The use of portable digital devices in the United States is increasing. With this increase in digital technology use comes an increase in interruptions between digital users. This study explores whether interruptions caused by a digital device evoke an emotion from members of the Millennial generation. In addition, this research aims to determine whether an interruption during a task causes a reduction in task efficiency amongst Millennials. The findings from this study can provide corporations and educational institutions with information about how portable digital technologies might affect the productivity of Millennial employees and students. / Department of Telecommunications

Hype är inte ett nytt fenomen. Historiskt sett kan man identifiera flera produktlanseringar som lyckats skapa en hype bland människor. Vare sig det handlar om en spontan reaktion eller skicklig marknadsföring återstår det faktum att vissa produkter sprids betydligt mer än andra. Detta tycks leda till ett speciellt beteende hos konsumenterna.

Green marketing is, in a sense, an oxymoron in that it merges the seemingly contradictory concepts of marketing, which focuses on facilitating and encouraging consumption, and environmental concern, which focuses on environmental conservation. Green advertising represents an important marketing tool for communicating an organisation’s green image and is the driving force behind fostering environmental awareness and environmentally friendly behaviour. As with any type of advertising, an important determinant of the success of green advertising is consumers‟ attitudes towards green advertising and corresponding environmental concerns and behaviour. The last decade has shown a staggering number of marketers targeting the green segment of the population with green advertising, with increasing green advertisements manufacturers are informing their customers about the pro-environmental characteristics of their products and services. Green advertising is an essential tool in an organisation’s overall environmental marketing strategy; one which possibly leads to achieving superior performance and assists in creating a sustainable competitive edge. An in-depth understanding of the relevant consumer behavioural aspects of a target market is tantamount to formulating successful marketing strategies. This holds true with the formulating of green marketing advertising strategies, which aim at encouraging consumption in an environmentally sustainable manner. There is a dearth of published literature on the South African Generation Y‟s consumer behaviour in general and none that specifically focuses on the environmental concern, attitudes towards green advertising and environmental behaviour of the significantly sized black Generation Y cohort. The Generation Y cohort is defined as individuals born between 1986 and 2005. In terms of South Africa, Generation Y individuals accounted for 40 percent of the South African population, with black Generation Y individuals making up 84 percent of this generational cohort. In addition, the black Generation Y cohort of South Africa makes up approximately 33 percent of the whole population, resulting in a highly attractive market segment. Individuals attaining tertiary qualifications are of particular interest to marketers since they are likely to enjoy higher earnings and a higher social status, which together is likely to make them opinion leaders amongst their peers. The primary objective of this study was to investigate black Generation Y students‟ environmental concern, attitudes towards green advertising and environmental behaviour within the South African context. The target population of the study was defined as full-time black Generation Y students, aged between 18-24 years, enrolled at South African registered public higher education institutions (HEIs). The sampling frame comprised the 23 registered South African public HEIs. Using a judgement sampling method, this was narrowed down to four HEIs located in the Gauteng Province - two of which are country-based and two of which are city-based. For this study, a convenience sample of 400 full-time black Generation Y students who were enrolled at these four South African HEIs during 2012 was drawn. The relevant primary data was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. Lecturers at each of the four HEIs were contacted and requested to distribute the questionnaire to their students either during class or after class. The self-administered questionnaire was hand delivered to these lecturers. The questionnaire requested respondents to indicate on a five-point Likert scale the extent of their agreement/disagreement with items designed to measure their environmental concerns, their attitudes towards green advertising as well as their current environmental behaviour patterns. In addition, the students were asked to provide certain demographic data. The findings of this study indicate that South African black Generation Y students are environmentally concerned, have a positive attitude towards green advertising and report behaving in a pro-environmental manner. Previous research found gender to be a significant factor in displaying concerns for the environment. However, this study determined that gender played no significant role towards the black South African Generation Y cohort environmental concerns and attitudes. Similarly, the study found no significant difference between black Generation Y students who were based at city HEIs and black Generation Y students who were based at countryside HEIs. Insights gained from this study will help both marketing academics and practitioners understand current black Generation Y consumer attitudes towards environmental concerns, green advertising attitudes and the significance of their pro-environmental behaviour. / Thesis (MCom (Marketing management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

