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Factors influencing effective electronic word-of-mouth marketing

  • Authors: Bhana, Lauren
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Word-of-mouth advertising Internet marketing , Telemarketing Electronic commerce
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14631 , vital:27806
  • Description: Marketing serves to satisfy customer needs and wants while building strong customer relationships in an effort to gain value from customers in return. On understanding that customer satisfaction is needed for a business to survive and grow, the important role marketing plays within a business is emphasised as it contributes to overall business performance. Building relationships also emphasises the importance of communication within marketing. Traditional person-to-person word-of-mouth communication has always played a role in marketing a product or service. The evolution of technology over recent years has enabled electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), which is frequently carried out and has proven to be another effective marketing tool. Due to the fundamental role that marketing plays within a business and the frequent use of electronic word-of-mouth as a marketing tool it is important that business owners and marketers are aware of the factors influencing the effectiveness of it. This study explores eWOM from a marketing perspective, through investigating the factors that contribute towards the effectiveness of eWOM as a marketing tool. Therefore the primary objective of the study was to investigate the factors influencing effective eWOM marketing. A quantitative research approach was followed to empirically test the hypotheses and determine whether relationships exist between the four independent variables (factors influencing eWOM) and the dependent variable (effective eWOM marketing). A self-administered, five-point Likert-scale style structured questionnaire was used to obtain the data. The sample for this study comprised of 360 consumer respondents within the Nelson Mandela Metropole. An exploratory factor analysis extracted four valid constructs namely feedback, trustworthiness, social status and networking as the factors influencing effective eWOM marketing. Cronbach’s alphas confirmed the reliability of all extracted constructs. Most correlation results indicated moderate associations between the variables. However, effective eWOM marketing proved to have a strong correlation with social status. The results of the multiple regressions for the factors influencing effective eWOM marketing identified three statistically significant relationships between feedback, social status, networking and effective eWOM marketing. MANOVAS confirmed eleven statistically significant relationships of which only three were of practical significance. Practical significant relationships exist between ethnic affiliation, current position, years working experience and social status. In addition to identifying the three specific factors influencing effective eWOM marketing, namely online feedback, the need to obtain social status and the desire to engage in online networking, this study has made several contributions, specifically to eWOM marketing. This study has recommended specific online marketing strategies to increase effective eWOM for online feedback, for individuals to obtain social status and to engage in online networking. The hypothesised model developed from the study, illustrating the three factors that influence effective eWOM marketing for South African consumers, can now be used by other researchers in other countries as a framework for further testing or for businesses/marketing organisations to obtain information on the attributes to pay attention to increase the effectiveness of their eWOM marketing. The role that demographics such as ethnic affiliation, position in the business and years working experience play in satisfying the need of individuals to obtain social status in an online setting via eWOM marketing, were also confirmed. Furthermore, this study has provided practical advice to businesses/marketing organisations on how to utilise this knowledge to their advantage when wishing to stimulate eWOM conversations about their products and services. The findings of the research will also assist businesses/marketing organisations to initiate eWOM engagement and communicate more effectively with consumers online to obtain information on how to improve on and change existing products/services or the need for new product/service offerings to retain customers, ensure continuous consumer satisfaction and increase business turnover.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Factors that influence the career success of women managers at a historically black institution in South Africa

  • Authors: Chikuya, Albeter Fungai
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Women executives -- South Africa Universities and colleges -- South Africa Career development -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11275 , vital:39052
  • Description: Orientation: The government of South Africa is making efforts to facilitate the inclusion of women in the workplace, even though they still encounter various career barriers that inhibit their career success. Research purpose: The main purpose of the study was to investigate the factors influencing the career success of women managers at a historically black institution. Motivation: Most studies that focused on career success opted for a positivist research paradigm, but this study is amongst the few that has employed the interpretivism paradigm to enable the researcher to understand subjectively the occupational challenges women experience. Research approach, design, methodology: The study was conducted to ascertain the factors that influence the career success of women managers. A sample of 20 participants was selected, and one on one semi-structured interviews were conducted with women managers who are currently working at the University of Fort Hare. A qualitative approach was suitable for the study because the challenges of the participants were expressed from their lived experiences. The interviews were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six steps of data analysis. Main findings: The study revealed that women experience similar career challenges as they go up their career ladder. Such challenges include gender discrimination, resistance, the glass ceiling and work-life balance dilemma; hence, all these above affect the career success of women. Various themes emerged from the study, namely, the quests for further professional development and improvements, the heightened prioritisation of objective rewards and subjective rewards, negotiation between work and personal space as affecting career development and the resolution tactic: flee or fight. Practical/ managerial implications: An intervention is needed to ensure that organisations are more sensitive to the issues of women representation to top positions to enhance their career success. The study will be useful to both organisations and academics to design policies that will facilitate the career success of women. Contribution: The study is amongst the few that adopted the qualitative paradigm in investigating the factors influencing the career success of women managers, by understanding from their lived experiences. The implications of these findings for policy, practice and career counselling are suggested.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Garnishee orders as a tax collection tool: a critical review of the South African and Zimbabwean models

