Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the phenomena's in the marketing industry of the past decade is the increased use of
database marketing. Database marketing involves the collection, processing and
dissemination of vast amounts of consumer information in order to compile detailed consumer
databases. The increasing popularity of database marketing can be attributed to various
factors. Consumer information can now be obtained easier, cheaper and faster due to the
availability of information technology. It has become easier to segment consumer markets
and it is possible to identify consumer trends. It is possible to make predictions of consumer
behaviour or buying patterns because consumer databases provide a more complete consumer
profile with information ranging from demographics, psycho graphics to life-style
information. Database technology improves the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing
campaigns because marketers can analyse the available information and select the most
appropriate marketing strategies and tactics, while concentrating efforts on the most profitable
consumer. Marketers therefore waste less effort, money, and other resources by not
promoting to individuals who are unlikely to react upon such offers. Widespread databases
assist marketers in offering products that are more reasonably priced and more precisely
tailored for smaller, more homogeneous market segments. Improved product and service
offerings as well as the availability of a wider variety of products and services will likely
result in higher consumer satisfaction and could build consumer loyalty. Therefore, marketers
use consumer information to improve the overall marketing strategy and individual customer
service.
Consumers are concerned about database marketing practices because consumers believe
some data practices invade personal privacy. The need for privacy has always been inherent
to human nature and the concept of privacy dates back to early mankind. One should
however differentiate between an individual's basic need for privacy from a general
perspective and privacy within a consumer-marketer context. Privacy from a general
perspective refers to one's territoriality and need for physical seclusion, whereas consumer
privacy mainly relate to the privacy of personal information. Bennett, as well as Stone and
Stone proposed that a state of privacy exist when a consumer can control social interaction,
unwanted external stimuli, and the dissemination of personal information as well as being
able to make independent decisions without outside interference. Consumers' need for
privacy is however, in conflict with the need for social interaction and the need to participate
in commercial exchange relationships. The more a person interacts with other members of society, the more the person could expect to compromise some privacy. This implies that
when consumers participate in a business transaction, or where an exchange relationship
exists between the database marketer and consumer, consumers could expect that a degree of
privacy will be lost.
Consumer groups however, argue that some marketing practices invade the reasonable
amount of privacy consumers should be able to expect. The raising consumer concern for
privacy is attributable to several reasons. The primary driver of consumer concern is the
general lack of knowledge on data collection and use. Other reasons for the raising privacy
concern include the type of information collected and the amount of control consumers have
over subsequent use of data; the use of personal information to identify specific individuals;
collection and use of sensitive information, such as medical and financial data; the volume of
information collected and used; secondary information use; the use and dissemination of
inaccurate databases; the collection and use of children's data; the lack of tangible benefits
received in exchange for information provided; and the use of consumer information for
financial gain. Consumers have also expressed concern about electronic database marketing
practices because of the secrecy in data collection and use. However, privacy concerns may
vary depending on consumers' cultural orientation, age, perception on what constitutes good
marketing ethics or the specific methods employed to obtain consumer data. One could
distinguish between several consumer clusters when considering consumers" attitudes on
database marketing practices and personal privacy. In this regard the typical South African
consumer is classified as a "pragmatist". Pragmatists are concerned with privacy to the extent
they are exposed to database marketing activities. The South African database marketing
industry is still in its infancy phase and as the industry progress, and consumers become more
knowledgeable, privacy concerns are likely to increase.
It is important to address the issues that raise consumer privacy concerns and to find solutions
for ensuring sustainable database marketing practice in future. Marketers' information needs
and consumers' privacy needs should somehow be balanced in order to withhold government
intervention. Compromises from both sides are necessary to reach a more balanced
relationship between the two parties. The successful outcome of the privacy debate will
depend on marketers' understanding of consumer privacy issues and by addressing these
accordingly.Several approaches exist for regulating database marketing practices that invade consumer
privacy: the implementation of information technology, self-regulation and government
intervention. Self-regulation is preferred for regulating database marketing practices, whereas
privacy-enhancing information technology is recommended as a supplemental tool for
protecting consumer privacy. Government regulating seems to be the last resort because of
unnecessary restrictions that might be imposed on database marketing activities.
Recommended models for regulating database marketing activities and for protecting
consumer privacy in South Africa are the Registration Model, together with elements of the
Data Commissioner Model. These models were proposed after careful consideration of
characteristics, unique to the South African database marketing industry. The models place
the responsibility for data protection with the database marketer and the South African
government, rather than with the consumer. The Registration Model and the Data
Commissioner Model seems a viable combination for implementation in South Africa
because these models acknowledge the fact that South African pragmatic consumers are not
well educated and informed enough on privacy invading database marketing practices. This
combination rarely involves any consumer participation and therefore suits the typical
apathetic nature of South African consumers.
The Registration Model acts like a notice system where an agency, currently the Direct
Marketing Association of South Africa, develops principles of fair information practices to
which registered marketers need to comply with. A commission, an element of the Data
Commissioner Model, has power to investigate consumer complaints, constrain development
of databases, review data practices and advise on improvements on data collectors' systems.
