack of markets for indigenous crops, insufficient rainfall and diseases and pests were cited as the major cultivation problems, followed by a lack of capital to buy farming implements, veld fires and poor soil quality. Consumer study: Based on the qualitative focus group discussions, factors that influence the consumption of ITPF were identified. These factors included benefits and barriers of ITPF consumption. Ways to increase ITFP consumption were also identified. Health and nutrition; tradition and culture; and food safety emerged as drivers for ITPF consumption. A lack of knowledge and skills of food preparation and negative images and unfamiliarity of ITPF acted as barriers. Differences in views existed between older and younger consumers. In general younger consumers found ITF rather revolting and undesirable, humiliating to consume. Sensory evaluation of food samples for the pooled data of the total study population showed that significant differences existed between the acceptability of all attributes, overall acceptance and consumption intent. Socio-demographic backgrounds such as place of residence (urban or rural), levels of education and age were shown to influence the acceptability of food samples and consumption intent. There was no positive association between acceptability of food and gender. CONCLUSIONS Health profile study: This study showed the possibility of beneficial effects of rural diets, however, the lack of knowledge concerning the bioavailability of nutrients from TLV and lack of information on food consumption database, of these vegetables constitute main barriers to obtaining information on nutrient intake. The low frequency of consumption of TLV is of concern. Taking into consideration safe agricultural practices, the promotion of TLV might be a solution towards healthier diets and combating poverty. More research is needed to investigate the health effects of these vegetables. Utilisation of ITPF study: It is evident that there was a limited number of ITPF species cultivated and consumed. Consumers, especially older people, were found to possess extensive knowledge regarding the availability of ITPF species, their habitat and uses, seasonality and potential health benefits. There is a need to intensify education on conservation of natural resources and more studies should be undertaken to document and disseminate traditional food systems. In addition, there is a need to integrate existing health and nutrition interventions with traditional food promotion. Consumer study: The results highlighted the importance of making use of a mixed method approach which made it possible not only to identify factors that influence the consumption of ITPF but also to understand the dynamics thereof from focus group discussions and how they influence acceptability, preference and consumption intent. Important benefits (drivers) of and barriers to ITPF consumption as well as suggestions on how to increase ITPF consumption were identified. Barriers to ITPF consumption and low scores of acceptability provided by younger participants can be connected to misconceptions about ITPF and lack of familiarity with the products. Therefore, a combination of strategies aimed at enhancing individual awareness of the health benefits of ITPF, decreasing barriers and conducting more acceptability studies may have a positive impact on the younger segment of the population. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Consumer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-103). Also available on the World Wide Web.

The main purpose of the study is to determine strategies for retaining valuable current customers and acquiring attractive new customers for Corobrik; therefore, the problem to be investigated is the reason for Corobrik’s inability to gain significant market share in the brick market over the last five years. Although there has been tremendous growth in the building industry, Corobrik has not been able to fully capitalise on the situation despite increasing its own capacity. A competitive-strength evaluation will form the basis of this study in order to determine customer preferences, as well as competitor performance relating to these preferences. The study will be limited to the Gauteng Province owing to the enormous number of customers in South Africa as well as to time constraints. The market in Gauteng is substantial enough to yield a fair representation of what is to be achieved with the study. A questionnaire will be distributed to Architects, Contractors and Distributors, which represent the different market segments, and the data will be collected by means of telephonic interviews. McDonald & Dunbar (2004) expounded on a method of competitive-strength evaluation, entailing a method of understanding the customers’ preferences and understanding their views of competitor performance in relation to the customers' own preferences. Based on this method, a questionnaire was drafted which will be distributed to role players in the market in order to collect the required data. This research study can be seen as exploratory, since future research tasks could be discovered during the study. This study will be a ‘snapshot in time’ because of time constraints, and could possibly yield different results if repeated at any other time. The questionnaire is such that the data could be analysed and certain propositions could be compared with the ratings. Therefore, a semi-quantitative study is possible, i.e. people’s perceptions can be measured. It is important that the study be done in a ‘field setting’ to reflect what would occur under actual conditions. In addition, exactly the same questionnaire was used for all respondents, minimising the possibility of the respondents or the researcher manipulating the ratings reflected in the survey. The main findings revealed that sales to Distributors and Contractors constitute approximately 85 per cent of the total product sales of Corobrik and that Distributors and Contractors perceived Corobrik as expensive, Price being rated as their most important DBC. Architects rated Quality and Aesthetics as the most important DBCs and they rated Corobrik the best performer in these categories. This finding implies that Corobrik manages to satisfy Architects’ most important needs; however, Price was also Corobrik’s worst performing DBC in terms of the Architect ratings. Corobrik does satisfy the needs of Architects fairly well; however, this study was limited to the brick industry and did not attempt to compare face bricks with rival materials such as glass, aluminium, wood, plaster and paint and others. Consequently, Corobrik’s performance was not compared with that of the manufacturers of these rival products with regard to the relevant DBCs. It is, therefore, recommended that such a study be conducted in order to determine how well Corobrik performs in comparison with the rival companies. In addition, Corobrik should consider a marketing objective of developing new products for existing market segments (Architects), i.e. products that are able to compete with glass, aluminium and other rival materials, or that could even be used to compliment one another. This initiative could lead to increased market share, not only in the brick market but also in the bigger construction market. It appears that Corobrik has to date followed the marketing strategy of supplying existing products to new segments such as the residential market, and the researcher’s impression is that this new segment does not really want the product because of its affordability. Therefore, Corobrik needs to consider developing new products for the relatively new residential market, but with the emphasis on affordability. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / M.B.L.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate consumers’ willingness to act socially responsible in their online fashion purchasing behaviour. Three frameworks; Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Socially Responsible Consumer Behaviour (SRCB) and Consumer Social Responsibility (CNSR), constitute a foundation and have been combined in a conceptual framework. The research approach used is a qualitative research approach, and the empirical data was gathered in two semi-structured focus-groups with five and six participants. The participants were recruited by a convivence sampling method, with purposive sampling characteristics. The findings indicate that factors that influenced consumers’ willingness to act socially responsible was price, convenience, and time. Moreover, the findings show that SRCB is seen as a process, and that consumers’ stage in the process influence their willingness to act socially responsible. Lastly, it is shown that the TPB and SRCB must be considered before consumers can act socially responsible. This since consumers who have positive attitudes towards responsible actions, are susceptible to information of social and environmental issues related to their behaviour. These consumers can create enough awareness to take social- and environmental responsibility for their actions. Responsible consumers also aim to influence other consumers to take a greater responsibility. The findings of this study have contributed to further understanding within the research area of responsible consumers. Since the conceptual framework consider consumer behaviour in combination with their areas of awareness and responsibilities, this study contributes to deeper understanding of why consumers act socially responsible or not.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas State University Libraries

Published Article / The purpose of this paper is to investigate the consumer-related information tour operators in South African have access to. Data was obtained by means of a self-administered computer-aided questionnaire forwarded to 1 000 tour operators; it was viewed by 360 tour operators and a response rate of 42,45% was achieved. The results indicate that 68,4% are satisfied with their information systems while a concerning low 34,9% 'Agree' that their information systems do provide them with consumer-related information. Tour operators will not be in a position to satisfy the dynamic needs and wants of today's tourists, unless there is information system innovation.