  • Authors: Nzombe, Kudzanayi
  • Date: 2017
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/8082 , vital:21352
  • Description: Taxation statues of most jurisdictions contain provisions that deal with defaulting taxpayers. The taxation statutes of Zimbabwe and South Africa have employed the concept of garnishee orders as a method of recovering tax. This method is codified in the respective taxation statutes under the guise of “third party appointments”, or simply “appointment of an agent”. This method is very convenient and expeditious for the tax collection authorities, namely, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and the South Africa Revenue Service (SARS). Other jurisdictions have also employed this method, with varying degrees of invasiveness into the taxpayers’ constitutional rights. The concept of garnishee orders can have negative constitutional implications for the taxpayers in both Zimbabwe and South Africa. In Zimbabwe, compared to South Africa, the tax collection field is not as developed in terms of jurisprudence and the legislation. There are lessons that Zimbabwe could learn from South Africa, considering that the latter has experienced more than two decades of constitutional democracy. Therefore, in order to identify areas for development, the two jurisdictions are critically reviewed, with particular attention to the legislative provisions and case law dealing with garnishee orders in the tax collection context. Approaches employed by other countries in relation to similar concepts and provisions are also analysed. The lessons learned from this analysis could suggest a less invasive method of recovering tax from defaulting taxpayers and an approach to be followed by the tax authorities, ZIMRA and SARS that would allow them to fulfil their responsibilities and mandate with taxpayer-friendly measures.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Impact of business confidence on private investments in South Africa

  • Authors: Madzivire, Venna Wadzanayi
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Success in business Confidence Investments
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8910 , vital:33955
  • Description: A wide range of theoretical and empirical studies have been carried out on various determinants of private investments in different economies. This dissertation specifically focuses on the impact business confidence on private investments with regards to the South African economy for the period between 1990 and 2014. The private investment sector in South Africa has, to a greater extent contributed to the overall GDP of the economy. Even though business confidence has a considerable impact on private investments, this study also took into consideration other variables that affect the private investment sector such as interest rates, exchange range and GDP To determine short-run and long-run relationships of business confidence on private Investments in South Africa, a vector error correction model was employed. In order to avoid spurious regression, the ADF test and the PP test were used to test for stationarity. Results of the study indicate that private investments are subject to permanent changes because of changes in business confidence. In addition to that, not all variables have a long-term relationship with private investments but business confidence has a significant long run relationship with private investment. After conducting an econometric analysis, results revealed that Business Confidence and Gross Domestic Product have a positive impact on private investments. On the other hand, interest rates and exchange rates have a negative impact on private investments in South Africa. Various policy recommendations were established on both Private Investments and Business Confidence.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Investigation into the relationship between intrinsic motivation, intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards and work engagement among teachers in South Africa

  • Authors: Wait, Sasha Ann
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Motivation in education -- South Africa , Intrinsic motivation Motivation (Psychology)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13557 , vital:27238
  • Description: The primary objective of this mini-dissertation was to investigate whether a relationship exists between rewards, intrinsic motivation, work engagement among school teachers in South Africa. A further aim was to determine if work engagement has a moderating effect on the relationship between rewards and intrinsic motivation. The researcher further investigated whether demographic differences occurred across the three constructs studied. The study made use of quantitative research to achieve the above-mentioned objectives. The researcher made use of Ulrechs Work Engagement Scales (UWES), Intrinsic Work Motivation Scale (IWMS) and the Organisational Rewards Scale (ORS) to measure the mentioned relationships. The ORS was qualitatively piloted on a sample of primary school teachers in a Non-governmental institution. After refinement, a composite questionnaire was electronically completed by 207 teachers within South Africa. Data analysis was conducted in the form of descriptive and inferential statistics, including Cronbach’s alpha testing, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlations, t-tests, analysis of variance and structural equation modelling. The quantitative findings suggested that rewards lead to higher levels of Work Engagement, which in turn causes higher levels of Intrinsic Motivation. Thus, there was full mediation of rewards onto intrinsic rewards through work engagement From a demographics perspective, practically significant differences were discovered between NGO’s and Government High Schools for Rewards. In addition to these results, age differences were discovered across Work Engagement and job level differences were discovered for Intrinsic Motivation, together with significant correlations between the three constructs. These results theoretically contribute to the validation of the newly developed Intrinsic Work Motivation Scale. Furthermore, the results make a valuable contribution to the field of rewards management for teachers in South Africa.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Job satisfaction, organisational justice in determining employee turnover among administrative staff at a university in South Africa