The commission could also monitor advancements in information technology that may
enhance consumer privacy. The only problem with these models seems to be that the agency
and or the commission have no authoritative power to enforce compliance with principles and
codes of conduct.
Industry self-regulation in conjunction with some governmental control and the application of
information technology seems to be useful in providing adequate levels of consumer privacy
and data protection. Such a combination might strike a balance between South African
consumers' need for privacy and South African marketers' need for consumer information. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die verskynsels in die bemarkingsindustrie oor die afgelope dekade is die
toenemende gebruik van databasisbemarking. Databasisbemarking behels die insameling,
prosessering en verspreiding van groot hoeveelhede verbruikersinligting met die doelom
gedetailleerde verbruikersdatabasisse saam te stel. Die toenemende gewildheid van
databasisbemarking kan toegeskryf word aan verskeie faktore. Inligtingstegnologie maak dit
baie makliker, goedkoper en vinniger om verbruikersinligting te bekom. Dit raak al hoe
makliker om verbruikersmarkte te segmenteer en dit is moontlik om verbruikers tendense te
identifiseer. Voorspellings kan ook gemaak word ten opsigte van verbruikersgedrag en
aankooppatrone omdat die omvang van inligting in verbruikersdatabasisse strek vanaf
demografiese, psigografiese tot lewenstylinligting en daarom 'n baie meer volledige
verbruikersprofiel bied. Databasistegnologie verbeter die doeltreffendheid en effektiwiteit
van bemarkingsveldtogte omdat bemarkers beskikbare inligting kan analiseer en die mees
gepaste bemarkingstrategieë en taktieke kan selekteer, terwyl programme gerig kan word op
die mees winsgewinde verbruiker. Bemarkers sal dus minder moeite, geld en ander
hulpbronne vermors deurdat bemarkingsprogramme nie gerig word op individue wat heel
waarskynlik nie op sulke aanbiedinge sal reageer nie. Omvangryke databasisse help
bemarkers om goedkoper produkte te bied wat meer presies ontwerp is op kleiner, meer
homogene marksegmente te dien. Verbeterde produk en diens aanbiedinge tesame met die
beskikbaarheid van 'n wyer verskeidenheid van produkte en dienste, sal heel waarskynlik
hoër verbruikersatisfaksie tot gevolg hê en kan verbruikerslojaliteit bewerkstellig. Dus,
bemarkers gebruik verbruikersinligting om die algehele bemarkingstrategie en individuele
diens aan verbruikers te verbeter.
Verbruikers het belang by databasis bemarkingspraktyke omdat verbruikers glo dat sommige
data praktyke inbreuk maak op persoonlike privaatheid. Die behoefte aan privaatheid was
nog altyd inherent aan die menslike natuur en die konsep van privaatheid dateer terug tot
vroeë beskawings. Daar behoort egter 'n onderskeid getref te word tussen 'n individu se
basiese behoefte aan privaatheid vanuit 'n algemene perspektief en privaatheid vanaf 'n
verbruiker-bemarker konteks. Privaatheid, vanaf 'n algemene perspektief, verwys na 'n
individu se persoonlike ruimte en die behoefte aan fisiese afsondering, teenoor
verbruikersprivaatheid wat hoofsaaklik verband hou met die privaatheid van persoonlike
inligting. Bennett, sowel as Stone en Stone het voorgestel dat 'n mate van privaatheid heers
wanneer 'n verbruiker beheer het oor sosiale interaksies, ongewenste eksterne prikkels, die verspreiding van persoonlike inligting, sowel as om in staat te wees om onafhanklike besluite
te neem sonder invloed van buite. Verbruikers se behoefte aan privaatheid is egter in konflik
met die behoefte aan sosiale interaksie en die behoefte om deel te neem aan kommersiële
transaksies. Hoe meer 'n persoon in wisselwerking tree met ander lede van die gemeenskap,
hoe meer kan die persoon verwag om 'n mate van privaatheid op te offer. Dit impliseer dat
wanneer verbruikers deelneem in 'n besigheidstransaksie of waar 'n ruilverhouding bestaan
tussen die databasisbemarker en verbruiker, kan verbruikers verwag dat 'n mate van
privaatheid verlore sal gaan.
