1,720,960 research outputs found
Exploring the efficacy of digital marketing to promote higher education using social media platforms.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.In recent years, businesses have adopted different marketing strategies and digital marketing has become a frequent way that businesses connect with their customers. This research aimed to explore if digital marketing is an effective method of promoting higher education using social media platforms. The study was conducted within a private tertiary institution in KwaZulu-Natal. 224 students completed the online questionnaire comprising 5 sections. Section A was based on the biographical particulars of respondents, while sections B to E were related to questions dealing with the sub-dimensions of the study. The sampling method adopted in this study was non-probability sampling. The Validity and Reliability of the questionnaire were evaluated using Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha respectively. Descriptive and Inferential Statistics were implemented to initiate the results of this study. The empirical findings of this study indicate that there is a positive relationship between the effectiveness of digital marketing, the impact of digital marketing in higher education through social media, the effectiveness of social media and prevalence, frequency, and purpose of social media in promoting higher education. There were no significant differences in biographical profiles (gender, age, race, programme of study, and level of study) regarding each dimension of the study except for the level of study at the 1% level of significance. A framework with recommendations for improving efficacy has been developed based on the key dimensions of the study. It is recommended that future research investigate the efficacy of other social media platforms in higher education and increase the scope and exposure to include a broader spectrum of tertiary institutions to gain a broader perspective
The perception and attitude of generation Z consumers on e-cigarette marketing: a University of KwaZulu-Natal perspective.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.E-cigarette awareness over the past few years, has experienced a notable increase especially among the youth. E-cigarettes have been promoted heavily on the internet and on social media websites which reach millions of young people (Payne, Orellana-Barrios, Medrano Juarez, Buscemi and Nugent, 2016). E-cigarette marketers also use eye-catching, colourful and innovative packaging to attract the youth. Therefore, this study aims to quantitatively examine the perception and attitude of Generation Z consumers on e-cigarette marketing. The study focuses on the perception and attitude of Generation Z (UKZN) students on e cigarette marketing. In particular the perception and attitude of students towards e-cigarette
use, smoking cessation, health risks/benefits, packaging as a marketing tool and regulation of e-cigarettes will be examined. A sample of 375 students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Westville campus was drawn using a non-probability convenience sampling technique to generate the results. Participants completed the online questionnaire compromising of four sections. Section A was based on the biographical information of participants. Sections B, C and D were related to questions pertaining to the sub-dimensions of the study. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were assessed using factor analysis and Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha respectively. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to initiate the results of the study.
The empirical results of this study indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between the marketing influence of e-cigarettes and the influence of packaging regulation in South Africa respectively, at a 1% level of significance. There is a significant difference in the perceptions of students, varying in biographical profiles (gender, age, race, study programme and level of study) regarding each dimension of the study. Recommendations from the results of the study provide insight to policymakers and provide them with the power to counter these marketing strategies appropriately
Exploring the efficacy of digital marketing to promote higher education using social media platforms.
Get PDFMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.In recent years, businesses have adopted different marketing strategies and digital marketing
has become a frequent way that businesses connect with their customers. This research aimed
to explore if digital marketing is an effective method of promoting higher education using
social media platforms.
The study was conducted within a private tertiary institution in KwaZulu-Natal. 224 students
completed the online questionnaire comprising 5 sections. Section A was based on the
biographical particulars of respondents, while sections B to E were related to questions
dealing with the sub-dimensions of the study. The sampling method adopted in this study was
non-probability sampling. The Validity and Reliability of the questionnaire were evaluated
using Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha respectively. Descriptive and
Inferential Statistics were implemented to initiate the results of this study.
The empirical findings of this study indicate that there is a positive relationship between the
effectiveness of digital marketing, the impact of digital marketing in higher education through
social media, the effectiveness of social media and prevalence, frequency, and purpose of
social media in promoting higher education. There were no significant differences in
biographical profiles (gender, age, race, programme of study, and level of study) regarding
each dimension of the study except for the level of study at the 1% level of significance.
