Theses and Dissertations (Marketing & Sport Management)

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Browsing Theses and Dissertations (Marketing & Sport Management) by Author "Dhurup, M., Prof."

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    Customer perceptions of technology-based banking service quality and its relationship to customer satisfaction and loyalty
    (Vaal University of Technology, 2012-06) Redda, Ephrem Habtemichael; Surujlal, J., Prof.; Dhurup, M., Prof.
    The rapid advancement in technology-based systems, especially those related to the Internet, has led to fundamental changes in how banks interact with customers. This study provides a framework for understanding customer perceptions of the quality of technology-based banking service and the relationship of this service to customer satisfaction and loyalty. The conceptual framework of this study was based on extensive study of relevant literature and examination of previously developed measuring instruments of service quality in general and e-service quality and online banking in particular. A modified and fully structured questionnaire was developed to suit the South African setting. Given the nature of this study, a quantitative research approach was applied. Customers from Southern Gauteng, South Africa, who made use of online banking facilities from commercial banks, constituted the population for the study. The sampling procedure (snowball sampling technique) resulted in a sample of 180 online banking consumers. Seven factors were extracted as dimensions that influence customer perception of online banking service quality, using a factor analysis and rotated factor loadings procedure. These were: factor 1 (assurance, trust and appeal), factor 2 (responsiveness), factor 3 (ease of use), factor 4 (accessibility), factor 5 (fulfilment), factor 6 (speed and accuracy) and factor 7 (contact). The percentage of variance explained, eigenvalues and scree plot were used in the process of determining the number of factors to extract for the study. With mean values above four on a scale of one (minimum) to five (maximum), all the factors were found to be critical for improvement of online banking service quality. The overall level of customer satisfaction with online banking service quality was very high, with an overall mean score of 4.22. A mean score of 4.10 for customer loyalty predicts that respondents are likely to commit to patronising their current bank in the foreseeable future. Thus, the overall customer satisfaction and loyalty levels were skewed to the right, suggesting that respondents were generally satisfied with the quality of service rendered by the banks. These high levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty should encourage the marketing practitioners of the banks to enhance online banking service quality and ensure its improvement in order to achieve delighted customers. The relationship among the constructs of online banking service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty was established by using correlations and regression analysis. From the findings, it was established that there is evidence that the seven factors positively influence customer satisfaction and loyalty. The results also highlighted a strong positive influence of customer satisfaction on customer loyalty. Customer satisfaction has become a ‘must achieve’ objective for any bank that wishes to remain profitable and relevant in this competitive business environment. Acquiring loyal customers who will patronise and associate themselves with the bank is of particular importance for the potential market share growth and success of any bank. The relationship among the constructs of online banking service quality dimensions, customer satisfaction and loyalty focus must, however, be based on the individual building blocks of service quality, i.e. the factors (service attributes) that influence online banking service quality. Periodic measurement of the levels of online banking service quality should become an integral part of any bank`s effort and strategy in improving service quality levels. The study, which focused on users of Internet banking in South Africa, was not organisation/bank-specific. For more practical purposes, future endeavours could be focused on organisation/bank-specific studies. It must be emphasised that more research is needed before any final conclusions can be reached on the dimensionality and validity of online banking service quality.
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    The influence of selected consumer-based brand equity elements on brand preference and purchase intention towards store brands
    (Vaal University of Technology, 2020) Makhubela, Vusimuzi Paulus; Dhurup, M., Prof.; Bojabotseha, T. P.; Mokoena, B. A., Prof.
    Supermarket store brands are affordable alternatives towards the customers’ intended brands. For many years, marketers and retailers of store brands have positioned this brand as a cheap or low-cost brand that could be afforded by most customers. This positioning has catapulted the popularity of store brands. However, on the downward side, most consumers associate cheap or low cost with low quality. The low-cost and low-quality association and perception has been a major impediment towards the real success of store brands. Store brands have long since moved from competing on price, to competing on quality. The shift of focus by marketers and retailers of store brands from price to quality puts store brands on an equal footing with national brands and, consequently, a fierce competitor. This study investigated the influence of consumer-based brand equity elements, namely brand awareness, brand association, brand loyalty and perceived quality on brand preference and purchase intention of store brands. This study restricted its scope to the food brands. Investigating store brands within a South African context is particularly important since store brands are produced and owned by local retailers as opposed to national brands. The literature suggests that store brands are more profitable to retailers compared to their counterparts and serve as a point of differentiation from one retailer to another. A quantitative research design was employed in this study and a non-probability convenience sampling technique was adopted. The target population comprised students from a tertiary institution within the Vaal triangle, namely Vaal University of Technology. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed to the participants, of which 361 participated in the study. To ensure reliability of the scales, pre-testing and piloting of the questionnaire preceded the main survey. Results from correlation and regression analysis revealed that brand equity elements, namely brand awareness, brand association, brand loyalty and perceived quality explain 68.4 percent of the variance in brand preference. This result suggests that consumer-based brand equity elements significantly contribute towards building consumer brand preference towards the store brands. In addition, amongst all the variables, brand loyalty made the strongest contribution towards explaining brand preference (β= 0.342). Moreover, brand preference explains 65.3 percent of the variance in purchase intention. These results suggest that brand preference strongly contributes towards building purchase intention of store brands. Based on the results of this study, recommendations for retailers of store brands are provided as follows:  Retailers of store brands should implement greater awareness programmes for store brands and create positive word-of-mouth through superior product quality.  Retailers of store brands should strengthen store brands’ brand associations to improve the image of store brands.  Retailers of store brands should pay special attention to creating brand loyalty of store brands through implementing store brands’ loyalty programmes. Limitations, future research opportunities and contributions of this study are discussed in the study.