  • Authors: Landu, Mzimkulu Christopher
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Employees
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4784 , vital:28520
  • Description: The aim of this study explore the role of job satisfaction , organizational justice in determining employee turnover among administrative staff at Walter Sisulu University at Ibika campus in Butterworth , in the Eastern Cape Province. A sample of 70 administrative staff was drawn for the population of 170. Results of the study indicated that the study variables are significantly and positively correlated with one another. Job satisfaction was found to be significantly and positively correlated with employee turnover. Organizational justice was also found to be significantly positively correlated with employee turnover. Likewise, a positive and significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational justice was found. The findings of this study will assist Ibika campus management in reducing employee turnover and increase the retention of administrative staff at Ibika campus and the entire Walter Sisulu administrative staff at large.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Malawi’s trilemma: monetary policy independence, exchange rate stability and financial integration

  • Authors: Kamamkhudza, Charity
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Malawi -- Economic conditions , Economic policy -- Malawi , Monetary policy -- Malawi , Foreign exchange rates -- Malawi
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/41634 , vital:25112
  • Description: Malawi has, in the last few decades, undergone several reforms relating to monetary, exchange rate and financial integration policies in a bid to achieve sustainable economic growth. Despite these reforms, however, the country has barely attained desirable macroeconomic performance. This study sets out to establish if the need for these policy reforms is due to the fact that the country is constrained from the simultaneous achievement of optimal levels of monetary policy independence, exchange rate stability and financial integration, as postulated by the ‘trilemma’. The trilemma is evaluated using an approach introduced by Aizenman et al. (2008), in which the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method is applied to a model in which a constant is regressed on indices constructed for the policy intermediate goals; the results indicate that the trilemma is a binding constraint in Malawi and that the largest trade-off is between exchange rate stability and financial integration. Given these constraints, the study also considers the combination of the trilemma intermediate policy goals that has been dominant in the country in the last three decades, using predicted values from the model and a graphical analysis to explore this objective. The analysis reveals that Malawi has, on average, prioritised exchange rate stability and monetary policy independence at the expense of financial integration. The study also assesses how the trilemma intermediate policy goals affect macroeconomic performance, specifically regarding output growth rate and inflation. The results reveal that exchange rate stability is associated with faster output growth, financial integration is associated with higher inflation, and that monetary policy independence is not a significant factor. The results emphasise the importance of consistent stability of the exchange rate if Malawi is to achieve faster and sustainable economic growth. Given this, policy makers must be cautious, as the current floating exchange rate regime, combined with financial integration, could lead to slow growth and high inflation.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Mobile phone banking : a comparative analysis of e-service quality and customer loyalty

  • Authors: Chigori, Darlington Tawanda
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Electronic commerce Customer loyalty Consumer satisfaction
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/${Handle} , vital:39077
  • Description: Mobile phone banking optimisation around the world is becoming more significant. Banks are investing heavily to improve service quality of both mobile phone banking applications and Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) banking in a bid to retain existing customers and win new ones. The majority of studies focusing on mobile phone banking have related to adoption and the validation of theories and factors affecting mobile phone banking. This study focused on contrasting the two categories of mobile phone banking, specifically mobile banking applications and USSD banking. This comparison is drawn in terms of e-service quality of these modes of banking and their resultant effects on customer loyalty. To validate and determine the nature of the relationships in the proposed model, the study examined e-service quality in terms of efficiency, fulfilment, privacy and systems availability as well as the overall influence of service quality on customer loyalty with respect to the two types of mobile banking. The positivistic paradigm was employed and thus, due to the scope of data and nature of the study, the quantitative approach was considered as the most appropriate approach. Previously used reliable and valid scales were adapted through a self-administered survey questionnaire. The results from a total number of 218 students at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) were analysed through Pearson correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and Smart Partial Least Squares structural equation models (PLS-SEM). Based on the findings, various recommendations and implications were suggested to banks, practitioners and academics. The findings indicated that fulfilment, privacy and efficiency were all significantly related to overall service quality and customer loyalty. Systems availability was not significantly related to overall service quality and customer loyalty. The findings showed that privacy, fulfilment and efficiency are critical to both mobile banking applications (MB App) and USSD/cellphone banking.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Modelling the causality between FDI and Zimbabwe’s economic growth

