Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: “Haphazard”, “uncommercial”, or perhaps “unaccountable” are some of the terms frequently used to describe the marketing function. Most marketers are faced with immense pressure to boost their marketing effectiveness and measurement. The pressures include the need to reduce the inaccuracy of marketing decisions, increase customer profitability, recognise new potential revenue prospects, calculate future sales performance, and ultimately ascertain marketing’s value to the rest of the organisation (Binet & Field 2008:11). In the pursuit of marketing accountability, credibility and profitability, this thesis will explore the avenues available in ensuring that marketing is viewed as adding value to the organisation. To attain this objective, investigative and qualitative research will be conducted. The qualitative methodology utilised in this study is a two-pronged approach; namely, primary research and secondary research. The primary research is achieved through in-depth interviews with seven members of the senior and middle management team of Sasko Bakeries, a division of Pioneer Foods (Pty) Ltd. Secondary research, on the other hand, is conducted by means of a broad literature review that provides essential insight into marketing measurement, accountability, and credibility. The study firstly, provides an orientation to the scope of the study and covers the introduction to the research problem, research objectives, and research propositions, as well as clarifies the key concepts used in the study. Secondly, the study identifies the key critical marketing metrics that will ensure the correct characteristics of the marketing function are being measured. Aspects of marketing accountability, credibility and metrics are then subsequently reviewed. Thirdly, the study discusses the research design and methodology and consequently provides an analysis of the data gathered from the in-depth interviews. Lastly, the study wraps up with final thoughts and recommendations. The recommendations provide a framework for planning a highly effective marketing dashboard. Marketing dashboards connect data points in a manner that enables marketers to observe how any one marketing action affects the entire organisation. Moreover, marketing dashboards are a collection of critical indicative and prognostic metrics, arranged in a way to promote the recognition of patterns of business performance (LaPointe, 2007:27). Essentially, dashboards go beyond purely attempting to balance financial success with perceived business processes in order to generate growth. Sasko Bakeries is well-poised to implement dashboards; which will offer key decision-makers with the capability to relay and analyse large patterns of information, in order to gather new insights and pave the way to marketing accountability and credibility. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: “Wild”, “sonder handelsgees”, of dalk “onberekenbaar” is net ‘n paar van die terme wat dikwels gebruik word om die bemarkingsfunksie te beskryf. Die meeste bemarkers is onder geweldige druk om hul bemarkingsdoeltreffendheid en meetbaarheid te versterk. Hierdie druk sluit in die behoefte om die onnoukeurigheid van bemarkingsbesluite te verminder, klant winsgewendheid te vermeerder, nuwe potensiële inkomste vooruitsigte/moontlikhede te idientifiseer, toekomstige verkope te bereken en om uiteindelik vas te stel wat die bemarkingsfunksie se waarde vir die res van die organisasie is (Binet & Field 2008:11). In die soektog na bemarking rekenpligtigheid en geloofwaardigheid en winsgewendheid, sal hierdie tesis die verskillende beskikbaare moontlikhede ondersoek wat kan verseker dat die bemarkingsfunksie beskou word as waardevol vir ‘n organisasie. Om hierdie doelwit te bereik, sal ondersoekende en kwalitatiewe navorsing aangevoer word. Die navorsingsmetode wat gebruik was in hierdie is twee-ledig; naamlik primere navorsing en sekondere navorsing. Die primêre navorsing is bekom deur intensiewe onderhoude te voer met lede van die senior en middelbestuur span van Sasko Bakkerye, ‘n divisie van Pioneer Foods (Edms) Bpk. Sekondêre navorsing was aangevoer d.m.v. ‘n breë literatuur studie wat die noodsaaklike insig lewer in bemarking meetbaarheid, rekenpligtigheid en geloofwaardigheid. Eerstens, voorsien die dokument oriëntasie vir die omvang van die studie en dit dek die inleiding tot die navorsingsprobleem, navorsingsdoelwitte, en navorsingsvoorstelle. Dit verduidelik ook die konsepte waarna verwys word in die studie. Tweedens indentifiseeer die dokument die sleutel, kritiese bemarking maatstaf wat sal verseker dat die korrekte karaktereienskappe van die bemarkings funksie gemeet word. Aspekte van bemarking rekenpligtigheid, geloofwaardigheid en meetbaarheid word dan hersien. Derdens, bespreek die dokument die navorsingsontwerp en metodologie en voorsien dan ook ‘n ontleding van die data wat versamel was d.m.v. die onderhoude. Die dokument sluit af met finale