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Theses and dissertations (Management Sciences)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/14

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Start date: 2022Subject: search.filters.subject.Social media

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Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    The role of digital marketing in the sustainability of the formal retail sector in Flagstaff
    (2024-03) Noqazo, Zizipho; Madondo, Elvis
    Marketing is a fundamental part of any retail business as it is the means of promoting products and services to the target market (Grönholm 2012). Digital marketing has transformed retailers’ marketing strategies significantly. Online marketing channels are undeniablyoneof the most advanced digital technologies to be used in marketing, which makes it essential for retailers to incorporate these strategies into their businesses. The internet and its rapid technological developments have provided retailers with numerous tools for online marketing, such as email marketing, social media, pay-per- click, search engine optimisation, pop-ups and so forth. While many rural South African businesses are starting to adopt these marketing tools in their businesses, the role of digital marketing in the sustainability of the formal retail sector in the rural areas of South Africa (SA) has not been explored fully. The aim of this study was to explore the role of digital marketing in sustaining retail businesses in Flagstaff, while the primary objective of the research is to identify and describe the role of digital marketing in retail businesses in rural areas. According to Bala and Verma (2018), digital marketing is the greatest platform to transform a product into a brand and has the potential to increase sales tremendously, provided that businesses have knowledge and understanding of how to apply it properly. The study adopted a mixed research method in order to achieve the set objectives. This study followed the probability sampling method in recruiting participants. Random sampling was the probability sampling method employed to generate the sample for this study. Retailers operating in Flagstaff and members of the public (customers) were the two populations targeted for this research. The study used a structured self administered questionnaire consisting of 20 items to collect quantitative data from retailers. Focus group discussions were also conducted with members of the public to gather qualitative data. The researcher adopted the census method, whereby all 52 stores in Flagstaff took part in the study. The sample for the focus group interviews comprised of thirty (30) participants that were allocated into six groupsof 5 participants in each group. The study used version 27.0 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyse quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. According to the study's findings,retailersutilise a variety of digital marketing methods, including social mediamarketing, email marketing, andmobile marketing, to exchange information, contact with customers, send them sales pitches and other marketing materials, and interact with them online. Retailers claimed that digital marketing had introduced novel ways to conductonline business,such as onlineshopping.However, this activity is connected to a numberof difficulties in rural areas, which hasprevented many retailers from offering it as a substitute for traditional shopping.As a result, there is little use of online shopping in Flagstaff retail businesses. Consumer feedback indicates that retailers' use of SMS communication, Facebook, and emails to convey information about sales pitches and promotions has inspired and encouraged customers to make purchases from particular retailers. However, participants have stressed that they prefer hearing from retailers through traditional channels sincethey are simpler to access because they have trouble getting information on digital platforms. The study recommends that rural retailers should integrate digital marketing into their marketing activities, which will increase awareness of the brand; reach a wider audience; aid in keeping up with trends and staying ahead of the competition; and maintain their presence on social media platforms. The study suggests that further research be conducted on the impact of specific online marketing tools in order to allow retailers to focus on online channels that align with their brand to generate profitable results for the business
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    The implication of social media marketing on the sustainability of SMEs in Accra Ghana
    (2023) Hayford, Amegbe; Zungu, Nkululeko PraiseGod; Asamoah, Emmanuel Selase
    Social media is a nascent technological tool that impacts organizations today. The impact varies from large to small organizations and developed and developing country contexts. The present study advances insight by investigating the implication of social media marketing on small and medium enterprise (SME) sustainability in Accra, using an exploratory, sequential, mixed methods strategy. The study commenced with the qualitative phase, interviewing 16 SMEs in Accra from different industries, as classified by the Ghana Investment and Promotion Council. The findings from the qualitative phase formed the basis for the quantitative phase, which surveyed 234 SMEs to participate in the study. The qualitative data were analysed with NVivo, while SmartPLS was employed for the quantitative data. Findings from the qualitative and quantitative phases reveal support for organisational and entrepreneurial factors influencing the adoption decision of SMEs in Accra. However, the study did not find support for two qualitative phase technological factors (complexity and perceived cost) and one environmental factor (institutional pressure). Furthermore, support for social media adoption and financial marketing performance were revealed as non-financial marketing performance in both study phases, while financial marketing performance was found to also support environmental and social sustainability. This study's originality lies in the use of a sequential mixed methods approach, to extend Technology, Organization and Environment theory in examining marketing performance outcomes and sustainability. Moreover, the inclusion of an additional factor to test social media adoption among SMEs and developing a conceptual framework to explore and test these relationships, differentiates this study. Theoretically, the study contributes to the existing knowledge, demonstrating the factors influencing SMEs' social media adoption, how this translates into non-financial marketing performance of SMEs and would lead to their sustainable performance. Based on the overall findings, the study also develops a conceptual framework that can serve as a foundation upon which future studies could be conducted. Practically, the findings would also benefit SME owners/managers on advantages of social media use in their organizations and to develop a proper implementation strategy. For policymakers who oversee SME activities, this study would provide the avenue for policy formulation on how SMEs can take advantage of social media in their organization to enable them to become competitive and remain sustainable.