  • Authors: Mashamhanda, Tendai
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Investments, Foreign -- Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions -- 1965-1980 , Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions -- 1980-
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/50260 , vital:25970
  • Description: The study investigates the causal nexus between economic growth and FDI in Zimbabwe for the period spanning 1976 to 2011. The bounds testing approach to cointegration and Granger causality methodology was applied and results suggest a bi-directional causal relationship between FDI and economic growth in the long run. However, the causal effect from economic growth to FDI was weak. Domestic investment, human capital and trade openness were also found to be crucial determinants of economic growth in Zimbabwe. Implementing policies that promote inflow of FDI into Zimbabwe are recommended.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Perceptions and experiences of small and medium enterprise owners towards the implementation of broad-based-black-economic-empowerment

  • Authors: Pike, Angela Patricia
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Business enterprises, Black -- South Africa Employee empowerment -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15705 , vital:40510
  • Description: The South African economy has been faced with numerous challenges within the twenty-first century such as poverty, unemployment and crime. Broad-Based-Black- Economic-Empowerment (BBBEE) has become an emerging obstacle for not only Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa(SA), but it is currently one of the principle issues on the South African government’s agenda. It has been identified that the core issue surrounding BBBEE SMEs is being BBBEE compliant. Therefore, this qualitative research study investigated the perceptions and experiences of SME owners towards the implementation of BBBEE. This investigation was executed within the East London area in which a total of 22 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results illustrated that although BBBEE was not favoured amongst SMEs in East London, they were still implementing BBBEE into their businesses in order to gain tender work and enjoy financial improvement. Becoming BBBEE compliant presented certain administrative challenges such as the large amount of documentation, the timely process of becoming BBBEE compliant and the cost of BBBEE compliance. However, although challenges existed, SMEs had implemented strategies in order to overcome such challenges and were seeking guidance from BBBEE agencies. The final outlook of BBBEE was that it be restructured in such a manner that it included all races of SA in order to contribute towards social justice and equality. This study, therefore, had a considerable contribution on a methodological, theoretical and practical level. Furthermore, the implications of the study were explored.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Personality and self-esteem as predictors of employability among final year students at a previously disadvantaged South African University

  • Authors: Muzerengwa, Cedric
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Unemployment -- Psychological aspects Personality and occupation Self-esteem in young adults
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4594 , vital:28464
  • Description: Orientation: The high unemployment level in South Africa has caused even graduates to be unemployed and yet they hold university degrees. This has increased pressure on the job seeking students to develop factors that influence employability, hence the study seeks to identify whether personality and self-esteem act as predictors of employability among final year university students. Research purpose: The objectives of this investigation were to examine whether personality, as is typically found in personality type research tool such as the, (Myers Briggs personality indicator) and self-esteem positively predict employability among final year university students. Secondly, to determine the personality types that significantly predict employability among final year university students. The last objective was to determine whether self-esteem significantly predicts employability among final year university students. Motivation for the study: This investigation is particularly important because it looks at the non-academic attributes that make job-seeking students able to attain a job and also sustain that job. The 21st century workplace is ever changing, and students are required to build proactive personalities that help them increase their employability level and stand a higher chance of getting employed. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative survey research design was used and a questionnaire was self-administered to a stratified simple random sample consisting of 238 Management and Commerce final year students at the university of Fort Hare. The study used quantitative approach and a positivism paradigm. To measure personality, TIPI scale was used and had 10 items. Employability was measured using the student self-perceived employability scale and self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Main findings: The results of this study showed a similarity with others obtained in prior studies. The results drawn from the statistical analysis of this study showed that there is a significant relationship between personality types such as perceiving, extraversion and feeling with employability among final year management and commerce students at the university of Fort Hare. However, the results showed that there is no positive relationship that exists between self-esteem and employability among final year job-seeking students. Practical implications: The research findings provided evidence that personality had a positive relationship with employability in an academic context. This makes it clear that student career exploration process can only be successful when special attention is given to developing individual’s human capital skills and proactive personalities. Institutions of higher learning should take advantage of some career experts in their countries and in their universities to provide students with employability lessons and guidelines. Contribution: The most important contribution of this study is that it helps to extend knowledge and understanding on the issues concerning the relationship between personality, self-esteem and employability in an academic setting. The research magnified the frame of information in the area personality in relation to employability in academic contexts. It makes available more literature that looks into these two variables (personality and self-esteem) in an African context.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Psychological capital as a moderator on the relationship between work-life balance and turnover intentions amongst selected bank employees in the Amathole district, Eastern Cape province