There is consensus among entrepreneurship scholars regarding the importance of entrepreneurship toward the economies of countries. There is sufficient evidence to support the view that entrepreneurs are characterised by unique characteristics. Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial orientation have been widely studied and entrepreneurial orientation is considered instrumental for motivating individuals to engage in entrepreneurial activities. Previous research has also identified a correlation between entrepreneurial orientation and the performance of a firm. Many studies on the subject of entrepreneurial orientation have revealed that entrepreneurial orientation is multi-dimensional, for example, previous studies have identified autonomy, innovation, risk taking, competitive aggressiveness and pro-activeness as some of the factors that may influence entrepreneurial orientation. Given the importance of entrepreneurship with regard to job creation, the study attempted to identify the entrepreneurial orientation of Generation Y students. South Africa is experiencing high unemployment levels among the youth and the need to identify the entrepreneurial perceptions of the youth is significant as future entrepreneurs will come from this cohort. The findings of this research study may assist different stakeholders such as government, businesses and higher education institutions among others to take appropriate actions to address the problem of unemployment and create a favourable environment where persons may engage in entrepreneurial activities. The purpose of this research study was to determine the entrepreneurial orientation of Generation Y students in the Vaal Triangle area. Autonomy, innovation and risk taking were identified as factors that may possibly influence the entrepreneurial orientation of Generation Y students in this area. The findings in this research study indicate that students regard themselves as being autonomous, innovative and risk takers. No significant differences were found with regard to the entrepreneurial orientation of males and females. In comparing different designated groups in terms of the three constructs, significant differences were noted among certain items, for example, Coloureds and Indians tend to perceive themselves as more innovative compared to other groups. However, further research is needed because there is no sufficient evidence to suggest that one group is more entrepreneurial than the other. The findings in this research study revealed that Generation Y students perceive themselves as being autonomous, innovative and risk takers. This is encouraging because entrepreneurial activities, to a large extent, are known to be influenced by entrepreneurial orientation. It is evident that the youth can be encouraged to be job creators instead of job seekers. / Thesis (MCom (Entrepreneurship))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012.

This study focuses on the importance of clothing brands on the purchasing decisions of Generation Y individuals. The research concentrates specifically on university students aged between 17 to 26 years, located in the Vaal Triangle Area. This study aims to determine if this group of Generation Y members are brand conscious in their choices of clothing brands and what influences or motivates them to buy clothing brands. The findings suggest that Generation Y students are brand conscious, in that the right choice of clothing helps them create an image and identity for themselves. Peer and family influences play a crucial role in their choice of brands as it aids in their socialisation process. In addition, advertising is an important variable in communicating brand values and establishing an image for the brand. Celebrities also have an impact on branded clothing as they promote certain attributes such as image, quality and status. However, the results of this study are limited given that the study was only conducted amongst students in the Vaal Triangle area. Furthermore, the research does not follow the individuals over time to see how their brand choices might have changed. In order to maintain Generation Y students’ loyalty, it is recommended that brand managers focus on building an emotional attachment to make their brands special and bring a lasting competitive advantage. In addition, advertising should be used not only to create awareness but also to influence brand image and preference. Generation Y individuals establish their brand preferences at an early age especially during their years of study and, therefore, targeting this consumer group may be rewarding because with careful promotions, marketers can create a group of brand loyal customers for the future. / MCom (Business Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