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    The use of social media platforms by small, medium and micro enterprises in the beauty industry in Honeydew, Johannesburg
    (2024-05) Cele, Zamaswazi Pretty; Govender, Saths; Tshikovhi, Ndivhuho
    Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) play a crucial role in job creation and the country’s economy. Developing SMMEs and ensuring that they adapt to the new digital era becomes a necessity to keep up with competitors for sustainability and constant growth. This study investigates the use of social media platforms within the beauty industry; to see if Honeydew nail bar salons use any of the social media platforms to advertise their products and services. Statistics South Africa indicate that 2042 businesses, including nail bar salons were liquidated within a year; January to December 2019 due to severe financial challenges. Research shows that social media is the future of the new digital era required by SMMEs to grow their businesses. Social media have created a worldwide virtual community in which can help SMMEs to compete with bigger businesses by showcasing their products and services to a larger community. Many studies were conducted on nail bar salons. However, they mostly focused on health-related issues, such as the skin diseases that might be associated with products used on customer’s nails. Therefore, this study sought to investigate how nail bar salon businesses can grow from small businesses to larger enterprises. The study focused on what they can do differently to earn more profits for their salons. The study employed a quantitative research methodology to collect data from Honeydew residents who normally do their nails in local salons. There are six nail bar salons in Honeydew and a hundred questionnaires were distributed to the salon patrons. A face- to-face survey was conducted, although some participants preferred to complete the survey online, so the link to the questionnaires was distributed to their email addresses. The study findings showed that the target clients for the Honeydew nail bar salons are young adults in the 18 -34 years age range, who constitutes 55.1percent of the clients. The study also noted that clients are accustomed to social media platforms. Therefore, Honeydew nail bar salons can still improve and attract more male clients to their nail bars, because they also form part of their clientele. The gender record showed 96.6percent females and 3.4 percent males. The study recommends the use of social media platforms to attract more clients of all genders to Honeydew nail bar owners.
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    The use of social media as a relationship enhancement communication tool between medical practitioners and patients at Hlabisa Hospital
    (2022-11) Sikhakhane, Jacqueline T.; Lekhanya, Lawrence Mpele
    Communication is a broad concept it is essential in both human and patient care relation and includes all possibilities in which people can exchange information with each other. Good medical practitioner and patient communication have the potential to help facilitate comprehension of medical information and allow for better identification of patient's needs, perceptions, and expectations. Poor communication by healthcare medical practitioners contributes to physical and psychological suffering in patients living a serious disease. Communication breakdowns are global in medicine and lead to a variety of medical errors and patient harm. This study explores the use of social media as a relationship enhancement communication between medical practitioners and patients. It intends to connecting/link positively and constructively the medical practitioner and patients via social media by considering medical ethics. The research will collect data from focus-groups and will include academic journals, books, newspapers, and Reports. The data will be analyzed using the computerized NVivo Software (version 12. Pro) and thematic analysis. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the research methods and population study used with intention of investigating the use of social media as a relationship enhancement communication between medical practitioners and patients. Qualitative approach was used in this study to attain its objectives, 8 participants were used for the sample study of which 4 were patients and 2 were medical practitioners. For the main study 12 participants were used which included 8 patients and 4 medical practitioners. Participants from the sample study were not included in the main study. To conduct this research study non probability sampling will be used mainly because of convenience and cost effective. this study found that WhatsApp and Facebook are the most suitable or used social media platforms to be used at Hlabisa hospital to facilitate communication between medical practitioners and patients as well as an important medium to advertise significant wellness events. whoever will be responsible for the Hlabisa hospital social media platform must be strategic, be well informed, authentic and strategic. use listening skills to check understanding, understand cultural differences and how they might impact communication. Be empathetic toward the patients.
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    The influence of social media on organisational communication and organisational culture : a case study of the South African Social Security Agency in the Eastern Cape
    (2023-08) Dlelengana, Sabo; Adebayo, Rufus
    The rapid growth of social media has had a significant influence on how information is accessed. Social media platforms are highly accessible and scalable, making them ideal for connection and collaboration. The aim of this study was to provide the significance of the development of social media on communication in organisations, specifically the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). The main objectives of the study were to determine the effectiveness of social media as a communication tool at SASSA, identify which social media platforms were most effective in organisational communication at SASSA, and examine the relationship between social media and organisational communication and organisational culture at SASSA. Thereafter, recommendations were offered to SASSA on the adoption of social media as a communication tool. The study adopted a quantitative research approach, which comprised of a structured questionnaire that was distributed to the research respondents. The sample size was 140, which was derived from a target population of 210 employees through a simple random sampling technique. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 25.0 for Windows was used to analyse the data collected. The study also used descriptive statistics to analyse the responses collected from the questionnaires. The data was represented in the form of charts, graphs, and tables. The study found that organisational communication and organisational culture are considerably affected by the rapid expansion and implementation of social media for organisational-related services and activities at SASSA. The study recommends that organisations implement and standardise social media tools, which could lead to a strategy for improved and updated organisational cultures and communication. The study concluded with directions for future research on the role of social media on organisational communication and organisational culture.
