An international comparative study on the relationship marketing and customer retention of retail banks : lessons for South Africa
- Authors: Rootman, Chantal
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Banks and banking -- Customer services , Relationship marketing , Customer relations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9358 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1376 , Banks and banking -- Customer services , Relationship marketing , Customer relations
- Description: Despite the extensive research undertaken in the subject area of services marketing, much is still unknown to service providers of specific services in terms of firm-client relationships and how customer retention rates can be increased. This study attempts to address this limitation. The study revolves around the relationship marketing and customer retention of banks in South Africa, Canada and the United Kingdom (UK). Service firms, including banks, are vitally important to the economy of any country as they contribute to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (for example a 74 percent contribution in South Africa) and its employment rate. However, to survive in a complex, competitive business environment, service firms are required to focus on their clients’ needs. Banks can focus on their relationships with clients and measure their institutions’ success by considering their customer retention rates. When considering firm-client relationships and customer retention rates, it is important to gather and link the viewpoints of both clients and managers in order to ensure that firms perform according to clients’ needs. In order to establish the influence of selected variables on the relationship marketing and customer retention of banks, from the perspectives of both banking clients and managers, an empirical investigation was conducted. The primary aim of this study was to quantify significant relationships among selected variables; therefore the positivistic research paradigm was used. In addition, in designing the measuring instruments for the empirical investigation, the phenomenological paradigm was used. Thus, in order to use multiple sources of data, the strategy of methodological triangulation was adopted for this study. The samples consisted of banking clients and bank managers in South Africa, Canada and the UK. The empirical investigation conducted among banking clients revealed that significant positive relationships exist between six of the seven identified independent variables, namely communication, personalisation, empowerment, ethics, fees and technology, and banks’ relationship marketing. These relationships imply that, according to banking clients, if each of these aspects in banks improves, bank-client relationships would improve. The empirical investigation conducted among bank managers showed that managers only regard communication and fees as influencers of relationship marketing in banks. This result clearly indicated a difference in the viewpoints of banking clients and bank managers. In addition, the empirical investigation revealed that relationship marketing positively influences the customer retention of banks. This relationship implies that if a bank successfully maintains relationships with its clients, the bank’s customer retention rates will increase. Additionally, the empirical investigation revealed that the population group, education level and country of residence of banking client respondents exerted an influence on the perceptions clients have regarding banks’ relationship marketing and customer retention levels. If banking clients are African or are not educated with a qualification beyond secondary school level or are from Canada, they consider the relationship marketing of a bank to be more important and are more likely to be retained by banks. Generally, the study indicated that Canadian banking clients are more positive regarding the empowerment strategies and personalisation efforts of Canadian banks than South Africans are about those of South African banks. In addition, banking clients in the UK are more satisfied with the communication, fees and use of technology of UK banks than South Africans are about these aspects in South African banks. The study indicated that strategies to improve banks’ communication, personalisation, empowerment, ethics, fees and technology should be implemented by banks in ways to positively influence their relationship marketing and ultimately their customer retention. Strategies relating to each of these areas, successfully implemented by banks in Canada and the UK, are recommended to South African banks. In effect, these strategies will contribute to retail banks’ success, the competiveness in the banking industry, banking client benefits as well as the economic stability and prosperity of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Rootman, Chantal
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Banks and banking -- Customer services , Relationship marketing , Customer relations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9358 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1376 , Banks and banking -- Customer services , Relationship marketing , Customer relations
- Description: Despite the extensive research undertaken in the subject area of services marketing, much is still unknown to service providers of specific services in terms of firm-client relationships and how customer retention rates can be increased. This study attempts to address this limitation. The study revolves around the relationship marketing and customer retention of banks in South Africa, Canada and the United Kingdom (UK). Service firms, including banks, are vitally important to the economy of any country as they contribute to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (for example a 74 percent contribution in South Africa) and its employment rate. However, to survive in a complex, competitive business environment, service firms are required to focus on their clients’ needs. Banks can focus on their relationships with clients and measure their institutions’ success by considering their customer retention rates. When considering firm-client relationships and customer retention rates, it is important to gather and link the viewpoints of both clients and managers in order to ensure that firms perform according to clients’ needs. In order to establish the influence of selected variables on the relationship marketing and customer retention of banks, from the perspectives of both banking clients and managers, an empirical investigation was conducted. The primary aim of this study was to quantify significant relationships among selected variables; therefore the positivistic research paradigm was used. In addition, in designing the measuring instruments for the empirical investigation, the phenomenological paradigm was used. Thus, in order to use multiple sources of data, the strategy of methodological triangulation