Customer perceptions on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and its possible influence on Revenue Management (RM) at a selected water board in South Africa
- Authors: Manyonganise, Joshua Anesu
- Date: 2021-04
- Subjects: Customer relations -- Management , Revenue management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Water-supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Amatola Water (Utility) , South Africa. National Water Act, 1998
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177214 , vital:42800
- Description: The primary activity of water boards is to provide water services (bulk portable, and bulk wastewater) to other water services institutions within its respective service areas. They may perform other activities under conditions set out in the Water Services Act of 1997. Water boards’ revenues come from the municipalities they deliver services to. Not all municipalities have been paying for the services delivered to them, which led to the aim of this study being to gauge the perceptions of Water Board X and Water Board X’s customers of selected Customer Relationship Management (CRM) factors (service quality, customer involvement, customer value, information technology, and management commitment) that may possibly influence Revenue Management (RM). This could possibly assist Water Board X in the future to improve its revenue and debt collection. This thesis employed an interpretivist qualitative research methodology to explore its research aims and objectives. Open-ended semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen participants from Water Board X and four municipalities which Water Board X provides services. The data collected from the interviews were analysed manually through thematic analysis. The outcome of the interviews noted that an organisation that delivered high levels of service quality to its customers, could possibly improve its RM as the customers are of the opinion that their needs and requirements have been met and would be willing to pay for the services rendered. It was furthermore found that an organisation that involves its customers could possibly improve its RM as the organisation constantly communicates with its customers during, for example, the different stages of a project to ensure that the organisation does not deliver a project that does not meet the customers’ requirements at the end of the project life cycle. In addition the use of information technology played a pivotal in an organisation as the use of information technology assisted to develop effective methods in customer relationship management such as, data management, improving communication within the organisation, and with the customers, and the decision making. Furthermore, this study suggested the importance for an organisation to add value to the services that they deliver and for an organisation’s management to be committed to ensure that their customers’ expectations and requirements are met. The findings of the study suggest that CRM factors (service quality, customer involvement, customer value, information technology, and management commitment) could influence RM, and it is suggested that Water Board X adopts CRM strategies accordingly to improve its RM. Some of these strategies include adopting a coherent and sustainable revenue strategy through the use of appropriate tariff structures that are simple, equitable, affordable, financially sustainable, and transparent for all; showing commitment by prioritising water loss management and by properly auditing water supplies and water treatment revenue while increasing efficiency in supply and revenue recovery as this allowed Water Board X to better serve its customers, improve its financial standing, and allocate funding for water infrastructure upgrades and to adopt technologies that are on the market as these technologies can detect leakages, manage payments, control water flow and transmit data. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Department of Management, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-04
Does the Transkei population of Haliotis Midae at the eastern edge of its distributional range have a higher thermal tolerance than those in more temperate waters?
- Authors: Mathebula, Surprise
- Date: 2021-04
- Subjects: Haliotis midae -- South Africa -- Indian Coast , Abalones -- South Africa -- Indian Coast , Haliotis midae -- Effect of temperature on -- South Africa -- Indian Coast , Haliotis midae -- Physiology -- South Africa -- Indian Coast , Haliotis midae -- Adaptation -- South Africa -- Indian Coast , Haliotis midae -- Growth -- South Africa -- Indian Coast
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177360 , vital:42814
- Description: The South African perlemoen abalone (Haliotis midae) may be vulnerable to rising temperatures on the East coast of South Africa due to climate change. H. midae is South Africa’s most valuable aquaculture species, and it is thus important to understand its physiological ability to adapt to the expected changes and to identify possible management measures to mitigate the impacts of rising temperatures. This project aimed to understand thermal tolerance and growth rates of offspring from two H. midae populations originating from the warm-temperate Central region (Port Elizabeth) and warmer Eastern edge of the species’ distribution in the Transkei region. To determine the effects of temperature on the physiological performance of the two abalone populations, growth rates, oxygen consumption rates and critical thermal maxima (CTM) were compared. A laboratory growth trial was conducted at three controlled temperatures, visibly, the ‘optimal’ temperature for H. midae growth (18 - 20℃), ‘pejus’ (stressful) temperature (21 - 22℃) and ‘critical’ temperature (23 - 24℃). Oxygen consumption rates were recorded at optimum (20℃), pejus (22℃) and critical (24℃) temperature using a respirometer. In addition, a farm growth trial with simultaneously spawned cohorts of abalone from the two populations was conducted at ambient temperature (19.5 and 20.0℃). The laboratory growth trial revealed no significant differences in growth rate between the two populations at the three temperature treatments (ANOVA, P > 0.05; df = 2). However, mortalities were high and growth rates low, indicating that the rearing conditions were sub-optimal, possibly masking genetic differences. No significant differences were observed in oxygen consumption rates (ANOVA, P = 0.18; df = 2), and CTM (t-Test, P = 0.31; df = 3) between the two populations. The CTM for both populations was between 29 - 30℃. The farm trial yielded no significant differences in growth rate during the Nursery phase (t-Test, P = 0.25; df = 2), however significant differences in growth rate were observed during the grow out phase with the Central region abalone offspring growing faster than the Eastern edge population (t-Test, P = 0.04; df = 4) indicating the possibility of a genetic difference between the two populations. Further experiments will be required to determine whether the differences observed in the growth trial were genetically or environmentally induced. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-04