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    The influence of social media on brand awareness, perceived quality, brand loyalty and purchase intention of smartphones among university students
    (Vaal University of Technology, 2021-11) Mashapa, Tawanda; Dhurup, M., Prof.; Mokoena, B. A., Prof.
    The evolution of social media has seen people around the world connect with one another, communicate and share information without boundaries and time limitation. Social media is no myth, neither is it just a trend but a powerful communication medium which presents a fundamental shift in communication that cuts across all cultures, be it social, business, politics, sports, news and more. Social media adoption over the years, has seen billions of people participating on social networking sites and the interaction thereof has considerably influenced marketing related correspondence, public relations as well as modern day business communication. In the connected world, social media interaction is the current word-of-mouth, often referred to as electronic word of mouth and in the connected world, everyone is a content generator. In this social media era, information travels faster, reaching millions of consumers and affecting their perception towards certain products and brands based on the information shared and received. Therefore, social media interaction has proved to be an important contributing factor in consumer’s purchase decision process. However, this evolution in communication introduces unprecedented challenges as well as opportunities for organisations as buying decisions are affected significantly by social media interaction, and thus warranties a study of this nature to be carried out. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of social media on brand awareness as well as the relationships between brand awareness, perceived quality, brand loyalty and purchase intention. To attain the empirical objectives of the study, a quantitative research design was adopted and the respondents were selected using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. For data collection, the researcher used a structured self-administered questionnaire survey. Of the 320 distributed questionnaires, the researcher utilised 304 usable questionnaires for data analysis. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 was used to compute both descriptive and inferential statistics (which includes correlation and regression analysis). In addition, the reliability and validity analysis were carried out in relation to the measuring instrument. Results from the correlation and regression analysis revealed positive significant relationship between social media and brand awareness, brand awareness and perceived quality, brand loyalty and purchase intention, perceived quality with brand loyalty and purchase intention as well as brand loyalty and purchase intention. Based on the results of the study, recommendations emanating from the study include the integration of social media marketing in the organisation’s overall marketing strategy, creating and maintaining online brand communities to engage with current and potential customers as well as making use of social media platforms for advertising and promotions. The limitations of the study and the proposed opportunities for further research were also highlighted.
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    Selected antecedents, attitudes and willingness to purchase counterfeit sportswear products by students at a selected higher education institution
    (Vaal University of Technology, 2021-11) Mahlangu, Selinah Makamoho; Mafini, C., Prof.; Dhurup, M., Prof.
    Counterfeiting is a global phenomenon in developed and developing countries, causing a threat to national economies and societies. It negatively harms new investment and progressively endangers public health and safety as well. Known and famous brands are often targeted for counterfeiting. This phenomenon is primarily driven by consumers’ aspiring attitudes, social media pressures and the need to differentiate oneself. The aim of the study is to examine the influence of materialism, hedonic consumption motive, utilitarian consumption motive, personal gratification and novelty-seeking on attitudes and the influence of attitudes on willingness to purchase counterfeit sportswear products at a selected HEI. The study is grounded within the positivist philosophy, in which a quantitative research approach was followed, since positivists prefer an analytic and factual interpretation of quantitative data. An online structured questionnaire was used to collect data through an online survey. The study sample was conveniently selected from a population of registered students at a selected HEI in Southern Gauteng in the 2020 academic year. Data were collected on demographic variables, materialism (MAT), hedonic motivation (HED), utilitarian motive (UTL), personal gratification (PGT), novelty-seeking (NOS), attitude towards counterfeits (ATC) and willingness to purchase (WTP) counterfeit sportswear. A total of 327 questionnaires were completed and used in the final data analysis. Descriptive statistics techniques, correlations and regression analysis were used to evaluate perceptions and relationships between the study constructs. The research results revealed the existence of significant positive associations amongst the study constructs. Of the five antecedents, two of the five predictor variables, namely, UTL and NOS showed significant predictive relationships with attitudes towards counterfeit sportswear purchases. Attitudes towards counterfeits (ATC) also emerged as a significant predictor of students’ WTP counterfeit sportswear. Since NOS and UTL seem to predict a positive attitude towards counterfeit sportswear, the study recommends that brand owners develop awareness about ethical purchasing behaviour. They should also educate consumers on the social and economic downside of buying counterfeit products and that seeking novelty when purchasing counterfeit products may soon wane and wear off, leading to regret and cognitive dissonance. Further, brand marketers should also emphasise the utility value inherent in the purchase of authentic branded products instead of buying counterfeits. Since consumers cannot often readily distinguish between genuine and fake sportswear, it is therefore critical for marketers of branded products to promote the contrast of originals and fakes and to underline the quality, longevity, and dependability of their authentic products in the market. These results make a valuable contribution to academics, brand managers and marketers, as the results reveal that consumer buying can be influenced by personality and social interests of different individuals. The study notes that laws only cannot prohibit the sale and purchase of counterfeit products. It requires the stricter implementation thereof. Further, there is a need for behavioural change strategies to counter the effects of counterfeiting. Nudges such as promotions and loyalty programmes may encourage the purchase of authentic products as opposed to the purchase of counterfeits.