gedagtes en aanbevelings. Die aanbevelings bied ‘n raamwerk vir die beplanning ‘n hoogs effektiewe bemarking instrumentbord of paneelbord – die padkaart vir bemarking rekenpligtigheid en geloofwaardigheid. Bemarking instrumentborde verbind data punte op so ‘n manier dat dit bemarkers in staat stel om waar te neem hoe enige bemarker se aksies die hele organisasie affekteer. Bemarking instrumentborde is ‘n versameling van ‘n kritiese, aanduidende en voorspellende maatstaf, geranskik in ‘n manier wat die herkenning van die patrone van besigheidsverrigtinge bevorder. Hoofsaaklik gaan instrumentborde verder as om net finansiële sukses met besigheidsprossesse te balanseerd gepositioneer om sodoende groei voort te bring. Sasko Bakkerye is goed gevestig om instrumentborde te implementeer; dit sal sleutel besluitnemers die vermoë en geleentheid bied om patrone van informasie deur te gee en te ontleed, sodat nuwe insigte bekom kan word om die pad vorentoe uit te lê vir bemarking rekenpligtigheid en geloofwaardigheid.

An extensive literature review was undertaken that brought out the salient points relating to strategic marketing; marketing strategy; customer service; relationship marketing; retailing strategy; the link between organizational culture and national culture; leadership; long-term partnership arrangements;and the similarities and differences between Japanese and Korean culture. The research strategy incorporated exploratory research and in particular the in-depth personal interview method; the small group interview method; the critical friendship group method; and the postal survey method. This allowed the researcher to understand the mindset of Japanese and Korean people; provided a basis for the researcher to better understand and address culturally sensitive issues that would arise during the main data collection process; make a link between national cultural values and organizational values. The grounded theory approach was used to analyse and interpret the data collected from the in-depth personal interview method involving five staff in two companies: a Japanese electronics company based on the UK and a Korean electronics company based on the UK. The research established that national cultural value systems do have an influence on management style and organizational behaviour. Both Japan and Korea embraced Buddhism and Confucianism in a different way (emphasis, purpose and sequence). This is why the national cultural characteristics and values of the people from these two cultures are different. The strategic marketing approach is valid and is deployed by both Japanese and Korean electronics companies based in the UK, however, the approach of the Japanese managers to strategic marketing is more advanced than the strategic marketing approach deployed by Korean managers. Both Japanese and Korean electronics companies based in the UK have a clearly defined marketing strategy that is focused on customer service that is underpinned by a clear commitment to partnership arrangements. Partnership arrangements are based on trust and are considered to be long-term in orientation. Although Japanese and Korean electronics companies based in the UK have a customer service policy that is incorporated within a strategic marketing framework, customer service policy is deployed differently. In order for Japanese and Korean electronics companies based in the UK to achieve financial success (defined as financial gain in the long-term), marketing is perceived as an integrated process that is strategic in nature. Japanese and Korean managers feel comfortable working in terms of a strategic marketing framework and are sensitive to the feelings of local people. Hence a hybrid organizational culture exists. However, the organizational culture that exists in Japanese electronics companies based in the UK is different from that that exists in Korean electronics companies based in the UK. This is due to a distinct organizational learning policy. Although organizational learning is viewed as important with respect to improving an organization's performance, how it is practised in Japanese electronics companies based in the UK is different from that adopted and deployed by Korean electronics companies based in the UK. This can be attributed to such factors as the style of management; the degree of management control; and the way in which relationships are built and managed. As regards the development of partnership arrangements, although managers in Japanese and Korean electronics companies based in the UK consider that business relationships are to have a long-term orientation, it should be noted that in the case of Japanese electronics companies based in the UK, there are clear power based relationships in being that influence how individuals interact and make and implement decisions. In the case of Korean electronics companies based in the UK, the concept of mutuality is dominant and this influences how individuals interact, make and implement decisions.