A framework with recommendations for improving efficacy has been developed based on the
key dimensions of the study. It is recommended that future research investigate the efficacy
of other social media platforms in higher education and increase the scope and exposure to
include a broader spectrum of tertiary institutions to gain a broader perspective.EMBARGO ON THESIS, release date 30 November 2022
Enhanced Customer Interactions through Customer-Centric Technology within a Call Centre
Get PDFCustomer call centres have become a critical form of service delivery for many organisations hence technological innovations serve as a critical point of contact between the organisation and its customers and can assist in raising the stakes in businesses in terms of customer service delivery (Burgess & Connell, 2004). According to the 2017 Global Customer Experience Benchmarking Report technology has been the number one enabler to positively enhance customer service experience in the last 5 years (Business Tech, 2017). Customers have become so empowered that they expect to have flexibility to contact a business however they choose; either via a telephone, email or Facebook. The key to ensuring satisfaction though is system’s efficiency and ease of use. This study was undertaken in EThekwini (Durban), South Africa and was directed within a Public Sector service environment comprising of four major call centres employing a total of 240 call centre agents. Using simple random sampling, 220 customers were drawn from all consumers subscribing to e-billing in EThekwini (Durban). Data for the customer sample was collected using a precoded, self-developed questionnaire whose psychometric properties were statistically determined. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results specify that in terms of customers’ perceptions of the influence of technology, on call centre effectiveness the majority of the customers found it challenging to use the technology and to understand the self-help options that were provided to them by the call centre. There were problems encountered with logging in customer queries and complaints and most customers were dissatisfied with their overall customer experience. Based on the results of the study recommendations have been made to manage the interactions between the customers and call centre’s more proficiently and powerfully
The effectiveness of the call centre in managing customers and their needs.
Get PDFPh. D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2012.Since customer service has become a key ingredient in cementing relationships, customer
call centres have emerged as a tool for improving greater customer satisfaction. The aim of
the study is to investigate the service environment within the call centre of the organisation
and to explore the extent to which both call centre agents and customers perceive the
dimensions (Human Resource, Technology, Infrastructure/Sick Building Syndrome,
Customers) as having the potential to influence call centre effectiveness. The target
institution selected is a Public sector service organisation that is an incoming call centre.
In terms of the sample size of the study a sample of 151 call centre agents and 220
customers was drawn for the study using the cluster sampling and simple random sampling
techniques respectively. A probability sampling technique was used to ensure greater
generalisation of results. A separate questionnaire was administered to both sets of samples
respectively; which comprised of 5 sections each. Section A pertained to the biographical
details of respondents while Sections B through to E pertained to questions relating to the
sub-dimensions of the study. The Validity and Reliability of the questionnaire was assessed
using Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha respectively. Descriptive and
Inferential statistics were used to generate the results of the study.