  • Authors: Nyahwema, Cloudious
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Employee competitive behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Human capital -- Psychological aspects
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13556 , vital:39679
  • Description: Globalisation has facilitated high mobility among 21st century employees allowing brain circulation to occur. However, high employee mobility also means organisations are losing employees to competitors some of which are global business moguls with better resources leaving emerging businesses at a disadvantage. Lately, the South African banking sector has also been affected with high employee turnover requiring the need for investigation. For these reasons, the main objective of the study was to investigate whether psychological capital significantly moderates the relationship between work-life balance and turnover intentions among selected bank employees in Amathole district, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study also examined if there is a positive and significant relationship between psychological capital and work-life balance among selected bank employees. In addition, the study sought to examine if there is a positive and significant relationship between psychological capital and turnover intention among selected bank employees. The study followed a quantitative research approach. Therefore, survey questionnaires were used as means of data collection and data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Research results indicated that psychological capital significantly moderates the relationship between work-life balance and turnover intentions among selected bank employees. A significantly positive relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and work-life balance among selected bank employees was found. The results also revealed that there is no significant relationship between psychological capital and turnover intentions among selected bank employees.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Recreational resource management in Nelson Mandela Bay: a choice experiment application

  • Authors: Ntshangase, Sindiswa
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Beaches -- Recreational use -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Recreational surveys -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Recreation areas -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19608 , vital:28904
  • Description: This dissertation represents one of the limited South African studies that attempts to estimate the recreational value of the identified set of bathing beaches within the local municipal area of the Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB). More formally, this research presents the findings of selected stated preference study used for the monetary measurement of the benefits of the improvements to the NMB bathing coastlines. Using the choice experiment method, this dissertation examines the beach users’ preferences for beach management at various beaches in NMB. The choice experiment analysis was designed to elicit individuals’ willingness to pay for the selected changes. The results are used to assess the relative importance of each beach characteristic identified. The survey is implemented on the users of beaches in NMB. The beach characteristics or attributes by focus group discussions were namely (1) bathing water quality (2) public safety by means of visible policing (3) the presence of dog mess on beaches and (4) availability of lifeguards on duty. The monetary attribute selected by focus groups as most appropriate was an additional environmental water charge. The five attributes had varying levels, one corresponding to the current scenario (status quo) and the other levels to the marginal change. These attributes and their levels were combined to generate different management options, each associated with a 'monetary price'. Respondents were asked to choose their preferred alternative within the choice sets, each consisting of three management options where one alternative was the status quo. The estimation strategy consisted of estimating a conditional logit model. Results revealed that people are willing to pay to (1) keep the water quality at the excellent current level (2) for improvements in public safety through visible policing (3) the continued of the presence of dogs on beaches and (4) for an increase in the number of lifesavers on the bathing beaches. The findings of the analysis are used to inform the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMBM) on the improvements most preferred by beach users in the context of beach management.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Revenue, trade and welfare effects of the COMESA FTA on the Democratic Republic of Congo