was adopted for this study. The samples consisted of banking clients and bank managers in South Africa, Canada and the UK. The empirical investigation conducted among banking clients revealed that significant positive relationships exist between six of the seven identified independent variables, namely communication, personalisation, empowerment, ethics, fees and technology, and banks’ relationship marketing. These relationships imply that, according to banking clients, if each of these aspects in banks improves, bank-client relationships would improve. The empirical investigation conducted among bank managers showed that managers only regard communication and fees as influencers of relationship marketing in banks. This result clearly indicated a difference in the viewpoints of banking clients and bank managers. In addition, the empirical investigation revealed that relationship marketing positively influences the customer retention of banks. This relationship implies that if a bank successfully maintains relationships with its clients, the bank’s customer retention rates will increase. Additionally, the empirical investigation revealed that the population group, education level and country of residence of banking client respondents exerted an influence on the perceptions clients have regarding banks’ relationship marketing and customer retention levels. If banking clients are African or are not educated with a qualification beyond secondary school level or are from Canada, they consider the relationship marketing of a bank to be more important and are more likely to be retained by banks. Generally, the study indicated that Canadian banking clients are more positive regarding the empowerment strategies and personalisation efforts of Canadian banks than South Africans are about those of South African banks. In addition, banking clients in the UK are more satisfied with the communication, fees and use of technology of UK banks than South Africans are about these aspects in South African banks. The study indicated that strategies to improve banks’ communication, personalisation, empowerment, ethics, fees and technology should be implemented by banks in ways to positively influence their relationship marketing and ultimately their customer retention. Strategies relating to each of these areas, successfully implemented by banks in Canada and the UK, are recommended to South African banks. In effect, these strategies will contribute to retail banks’ success, the competiveness in the banking industry, banking client benefits as well as the economic stability and prosperity of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Enhancing the role of the Kaizen suggestion tool in South African lean automotive companies of the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Adedeji, Adeyemi Charles
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Manufacturing processes , Production management -- Mathematical models
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:8644 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008157 , Lean manufacturing , Manufacturing processes , Production management -- Mathematical models
- Description: The Toyota manufacturing system, aptly referred to as Lean manufacturing, has received a reasonable appreciation and awareness over the past decade in South African industry. This production phenomenon constitutes an organizational culture that encourages world-class production success through the liberation of factory resources, while employees are empowered and encouraged to contribute ideas for the improvement of processes and products. However, despite lean awareness and the crucial role of employee participation in the suggestion of ideas in world-class organizations, the performance level of lean manufacturing in South African industry is largely devoid of the Kaizen suggestion tool, particularly in the automotive companies of the Eastern Cape. The aim of this research was to proffer appropriate recommendations, improved awareness, understanding and practice for the improvement of the Kaizen suggestion principle in the automotive companies of the Eastern Cape. The research primarily focused on the ‘management/employees’ paradigm within the organisational context. The methodology employed in the study included a thorough review of the relevant literature and a questionnaire, which was developed and administered to both the management and employees of the thirty automotive components suppliers in Eastern Cape. The target companies constituted the units of analyses and therefore provided the opportunity for a detailed investigation of the links between management and employees as well as a submission of ideas for operational and organisational processes as established in the literature review. Epistemologically, the research is objectivist and paradigmically, positivist. However, some qualitative aspects of the data were relevant to the study and, therefore, were used in a complementary manner. The case approach utilized mixed methods by applying a range of data collection techniques and evidence from multiple sources while the sampling technique was sequential, involving both purposive and stratified random sampling. The study reveals the apparent lack of a systematic mechanism for the practice and administration of the Kaizen suggestion tools in most Eastern Cape automotive companies. This demerit is found to have negatively affected maximum employee participation and involvement in organizational decision making within the Province. The study has established a basic level of awareness and understanding among employees / employers relations that the Kaizen suggestion scheme is a vital tool for delivering strategic objectives in the management of decision making and organizational growth. The study strongly advocates the inclusion of employee suggestion systems as part of the organizational process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Adedeji, Adeyemi Charles
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Manufacturing processes , Production management -- Mathematical models
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:8644 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008157 , Lean manufacturing , Manufacturing processes , Production management -- Mathematical models
