M.Comm. / Gegewe die agtergrond en probleemstelling van die studie, kan die doelwitte van die studie sons volg gefonnuleer word: Die eerste doel van die studie is om te bepaal of handelsmerklojaliteit wat sigarette betref, nog by verbruikers bestaan en 'n rol speel by die keuse van 'n handelsmerk. Die tweede doel met die studie is om te bepaal watter faktore die verbruiker se keuse van 'n spesifieke handelsmerk van sigarette beInvloed, dit wil se watter faktore beInvloed handelsmerklojaliteit. Wat die faktore betref, sal daar hoofsaaklik gekonsentreer word op die invloed van die elemente van die bemarkingsmengsel, naamlik: Produk ; Prys ; Distribusie ; Bemarkingskommunikasie. Met hierdie studie sal dus gepoog word om 'n bydrae te lewer tot die verbreding van die bestaande kennis oor handelsmerklojaliteit en die rol daarvan vir geslaagde sigaretbemarking.

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Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / Sport participation can play a vital role in enhancing life of youth with physical disabilities. This is because of the rehabilitative influence sport can have not only on the physical body but also on rehabilitating people with disability into society. A successful sport programme in which the youth with disabilities are involved should possibly respect youth‟s wishes regarding the preference of the sport. The Review of the literature revealed that little has been documented about the status of disability sport in developing countries. Given the psychosocial and physiological benefits of sport in everyone‟s life, including those with physical disabilities, there is a need for a study to document the status of sport of this sub-population in Rwanda. This study, therefore, aimed to identify the factors associated with sport preferences among youth with physical disabilities in Rwanda. A sequential mixed model design was used to collect data, specifically the sequential explanatory strategy. Data was collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire and a total number of 204 participants voluntarily answered the questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among four (4) NPC staff to collect data regarding the challenges experienced by youth with physical disabilities with regard to sport preferences. The Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 was used for data capturing and data analysis. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize demographic information as means, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages. Inferential statistics (chi-square and independent samples t-tests) were used to test the associations between different categorical variables (p<0.05). For the qualitative data, audiotaped interviews were transcribed and translated from Kinyarwanda into English, and the expressed ideas were coded and reduced into subthemes and categories. Thematic analysis was then done under the generated sub-themes. Permission to conduct this study was obtained from the concerned authorities. Ethical issues pertaining to informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality and the right to withdraw from the study were respected in this current study. The results of the current study revealed that the top five sports played by youth with physical disabilities were sit ball, sitting volleyball, volleyball, table tennis and wheelchair basketball. It also showed that youth with physical disabilities were committed to and enjoyed their sport experience. Additionally, they have had strong feelings about their physical abilities. Discouragingly, the results indicated that the youth with physical disabilities have had low perception that their parents were supportive of their participation in sport. The findings further showed that age, gender, use or non-use of mobility aids, and type of impairment influenced the choice of sport. However, there was no statistically significant association between demographic characteristics and some sports codes played in Rwanda. During the semi-structured interviews, the participants reported the challenges experienced by youth with physical disabilities with regard to sport preferences including physical factors (lack of accessible facilities, uneven playgrounds, transport to and from sport fields, resources and limited sporting codes available), social factors (lack of parental support and models) and financial factors (inhibit the implementation of many sport codes, high cost of adaptive equipment) which influence the youth with physical disabilities to choose a sport with sufficient facilities even if they do not like it. Factors that emerged as facilitators for sport preferences include: sport availability, perceived ability to handle a sport, friendship, facilities, improved individual competences, independence in mobility gained, and to take part in international tournaments. Based on the results of this study, and the role of sport in preventing many chronic diseases, it is apparent that there is a need to widen the spectrum of sport opportunities and to create awareness among youth with physical disabilities. Furthermore, there is a need to provide social and a local barrier-free inclusion of various stakeholders in recommending and designing sport programmes for the youth with disabilities. / South Africa

Opportunities for supporting physician continuing professional development (CPD) may exist through careful instructional design and creative use of information and communication technology. The overarching goal of this study was to explore the learning experiences and outcomes of cardiologists participating in a web conference (“webinar”) series to understand the factors that can support webinars in being an appealing and satisfying CPD medium for these learners. Acknowledging that a pedagogically-based framework for program design is a cornerstone of effective CPD (Hutchinson & Estabrooks, 2009; Inan & Lowther, 2007; Casimiro, MacDonald, Thompson, & Stodel, 2009), this study used the W(e)Learn Framework (MacDonald, Stodel, Thompson, & Casimiro, 2009) as a process guide and quality standard for program design, development and delivery. Cardiologists voluntarily participated in an educational webinar series in which they shared their observations and experiences. Informed by the results of a systematic review of physician eLearning design preferences, this dissertation serves as a mechanism to learn about how webinars can be implemented to support learning and practice change within a population of highly specialized physician learners. Methodological approaches included a systematic review of literature examining physician preferences for eLearning design, a case study of webinar implementation, and interviews with cardiologists who participated in the webinars. The findings of the systematic review, the case study and the interviews aligned to characterize key considerations in webinar implementation. Webinar designers must carefully determine program structures, content, and media to create a satisfying learning experience. Cardiologists seek a webinar experience that responds to their professional reality of competing priorities, complex patients, and ambiguous clinical questions. They seek a mix of evidence-based, authentic and challenging content, delivered by credible content experts. The study found that purposefully designed webinars can be a satisfying learning experience for cardiologists with the potential to influence changes in knowledge and practice. The use of an instructional design framework may structure and enrich webinar implementation; this dissertation encourages their use.