  • Authors: Ndungo, Lusenge Patrick
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Revenue -- Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Econometric models , Welfare economics Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Economic conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14256 , vital:27493
  • Description: The present research attempts to assess the likely revenue, trade and welfare implications of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The study adopts a partial equilibrium model based on the World Integrated Trade Solution 2010 database and the Software for Market Analysis and Restrictions on Trade (WITS-SMART) as the methodological approach. The findings of the research reveal that the COMESA FTA will be beneficial to the DRC in terms of an increase in exports of US$371.57 million and consumer welfare gain amounting to US$28.49 million. Moreover, The WITS-SMART simulation results indicate that around US$322.10 million of trade will be created in the DRC as a result of the COMESA FTA. Notwithstanding the fact that trade creation will have a positive effect on welfare, as the Congolese consumers would benefit from lower prices, some local industries in the DRC may be threaten of closure due to the lack of competitiveness. In addition, the simultation results show that the country will experience a huge fiscal revenue loss amounting to US$107.01 million due to the implementation of zero per cent tarrif rate on imports duty from the COMESA trading partners. Finally, the simultation results indicate that an equivalent value of US$49.47 million of trade will be diverted from more efficient and low cost non-member states to high cost suppliers from the COMESA region. In light of these results, the research recommends that the DRC’s government needs to come up with a strategic plan in order to protect the national industry that would be negatively affected by the trade-creation effect. In order to mitigate the expected revenue loss, the implementation of the COMESA FTA in the DRC should be accompanied by fiscal reforms to improve the tax-collection system from sales or value-added taxes (VAT) and domestic excise. Regarding the trade-diversion effect, the inefficient producers from the COMESA region could be displaced through building new capacities in short, medium and long term based on comparative advantage in order to address supply constraints in these sectors affected by trade diversion.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Selected marketing and branding practices among small and medium-sized family business in the Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Richardson, Bianca
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Branding (Marketing) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Family-owned business enterprises -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Marketing , Marketing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Management Small business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Management
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19960 , vital:29012
  • Description: Based on the importance of small and medium-sized family businesses, with regard to their economic contributions, as well as the fact that their high failure rates limit their ability to positively contribute to the economic growth of South Africa, this study focused on selected marketing and branding practices of South African family SMEs, and whether these practices influence their financial performance and ultimately their survival. Against this background, the primary objective of this study was to investigate selected marketing and branding practices adopted by family SMEs in the Eastern Cape. An overview of the literature was provided whereby the nature and importance of SMEs, and more specifically family SMEs, were described. The various challenges SMEs face were explored, with marketing and branding being identified as one of the main challenges that contributes to the high failure rate of family SMEs. In addition to the marketing challenges faced by non-family SMEs, family SMEs face extra marketing hurdles, given the overlapping subsystem of family and business. However, despite these challenges, family SMEs are able to make use of their familial aspect by marketing and branding the business as family-owned. A positivistic research paradigm and quantitative research methodology was adopted for this study, using a descriptive research approach. The primary data collection procedures involved selecting the population, the sample, sampling techniques, and sample size. For the purpose of this study, the population consisted of all family SME owners operating within the borders of the Eastern Cape province. From the population, a sample was selected using both judgemental and convenience sampling. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed, which resulted in 325 usable questionnaires, giving an effective response rate of 65.00 per cent. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study, a survey research method using a structured, selfadministered questionnaire was used to collect the primary data. The scales used to measure the factors under investigation were developed based on previous research. In order to assess the validity of the ordinal scales, tests for unidimensionality were undertaken. Only factor loadings exceeding the 0.5 cut-off point were considered significant. Not all the items loaded as expected. Only five of the original six items intended to measure the dependent variable Perceived financial performance loaded onto this factor. The researcher, together with two experts in the field of marketing and family businesses, deemed the items for the dichotomous questions to show evidence of content validity. The reliability of the ordinal scales was assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, whereby coefficients greater than 0.7 were deemed a scale to be reliable. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of greater than 0.7 were returned for all the factors measured using ordinal scales, except one factor namely Customer service differentiation. This factor was not considered for any further statistical analyses. The reliability of the dichotomous questions was assessed using the Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (K-R 20). For the purpose of this study, Kuder-Richardson values greater than 0.5 deemed the dichotomous questions to be reliable. Kuder-Richardson values of greater than 0.5 were reported for the dichotomous items relating to Branding of the family name, but not for Marketing function. However, given that the questions were used for descriptive purposes only, the items measuring Marketing function were used for statistical analysis. The independent variables returned mean scores of between 3.220 and 3.773, with the majority of respondents feeling neutral or agreeing with the statements measuring these factors. The dependent variable Perceived financial performance returned the highest mean score of all the factors with the majority of respondents agreeing with the statements measuring this factor. The dichotomous questions relating to the Marketing function indicated that majority of respondents did not have a written marketing strategy or a separate department that deals with marketing for their family business. The dichotomous questions relating to Branding of the family name revealed that in most instances the family name (surname) does not appear in the name, brand, logo or advertising material of the family business. Most of the independent variables (Promotion of family business, Family business image and Stakeholder perception) reported significant and positive relationships with each other. The independent variable Perceived financial performance reported significantly positive relationships with two independent variables, namely Product differentiation and Family business image. The multiple regression analyses undertaken revealed that only one of the independent variables, namely Product differentiation, had a significant positive influence on the dependaet variable Perceived financial performance. This study found that the independent variables Promotion of family business and Family business image did not have a significant influence on the dependent variable Perceived financial performance. The results of the two single regression analyses revealed that a significant positive linear relationship exists between Stakeholder perception and Promotion of family business, as well as between Stakeholder perception and Family business image. The findings of the analysis of variance found that Number of employees was the only demographic variable that exerted a significant influence on Product differentiation. The results also indicated that Age of respondent, Generation ownership and Nature of family business had an influence on Promotion of family business. However, the post-hoc Scheffé test revealed that only Generation ownership had a significant influence on Promotion of family business. The analysis of variance also found that the demographic variables Age of respondent, Generation ownership and Number of employees exerted a significant influence on Family business image; however, the post-hoc Scheffé found that only Generation ownership had a significant influence on Family business image. Based on the findings of this study, numerous recommendations were proposed to assist the owners of family SMEs to ultimately improve their business’s financial performance by adopting appropriate marketing and branding practices. The findings of this study showed that by adopting a Product differentiation competitive orientation, family SME owners can enhance their financial performance. It is hoped that the findings of this study will provide family SME owners with practical suggestions on how to use a product differentiation competitive orientation to ultimately increase their longevity, and that the suggestions for future research will inspire future researchers to continue investigating the unique marketing and branding practices of family SMEs.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017

