3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item The effects of retailer innovation on customer retention in small independent retailers(2019) Zulu, Valencia MelissaThe South African government (Department of Trade and Industry) classifies small independent retailers as part of small, medium, and micro enterprises, making these retailers a significant and critical industry in the South African economy. However, there have been numerous challenges that influence the high failure rate of small independent retailers. The lack of innovation is one of the biggest challenges. The skill and capability of a retailer to innovate has become an important differentiating factor and one of the primary means of enhancing a competitive advantage. While scholars have cited that small businesses that innovate increase their chances of survival, and enriched performance, there is a lack of studies on the potential of innovation as a consumer retention strategy within the small retailing context. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of retailer innovation on consumer retention in small independent retailers in the township economy. Following a quantitative approach, the data was collected conveniently from 500 consumers. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used as the statistical technique to analyse the data and test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that retailer innovation had a non-significant direct relationship with consumer retention. However, findings identified consumer participation, consumer advocacy, consumer experience, and consumer satisfaction as the mediators that enable the relationship. These results provide a valuable contribution to current literature by generating new knowledge for scholars in the field of township economy, consumer behaviour, retail marketing and small businesses innovation. Furthermore, this study provides valuable information to policy makers, entrepreneurs, and the private sector, particularly those with interests in the revitalisation of the township economy.Item The impact of self-service technologies on perceptions of customer service quality in a Business School in South Africa(2019) Dube, Lawrence ThulaniThere is increased usage of self-service technology in efforts to deliver superior service quality in business schools. This transition from face-to-face interaction has led to both satisfaction and dissatisfaction with service quality delivered. This study sought to ascertain the impact self-service technologies have on the perception of service quality (Servqual) dimensions of reliability, tangibility, assurance, responsiveness and empathy. A survey research instrument based on an adapted Servqual questionnaire that was self-administered was employed. Convenience sampling was utilised on the Wits Business School campus, with 210 students’ views captured. Then, the data was analysed using GAP analysis and descriptive statistics extrapolated from the data. The results of the study indicate that a transition to self-service portals does not lead to customers having a positive view of all the service quality dimensions as most customers were neutral in their perceptions. Students, therefore, need to have both self-service technologies and walk-in centres for face-to-face interaction. The study contributes to the ever-increasing knowledge on the usage of self-service technology in higher education in emerging markets. While there are significant shifts towards usage of the portals in business schools, there is a need to control the pace of change and avoid drastic adoption without other options as it may not lead to positive customer perceptions. The study recommends that transition not be drastic, that focus be on user-friendliness of the portals, that there be increased use of interactive technologies such as chatbots to increase responsiveness as well as a provision of people to engage with when there is need for escalation of issues aiding service recovery.Item The Granger causality between confidence and consumption in South Africa(2018) Singh, VimalSouth Africa’s news headlines are dominated by controversial stories of corruption, crime and politics. This research report investigates if people always accept these events as a "normal” part of the country’s history, or if these factors influence or are influenced by expenditure decisions of businesses and consumers. The variables included in the investigation are household consumption, business capital formation, consumer confidence and business confidence. The investigation establishes that these variables are non-stationary and cointegrated, with the cointegrating relationship assessed using Johansen’s procedure. The short-run and long run dynamics between the variables are determined using vector error correction models. Granger causality tests were used to explore the causal relationship between the variables. The Granger Causal relationship between confidence and consumption is assessed using quarterly data from June 1982 to March 2017. It showed that changes in household consumption Granger cause changes in consumer consumption, and no such relationship exists between business confidence and capital formation. The Granger Causal relationship between confidence indicators was also explored, which found that a bi-directional Granger causality relationship existed between business confidence and consumer confidence. The results of variance decomposition (VDC) and impulse response functions (IRFs) were applied thereafter to further examine the causal relationship between the variables. The former determines the amount each variable contributes to each other while latter assess the impact on the dependent variable given a shock to the system. The results supported the outcome of the Granger causality tests. The variance decomposition found in most cases that a shock to the dependent variable can explain more of the forecast error in the dependent variable than a shock to the other predictor variable. This was observed in the short and long run. The impulse response functions found that confidence measures, both for consumers and businesses, may respond in the initial periods to impulses but the increments of the increase reduce after 1 to 2 periods.Item Destination image of Swaziland: perceptions of local and international tourists(2016) Mashwama, Vuyelwa CThe government of Swaziland has labelled the tourism industry as one of the national priority sectors that has maximum potential to stimulate economic growth through the creation of employment opportunities, poverty alleviation, and foreign income generation. The industry has birthed several supporting business areas such as tour operators, travel agencies, a new airport, and hotels and restaurants. Tourism scholars and practitioners acknowledge the importance of the destination‘s image as an influence on tourist behaviour. However, existing studies on Swaziland‘s tourism industry have focused on the development of the tourism industry, community-based tourism, outdoor recreation activities in game reserves, and the economic impact of tourism in Swaziland. As a result, there is limited research focusing on the perceptions of both local and international tourists regarding Swaziland as a tourist destination and how the destination image has influenced tourists‘ intention to revisit or recommend the destination to others. This study aims to identify the antecedents of future behavioural intentions of tourists in Swaziland. Employing a quantitative approach, destination image was the predictor variable and was hypothesized to positively influence satisfaction, attitude toward destination, and trust in the destination as mediating variables, and behavioural intentions as the outcome variable. Non-probability was used to sample both local and international tourists that visited Swaziland between the months of August and October 2016. Tourists were interviewed at Mantenga Cultural Village, Swazi Candles, Ngwenya Glass, and departing tourists were interviewed at the Sikhuphe International Airport. A total of 431 respondents were used in study. The data analysis was performed using SPSS 22 and Amos 22 Software Package. The majority of tourists were positive regarding Swaziland as a tourist destination. Tourists further on indicated that they had satisfactory experiences in Swaziland, and most stated that they trusted the destination. A lot of the tourists had a favourable attitude towards Swaziland and indicated high revisit intentions and positive recommendations. Furthermore, the findings in this study show that there is a positive and significant relationship between the destination‘s image and satisfaction. Additionally, the study reveals that satisfaction positively influences tourists‘ trust in the destination and their attitude towards the destination. Between attitude towards destination and trust in the destination, tourists‘ attitudes toward the destination were found to have a stronger effect on their behavioural intentions.