Verbruikers kan 'n redelike mate van privaatheid verwag, maar verbruikersgroepe
argumenteer dat sommige bemarkingspraktyke inbreuk maak op hierdie redelike verwagting
van privaatheid. Die toenemende verbruikersbelang by privaatheid is toeskryfbaar aan
verskeie redes. Die primêre dryfkrag agter verbruikers se belang is die algemene gebrek aan
kennis oor data insameling en gebruik. Ander redes wat bydrae tot die toenemende belang by
privaatheid sluit in die tipe inligting ingesamel en die hoeveelheid beheer verbruikers het oor
die daaropeenvolgende gebruik van data; die gebruik van persoonlike inligting om spesifieke
individue te identifiseer; die insameling en gebruik van sensitiewe inligting, soos
byvoorbeeld mediese en finansiële data; die hoeveelheid inligting wat ingesamel en gebruik
word; sekondêre gebruik van inligting; die gebruik en verspreiding van onakkurate
databasisse; en die insameling en gebruik van verbruikersinligting om finansieël voordeel
daaruit te trek. Verbruikers het ook belang getoon teenoor elektroniese databasis
bemarkingspraktyke as gevolg van die geheimhouding oor data insameling en gebruik. Die
belang by privaatheid mag egter varieër afhangende van verbruikers se kulturele oriëntasie,
ouderdom, persepsie van wat goeie bemarkingsetiek behels of die spesifieke metodes gebruik
om data aangaande verbruikers te bekom. Daar kan onderskei word tussen verskeie
verbruikersgroepe wanneer verbruikershoudings teenoor databasis bemarkingspraktyke en
persoonlike privaatheid oorweeg word. In hierdie verband kan die tipiese Suid-Afrikaanse
verbruiker geklassifiseer word as 'n pragmatis. Pragmatiste is besorg oor privaatheid tot die
mate waartoe hulle blootgestel is aan databasisbemarkingsaktiwiteite. Die Suid-Afrikaanse
databasis industrie is nog in die beginfase en soos die industrie groei en verbruikers meer
ingelig raak, sal besorgdheid oor privaatheid heelwaarskynlik ook toeneem.
Dit is belangrik om die kwessies wat besorgdheid oor verbruikersprivaatheid veroorsaak aan
te spreek en om oplossings te vind om volhoubare databasisbemarkingspraktyke in die toekoms te verseker. Daar moet gepoog word om bemarkers se behoefte aan inligting en
verbruikers se behoefte aan privaatheid in ewewig te bring om sodoende owerheidsinmenging
te voorkom. Opofferings van beide partye is nodig om 'n meer gebalanseerde verhouding
tussen die twee partye te bewerkstellig. Die suksesvolle uitkoms van die privaatheidsdebat
sal afhang van bemarkers se begrip vir verbruikersprivaatheidskwessies en om dit
dienooreenkomstig aan te spreek.
Die regulering van databasisbemarkingspraktyke wat inbreuk maak op verbruikersprivaatheid
kan verskillend benader word: die implementering van inligtingstegnologie, self-regulering en
owerheids-inmenging. Self-regulering word verkies as basis om databasisbemarkingspraktyke
te reguleer, terwyl privaatheids-bevorderende inligtingstegnologie aanbeveel word
as bykomende gereedskap om verbruikersprivaatheid te beskerm. Owerheidsregulering word
gesien as die laaste uitweg as gevolg van onnodige beperkinge wat dit mag plaas op
databasisbemarkingsaktiwitei te.
Die voorgestelde modelle vir die regulering van databasis bemarkingsaktiwiteite en vir die
beskerming van verbruikersprivaatheid in Suid Afrika, is die Registrasie Model, tesame met
elemente van die Data Kommissaris Model. Hierdie modelle is voorgestel nadat eienskappe,
uniek aan die Suid Afrikaanse databasisbemarkingsindustrie, deeglik oorweeg IS. Die
modelle plaas die verantwoordelikheid van data beskerming in die hande van die
databasisbemarker en die Suid-Afrikaanse owerheid, eerder as by die verbruiker. Die
Registrasie Model en die Data Kommissaris Model blyk 'n uitvoerbare kombinasie vir
implementering in Suid Afrika te wees, omdat hierdie modelle die feit inagneem dat Suid
Afrikaanse pragmatiese verbruikers nie goed genoeg opgevoed en ingelig is oor die
databasisbemarkingsaktiwiteite wat inbreuk maak op privaatheid nie. Hierdie kombinasie
behels selde verbruikersdeelname en is daarom gepas by die tipiese apatiese aard van Suid
Afrikaanse verbruikers.
Die Registrasie Model dien as 'n kennisgee-stelsel waar 'n agentskap, tans die Direkte
Bemarkings Assosiasie van Suid Afrika, beginsels vir regverdige inligtingspraktyke
ontwikkel waaraan geregistreerde databasisbemarkers moet voldoen. 'n Kommissie, 'n
element van die Data Kommissaris Model, het mag om verbruikersklagtes te ondersoek, die
ontwikkelling van databasisse aan bande te lê en om datapraktyke te hersien en advies te gee
oor verbeteringe in die stelsels van data-insamelaars. Die kommissie kan ook ontwikkelinge in inligtingstegnologie wat verbruikersprivaatheid bevorder, monitor. Die enigste probleem
met hierdie modelle blyk te wees dat die agenstkap en die kommissie geen gesag het om te
verseker dat beginsels en kodes van goeie gedrag afgedwing word nie.
Industrie self-regulering, tesame met 'n mate van owerheidsbeheer en die implementering van
inligtingstegnologie blyk nuttig te wees om voldoende vlakke van verbruikers-privaatheid en
data beskerming te verseker. Dié kombinasie kan moontlik 'n balans vind tussen Suid
Afrikaanse verbruikers se behoefte aan privaatheid en Suid Afrikaanse bemarkers se behoefte
aan verbruikersinligting.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52711 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Visser, Diane |
| Contributors | Terblanche, N. S., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences. Dept. of Business Management. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 132 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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