Taxation of non-residents in South Africa with specific reference to withholding taxes

  • Authors: Van der Merwe, de Vos Wouter
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Double taxation -- South Africa Intergovernmental tax relations , Income tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Income tax -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21296 , vital:29473
  • Description: This treatise tests the effectiveness of withholding taxes imposed by the South African tax authorities with respect to amounts paid from a South African source to a non-resident in respect of interest, royalties and foreign entertainers and sportspersons. The first research objective discusses the alignment of the meaning of words and phrases in both the domestic law of South Africa and Double Tax Agreements (DTA.) The second issue outlines whether the DTA supports the domestic law through the waiving of tax claims in favour of the country of source. In last instance the attribution of income is discussed. The interpretation attached to the words for the purpose of levying normal tax, serves as the methodology for identifying inconsistencies with the levying of withholding tax. The wider scope of withholding taxes with respect to the meaning of ‘interest’, ‘royalties’ as well as ‘foreign entertainer and sportsperson’ misaligns with the corresponding meaning of it in the DTA. This creates the risk that amounts paid to non-residents will either not be subjected to withholding tax in the source state or that the income will be taxable in the resident state as a result of the application of other articles of the DTA. DTA’s concluded between South Africa and other countries are based on the OECD Model Tax Convention. These DTA’s tend to favour the residence state with respect to the waiving of tax claims. The source state’s right to collect withholding tax on income from royalties and interest is prevented if the foreign person is physically present in South Africa for more than 183 days and if the interest/royalty payment is effectively connected with a permanent establishment in South Africa. The domestic law and DTA are misaligned with respect to the attribution of interest and royalty income since the recipient of the income for the purpose of the domestic law is not necessarily the beneficial owner of the debt claim or intellectual property. It can therefore be recommended that South Africa must renegotiate DTA’s to favour taxation in the source state. Withholding tax provisions must also be redrafted to align them with the DTA meaning.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

The causal link between exports and economic growth in South Africa

  • Authors: Tetani, Siphosethu
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa Exports -- South Africa , South Africa -- Commerce
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20603 , vital:29355
  • Description: Rapid economic growth has always been one of the goals of the South African government after 1994. Despite the contradicting views of the theorists, the country considered the global market as one of the gateways to accelerated economic growth. In the early 1990s South Africa opened up to foreign markets by removing trade barriers. However, the results of such actions were not entirely as expected. Different economists suggest other barriers that may be the reason behind lower levels of national output. This study examined the causal relationship between exports and economic growth in South Africa using annual data from 1970 to 2014. However, in order to achieve the main objective of this study, it was necessary to include other variables in the model as suggested by both theoretical and empirical literature. The choice of these variables was informed by an extensive review of literature on both exports and economic growth. The VECM and Granger Wild test has been utilised to capture the short run and long run dynamics of the model. The results from those tests do not approve of the Export-Led growth hypothesis and did not approve any sort relationship between exports and GDP in the short run. In the long run however, using the VECM, the study proved that exports have a positive impact on GDP. The results further suggested a negative long run relationship between consumption and economic growth. Furthermore; the results suggested that government expenditure can be detrimental to the economy in the long run. With regards to private investments, the results of this study suggest a positive relationship between investments and economic growth. Therefore, if South African government seeks to increase economic growth it needs to dedicate a considerable amount of resources in promoting local markets to expand South African exports, cut on government expenditure and attracting investment into the county.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

The deductibility of damages and associated legal expenses for the purposes of determining taxable income in South Africa