<p>Strategijski model upravljanja savremenim marketing koncepcijama<br />povezuje upravljanje razvojem novih proizvoda, upravljanje brendom i<br />upravljanje odnosima sa potrošačima na platformi upravljanja<br />ukupnim kvalitetom. U model je ugrađen i merni sistem na osnovu<br />uravnoteženog pristupa merenju performansi preduzeća. Istaživanje<br />je pokazalo da su nabrojani elementi kompatibilni i da imaju<br />potencijal za stvaranje sinergije, što model čini efektivnijim i<br />univerzalnijim. Rezultati merenja u trogodišnjem periodu<br />nedvosmisleno su potvrdila funkcionalnost modela, odnosno njegovu<br />sposobnost da pozitivno utiče na performanse preduzeća.</p> / <p>The strategic model for managing modern marketing concepts connects<br />management of developing new product, brand management and customer<br />ralationship management on the total quality management platform. A<br />measuring system based on a balanced scorecard is built in this model.<br />Research has shown that previously mentioned elements are compatible and<br />have the potential to create synergies, making this model more effective and<br />more universal. Measurement results obtained over a three-year period<br />unambigously confirm the functionality of the model, i.e. its ability to positively<br />affect company performance.</p>

The purpose of this paper is to focus on viral advertising and study the conditions under which ads become viral, how they are intentionally transmitted by consumers to their social network and their relationship with classical advertising variables, such as attitude toward the ad, attitude toward the brand and purchase intention of the consumer. We first analyze studies focusing on different aspects of the viral communication, "electronic word-of-mouth", "word-of-mouse", "viral marketing" and "buzz" in order to clarify the concept of viral advertising. After clarifying the viral advertising concept, the project analyzes the viral process and its main antecedents and influencers, by taking into consideration emotional and ad appeals theories. The results show that ad appeals influence attitude toward the ad and viral intentions, with humor being the most significant appeal in the context of viral advertising. The study also focuses on the social aspects of advertising and consumption , including influential differences related to the source of the message, social influencers analyzed in the socialization literature, such as family and peers, the tie strength element from the social network theory and consumer market maven traits. The findings show the significance of family communication and market maven characteristics in relation to consumers' viral intentions. We then integrate our key variable, viral intentions, in a classical advertising framework based on attitudes theory and their influence on behavioral intentions. The results confirm previously studied relationships between attitude toward the ad, attitude toward the brand and purchase intentions. / The findings bring into attention two key new relationships: the significant effect of attitude toward the brand on viral intentions, and the positive relationship between viral intentions and purchase intentions, a very important relationship for marketing research the viral advertising concept, analyzes its key antecedents, and studies the relationship between attitudes and behavioral intentions in a viral advertising context. The paper also establishes a key positive relationship between viral intentions and purchase intentions regarding the advertised product. / by Maria Petrescu. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2012. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

A interação entre consumidores no encontro de serviços é parte de sua prestação. Essa interação é mais importante em serviços de alto contato. Um dos fatores que influencia na opinião quanto ao comportamento de outros consumidores no ambiente de serviço é a idade. Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal identificar e analisar as atividades de marketing referentes ao encontro de serviços quando tratam de consumidores de diferentes idades com verificação de campo em cursos de idiomas. Para atingir esse objetivo, realizou-se, primeiramente, um referencial teórico, abordando serviços, marketing de serviços e o setor de cursos de idiomas. Como método para a pesquisa de campo, utilizou-se o estudo de caso. Tendo em vista que cursos de idiomas é um serviço de alto contato, em que há interação de consumidores de diferentes idades, este trabalho teve aplicação nesse setor. Três cursos de idiomas - Instituto Cervantes de São Paulo, Associação Alumni e CNA Pinheiros - foram analisados, tendo em vista as seguintes atividades de marketing: sistema de informação de marketing, segmentação, posicionamento e composto de marketing de serviços. É possível concluir que as atividades utilizadas pelas empresas para gerenciar o encontro de serviços em que há consumidores de diferentes idades são as mesmas. Há variação em como elas executam essas atividades. Há empresas em que as atividades de marketing são complexas e conforme a teoria, em outras as ações são mais indutivas. Foi possível relatar que, quando as empresas identificam um maior número de segmentos, as atividades de marketing são mais adequadas para atender às necessidades de consumidores de diferentes idades. / Consumer\'s interaction during the service encounter is part of the service delivery. This interaction is more important in high-contact services. One of the factors that influence the opinion regarding the behavior of other consumers in the service environment is age. This study aimed at identifying and analyzing marketing activities for the service encounter in language courses when dealing with consumers of different ages. To achieve this goal took place first a theoretical framework, covering services, services marketing and the industry of language courses. The method used for the field research was the case study. Given that language courses provide high-contact services, with interaction among consumers of different ages, this research was done in this sector. Three language courses - Instituto Cervantes de São Paulo, Associação Alumni and CNA Pinheiros - were analyzed in view of the following marketing activities: marketing information system, segmentation, positioning and service marketing mix. It was concluded that the activities used by companies to manage the service encounter in which there are consumers of different ages are the same. There is difference in how they perform these activities. There are companies in which marketing activities are complex and similar to the theory, while in others actions are more inductive. It was possible to describe that when companies identify a larger number of segments, marketing activities are most appropriate to meet the needs of consumers of different ages.