- Description: The Toyota manufacturing system, aptly referred to as Lean manufacturing, has received a reasonable appreciation and awareness over the past decade in South African industry. This production phenomenon constitutes an organizational culture that encourages world-class production success through the liberation of factory resources, while employees are empowered and encouraged to contribute ideas for the improvement of processes and products. However, despite lean awareness and the crucial role of employee participation in the suggestion of ideas in world-class organizations, the performance level of lean manufacturing in South African industry is largely devoid of the Kaizen suggestion tool, particularly in the automotive companies of the Eastern Cape. The aim of this research was to proffer appropriate recommendations, improved awareness, understanding and practice for the improvement of the Kaizen suggestion principle in the automotive companies of the Eastern Cape. The research primarily focused on the ‘management/employees’ paradigm within the organisational context. The methodology employed in the study included a thorough review of the relevant literature and a questionnaire, which was developed and administered to both the management and employees of the thirty automotive components suppliers in Eastern Cape. The target companies constituted the units of analyses and therefore provided the opportunity for a detailed investigation of the links between management and employees as well as a submission of ideas for operational and organisational processes as established in the literature review. Epistemologically, the research is objectivist and paradigmically, positivist. However, some qualitative aspects of the data were relevant to the study and, therefore, were used in a complementary manner. The case approach utilized mixed methods by applying a range of data collection techniques and evidence from multiple sources while the sampling technique was sequential, involving both purposive and stratified random sampling. The study reveals the apparent lack of a systematic mechanism for the practice and administration of the Kaizen suggestion tools in most Eastern Cape automotive companies. This demerit is found to have negatively affected maximum employee participation and involvement in organizational decision making within the Province. The study has established a basic level of awareness and understanding among employees / employers relations that the Kaizen suggestion scheme is a vital tool for delivering strategic objectives in the management of decision making and organizational growth. The study strongly advocates the inclusion of employee suggestion systems as part of the organizational process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Strategies to create a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management
- Authors: Paul, Gary William
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Corporate culture , Organizational change , Organizational effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9385 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010857 , Corporate culture , Organizational change , Organizational effectiveness
- Description: Mergers have been described as the most complex business process that an organisation can be faced with, requiring executives and other stakeholders to discharge the promise of a more successful merged organisation. However, several studies have highlighted the factors that led to the demise of the merged organisations. One of the often quoted and frequently blamed aspects related to merger failure has been the lack of effective post-merged organisational culture integration and alignment. Where mergers have been successful, it was attributed to a structured approach to integrating and aligning all aspects related to organisational culture thus ensuring the creation of a high performing organisation, conducive to effective performance management. The main research problem in this study centred around the identification of strategies that could be used to design an integrated model for creating a post-merged organisational culture which is conducive to effectively managing performance. To achieve this objective, the following approaches were adopted: A literature study was conducted with the view to identifying the challenges facing merged organisations in general and post-merged South African Higher Education institutions in particular. The researcher also conducted interviews with senior HR practitioner at the institutions participating in this study to gain insights into their experiences of performance within their merged institutions. The institutions involved in this study were Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT and Durban University of Technology (DUT). The insights gleaned from these interviews were incorporated into the survey questionnaire. The literature study also concerned itself with the identification of strategies that merged organisations could use in its pursuit of organisational culture alignment and integration. These strategies included conducting critical pre-merger assessments or due-diligence studies, adopting structured approaches to dealing with resistance to change, employee engagement, the design, implementation and communication of monitoring and evaluation of merger success measures as well as several other moderating variables referred to in figure 1.2. In terms of sub-problem six of the study, the findings of sub-problems one, two and five were used to develop an eight-step integrated theoretical model to create an organisational culture conducive to effective performance management in a post-merged environment. The model served as a basis for the design of a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to ascertain the extent to which respondents from the three participating institutions (NMMU, CPUT and DUT), perceived the various strategies as being important in establishing a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management. The results that emerged from the empirical study showed a strong concurrence with the strategies identified in the literature study and included in the integrated theoretical model. The quantitative and qualitative results from the empirical study where incorporated into the integrated theoretical model, which lead to a refined Eight-Step Integrated Post-merged Organisational Culture Creation Model as depicted in Figure 7.1 with associated details in Figure 7.2.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Paul, Gary William
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Corporate culture , Organizational change , Organizational effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9385 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010857 , Corporate culture , Organizational change , Organizational effectiveness