  • Authors: Madovi, Ezekiel
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Income tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Damages -- Taxation -- South Africa , South Africa. Income Tax Act, 1962
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4344 , vital:20650
  • Description: The deduction of damages and the associated legal costs must satisfy the requirements of the preamble to section 11 and section 11(a) of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962, read with section 23(g) (referred to as the general deduction formula). This research examined under what circumstances a payer of damages and the associated legal costs would be able to claim a deduction from taxable income. This research also considered whether or not the issue of fault is a relevant consideration in determining whether a deduction should be allowed. In some cases the courts appear to have disallowed a deduction if the expenditure or loss was incurred as a result of a negligent or unlawful act. In other instances the courts have allowed the deduction of damages despite the expenditure or loss having been incurred as a result of a negligent or unlawful act. The research concludes that negligence is not a relevant consideration in the deduction of damages and the associated legal costs. In order to secure a claim for damages the taxpayer must prove that the expenditure was incurred in the production of income and it was expended for the purposes of trade. Associated legal costs are only deductible if the damages satisfy the requirements of section 11(c).
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  • Date Issued: 2017

The determinants of credit default swap spreads in emerging market economies

  • Authors: Matakane, Lwazi
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Bank loans -- BRIC countries , Risk management -- BRIC countries , Swaps (Finance) -- BRIC countries , BRIC countries -- Economic conditions , Rating agencies (Finance)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7142 , vital:21221
  • Description: Emerging markets have become a destination for international portfolio flows as a result of global financial integration. This has allowed exogenous factors like sentiment and developed country monetary policy to affect developing countries capital markets and macroeconomic fundamentals. This study analyses the impact of investor sentiment alongside US monetary policy, country specific risks, inflation and domestic stock returns on the BRICS credit default spreads. To investigate this relationship, the study uses panel data and a fixed effects model. The results of the panel regressions suggest that all variables had an impact on the variation of BRICS credit default spreads however the crisis may have distorted the relationship among the variables. Sovereign ratings had an inverse relationship depicting a rise in ratings decreasing the credit default premium. This was in line with a priori expectations. Domestic company earnings also had an inverse relationship with BRCIS credit default premia, the magnitude of which is dependent on the value of the index. This is to say the higher the index, the more significant the effect on the BRICS default premium. US monetary policy was significant and in line with expectations of a linear relationship between emerging market credit default spreads when controlling for the crisis. In the crisis period however, results depicted an inverse relationship going against a priori expectations. The inflation variable was found to have a greater impact on CDS spreads during the crisis period, while the VIX index had a linear relationship with the default premia albeit the impact was not highly significant. The study concludes that the financial crisis was an important event that affected the relationship of these variables with BRICS country default spreads and had read through to market participant’s behaviour at the time.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

The effect of monetary policy on inflation and unemployment in Kenya

  • Authors: Top, Wuor Chuol Both
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Monetary policy -- Kenya -- Econometric models , Unemployment -- Effect of inflation on -- Kenya Inflation (Finance) -- Kenya Unemployment -- Kenya Kenya -- Economic conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21329 , vital:29478
  • Description: Since the establishment of the Central Bank of Kenya in 1966, monetary policymakers have been changing their policy instruments over the years in an attempt to bring inflation and unemployment rates to the desirable level. This study investigates the effect of monetary policy on inflation and unemployment in Kenya over the period 1991 to 2016. This study employs the Johansen co-integration and vector error correction technique so as to identify the long-run and short-run dynamics among the variables. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller test and Phillips-Perron test for stationarity in the time series is applied. The findings of this study suggest that both short-run and long-run relationships exist among the variables, namely inflation rate, unemployment rate, money supply, real interest rate and exchange rate. The main findings of this study show that monetary policy has a significant effect on inflation in the long-run, while it has little tangible effect on unemployment in the long-run. Among the three monetary policy instruments used in this study, money supply is shown to have the most influential effect on the level of inflation in Kenya. The two monetary policy instruments, real interest rate and exchange rate, have been proved to have little influence on unemployment. This study recommends that the optimum approach for monetary policymakers to adopt towards controlling inflation in Kenya is to implement a monetarytargeting framework ‘...where money supply is controlled...’ in order to affect prices in the economy. Concerning unemployment, this study recommends that the monetary policymakers formulate a policy that encourages investors to lend or invest their money at a rate which increases employment or reduces unemployment. This study also recommends that the best approach the CBK/monetary policymakers could adopt to reduce unemployment in Kenya would be to implement a policy that encourages depreciation in the Kenya shillings.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017
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