<p>Previous studies, as well as market sales data, show some consumers are willing to pay a premium for redundant or superfluous food labels that carry no additional information for the informed consumer. Some advocacy groups have argued that the use of such redundant labels is misleading or unethical. To determine whether premiums for redundant labels stem from misunderstanding or other factors, this study seeks to determine whether greater knowledge of the claims - in the form of expertise in food production and scientific literacy - decreases willingness to pay for redundant labels. We also explore whether de-biasing information influences consumers’ valuations of redundant labels. An online survey of 1,122 U.S. consumers elicits willingness-to-pay premiums for three redundantly labeled products: non-GMO sea salt, gluten-free orange juice, and no-hormone-added chicken breast. Respondents with farm experience report lower premiums for non-GMO salt and no-hormone-added chicken. Those with higher scientific literacy state lower premiums for gluten-free orange juice. However, provided information about the redundancy of the claims, less than half of respondents who were initially willing to pay extra for the label are convinced otherwise. Over 30% of respondents counter-intuitively increase their premiums, behavior that is associated with less <i>a priori</i> scientific knowledge. The likelihood of “overpricing” redundant labels is associated with willingness-to-pay premiums for organic food, suggesting at least some of the premium for organic is a result of misinformation. </p>

The presence of different generations in a workforce can cause several complications in terms of employee performance and rewarding a workforce effectively. The preferences that each generation has towards a certain reward differs and therefore nullify a homogeneous total reward strategy. The study is aimed at uncovering if there are any generational specific preferences for certain rewards; and if they exist, can a company use them to attract, motivate and engage their workforce better than with a standardised total reward package as currently exists in the work environment. A quantitative study using a questionnaire as the data collection method was performed on a company in the South African financial industry, to determine if there is any evidence of a disparity in the preferences the identified generations have to the same package of rewards. The sample size collected was 6 316 respondents and the analysis of their responses were statistically completed. It was found that the different generation cohorts have different preferences to components of the total reward package. As each of them value a reward diffently, a more strategic approach in using the total reward package should be considered by the employer. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Many marketers choose to position their brands as underdogs instead of top dogs in the marketplace. Research shows that underdog positioning may help marketers to create competitive advantages, although when and why consumers respond favorability to such positioning strategy is not fully understood. While a handful of studies found that underdog positioning is more effective than top-dog positioning for certain types of brands or consumers, little is known about how consumers'psychological state may influence their responses to underdog positioning. Existing literature on underdog positioning mainly attributes consumers' favorable responses to its ability to elicit empathy for the brand, neglecting the potential benefit that consumers can gain from their underdog support. To address these gaps, this thesis examines how personal control influences consumers' responses to underdog (vs. top dog) positioning. It was proposed that brands positioned as underdogs are preferred over those positioned as top dogs by consumers whose personal control is low because underdog positioning can inspire those consumers to restore their threatened control. Five experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses. Experiment 1 demonstrates that when consumers' personal control is low, consumers prefer brands positioned as underdogs over those positioned as top dogs. Experiment 2 uncovers the underlying mechanism of the observed effect: The relative preference for underdog positioning among low-control consumers occurs because the passion and determination exemplified in such positioning can inspire those consumers to cope with their loss or lack of control. In line with this mechanism, Experiment 3 provides supportive evidence that the acquisition of the brand positioned as an underdog, but not the acquisition of the brand positioned as a top dog, increases low-control consumers'feelings of control. The last two experiments show that low-control consumers' relative preference for underdog positioning is further moderated by both their shopping orientation and the causal attribution for their loss of control. The findings of this thesis contribute to the growing research on underdog positioning and customer inspiration, and the results have practical implications for marketers in terms of effectiveness of marketing communications.

