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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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    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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    Evaluating the sustainability of South Africa’s gambling industry
    (2023) Mlobeli, Siphamandla; Hatikanganwi, Mapudzi
    South Africa is a developing country that prides itself on having in-depth understanding of gambling activities. People engage in gambling activities like casino games and lotteries. Even though gambling activities have evolved from being a relatively unusual occurrence limited to brick-and-mortar casinos, bingo halls, race and sports books, it has become a technologically sophisticated sector that is growing significantly every year. The gambling activities have transforms how individuals gamble. People gamble in the comfort of their own homes. However, the growing importance of unregulated (and thus illegal) gambling in South Africa is a troubling trend. This study aimed at investigating the opportunities for the South African gambling sector to continue operating in the face of declining revenues. To establish the set objectives, this study adopted the use of qualitative methods particularly purposive sampling. The researcher acquired a representative sample of the three CEOs and 12 players from each of the three companies, Gold Circle, HollywoodBets, and Phumelela Gaming. In a similar vein, the 12 clients chosen from the three businesses have a history of doing business with them. The findings of the study revealed that both internal and external elements contributed to the industry's swift drop in fortunes. The internal variables include marketing, culture, issues with tax income, racing, wagering, and the use of human capital. Education, innovation, globalisation, a lack of skilled workers, economic and political instability, legal issues, restrictions on gambling, change, and government backing are some of the external variables. The study recommended significant government assistance for the industry. The national gambling board should also see to the closure of all illegal gambling establishments. The sudden increase in licence renewal costs and tax revenue needs to be investigated, to help the business regain its financial stability.
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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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    An assessment of the contribution of corporate social responsibility practices on sustainable community development in the Zimbabwe mining sector : a case study of Zimplats
    (2023) Muhwava, Christopher; Rampersad, Renitha
    The goal of this study was to determine how Zimplats' corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices contribute to sustainable development (SD) in the Mhondoro Ngezi district. The study further aimed to assess Zimplats’ CSR policies with regards to sustainable development. This study used a sample of 384 people from the Mhondoro Ngezi district, and a qualitative and quantitative data collection approach was used to attain these goals. The study sample included members of the Mhondoro Ngezi community with CSR knowledge and employees of Zimplats. The study reviewed literature and theories within Zimbabwe, South Africa and internationally that were essential to CSR and sustainable development (SD). The research assessed the impact of CSR practices on sustainable development of communities within the Zimplats’ operational environment. The study therefore sought to establish the sustainability of CSR as an instrument of addressing the challenges being faced by communities adjacent to the company operations. A correlation test aided in the analysis of the data findings so that relevant conclusions could be drawn. The results revealed that Zimplats’ CSR initiatives improved livelihood of the Mhondoro Ngezi community in a sustainable way. Community participation and ownership in development initiatives was discovered to be critical to their long-term viability and there is a link between sustainability and community involvement in development projects. The study also found that Zimplats’ CSR practices contribute to job creation, capacity building and improved standards of living. The study recommended that Zimplats should prioritize stakeholder engagement and participation and ownership of developmental projects as a way of ensuring that their CSR projects are sustainable.
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    Financial sustainability and financial well-being of small and medium enterprise owners in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana
    (2023) Amankwaa, Robert; Agbenyegah, Albert Tchey
    Financial sustainability is the most vital part of SMEs and the cornerstone of SME owners’ well-being. However, poor financial sustainability of SMEs leads to poor well-being of SME owners. Therefore, the study aimed to assess SME owners’ financial sustainability and well-being. Primarily, the study sought to identify the main factors that influence SMEs’ sustainability, describe the level of SMEs’ financial sustainability and level of SME owners’ financial well-being, amd to assess the relationship between SME financial sustainability and owners’ financial well-being in Sekondi-Takoradi. Through the use of cross-sectional design and a quantitative approach, 250 SME owners were chosen from a population of 10,205 SME owners in SekondiTakoradi, the study. Overall, the study used close-ended instrument to gather data from the participants. In particular, 5-point Likert scale measure was relied upon to solicit information from SME owners on sustainability factors, business sustainability measures and the financial well-being of the SME owners. Using SPSS version 22.0, data obtained were analysed and presented in tables and figures. Simple linear and multiple regression techiques were also used to determine the relationship between the variables. A p-values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant at a 95% confidence interval. The study found that SMEs financial sustainability is influence by both internal and external factors. It was also revealed that the businesses were financially stable amd the well-being of SME owners was financially good to a moderate extent. Finally, there was a favourable and significant relationship between financial sustainability and the financial well-being of SME owners. Therefore, the study recommended that since SMEs have no control over the external factors, they should concentrate on and improve upon the internal factors such as skills, experience amd finacial literacy since they positively influences SMEs' financial sustainability. In addition, it is recommended that SMEs work on their return on investment to better their sustainability.
