8 research outputs found
A critical analysis of smokers' behaviour in a designated non-smoking area : a case study of the MTB coffee shop, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
No full textA constant exposure to Second-hand smoke (SHS) is a significant public health problem. The Howard College campus, one of the five campuses of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa, has been lethargic in pursuing compliance in designated non-smoking spaces. The single coffee shop serving all students in the Howard College Campus was not only one of the most crowded eating-places in this campus, but also amongst the areas where smoking occurred the most, notwithstanding the no-smoking signs. In addressing non-compliance, this thesis investigates smokers’ illegal behaviour at the coffee shop. This enquiry involved the following main questions: Why do faculty and students smoke at the coffee shop even though it is a designated non-smoking area? How should the University effectively proceed to tackle smokers’ behaviour in designated non-smoking areas? Participant observation enabled the researcher to examine and describe smoking behaviour. Semi-structured interviews with twenty smokers and nine non-smokers provided insight into forces upholding the smoking habit. The Social Ecological Model that incorporates intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, institutional and policy level of analysis was applied. Findings highlighted: i) the lack of law enforcement as the key reason for non-compliance; ii) peer-pressure exerted by smokers; iii) lack of designated smoking area; iv) claims that smoking and socialisation enable de-stressing and v) An urgent need to rethink how to provide places where students can socialise in an organic manner
Determinants of electricity conservation in South African households : a social marketing perspective
No full textD.Phil. (Marketing Management)Abstract: Many developing countries, including South Africa, experience great challenges with regard to balancing electricity supply and increasing demand. For example, between 2008 and 2015, South Africa frequently experienced higher electricity demand over supply capacity. The high electricity demand emanates from the increase in business activities, industrialisation, rising population, and immigration. Households play a central role in the escalating electricity demand in South Africa and consume about 20% of the electricity and contribute to about 30% of peak period demand, which often leads to blackouts. A short-term solution to handle the high demand of electricity over supply available was to implement a rotational electricity load shedding program. This however left some areas without electricity for extended periods of time and often resulted in huge economic losses. For a more desirable and cost-effective way to reduce electricity demand, various media, including the country’s national TV are being widely used to create awareness about the electricity problem and to run campaigns promoting electricity conservation tips. A 2013 study by the South African Department of Energy (DoE) aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the campaigns revealed that public awareness of the problem and the electricity saving measures substantially increased, but the actual electricity conservation behaviour did not significantly change. The goal of a successful social marketing campaign is behaviour change. Achieving this change requires solid consumer research aimed at examining the major factors helping and hindering the adoption of the desired behaviour. The desired behaviour for this study is electricity conservation. For understanding of possible determinants of electricity conservation, extant literature around the topic was first reviewed. The review revealed that most energy conservation studies revolved around two streams of research. The first is the individualistic stream which is premised on the reasoned action approach generally explained by the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The second is the altruistic stream of research, which is derived from the norm activation approach developed in the Norm Activation Model (NAM). With the aim of holistically understanding the determinants of electricity conservation, this study combined the individualistic and altruism approaches, and added economic and socio-demographical moderators to propose an integrated conceptual model. The model encapsulated social, psychological, economic and demographic factors to help explain the decision to conserve electricity in households..