The rapid growth in mobile communication in South Africa makes it an important new advertising medium, and that is why an understanding of attitudes towards mobile advertising is important. As the most technologically astute generation, the Generation Y cohort (individuals born between 1986 and 2005) represents an important current and future market segment for digital media, including mobile media. In South Africa, black African make up the majority of the Generation Y cohort (hereinafter referred to as black Generation Y). Given the size of the black Generation Y market segment in South Africa, and the potential earning power and influential role of those with a tertiary qualification, a need was identified to propose and empirically test a model of possible antecedents that may determine attitudes towards mobile advertising amongst black Generation Y students. The sampling frame for the study included black Generation Y students aged between 18 and 24 who were registered at South Africa’s 23 public registered higher education institutions (HEIs). This sampling frame was narrowed down, using judgement sampling, to three HEI campuses situated in the Gauteng province – one from a comprehensive university, one from a traditional university and one from a university of technology. Lecturers at each of the campuses were contacted and asked if they would allow a questionnaire to be distributed to their students during class time. A convenience sample of 600 students across these three campuses was taken in 2013. Self-administered questionnaires, designed to measure the antecedents influencing black Generation Y students’ attitudes towards mobile advertising, were hand delivered to students during class time at each of the three campuses. The statistical analysis of the collected data included exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis and structural equation modelling. The findings of the study suggest that South African black Generation Y students have a strong positive attitude towards advertising in general, and towards communicating using the SMS function. Moreover, they have a positive attitude towards the value of mobile advertising. It appears that they find mobile advertisements to be intrusive, and do not perceive mobile advertisements to have much entertainment value, which may account for them not having an overall positive attitude towards mobile advertising. Attitude towards advertising and credibility were found to have a significant direct influence on black Generation Y students’ perceived value of mobile advertising, which in turn has a significant direct influence on black Generation Y students’ overall attitude towards mobile advertising. Personalisation and in formativeness have a significant positive influence on credibility. Entertainment, attitudes towards advertising, control and credibility have a significant positive influence on the perceived value of mobile advertising. Intrusiveness has a significant negative influence on overall attitudes towards mobile advertising, while trust and perceived value have a significant positive influence. This study will contribute to developing a profile of the consumer behaviour of the black Generation Y student in South Africa concerning their attitude towards mobile advertising. This research study aimed to develop a conceptual model to illustrate the antecedents that influence black Generation Y students’ attitudes towards mobile advertising. The findings of this study will act as marketing strategy guidelines for marketers seeking to reach this segment through mobile advertising. The findings of this study will be of value to South African marketers, as well as international advertisers, seeking to target this lucrative market segment. / PhD (Marketing Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

Title Instagram marketing- When brands want to reach Generation Y with their communication  Authors Frida Eklöf Wallsbeck and Ulrika Johansson Supervisor Thomas Helgesson Level Bachelor thesis in marketing (15 ECTS). Spring 2014 Keywords Branding, Marketing communication, Social media, Instagram and Generation Y. Purpose The purpose of this study is to find out how marketing on Instagram works in order to reach Generation Y. Further the purpose is to contribute with theoretical knowledge about what communication Generation Y prefers from brands on Instagram, why they prefer it and what it can lead to. Frame of Reference In this chapter we divided the theories under branding, marketing communication, social media, Instagram and Generation Y. Under every chapter the chosen subject will be discussed further and deeper.  Method This study is written with a descriptive and an explanatory method with a deductive approach. We have used the triangulation method combining qualitative and quantitative data. Empirical Data The outcome from the qualitative interviews and the quantitative survey will be presented under this chapter together with the SPSS analysis. Conclusion Generation Y on Instagram is a generation who is used to a high amount of marketing noise and because of that and their desire to be unique they demand extraordinary branding on Instagram. When marketing towards Generation Y brands must first form the content after the Instagram value. The content should also be creative and selective as well as it should contribute with knowledge. Further brands should communicate personal content with focus on one-way communication. By doing this, brands could expect a chance of lower barriers, increased solidarity and becoming a part of the Generation Y’s everyday life.