- Description: Mergers have been described as the most complex business process that an organisation can be faced with, requiring executives and other stakeholders to discharge the promise of a more successful merged organisation. However, several studies have highlighted the factors that led to the demise of the merged organisations. One of the often quoted and frequently blamed aspects related to merger failure has been the lack of effective post-merged organisational culture integration and alignment. Where mergers have been successful, it was attributed to a structured approach to integrating and aligning all aspects related to organisational culture thus ensuring the creation of a high performing organisation, conducive to effective performance management. The main research problem in this study centred around the identification of strategies that could be used to design an integrated model for creating a post-merged organisational culture which is conducive to effectively managing performance. To achieve this objective, the following approaches were adopted: A literature study was conducted with the view to identifying the challenges facing merged organisations in general and post-merged South African Higher Education institutions in particular. The researcher also conducted interviews with senior HR practitioner at the institutions participating in this study to gain insights into their experiences of performance within their merged institutions. The institutions involved in this study were Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT and Durban University of Technology (DUT). The insights gleaned from these interviews were incorporated into the survey questionnaire. The literature study also concerned itself with the identification of strategies that merged organisations could use in its pursuit of organisational culture alignment and integration. These strategies included conducting critical pre-merger assessments or due-diligence studies, adopting structured approaches to dealing with resistance to change, employee engagement, the design, implementation and communication of monitoring and evaluation of merger success measures as well as several other moderating variables referred to in figure 1.2. In terms of sub-problem six of the study, the findings of sub-problems one, two and five were used to develop an eight-step integrated theoretical model to create an organisational culture conducive to effective performance management in a post-merged environment. The model served as a basis for the design of a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to ascertain the extent to which respondents from the three participating institutions (NMMU, CPUT and DUT), perceived the various strategies as being important in establishing a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management. The results that emerged from the empirical study showed a strong concurrence with the strategies identified in the literature study and included in the integrated theoretical model. The quantitative and qualitative results from the empirical study where incorporated into the integrated theoretical model, which lead to a refined Eight-Step Integrated Post-merged Organisational Culture Creation Model as depicted in Figure 7.1 with associated details in Figure 7.2.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Women's empowerment in the post-1994 Rwanda: the case study of Mayaga Region
- Authors: Hategekimana, Celestin
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Women in development -- Rwanda , Women -- Rwanda -- Social conditions , Women -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9068 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1314 , Women in development -- Rwanda , Women -- Rwanda -- Social conditions , Women -- Economic conditions
- Description: This research looks at the process of women’s empowerment in post- 1994 Rwanda, with special focus on twelve cooperatives working in Mayaga region and the way these cooperatives empower women, their households and the community at large. Traditional Rwandan society has been always bound by patriarchy which has not valued the reproductive roles of women as economically productive in their households and the society as a whole. On the one hand, this understanding was reversed in the post-1994 Rwanda by the commitment of the government to gender equality at the highest level of political leadership through progressive policies and legislation. On the other hand, in Mayaga region, cooperatives brought about socio-economic development and changed relationships of gender and power in a patriarchal post-conflict society. The findings from cooperatives in Mayaga region show that to prevent women from reaching their full potential is economic folly. If women are empowered, they can generate important development outcomes such as improved health, education, income levels and conflict resolution. The findings further indicate how women’s empowerment is determined by the livelihood strategies women adopt themselves to respond to their vulnerability, and by the ways in which they express their agency in making a living in a sustainable way, with the available community assets that they have access to (financial, social, human, natural and physical). This research highlights that the accessibility of the community assets used by women in Mayaga region and in Rwanda as a whole is also determined by policies, institutions and processes that are able to influence their livelihoods positively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Hategekimana, Celestin
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Women in development -- Rwanda , Women -- Rwanda -- Social conditions , Women -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9068 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1314 , Women in development -- Rwanda , Women -- Rwanda -- Social conditions , Women -- Economic conditions
- Description: This research looks at the process of women’s empowerment in post- 1994 Rwanda, with special focus on twelve cooperatives working in Mayaga region and the way these cooperatives empower women, their households and the community at large. Traditional Rwandan society has been always bound by patriarchy which has not valued the reproductive roles of women as economically productive in their households and the society as a whole. On the one hand, this understanding was reversed in the post-1994 Rwanda by the commitment of the government to gender equality at the highest level of political leadership through progressive policies and legislation. On the other hand, in Mayaga region, cooperatives brought about socio-economic development and changed relationships of gender and power in a patriarchal post-conflict society. The findings from cooperatives in Mayaga region show that to prevent women from reaching their full potential is economic folly. If women are empowered, they can generate important development outcomes such as improved health, education, income levels and conflict resolution. The findings further indicate how women’s empowerment is determined by the livelihood strategies women adopt themselves to respond to their vulnerability, and by the ways in which they express their agency in making a living in a sustainable way, with the available community assets that they have access to (financial, social, human, natural and physical). This research highlights that the accessibility of the community assets used by women in Mayaga region and in Rwanda as a whole is also determined by policies, institutions and processes that are able to influence their livelihoods positively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
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