Drivers of consumer attention to mandatory energy-efficiency labels affixed to home appliances: An emerging market perspective
No full textAn application of stages of change to the household waste separation programs in South Africa : a practical guide for social marketing
No full textAbstract: To preserve the environment and prevent the landfills from getting full, South African households are urged to separate their domestic waste before disposal. Drawing from the transtheoretical model behaviour of change, the purpose of this study is to identify and understand the stages of change that best describe the level of engagement in domestic waste in South Africa. A survey questionnaire was administered to collect data from 350 households residing in the city of Johannesburg that is currently implementing a mandatory recycling program and 349 households from the city of Tshwane that is not. The findings of this study reveal that most households are in the pre-contemplation phase of change, and that there are no significant differences in proportion of households in each stage of change between the two cities. This study is of importance to social marketers and municipality managers in the sense that it recommends actionable strategies to facilitate progress from one stage of change to another
Segmenting and Profiling South African Households’ Electricity Conservation Behavior
No full textIn the last decade, South Africa has frequently experienced electricity shortages. Conserving electricity is a sustainable means by which households can contribute to mitigating the problem. The main electricity supplier, Eskom, partners with the South African government to promote electricity conservation, particularly in households. For effective tailoring of promotional messages, market segmentation is needed. This study uses cluster analysis to segment and identify segment sizes and types of electricity conservation behaviors in South African households. It also profiles the segments according to sociodemographic characteristics and some economic and psychological drivers of conservation behaviors. We surveyed 629 electricity consumers in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Four segments were identified: devoted conservers (18%), unconcerned nonconservers (28.7%), curtailment-oriented conservers (29.3%), and efficiency-oriented consumers (24%). The article proposes germane strategies to be tailored by social marketers and policy makers to reach each of these segments.</jats:p
Modelling green customer loyalty and positive word of mouth : can environmental knowledge make the difference in an emerging market?
No full textAbstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of consumption values, green customer satisfaction and customer trust in energy-efficient labels on green customer loyalty and positive word of mouth (PWOM) towards energy-efficient products, and how environmental knowledge moderates these relationships. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research approach was followed using a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 440 consumers in South Africa, who used electronic home appliances that have energy efficiency labels. A structural equation model and a multigroup analysis were used to test the hypothesised relationships. Findings The results revealed that consumption values partially influence green customer satisfaction, which, in turn, affect green customer trust and loyalty, and PWOM. Environmental knowledge only marginally moderates the relationships in the model. Practical implications Green marketing practitioners should work on improving green customer satisfaction, which is central to a sustainable green consumption lifestyle. Originality/value The theoretical contribution of this study is through the application of a multidimensional approach to testing the impact of consumption values on green customer satisfaction. Moreover, this paper provides greater clarity on the specific determinants of PWOM and examines the interplay between green customer loyalty and positive word of mouth towards green products. Furthermore, the moderating effect of environmental knowledge on the relationships in the proposed model is explained
Immersive escapes: examining the impact of personality traits, perceived enjoyment, flow and trust on virtual reality technology adoption intentions in an emerging market
No full textThe travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic have expedited the adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) technology as a substitute for traditional tourism experiences. This study delves into the impact of personality traits, perceived enjoyment, and anticipated flow state on the inclination to embrace Virtual Reality (VR) technology for tourism purposes in South Africa. Furthermore, this research probes into the moderating role of trust in VR technology within these relationships. Survey data from 361 millennial South African tourists were employed, with structural equation modelling and multi-group analysis as the primary analytical methods. Results highlight curiosity as a key personality trait influencing perceived enjoyment and flow state. Both perceived enjoyment and anticipated flow state significantly affect the intention to adopt VR technology for tourism. Notably, the role tourists’ trust in VR technology is demonstrated as critical in the usage for tourism. This research offers unique insights into drivers of VR technology for tourism and have practical implications for destination marketing and tourism development, especially in culturally diverse emerging markets such as by South Africa
An experiential perspective on the continuum customer green satisfaction –green trust – positive word-of-mouth
No full textAbstract: Providing customers with memorable experiences and environmentally friendly offers have become the new mantra for many firms. Resulting from pleasant experiences, customer satisfaction, trust and positive word-of-mouth (WOM) are pivotal levers for building strong relationships with customers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the linkages between customer green satisfaction, green trust and positive WOM from an experiential perspective, and examine whether environmental consciousness moderates these relationships. A selfadministrated survey was used to collect the data from a sample of 440 South African owners of eco-friendly appliances. The results confirmed that positive WOM is impacted by levels of experiential green satisfaction and experiential green trust. Experiential green satisfaction was found to strongly affects experiential green trust. Further, the findings revealed that these relationships are not moderated by the customer’s level of environmental consciousness. Theoretical and managerial implications of the study are presented in the paper
