3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Consumers' motivational drivers status consumption and life satisfaction: a case of smartphones among the Generation Y cohort in South Africa(2019) Sithole, Titus MutsanyaOne important motivating force that influences a wide range of consumer behaviour is the desire to gain status or social prestige from the acquisition and consumption of goods. More often than not, individuals purchase expensive and luxury goods to display their social standing. In addition, individuals purchase status products to fulfill their material desires and reinforce their group identity. This is often a case with regards to youth consumers who often purchase expensive, luxury smart-phone brands to portray status and impress their peers. This behaviour seems to be trending among student communities. This study sought to investigate the consumers’ motivations for status consumption and life satisfaction for smartphone consumption in Generation Y. This study made use of a non-probability convenience sample. A self-administered questionnaire was designed, based on the scales used in previous studies. A sample of 250 students was chosen to collect the data. A series scale check analysis was made to test the reliability and validity of measures using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Also, structural equation modelling (SEM) analysed the hypothesised relationships using Amos version 25 software. The main findings of the study are that materialism has a significant influence on life satisfaction with a path coefficient value for hypothesis 1 is 0.371, which is an indication of a strong association and relationship between materialism and status consumption. Uniqueness has a positive and a significant influence on status consumption with a path coefficient value of 0.034 and the p-value of 0.847. Consumer ethnocentrism has a positive and a significant influence on status consumption with path coefficient value of 0.122 and the p-value of 0.176. Modern status orientations have a significant influence on status consumption with a path coefficient value of 0.717. Finally, status consumption has a significant influence on life satisfaction with a path coefficient value for hypothesis 5 is 0.719, which is an indication of a strong association and relationship between status consumption and life satisfaction. The insights gained from this study will help marketers to better understand youth consumers in their engagement in status consumption, and life satisfaction, which, will ultimately assist the marketing practitioners’ efforts in such a way as to appeal to this segment in an appropriate manner.Item The predictors of consumer purchase intention of imported wines among generation Y consumers in South Africa(2018) Ndlela, Thubelihle NamaswaziThere is general global acknowledgement that the consumption of wine brands is on the increase. Several studies on the antecedents of purchase intention of imported wine have been conducted, particularly in western countries. A case in point is a recent surge in the purchase of both local and international wine brands in South Africa. However, it is not yet clear what has motivated the purchase intentions of international wine brands in South Africa – hence this study. Informed by the identified research gap and a dearth of literature that has investigated this subject matter – especially in developing countries such as South Africa, the current study sought to examine the predictors of imported wine purchase intention by South Africans. In particular, the study investigates the influence of brand tribalism, brand love, brand credibility and brand preference as predictors of purchase intention. Hence, it is of particular interest to investigate the factors that influence consumers’ purchase intention of imported wine brands, particularly among Generation Y consumers in South Africa. In order to achieve the study’s objectives, eight hypotheses were postulated – informed by the proposed conceptual model. The predictor variable was brand tribalism, while brand love, brand credibility, brand preference acted as mediating variables, and purchase intention as the outcome variable. In order to test the proposed hypotheses, the study used a sample size of 321 respondents between the ages of 18 and 38, and the online questionnaire was administered using Qualtrics software. The data was analysed using SPSS for descriptive statistics and AMOS 24 for the Structural equation modelling approach. The results indicate that three of the hypotheses were supported and significant. More specifically, brand tribalism has a positive significant relationship with brand love and brand preference, while brand credibility has a positive significant relationship with purchase intention. The findings of the present study have significant contributions to theory, context and practice. Firstly, it adds new literature to the existing body of knowledge, particularly on international wine marketing, consumer behaviour and Generation Y. Secondly, it provides more insights on the application of theories such as social identity, consumer culture theory in the context of the wine industry. Finally, the study has practical implications for international wine firms and marketing practitioners. International wine marketing managers can draw insights into the predictors of consumer purchase intention of imported wine brands amongst Generation Y consumers – and subsequently develop strategies that appeal to Generation Y consumers in South AfricaItem The mediating role of emotions in the relationship between experiential marketing and repurchase intention of energy drinks: a case of generation Y(2018) Phiri, Neo Elsie MorwesiGeneration Y is emerging as an enormous force in the marketplace, with its growing spending power and its members’ unique spending patterns. This research employs the Mehrabian and Russell (1974) S-O-R model to study the impact of experiential marketing on emotions and behavioural intention of Generation Y consumers in the energy drinks category. More than half of the energy drinks market comprises the fickle and disloyal consumption-driven Generation Y consumers. Customers are repeatedly attracted towards a brand based on its sensory experience. Marketing to customers’ taste, smell, touch, sight and sound therefore contributes to