Many marketers choose to position their brands as underdogs instead of top dogs in the marketplace. Research shows that underdog positioning may help marketers to create competitive advantages, although when and why consumers respond favorability to such positioning strategy is not fully understood. While a handful of studies found that underdog positioning is more effective than top-dog positioning for certain types of brands or consumers, little is known about how consumers'psychological state may influence their responses to underdog positioning. Existing literature on underdog positioning mainly attributes consumers' favorable responses to its ability to elicit empathy for the brand, neglecting the potential benefit that consumers can gain from their underdog support. To address these gaps, this thesis examines how personal control influences consumers' responses to underdog (vs. top dog) positioning. It was proposed that brands positioned as underdogs are preferred over those positioned as top dogs by consumers whose personal control is low because underdog positioning can inspire those consumers to restore their threatened control. Five experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses. Experiment 1 demonstrates that when consumers' personal control is low, consumers prefer brands positioned as underdogs over those positioned as top dogs. Experiment 2 uncovers the underlying mechanism of the observed effect: The relative preference for underdog positioning among low-control consumers occurs because the passion and determination exemplified in such positioning can inspire those consumers to cope with their loss or lack of control. In line with this mechanism, Experiment 3 provides supportive evidence that the acquisition of the brand positioned as an underdog, but not the acquisition of the brand positioned as a top dog, increases low-control consumers'feelings of control. The last two experiments show that low-control consumers' relative preference for underdog positioning is further moderated by both their shopping orientation and the causal attribution for their loss of control. The findings of this thesis contribute to the growing research on underdog positioning and customer inspiration, and the results have practical implications for marketers in terms of effectiveness of marketing communications.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-159). / This study focused on two segments that have emerged from an evolution within the children's market- the tween and young teen markets. However, few market researchers had investigated the transition between these two stages - leaving primary school and going to high school. Despite there being a rather small age gap between older tweens and young teens, the numerous challenges brought about due to the transition from primary school to high school could affect areas such as academic performance, friendships and so forth. It was the aim of this study to uncover any changes in relation to the consumer behaviour and brand preferences of young teens occurred due to this transitional period. The literature review looked at the international and South African older tween and young teen markets through market identification and characterization. The transition phase from primary school to high school looked at the similarities and differences of older tweens and young teens and the social and academic impact of school transitions on grade eights. Four areas were identified that were said to influence one's clothing consumer behaviour and brand preferences as a result of the school transition to high school. These were developmental changes; the influence of one's reference groups; role models and the media that one subscribes to, and the financial circumstances in which one lives. The researcher also investigated brand loyalty and the influence of peer pressure on the clothing consumer behaviour and brand preferences of young teens. Furthermore, the literature review covered branding and how fashion and brands influenced the consumer behaviour of young teens. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in this study. The primary research tools used were the two surveys that were successfully administered to two hundred and seventy four grade sevens and eights in ten schools in the South Western Cape. Permission was obtained from the Western Cape Education Department and a time restriction was given for the surveys to be administered to the schools. The researcher also used qualitative research methods in the form of experience interviews with nine members of the academic and business community who were deemed knowledgeable on the topics of child development, branding, consumer behaviour and school transitions. Limited focus groups were conducted, although this was primarily used to construct the questionnaires. Furthermore, the researcher made use of secondary data sources such as reputable and peer reviewed journal articles, books and so forth. Out of the five school sets in this research study the De Kuilen school set showed statistically significant results between grade sevens and eights with regards to developmental, reference group, financial and brand preference changes. The Kuils River school set also showed statistically significant results with regards to developmental, role models, peer pressure and brand preference changes. However, the rest of the school sets showed minor or failed to show statistical differences between the two grades in question. On the whole no significant developmental, reference group, role model and peer pressure changes were noted between grade sevens and grade eights. On the other hand, two of the findings agreed with the initial hypotheses that were put forward. Financial changes did occur, as grade eights received more pocket money than grade sevens and parents were still involved in purchasing clothing for their young teens; and as expected, young teens failed to prove brand loyal. Consequently, although two null hypotheses (financial changes and brand loyalty) were accepted out of six proposed and two school sets out of the five showed statistical differences between the two grades on the matters investigated, the primary null hypothesis was rejected. The researcher concluded that young teens in the South Western Cape did not change their clothing consumer behaviour and brand preferences after entering high school. However, this conclusion was limited only to those schools and students who participated in the study. The researcher recommended that in general both grades could be targeted together as one clothing brand market. Especially when young teens were in the first part of grade eight, as both markets liked wearing brands such as Billabong and Roxy for very similar reasons. In addition, the lack of brand loyalty was not seen to be a hindrance, but an opportunity for marketers to attract young teens due to the fashionability and affordability of the clothing. Their purchasing power not only by themselves, but also more often than not with the help of their parents made them a lucrative market worthy of attention. On the other hand, while the researcher may have gained more knowledge from using more qualitative research, as some information from the questionnaires contradicted each other, it was also suggested that due the two age groups being so similar, it may have been more beneficial to compare two differing age groups such as grade sevens and nines.

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