Loyalty programmes in the South African restaurant industry
- Authors: Raepsaet, Vincent
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Customer loyalty programs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43019 , vital:36733
- Description: Loyalty Programme is the term used most commonly used when referring to a structured and long-term marketing effort, designed to motivate the customers in a business's target market, to make frequent purchases and shun competitors. This behaviour is achieved by providing repeat customers with certain incentives as a reward for loyal buying behaviour. In today’s ultra-competitive global marketplace, competition is rife and customers are faced with a plethora of choices, offerings and more specifically, Loyalty Programmes. Businesses, in a bid to retain and even increase their customer base, spend millions on their Loyalty Programmes, seeking to encourage customer loyalty, but with varying and often disappointing results. This treatise endeavours to embrace and delve into customer loyalty and the design of these Loyalty Programmes, by looking at Loyalty Programmes in general and then, more specifically, at those within the Restaurant Industry, with the purpose of exploring the factors that Loyalty Programmes in the South African Restaurant Industry should include in order to improve their design and increase their effectiveness. Loyalty Programmes in this industry have not been adequately addressed, this despite the fierce competition which exists amongst restaurants and the relatively low barriers to entry for new competitors. An in-depth literature review was conducted. Attitudes and behaviours were identified as the two dimensions common to customer loyalty, with both, therefore, being examined. Pertinent theories, such as Social Exchange Theory, Equity Theory, Relationship Marketing Theory and Commitment-Trust Theory were explored. Additionally, the factors that influence customer loyalty in the Restaurant Industry in South Africa were explored, with the literature laying the foundation for the conceptual model that included proposed communication, flexibility, personalisation, purchase behaviour, method of participation, rewards and trust as being the factors which influence Loyalty Programmes. This treatise was part of a bigger study of Loyalty Programmes, undertaken using a survey (questionnaire) distributed via email, which received 1090 respondents. The sample size applicable to this treatise is n = 399. Data analysis included the use of descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as Exploratory Factor Analysis. The results of the analysis identified relevant factors in regard to the effectiveness of Loyalty Programmes to be those with attitudes related to communication, flexibility, general assessment, rewards and trust, as well as those with behaviours related to communication, flexibility, general assessment, personalisation, purchase behaviour, and rewards. The Pearson Product Model Correlations identified the strongest factor relationships to be Attitude – General and Behaviour – General (.739), as well as Attitude – Communication and Behaviour – Communication (.711). In light of these results, as part of the managerial recommendations made to help improve the design of Loyalty Programmes, the need to embrace and employ new and varied communication channels and strategies must be considered, as well as the responsiveness of said communication to customers. Further important results of the study encourage Loyalty Programmes (LPs) to be more personalised by taking customer demographics into consideration. LPs need to incorporate more transparency into how the personal information of customers will be used, flexibility in terms of the reward type, accrual and redemption needs to be embraced through the use of more modern, relevant and popular platforms such as those offered via technological means. In summary, a regular review of LPs is recommended to keep them current and applicable, with an emphasis being placed on personalisation, the expectations of customers and the method of participation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Raepsaet, Vincent
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Customer loyalty programs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43019 , vital:36733
- Description: Loyalty Programme is the term used most commonly used when referring to a structured and long-term marketing effort, designed to motivate the customers in a business's target market, to make frequent purchases and shun competitors. This behaviour is achieved by providing repeat customers with certain incentives as a reward for loyal buying behaviour. In today’s ultra-competitive global marketplace, competition is rife and customers are faced with a plethora of choices, offerings and more specifically, Loyalty Programmes. Businesses, in a bid to retain and even increase their customer base, spend millions on their Loyalty Programmes, seeking to encourage customer loyalty, but with varying and often disappointing results. This treatise endeavours to embrace and delve into customer loyalty and the design of these Loyalty Programmes, by looking at Loyalty Programmes in general and then, more specifically, at those within the Restaurant Industry, with the purpose of exploring the factors that Loyalty Programmes in the South African Restaurant Industry should include in order to improve their design and increase their effectiveness. Loyalty Programmes in this industry have not been adequately addressed, this despite the fierce competition which exists amongst restaurants and the relatively low barriers to entry for new competitors. An in-depth literature review was conducted. Attitudes and behaviours were identified as the two dimensions common to customer loyalty, with both, therefore, being examined. Pertinent theories, such as Social Exchange Theory, Equity Theory, Relationship Marketing Theory and Commitment-Trust Theory were explored. Additionally, the factors that influence customer loyalty in the Restaurant Industry in South Africa were explored, with the literature laying the foundation for the conceptual model that included proposed communication, flexibility, personalisation, purchase behaviour, method of participation, rewards and trust as being the factors which influence Loyalty Programmes. This treatise was part of a bigger study of Loyalty Programmes, undertaken using a survey (questionnaire) distributed via email, which received 1090 respondents. The sample size applicable to this treatise is n = 399. Data analysis included the use of descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as Exploratory Factor Analysis. The results of the analysis identified relevant factors in regard to the effectiveness of Loyalty Programmes to be those with attitudes related to communication, flexibility, general assessment, rewards and trust, as well as those with behaviours related to communication, flexibility, general assessment, personalisation, purchase behaviour, and rewards. The Pearson Product Model Correlations identified the strongest factor relationships to be Attitude – General and Behaviour – General (.739), as well as Attitude – Communication and Behaviour – Communication (.711). In light of these results, as part of the managerial recommendations made to help improve the design of Loyalty Programmes, the need to embrace and employ new and varied communication channels and strategies must be considered, as well as the responsiveness of said communication to customers. Further important results of the study encourage Loyalty Programmes (LPs) to be more personalised by taking customer demographics into consideration. LPs need to incorporate more transparency into how the personal information of customers will be used, flexibility in terms of the reward type, accrual and redemption needs to be embraced through the use of more modern, relevant and popular platforms such as those offered via technological means. In summary, a regular review of LPs is recommended to keep them current and applicable, with an emphasis being placed on personalisation, the expectations of customers and the method of participation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Vision-based autonomous aircraft payload delivery system