creating powerful memories, thereby presenting real opportunities for marketers to develop repeat purchase behaviour. While there are numerous studies investigating the impact of experiential marketing in developed economies such as the USA, the UK, or Australia, there are limited studies on experiential marketing conducted in emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS). The study proposes a mediation model where customer emotions are hypothesised as a key mediator in the relationship between experiential marketing and consumer buying behaviour. Following a descriptive research design, self-administered questionnaires were distributed to a stratified random sample of 700 students from four Universities in Gauteng, South Africa, 689 of whom responded. Respondents were asked to answer questions about their perceptions of their favourite energy drink brand. For the hypotheses testing, a structural equation modelling approach was used, using AMOS software. Results confirm that experiential marketing positively influences emotions, which in turn, influences consumers’ behavioural intentions. The results also confirmed that taste was the strongest multisensory experience. The results provide an empirical demonstration of the effects of experiential marketing on emotions and the subsequent impact of emotions on behavioural intentions. The findings of this study reinforce the importance of understanding the impact of customers’ emotions on behavioural intentions while enabling managers to develop an experiential branding strategy.Item Measuring customer-based brand equity of Samsung mobile phones among Generation Y(2017) Diniso, ChumoKeywords: brand equity, Samsung mobile phones, Generation Y, brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, brand loyalty, brand satisfaction, brand love and consumption values. Samsung is the leading brand in the mobile phone industry, and is dominant over fierce competitors, such as Apple, Nokia, Huawei and Blackberry. This is evident from the 2016 global market share figures, where Samsung occupies the top position with 21.6%. The Samsung brand is also dominant in South Africa, having captured 46% of the market share. Consumers are also willing to pay a price premium for Samsung mobile phones. For example, as at June 2017, the Samsung S8 smartphone retailed for up to R14,799, with consumers still willing to pay this price. While from an organisation’s perspective the success of Samsung in the mobile phone industry is accredited to the global establishment of production bases, overhaul of quality standards, paradigm shift in management philosophies and substantial investment in marketing and product design, there is a need to understand what drives Samsung’s brand equity from consumers’ perspective. The understanding of Samsung’s brand equity is even more important among Generation Y, due to the fact that they constitute 25% of South Africa’s population, have a high purchasing power for luxury and technological products, and 95% of them own a mobile phone in South Africa. They use their phones to communicate with family and friends, listen to music and watch YouTube videos. For the measurement of brand equity, so that marketers are informed of the performance of their marketing and brand strategies, researchers recommend the examination of its sources. Models devised by Aaker (1996) and Keller (1998) provide various sources of brand equity, but how and which of these sources best influence brand equity has not been determined. Esch, Langner, Schmitt and Geus (2006) recommend that in order to measure brand equity holistically, sources of brand equity, including brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, brand associations and brand loyalty should be measured in conjunction with other important brand relationship factors such as brand trust, brand satisfaction and brand attachment or love. This is particularly so, because consumers who have a strong relationship with a brand are likely to demonstrate positive attitude towards it. Despite this view, most researchers who have adopted the Aaker (1996) and Keller (1998) models to measure CBBE have not considered the explanatory roles of the brand relationship variables. iv Another important factor ignored in the measurement of sources CBBE are the various values (such as functional, monetary, emotional, customisation, and relational), as proposed by Chuah, Marimuthu and Ramayah (2014), consumers enjoy from the consumption of a brand. Recognising the importance of uncovering the value inferences that consumers hold of a brand, Keller (2003) suggests three types of values or benefits (functional, experiential, and symbolic benefits) consumers may enjoy from a brand. The monetary value, according to other authors, can also be important. How these values lead to brand equity, if at all, were, however, not further explored. This study therefore integrated the Aaker and Keller’s brand equity models, Esch et al. and Chuah et al. brand relationship and consumer value models, respectively, to propose an integrated conceptual model with eighteen hypotheses to measure the sources of Samsung’s mobile phones brand equity among Generation Y. Quantitative methodologies were used to collect data from 651 undergraduate and postgraduate students studying at the University of Johannesburg and University of the Witwatersrand to empirically test the proposed model. The hypothesised relationships in the model were empirically tested using structural equation modeling. The results revealed that out of the eighteen hypotheses tested, twelve were accepted. Specifically, brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, monetary value and functional value had a positive effect on brand satisfaction. Brand satisfaction positively drives brand love. Consumers who expressed love for the Samsung mobile phone brand were found to be loyal. Brand loyalty, which was found to have a positive impact on brand equity, was influenced positively by monetary value. In addition to brand loyalty, brand equity was influenced positively by perceived quality, monetary value and symbolic value. Overall, 56% of Samsung mobile phone brand equity was explained by brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, monetary value, functional value, symbolic value, brand satisfaction, brand love and brand loyalty. While