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    Sponsorship effectiveness: consumer recall, recognition and perceptions of official sponsorship and ambush marketing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup™
    (Vaal University of Technology, 2012-11-01) Rabale, Emmanuel; Surujlal, J., Prof.; Dhurup, M., Prof.
    The phenomenal growth of special events sponsorship as a promotional tool is evident in the increase in the number of companies and their expenditure on sponsoring events. Currently, football (for the purpose of this study, the term football and soccer are used interchangeably) has become the most heavily sponsored sport in terms of value and number of sponsorship deals. International events such as the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) World Cup™ and the Olympic Games are the biggest sporting events staged globally which makes them particularly lucrative for sponsor investment. The high media coverage and duration offers an ideal platform to create high brand awareness, consumer’s recall and recognition for the participating sponsors. The FIFA Soccer World Cup™ tournament with its huge audience is perhaps the premier place for companies to display their brands on an international stage. Millions of rands are spent on sponsorship in general every year and on sports sponsorship in particular. Yet little is known about the effectiveness of this expenditure. Sponsors are often unsure whether only their brands benefit from a sponsorship or whether competing brands in the same product category also benefit from their efforts. The primary objective of this study was to determine sponsorship effectiveness through consumers recall and recognition. In addition, the study sought to determine the perception of official sponsorship and ambush marketing during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The event attracts billions of viewers and a huge number of companies associate their products with this event. A quantitative approach was adopted for the study. The data was collected using a convenience sample of 462 fans, supporters and followers of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup™ in Gauteng, South Africa. To determine sponsorship effectiveness, consumer-aided and unaided recall tests were conducted after the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in an attempt to quantify sponsorship recall of official and non-official responses In addition, the study sought to establish consumers’ perceptions of official sponsors and the purchase intentions of their products and brands. Finally, consumers perceptions towards unofficial (ambush marketers) sponsors were ascertained. The high frequency of inaccurate responses through unaided recall suggests that there was confusion in the minds of respondents regarding those who were official sponsors of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. This has serious implications for both marketers and sponsors as the effectiveness of sponsorship as a marketing communication tool comes into question. This may work to the advantage of ambush marketers who could effectively use the confusion in consumers’ minds to market their products and brands. Possible reasons for the inaccurate responses could be attributed to the fact that the World Cup™ is a once-off event that attracts individuals because of the novelty of the event and the multiple distractions that are associated with the event. The inaccurate responses may also have implications for future purchase intentions of the product since a recall level of awareness could be a determining factor in the purchase decision. This study revealed that sponsorship recall is enhanced by aided recall and prior knowledge of the sponsor. The responses with regard to aided recall suggest that consumers were able to recognise brands that were housed and marketed in South Africa. Brands such as Seara, Yingu Solar, Satyam, NeoAfrica, Aggreko and Prasa are relatively unknown brands in South Africa – therefore they were not easily recognised by the respondents. From a marketing perspective, the question arises whether it is feasible for foreign-based companies such as Emirates and Mahindra Satyam to invest in sponsorship ventures that are unlikely to achieve the desired results. These companies did not widely advertise in the local South African market. However, because the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ had a worldwide impact, this does not mean that global brands failed to achieve their objectives elsewhere in the world. In other words, they could have been playing to a much wider audience, in much stronger markets than that of the host country. An interesting revelation was that most consumers were able to recall brands that were global, mass-marketed and consumer-oriented such as Coca-Cola and McDonalds. This may partially be because during the event they were intensively engaged in advertising their sponsorship in the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.