Since the retail industry is marked by intense competition, retailers must examine the factors influencing the buying behaviour of their targeted consumers and ensure that they formulate a retail strategy that contributes to a pleasant consumer retail experience. Consumers' total retail experience is determined by numerous store attributes that interact, implying that apparel retailers (and stores selling casual wear in particular) should be concerned with store attributes that are important to their target market as well as their satisfaction with the current store attributes they offer. In view of the fact that consumers evaluate store attributes when making store selections, it is imperative that stores selling casual wear must be familiar with consumer behaviour, specifically the consumer decision-making process, as this process guides consumers to determine if, what, when, where, how, from who and how often to purchase products and services. Consumers enter into a retail experience with a set of expectations of what they would like to happen and what store attributes should be present. Consumer expectations influence the manner in which store attributes and other stimuli from the retail environment are interpreted. Evidently, an attractive store environment can be perceived as unsatisfactory if it fails to meet consumers' desired level of expectations. Thus, expectations influence consumers' satisfaction with the retail experience as well as store attributes offered by the store, which in turn affects consumers' overall satisfaction and store selection choices. The primary objective of this study was to determine the importance of, and satisfaction with, store attributes to black Generation Y consumers when selecting a store selling casual wear. An interviewer-administrated questionnaire was developed to determine which store attributes are important to black Generation Y consumers when selecting a store selling casual wear and how satisfied they were with the store attributes offered by the store they most often buy their casual wear from. Respondents between the ages of 16 and 24 were intercepted at a mall in Soweto by means of a non-probability convenience sample. In total, 261 respondents participated in this study. Results indicated that nine reliable Importance factors when determining which factors black Generation Y respondents consider when selecting a store selling casual wear could be identified, namely Service provided by salespeople; Check-out points, dressing rooms, store hours and proximity to store; Display of casual wear and in-store advertising; Store appearance, styles, sizes and quality of casual wear; Physical facilities to enhance shopping convenience; Offering of cell phones and accessories; Music played; Price of casual wear; and Alteration of clothing and lay-buy services. Further analysis indicated that respondents were less satisfied with Store appearance, styles, sizes and quality of casual wear than the importance of this factor to them. Results also indicated• that practically significant differences exist between various demographic variables of respondents and the importance of, and satisfaction with, store attributes offered by stores selling casual wear. It is recommended that stores selling casual wear who target black Generation Y consumers focus on the above-mentioned Importance factors and ensure that these stores attributes form part of their retail and marketing strategies. Stores selling casual wear should furthermore focus on improving customer satisfaction on those store attributes that are important to their customers. It is also recommended that stores selling casual wear conduct research to determine whether differences exist pertaining to their customers' demographic profile and their satisfaction levels with store attributes. Based on these results, customers can be grouped accordingly to identify strategies for improving customer satisfaction with store attributes. Recommendations for future research include comparison studies among different black cultures in South Africa to determine whether consumers differ regarding store attributes that are important to them in store selection as well as their satisfaction with a store delivering on those store attributes. Similar studies could be conducted among different population groups, age groups, income levels and geographic regions, as well as between consumers in developed and developing countries. It is also worthwhile to consider duplicating the study for other product categories to determine which attributes black generation Y consumers consider important when buying other products. / Thesis (M.Com. (Business Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Since the retail industry is marked by intense competition, retailers must examine the factors influencing the buying behaviour of their targeted consumers and ensure that they formulate a retail strategy that contributes to a pleasant consumer retail experience. Consumers' total retail experience is determined by numerous store attributes that interact, implying that apparel retailers (and stores selling casual wear in particular) should be concerned with store attributes that are important to their target market as well as their satisfaction with the current store attributes they offer. In view of the fact that consumers evaluate store attributes when making store selections, it is imperative that stores selling casual wear must be familiar with consumer behaviour, specifically the consumer