- Authors: Sewell, James Alderton
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Airplanes -- Control systems , Systems engineering Engineering -- Data processing Artificial intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEng
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43666 , vital:36960
- Description: This research sought to design and develop an autonomous aircraft payload delivery system which utilised an onboard computer vision system for drop-zone identification. The research was tasked at achieving a modular system which could be used in the delivery of a given payload within a 5 m radius of designated drop-zone identifier. An integrated system was developed, where an autonomous flight controller, an onboard companion computer and computer vision system formed the physical hardware utilised to achieve the desired objectives. A Linux-based Robotic Operating System software architecture was used to develop the control algorithms which governed the autonomous flight control, object recognition and tracking through image processing, and payload release trajectory modelling of the system. The hardware and software architectures were integrated into a remote control fixed-wing aircraft for testing. Implementation of the system through simulation and physical testing proved successful and payload delivery was achieved at an altitude of 75 m, within an average displacement of 1.82 m from the true drop-zone location, where drop-zone detection and location were determined through autonomous survey over the approximate drop-zone’s location. This research furthered the development of autonomous aircraft delivery systems by introducing computer vision as a means of drop-zone location confirmation and authentication, allowing for greater payload delivery security and efficiency. The results gathered in this research illustrated the possible applications of modular airborne payload delivery systems into Industry 4.0 through the use of such a system in the service delivery sector.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Sewell, James Alderton
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Airplanes -- Control systems , Systems engineering Engineering -- Data processing Artificial intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEng
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43666 , vital:36960
- Description: This research sought to design and develop an autonomous aircraft payload delivery system which utilised an onboard computer vision system for drop-zone identification. The research was tasked at achieving a modular system which could be used in the delivery of a given payload within a 5 m radius of designated drop-zone identifier. An integrated system was developed, where an autonomous flight controller, an onboard companion computer and computer vision system formed the physical hardware utilised to achieve the desired objectives. A Linux-based Robotic Operating System software architecture was used to develop the control algorithms which governed the autonomous flight control, object recognition and tracking through image processing, and payload release trajectory modelling of the system. The hardware and software architectures were integrated into a remote control fixed-wing aircraft for testing. Implementation of the system through simulation and physical testing proved successful and payload delivery was achieved at an altitude of 75 m, within an average displacement of 1.82 m from the true drop-zone location, where drop-zone detection and location were determined through autonomous survey over the approximate drop-zone’s location. This research furthered the development of autonomous aircraft delivery systems by introducing computer vision as a means of drop-zone location confirmation and authentication, allowing for greater payload delivery security and efficiency. The results gathered in this research illustrated the possible applications of modular airborne payload delivery systems into Industry 4.0 through the use of such a system in the service delivery sector.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Change management: transformational issues in South-African rugby
- Authors: Erasmus, Innis
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Organizational change -- Management , Rugby football -- South Africa , Sports administration
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/48819 , vital:41143
- Description: The history of the sport rugby evolved from a football game more than a century ago, in England, in a town called Rugby when a young boy by the name of William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran to score a try. In the last two decades in South Africa the transformation process in getting more players of colour in the national team has become a real big issue. The fast changing society since 1995, the year in which the Springboks won their first Rugby World Cup, is according to government and critics not represented in the senior national side. Change management is a business management approach to implement procedures to deal with changes and to be able to reach the desired future state by profiting from the changing opportunities. SARU wants to address these issues and changes with their Strategic Transformational Plan. The purpose of this treatise was to study the perception of the junior players on the changes in rugby and the STP. The key drivers which will have influences on change management within the sport organisation were examined by the research. With the research objectives in mind a literature review was performed to create and develop a hypothesized model, which could be tested by the design of a measuring instrument which collected quantitative data for statistical results and analysis. The interpretation of the results of the research showed that Engagement, Coaching and Mentoring, Medical and Healthcare, Education/Schooling and Culture have positive associations and influences on change management. Transformational plans, Conditioning and nutrition’s relationship with change management and influences were accepted for the null hypotheses. Finally, change management and the various issues of transformation in SA Rugby showed to be valuable, measurable to a certain extent, and its recommendations actionable. The practical significant differences between the perceptions of the race groups (White, Coloured and African) illustrated valuable information for future communications and possible studies. This study and its proposed model on change management was a benefit to all the stakeholders and sport organisation going through changes and transformation in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Erasmus, Innis