Programas de incentivos são um conjunto de benefícios oferecidos por fornecedores a distribuidores conforme distribuidores alcançam objetivos estabelecidos pelos fornecedores. Os incentivos em canais são utilizados para alocar recursos e alinhar interesses. Apesar do seu amplo uso pelas empresas, estes programas carecem de uma análise teórica mais profunda. Esta tese buscou entender como são compostos os programas de incentivo em canais de distribuição e também propor um método para sua construção. São feitas proposições teóricas que combinam diferentes linhas e os colocam como compostos por quatro principais variáveis, sendo o conjunto de metas de desempenho pedidas aos canais, os benefícios oferecidos, a presença de exclusividade no relacionamento entre distribuidor e fornecedor, e finalmente, o nível de formalização alcançado no relacionamento. Além disso, a caracterização dessas variáveis é sugerida como dependente da distribuição de poder entre fabricante e distribuidor. Foi utilizado o método de estudos de casos múltiplos com a inserção do estudo comparativo entre Brasil e EUA. Foram selecionadas três empresas no Brasil e as mesmas três nos EUA no setor de defensivos agrícolas e seus programas de incentivo em canais foram compreendidos e comparados, com o uso de análise documental e entrevistas pessoais. Por fim, a tese faz uso dos conceitos teóricos de diversas linhas em canais de distribuição e dos estudos de caso para propor uma seqüência de etapas para a elaboração de um programa de incentivos em canais. As etapas sugeridas são análise externa e da rede, definição da estratégia de valor, metas de desempenho, benefícios e gestão de canais especiais. / Incentive programs are a set of benefits offered by manufacturers to dealers as dealers achieve the objectives established by manufacturers. Incentives in marketing channels are used by manufacturers to allocate resources and to align channel members objectives. Although marketing channel incentive programs have been widely used by different industries, they lack a deeper theoretical analysis. This thesis aimed at understanding how incentive programs are composed and at proposing a method for building an incentive program from a manufacturer perspective. Several different research lines were combined and theoretical propositions were formed to suggest that incentive programs are composed by four main variables, being the set of performance objectives asked to dealers, the set of benefits offered to them, the exclusivity level and finally the formalization of the agreement. Besides, the variables contents were suggested to be dependent on the distribution of power between the dealer and the manufacturer. The method used was a multiple case study approach with the use of a cross country analysis between Brazil and USA. Documental analysis was used along with personal interviews. Three crop protection manufacturers were selected in Brazil and the same three in USA and their incentive programs were compared and analyzed. Finally a method for building a marketing channel incentive program was suggested composed of a sequence of 5 steps. The steps are the external and the network analysis, the value strategy definition, performance objectives, benefits, and the key channel management.