it will be important for future studies to identify other factors, which may increase the explanatory power of Samsung’s brand equity among Generation Y in South Africa, this study’s theoretical contribution suggests an integrated conceptual model to holistically measure customer-based brand equity not only in the telecommunication sector, but for other products and sectors. Practically, Samsung and other marketers responsible for managing competing v brands such as iPhone, Nokia, Huawei can use these findings to develop relevant marketing strategies that resonate with this large and lucrative Generation Y market segment.Item Effectiveness of branded mobile apps on brand loyalty among Generation Y consumers(2016) Chalomba, NakuzeThe increasing level of consumer engagement with smartphones and tablets or ipods, and the proliferation of mobile applications in recent years have seen a rapid growth in branded apps. Marketers are creating branded mobile apps as a brand communication channel to attract new customers and potentially increase brand loyalty among current customers. Previous research has measured initial adoption or intention to adopt branded apps rather than continuance adoption. In South Africa, few studies have explored adoption of branded apps among generation Y consumers. To fill this gap, this research aims to determine the effectiveness of branded mobile apps in driving brand loyalty among generation Y consumers. To achieve this goal, the research uses Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT) to explore the factors influencing satisfaction, continuance adoption of branded apps and brand loyalty. Using a quantitative research approach, a total of 406 valid self-administered questionnaires were collected by survey method, and structural equation modelling was employed in the data analysis. The results indicate that confirmation of expectations–functional value, social value and satisfaction significantly influence brand loyalty. When consumers confirmed expectations of branded apps, it directly led to positive perceptions of value and satisfaction. Consumer satisfaction was a significant driver of behavioural loyalty. Results also suggested that consumer confirmation of expectations and perceptions of value impacted on continuance intention indirectly through satisfaction. Perceived functional value was found to be an important direct booster of consumer’s decisions and behaviour to continue using branded apps, while social value was found to be an inhibitor of continuance intention. The relationship between continuance intention and brand loyalty was insignificant. Continuance intention was simply an intermediate response following satisfaction with prior usage. This study therefore confirmed and extended the (ECT), that satisfaction with a product or service was a prerequisite for establishing continuance intention and brand loyalty among consumers.Item Generation Y entrepreneurs and social media platforms: an assessment of online entrepreneurial alliance creation.(2017) Reinhart, Andrew JosefThis study was to identify the extent of Generation Y entrepreneurs’ social media usage in terms of weak-tie alliance maintenance and creation and also alliance creation. A sample group of entrepreneurs in the Johannesburg were chosen by using social media as a channel. By using the researcher’s social capital and also the different characteristics that are unique to these SNSs (social network sites), such as Twitter advertising, a sample group was created. A digital survey was distributed to the selected entrepreneurs by using an online platform. By using hypothesis testing and a multiple regression model, it was identified that entrepreneurs tend to favour maintaining weak-ties over creating weak-ties using SNSs, and alliance creation on SNSs does not seem too common, but it was highlighted that when entrepreneurs do create alliances, they tend to favour weakties that they have created on SNSs. The overall picture is that entrepreneurs have an inclination not to use SNSs to create weak-ties and alliances, this could come down to a number of factors such as trust and education, and there could also perhaps be no SNS that supports alliance creation to the extent that entrepreneurs need.Item Social media factors impacting purchase intention of mobile devices amongst working Generation Y in South Africa(2017) Funde, LesegoWord-of-mouth (WOM) has been seen to be one of the most powerful resources of transmitting information. Progression in Information technology and the rise of online social network sites have changed the way information is being conveyed. This phenomenon sways consumers as this effortlessly accessible information could significantly influence their consumption decision. The purpose of this paper is to investigate Social Media factors impacting purchase intention of mobile devices amongst Working Generation Y in South Africa. The target population for this study was defined those who are between ages of 24-35 years of age and are employed. This paper relies on a quantitative analysis of the results gathered through an online survey. Measurement of items have been adapted from existing scales found in the marketing literature. Researchers reviewed the items for validity and readability. A multiple regression model procedure and Structural Equation Model is applied to test the relationship between independent and dependent variables. The research model was tested using a sample of 250 people who are South Africa’s Working Generation Y consumers and are regular social network users. Based on the resulted yielded from this research paper, it is reasonable to argue that consumer engagement will affect eWOM which may influence consumer purchase intentions. The paper outlines ways to promote a brand effectively through online consumer communities’ also known as virtual communities, as well as general guidelines for website and forum moderators for facilitating such presentation in a manner useful to the members of their online communities. While there is a substantial research stream that examines the branding of consumer’s goods and an increasing literature on product brands, little is known about social media, brand image and purchase intention in the context of online communications. This paper therefore extends existing measurement of these variables.