Browsing by Author "Ndadziyira, Tafadzwa"

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Brand preference and brand rhetoric for mobile phones among students at a higher education institution
(African Association for Rhetoric, 2019) Ndadziyira, Tafadzwa; Govender, Jeevarathnam P.
It is evident that the mobile phone industry is facing significant growth. The introduction of cheaper mobile phones in South Africa has intensified competition between mobile companies. A number of studies have been conducted in other countries on brand preference for mobile phones, but there remains a gap in knowledge with regard to the South African market. It is important to academically research factors influencing consumer brand preferences and its rhetorical implications when purchasing mobile phones, to understand these preferences, and what consumers consider when making such purchases. The rationale for the study was to provide insights for local marketers into the factors consumers consider most when looking at mobile phone brands. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to understand brand preferences for mobile phones amongst students at a selected higher educational institution in South Africa. The study adopts a quantitative research approach and is descriptive and cross-sectional in nature. The research population was made up of students studying at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), where convenience sampling was used on a target population of 378 students. The results were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 24.0 software. The findings show that brand popularity, prices, product attributes rhetorically affect mobile phone brand preferences amongst students. The results also showed that there were some product attributes that did not influence these preferences.
The influence of digital versus traditional advertising media on consumer behaviour in the Durban Metropolitan Area
(2023) Ndadziyira, Tafadzwa; Govender, J. P.
The increase in the use of the Internet has pushed companies to shift their marketing strategies from traditional to digital techniques. The use of advertisements has significantly increased in the 20th century with the expansion of industrialisation. However, during the late 1980s, advertisements were fairly limited to television, radio, billboards and newspapers. Today, businesses are leaning towards digital advertising. Companies are now focusing on social media and mobile advertising to the extent that they may takeover television advertising. The growth of digital platforms has facilitated the way humans act, their habits and their interactions. Previous studies have been conducted on effectiveness of advertising from the company’s point of view. Hence, in this study, the aim is to investigate the impact of digital advertising versus traditional advertising by examining their influence on consumers’ behaviour. The main research question for the study is ‘What is the impact of digital advertising versus traditional advertising on consumer behaviour?’ The study aims to investigate digital advertising versus traditional advertising based on the consumers’ point of view. The rationale of the study is to provide new insights to local marketers on consumer behaviour with regards to advertising, while the results gave marketers access to information on the influence of digital advertising as compared to traditional advertising. In addition, the study was important in providing information with regards to digital advertising versus traditional advertising and consumer behaviour. The study helped to upack these three together whereas they have always been studied separately with no comparison to digital and traditional advertising. The performance of digital advertising and traditional advertising when it comes to consumer behaviour needs to be revealed in order to assist marketers when making advertising choice decisions. In addition, the study added to the literature, thus closing the knowledge gap. The research was carried out in the Durban Metropolitan Area. A quantitative approach was adopted, with the research being descriptive in nature and cross-sectional. Consumers in the Durban Metropolitan Area were the research population for this study. The study’s findings revealed that both traditional and digital advertising media play an important role in influencing the way consumers behave. Traditional advertising offers one-way communication, whilst digital advertising offers two-way communication. This allows consumers to ask if they need more information and thus influences the decision they make. Traditional advertising media platforms are seen as credible sources of information, whilst digital advertising platforms are seen as misleading, exaggerating and not credible. This study recommends that marketers should not underestimate the influence of traditional advertising media on consumer behaviour. Marketers should improve and continue to use traditional advertising platforms, especially for products and services that require a lot of credibility, because customers trust traditional advertising platforms more as compared to digital advertising platforms.
Transforming learning : reimagining writing centre tutor training in a university context
(Durban University of Technology, 2023-11-21) Govender, Nereshnee; Ndadziyira, Tafadzwa
Tutors in the higher education environment play an important role in facilitating student learning. However, they are often inadequately supported in the contexts in which they work. Tutors often require support through structured training and development programmes that embeds theory and practice to equip them with the powerful knowledge needed in their work with students. A re-examination of the support, training and development of tutors is therefore needed. This paper explored a Writing Centre tutor training progamme within a University of Technology (UoT) context. An academics literacies approach to tutor training has been implemented as it enables the creation of opportunities for students and tutors to question the ways in which they are working with knowledge and demonstrating that knowledge through their writing. Through tutors’ narrative, written reflections and within a qualitative inquiry, this paper explored theory based tutor training and how it contributes to a more responsive Writing Centre practice by developing tutors’ undertsanding of their role in transforming thinking, teaching and learning. It argues for the implementation of on-going, structured and theoretically embedded training that foregrounds Writing Centre pedagogy and creates a foundation for tutors’ cognitive development in their work with students.