This research examines how incorporating interactivity into online video advertisements effects the following key marketing dependent variables: a) Involvement with the Advertisement, b) Ad Recall, c) Attitude towards the website, d) Attitude towards the Advertisement, e) Attitude towards the Brand, and f) Purchase Intention. Deriving from past Interactivity research, three important facets of interactivity are identified; User Control, Two-way Communication and Synchronicity. In order to test an Internet based 2 (User Control: high or low) X 2 (two-way communication: high or low) X 2 (synchronicity: high or low) between subjects experimental design, 8 different online video platforms were created. The online video experiment was administered to approximately 400 students in a large South-Eastern school. Overall the findings regarding interactivity in online video advertising found no significant effect of synchronicity on the dependent variables. There was however a significant interaction effect of user control and two-way communication on the dependent variables. These interaction effects were examined further with a cell means multiple comparison analysis. User control and two-way communication were found to have a significant interaction effect on ad recall, purchase intention and attitude towards the brand. User control had a significant effect on involvement and two-way communication had a significant effect on attitude towards the website. There was no effect of UC or TWC on attitude towards the ad. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Personalized advertising represents an emerging trend in online advertising. Using enhanced data collection techniques, marketers can craft seemingly made to order advertisements tailored to specific individuals. In turn, this should lead to advertisements that are more relevant for consumers and more effective for marketers. Therefore, personalized advertising has the potential to benefit both consumers and firms alike. However, consumer acceptance of the technique remains a huge hurdle, as many consumers seem uncomfortable with the practice due in part to privacy concerns over the vast amounts of data collected and analyzed when generating personalized advertisements. Therefore, it is critical to garner a better understanding of consumers’ attitudes towards personalized advertising in order to be able to use those insights to alleviate consumer privacy concerns. The purpose of this research is to work towards developing a more thorough understanding of consumers’ attitudes towards personalized advertising by exploring the antecedents and outcomes of those attitudes. In particular, we examine what factors determine whether personalized advertising is perceived favorably vs. invasively by consumers and what effects those perceptions have on consumers’ attitudes and intentions. The research lends contributions to academicians, marketing practitioners, and consumers by helping to achieve an increased understanding of personalized advertising’s impact on consumers’ perceptions. The empirical study employed in this research utilizes a conceptual framework that integrates privacy calculus theory with previous research on invasiveness, advertising acceptance, and innovation adoption. In addition, this research contributes to the marketing and information privacy literatures by making a theoretical connection between perceived invasiveness and its relationship with privacy concerns, as well as its impact on consumers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions. The results from the empirical research reveal that a number of constructs, such as perceived invasiveness, privacy concerns, perceived usefulness, and consumer innovativeness demonstrate significant relationships with consumers attitudes and behavioral intentions in the context of personalized advertising. Implications for managers, researchers, and consumers are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

by Lam Siu-wah, Echo, Wu Kim-shu, Patrick. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Bibliography: leaf [123]

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T18:39:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 22 / Nenhuma / Esta dissertação enfoca o processo estratégico de marketing, ou seja, a formulação e implementação de estratégias de marketing, em pequenas e médias empresas de desenvolvimento de software. Seus objetivos estão centrados na análise do processo, examinando a relação entre a formulação e a implementação e o papel da improvisação e da adaptação no processo estratégico de marketing. Também é investigada a percepção dos executivos das empresas analisadas sobre a contribuição do processo estratégico de marketing para a obtenção de vantagem competitiva, bem com a representação do conteúdo da estratégia de marketing em materiais de divulgação. A metodologia do trabalho envolveu a realização de um estudo de casos múltiplos em cinco empresas de desenvolvimento de software, sendo quatro empresas de pequeno porte e uma de médio porte. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com os principais executivos e análise de materiais de divulgação. Após a análise individual, foi realizada a análise comparativa dos casos. / This dissertation is focused on the strategic marketing process, which involves the formulation and the implementation of marketing strategies, in small and medium software development companies. Its objectives are to analyze the process, examining the relation between formulation and implementation and the role of improvisation and adaptation on the strategic marketing process. It also investigates the executives of the analyzed companies’ perception of the strategic marketing process contribution to the creation of competitive advantage, as well as the representation of the strategic marketing content in promotional materials. A multiple-case study was conducted in five software development companies, four small companies and one medium. The evidences were collected through semi-structured interviews and promotional materials. The cases were first individually analyzed and then a comparative analysis was conducted. The integration between formulation and implementation was identified, as well as the influe