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Organizational change -- Management , Rugby football -- South Africa , Sports administration
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/48819 , vital:41143
- Description: The history of the sport rugby evolved from a football game more than a century ago, in England, in a town called Rugby when a young boy by the name of William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran to score a try. In the last two decades in South Africa the transformation process in getting more players of colour in the national team has become a real big issue. The fast changing society since 1995, the year in which the Springboks won their first Rugby World Cup, is according to government and critics not represented in the senior national side. Change management is a business management approach to implement procedures to deal with changes and to be able to reach the desired future state by profiting from the changing opportunities. SARU wants to address these issues and changes with their Strategic Transformational Plan. The purpose of this treatise was to study the perception of the junior players on the changes in rugby and the STP. The key drivers which will have influences on change management within the sport organisation were examined by the research. With the research objectives in mind a literature review was performed to create and develop a hypothesized model, which could be tested by the design of a measuring instrument which collected quantitative data for statistical results and analysis. The interpretation of the results of the research showed that Engagement, Coaching and Mentoring, Medical and Healthcare, Education/Schooling and Culture have positive associations and influences on change management. Transformational plans, Conditioning and nutrition’s relationship with change management and influences were accepted for the null hypotheses. Finally, change management and the various issues of transformation in SA Rugby showed to be valuable, measurable to a certain extent, and its recommendations actionable. The practical significant differences between the perceptions of the race groups (White, Coloured and African) illustrated valuable information for future communications and possible studies. This study and its proposed model on change management was a benefit to all the stakeholders and sport organisation going through changes and transformation in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Development and assessment of propranolol sustained release dosage forms separately and in combination with hydrochlorothiazide
- Authors: Chetty, Prakash
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3749 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003227
- Description: Hypertension is a chronic illness that is often undiagnosed and untreated leading to high mortality rates in South Africa. The use of diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide and beta blockers such as propranolol has been advocated as first line therapy for the treatment of hypertension. The study and use of controlled release dosage forms for the treatment of various disease states has gained wide interest over the past two decades. The use of controlled release systems offers improved therapeutic efficiency over conventional immediate release dosage forms, the use of which at times have often led to poor patient adherence and decreased therapeutic efficiencies. The current research objective was to develop a sustained release multi-source product for propranolol such that once daily dosing would be achieved. In addition, the sustained release product was developed using Inderal® LA 80mg capsules as a reference product. In addition the development of a suitable immediate release hydrochlorothiazide tablet was undertaken to produce a combination dosage form. The use of two different technologies, namely direct compression and wet granulation were employed to develop the sustained release dosage form. The release of propranolol from these dosage forms was assessed using USP apparatus 1 with quantitation of the relevant dissolution samples using a validated high performance liquid chromatographic method. The release profiles from the prototype and subsequent products were subjected to model independent and model dependent analyses in order to compare them to the innovator product and to elucidate the mechanisms of drug release respectively. Dissolution test results reveal that dosage forms prepared from wet granulation showed better rate retardation and more appropriate release profiles than those prepared by direct compression techniques. The subsequent model independent and model dependent analysis show that a dosage form that is comparable to the innovator product has been developed, with drug release occurring by a diffusion type mechanism.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Chetty, Prakash
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3749 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003227
- Description: Hypertension is a chronic illness that is often undiagnosed and untreated leading to high mortality rates in South Africa. The use of diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide and beta blockers such as propranolol has been advocated as first line therapy for the treatment of hypertension. The study and use of controlled release dosage forms for the treatment of various disease states has gained wide interest over the past two decades. The use of controlled release systems offers improved therapeutic efficiency over conventional immediate release dosage forms, the use of which at times have often led to poor patient adherence and decreased therapeutic efficiencies. The current research objective was to develop a sustained release multi-source product for propranolol such that once daily dosing would be achieved. In addition, the sustained release product was developed using Inderal® LA 80mg capsules as a reference product. In addition the development of a suitable immediate release hydrochlorothiazide tablet was undertaken to produce a combination dosage form. The use of two different technologies, namely direct compression and wet granulation were employed to develop the sustained release dosage form. The release of propranolol from these dosage forms was assessed using USP apparatus 1 with quantitation of the relevant dissolution samples using a validated high performance liquid chromatographic method. The release profiles from the prototype and subsequent products were subjected to model independent and model dependent analyses in order to compare them to the innovator product and to elucidate the mechanisms of drug release respectively. Dissolution test results reveal that dosage forms prepared from wet granulation showed better rate retardation and more appropriate release profiles than those prepared by direct compression techniques. The subsequent model independent and model dependent analysis show that a dosage form that is comparable to the innovator product has been developed, with drug release occurring by a diffusion type mechanism.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
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