decision-making process, as this process guides consumers to determine if, what, when, where, how, from who and how often to purchase products and services. Consumers enter into a retail experience with a set of expectations of what they would like to happen and what store attributes should be present. Consumer expectations influence the manner in which store attributes and other stimuli from the retail environment are interpreted. Evidently, an attractive store environment can be perceived as unsatisfactory if it fails to meet consumers' desired level of expectations. Thus, expectations influence consumers' satisfaction with the retail experience as well as store attributes offered by the store, which in turn affects consumers' overall satisfaction and store selection choices. The primary objective of this study was to determine the importance of, and satisfaction with, store attributes to black Generation Y consumers when selecting a store selling casual wear. An interviewer-administrated questionnaire was developed to determine which store attributes are important to black Generation Y consumers when selecting a store selling casual wear and how satisfied they were with the store attributes offered by the store they most often buy their casual wear from. Respondents between the ages of 16 and 24 were intercepted at a mall in Soweto by means of a non-probability convenience sample. In total, 261 respondents participated in this study. Results indicated that nine reliable Importance factors when determining which factors black Generation Y respondents consider when selecting a store selling casual wear could be identified, namely Service provided by salespeople; Check-out points, dressing rooms, store hours and proximity to store; Display of casual wear and in-store advertising; Store appearance, styles, sizes and quality of casual wear; Physical facilities to enhance shopping convenience; Offering of cell phones and accessories; Music played; Price of casual wear; and Alteration of clothing and lay-buy services. Further analysis indicated that respondents were less satisfied with Store appearance, styles, sizes and quality of casual wear than the importance of this factor to them. Results also indicated• that practically significant differences exist between various demographic variables of respondents and the importance of, and satisfaction with, store attributes offered by stores selling casual wear. It is recommended that stores selling casual wear who target black Generation Y consumers focus on the above-mentioned Importance factors and ensure that these stores attributes form part of their retail and marketing strategies. Stores selling casual wear should furthermore focus on improving customer satisfaction on those store attributes that are important to their customers. It is also recommended that stores selling casual wear conduct research to determine whether differences exist pertaining to their customers' demographic profile and their satisfaction levels with store attributes. Based on these results, customers can be grouped accordingly to identify strategies for improving customer satisfaction with store attributes. Recommendations for future research include comparison studies among different black cultures in South Africa to determine whether consumers differ regarding store attributes that are important to them in store selection as well as their satisfaction with a store delivering on those store attributes. Similar studies could be conducted among different population groups, age groups, income levels and geographic regions, as well as between consumers in developed and developing countries. It is also worthwhile to consider duplicating the study for other product categories to determine which attributes black generation Y consumers consider important when buying other products. / Thesis (M.Com. (Business Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Vad som motiverar olika grupper har länge diskuteras och har varit en viktig del i hur företag är strukturerade och hur de arbetar. Arbetsuppgifter och arbetsformer är föränderliga och på senare tid har rollen som konsult vuxit fram som en frekvent förekommande och även attraktiv arbetsform. Ett av de mest attraktiva yrkena för studenter är yrket som managementkonsult, vilket är ett varierande men påfrestande yrke med relativt låg finansiell ersättning per nedlagd tid. Denna attraktion säger till viss del emot vad erkända motivationsteorier menar motiverar dessa personer och därmed studenters val av yrke. Uppfattningar om Generation Y, personer födda mellan 1979-1994, menar att finansiella belöningar är viktigt för denna grupp. Samtidigt menar Self-determination Theory att detta borde tränga bort den inre motivationen, som enligt undersökningar gjorda för uppsatsen, är viktig i val av yrke. Enligt dessa undersökningar attraheras respondenterna inte till yrket som managementkonsult på grund av pengarna. Det är framförallt personlig utveckling samt intressanta och varierande arbetsuppgifter som lockar personer som studerar management. Vidare har det påvisats viktigt att få lära ut sin kunskap till andra, vilket ligger i linje med yrkets karaktär. Det sistnämnda kan vara en trend som gjort konsult som arbetsform attraktivt, vilket är öppet för vidare forskning. Även de indikationer som visat att den finansiella ersättningen är mindre viktig i val av yrke i Uppsala och kanske även Sverige kan undersökas djupare, i kontrast mot att undersökningarna för uppfattningarna om Generation Y är gjorda i USA.