This study revealed that customer relationship management and services marketing are the
cornerstone in today’s fast paced business world and failure by a business to embrace these
concepts can cause firms to lose valuable customers in the future. The results of the study
reflect that both agents and customers perceive that the dimensions (Human Resource,
Technology, Infrastructure/Sick Building Syndrome and Customers) have the potential to
significantly influence call centre effectiveness. Call Centres are indeed very powerful tools
in forging strong ties between a firm and its customers but proper management and control
is critical to this relationship. Based on the results of the study, a model comprising of
critical recommendations has been compiled for practioners and other stakeholders which
when implemented has the potential to enhance call centre effectiveness
Customer Perceptions of Skills of Agents in Effectively Managing Their Needs within a Call Center
Get PDFThe world’s dynamics and demands of employment and production have evolved over the past decade. Human resources has today become the single largest unrestrained resource and many firms are striving to enhance competence and interaction between its customers and itself via the customer call center through enhanced skills, knowledge, ability and attitude by fostering better interpersonal skills and through the promotion of training and development of their call center agents. This study was undertaken in EThekwini (Durban), South Africa and was conducted within a Public Sector service environment comprising of four major call centers employing a total of 240 call center agents. Using simple random sampling, 220 customers were drawn from all consumers subscribing to e-billing in EThekwini (Durban). Data for the customer sample was collected using a precoded, self-developed questionnaire whose psychometric properties were statistically determined. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results specify that agents were unsuccessful in handling customers’ needs timeously and efficiently and that most customers felt burdened by being transferred to other agents due to the incompetence of original agents in handling their queries/complaints. Furthermore it was found that there was an overall lack of empathy from agents in following-up after a customer communication to ensure that the customer was satisfied with their experience within the call center. Based on the results of the study recommendations have been made to manage the interaction between the customers and call center agents more competently and efficiently
The Impact of Sick Building Syndrome on Call Centre Agents’ Effectiveness
Get PDFThis study assessed the impact of Sick Building Syndrome (layout, ergonomic design of workstation, lighting/ventilation, health and performance, noise and aesthetics) on the effectiveness of Call Centre agents in managing customers and their needs. The study was undertaken in Durban, South Africa, and was conducted within a Public Sector service environment, which comprised of four major call centers employing 240 call centre agents. A sample of 151 call centre agents was drawn across using a simple random sampling technique and a 63% response rate was achieved. These call centre agents were responsible for inbound calls only. Data was collected using a self-developed, precoded questionnaire whose validity and reliability were statistically determined using Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha respectively. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicate that the dimensions of Sick building Syndrome have the potential to impact on agents’ performance. Based on the results of the study a graphical representation has been designed and presents recommendations that, when implemented in call centre environments, have the potential to enhance agents’ effectiveness in managing customers and their needs
The Influence of Actual and Ideal Self-Congruity on Consumers' Purchase Intentions
Get PDFDuring the course of consumer behaviour research an augmented focus pertaining to consumer brand selection and the reason/s why consumers purchase a particular brand became evident. Research postulates that consumers tend to purchase brands that have personality attributes that closely correspond to their actual self-concept and enhance their self-image, thereby bringing them closer to their ideal self-concept. Self-congruity is of paramount importance to marketing for the reason that most of the products consumers purchase are influenced by the images consumers have about themselves. According to Sirgy in 1982, self-congruity defines the procedure in which consumers match their own self-concept with the imageries of a particular brand (as cited in Sohn & Yuan, 2011). In this era of hyper competition in the marketplace, it is imperative that marketers establish and preserve an enduring, mutually beneficial relationship between their brands and their target markets in order for their companies’ growth and survival. This article aims to assess the influence that actual and ideal self-congruity have on consumers’ purchase intentions with reference to the clothing and mobile phone brands that are purchased by consumers. This study was undertaken in EThekwini (Durban), South Africa and was conducted within a Public Tertiary Institution comprising of postgraduate and undergraduate students from three colleges. The institution comprised of thirteen Schools which participated in this study. A sample of 385 respondents was drawn using simple random sampling with a 100% response rate from respondents. Since students represent a lucrative market segment for marketing managers to penetrate, a survey was undertaken in order to unearth whether there exists a congruous relationship between the self-concept of students and the personality attributes of the brands they purchase; and to determine the impact that this relationship has regarding students’ brand preference, customer-brand satisfaction and brand loyalty on students’ purchase intentions. Data for the sample was collected using a self-developed, precoded questionnaire whose psychometric properties were statistically determined. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicate that actual and ideal self-congruity does influence purchase intentions significantly and there exists a positive relationship among students’ actual and ideal self-congruity, brand preference, customer-brand satisfaction and brand loyalty. Consumers tend to base brand choices for clothing and mobile phones very closely to their perceptions of their actual and ideal self-concepts thus this becomes important for marketers to monitor and target in order to better influence future purchase intentions of these consumers. Based on the results of the study recommendations have been made to better understand consumers and their actual and ideal selves more critically with a view to servicing them more efficiently. The results, thus enable marketing managers to improve brand loyalty, brand preference and customer-brand satisfaction among consumers; and gain insight into consumers’ actual and ideal self-congruity
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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