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    The influence of electronic word-of-mouth communication on online consumer buying behaviour in South Africa
    (2023) Tinonetsana, Faith; Rawjee, Veena P.; Govender, Jeevarathnam Parthasarathy
    The growth of active users on online interactive media (OIM) platforms has led to the spread of information faster and broader and this has had a great impact on marketers. Consumer behaviour towards Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM) is complex, and not all user-generated content posted online will have the same effect on consumers. A consensus on what makes certain online reviews more influential than others and how they influence consumer behaviour is yet to emerge. The lack of knowledge hinders marketers efforts in designing effective marketing strategies for online retailers. The study was quantitative in nature. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect primary data. The study targeted Generation Z and millennials, and the sample was drawn from students and staff members at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). The analysis was done using the latest version of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Relevant ethical implications with regard to this study were considered. The structural equation model (SEM) results indicated that valence is the most influential factor of e-WOM during consumer buying decision. Further, there is a significant relationship between e-WOM and consumer buying behaviour. The study recommends that marketers come up with strategic ways to boost the chances of their brands generating positive e-WOM and take advantage of the influence of any good reviews and testimonials they receive. The need to pay close attention to negative e-WOM, keep an eye on unfavourable evaluations on some of the most popular e-WOM communication platforms and use negative feedback to improve product and service quality. Based on the findings this study proposed a framework for an e-WOM strategy towards influencing online consumer buying behaviour. The framework highlights the best approaches to influence consumer behaviour through e-WOM valence and the implementation thereof. Future studies could use a more qualitative approach to build on the existing study and so gain a deeper understanding of Generation Z and millennials consumers' perceptions of e-WOM and consumer buying behaviour.
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    The use of social media on corporate reputation: a case study of the Durban University of Technology (DUT)
    (2023) Maboee, Lerato Relebohile; Naidoo, Povendran; Rawjee, Veena Parboo
    Corporates invest heavily in enhancing their corporate reputation through several platforms (Li and Bernoff 2015: 56) such as social media, television advertisements and print media, which are often used to promote the corporate image (McIntyre 2014: 5). According to Barker (2014: 184), the importance of social media in organisations is to create and maintain a positive desired image, brand and reputation because of the possibility of building an interactive relationship with an unlimited number of stakeholders, business partners and employees. It is therefore evident that social media is growing daily, and more people are becoming a part of it. Siapera (2013: 255) adds that the importance of social media in the organisation includes the sharing of ideas and building relationships with stakeholders and audiences through social media platforms and increasing the organisation’s visibility. The aim of this study was to assess how the Durban University of Technology (DUT) uses social media platforms in building and maintaining a positive corporate reputation, and how they engage actively with their target audience. A mixed research methodology was adopted to achieve the set objectives. The sample population consisted of 197 participants, which included academic and administrative staff as well as students at DUT. The staff were assessed through interview questions and the students were assessed via survey questionnaires. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The findings revealed that social media plays an important role for organisations as a vital tool to build and maintain corporate reputation online, as well as communicating effectively and actively with various target audiences. Social media is considered by organisations, both public and private, as a strategic tool for competitive advantages (Predmore 2014: 115). Social media is generally used by various types of organisations for many different business purposes, for example to influence the industry, engage with their various customers, and manage brand image among stakeholders in a cost-effective way (Predmore 2014: 115). Many organisations use social media as a strategic tool for communication and marketing purposes (Predmore 2014: 116), and for sharing newsworthy information to their target audience and stakeholders (Dreher 2014: 345). The study recommended that organisations should prioritise investing in social media platforms. Another recommendation was that organisations must communicate effectively and actively with their audiences online.
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    Advancing peace building programs to counter violent extremism messaging in Sidi Moumen District, Morocco
    (2023) Khebbaz, Soufiane; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
    Digital platforms and communication tools have transformed the way we seek information and interact with others. Extremist groups are effectively using media to spread their ideas, propagate hate, and mobilize youth. This research examines the role of new media in countering violent extremism, preventing youth radicalization and fashioning political and religious discourse throughout the implementation of the “Youth Leaders for Peace” project. Youth from marginalized urban areas of Casablanca in Morocco were engaged in a participatory action research utilizing the power of new media and technology to build peace, deliver impactful messages, and influence positive change in both online and offline spaces. They worked with civil society organizations to identify, engage, and explore issues critical to the effective use of new media to enhance youth participation in political and civic life in their community. Activities were designed and implemented to encourage marginalized urban youth to participate constructively in countering violent extremism using dialogues about the principles and mechanisms of democracy, civic engagement, political participation, peaceful coexistence, and constructive conflict resolution.