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    The role of Green Campus Initiative (GCI) as integral part of environmental and sustainable resources utilization : a case study of Durban University of Technology
    (2021-10-30) Shange, Hlanganani Siduduzo; Hlengwa, Dumsile Cynthia
    The Green Campus Initiative (GCI) is quite an old movement around the world, but it was only initiated in South Africa in 2012 by the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande. The reason behind the initiating this movement was to make institutions of higher learning mindful of the negative natural effects that are brought about by their everyday socio-economic activities. Moreover, the GCI movement looked to provide a platform for students to gain information and get involved in the movement for change and sustainability. Numerous universities in South Africa participate in GCI, but encounter numerous challenges and limitations, which curtail full-scale implementation and beneficiation. The objectives of this study were to assess the progress on the Green Campus Initiative programs, examine the impact that the GCI has had at DUT, determine the challenges of implementing GCI at the DUT and investigate mechanisms of promoting GCI at DUT. Extensive literature review was conducted to locate the study within existing research. This study used qualitative research method, conducting interviews with some stakeholders and questionnaires to others. Data were analysed using qualitative techniques such as themes, words, word cloud, word trees and others. The study found that while quite a number of activities had been done in the past to promote GCI and prizes won at interuniversity competitions, GCI at DUT was still facing a number of challenges. These challenges emanated mainly from the lack of environmental policy, which would enable the university to develop a fully-fledged GCI office. The study also discovered that academic departments were involved on an ad hoc voluntary basis resulting in some not promoting GCI.
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    Sustainable growth of Clover's premium product portfolio in South Africa's lower income market segment
    (2018-10) Pillai, Anban; Bayat, Mohamed Saheed
    Clover Industries Limited has a long and successful history in South Africa whilst playing a definitive role in the development of the local dairy and FMCG industries. The organisation has been a household name in South Africa for over 100 years with roots stemming as far back as 1898. On the 14th of December 2010, Clover listed on the main board of the local Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and continues to be a prominent company in the South African dairy market. The South African Audience Research Foundation (SAARF) introduced the Living Standards Measure (LSM) as a marketing research tool in South Africa which groups people by living standards, using criteria that cuts across conventional groupings such as race, and instead evaluates specific criteria such as the level of urbanisation and ownership of motor vehicles and appliances. An increase in both population and income in Africa have resulted in rapid urbanization making Africa an attractive target market for global businesses. According to SAARF, lower income groups (LSM 1–6) account for 63% of the South African population (SAARF 2014) and it is against this backdrop that an opportunity for exploratory research about consumer behaviour has emerged. This study focused on business strategies and aimed to investigate whether Clover’s premium product portfolio can grow sustainably in the LSM 1–6 segments. The justification for this study is based on the paradoxical nature of the LSM 1–6 segment that has income constraints, aspirational attributes and brand attraction. The main objective of this research study is to understand the key factors affecting consumer purchasing habits in this segment of the market. The findings could potentially provide direction for Clover’s business strategy to achieve its growth ambitions in the local market. Objectives have been classified into four categories to assist in answering research questions that lead to a better understanding of the salient factors affecting the purchasing decisions. These insights led to the development of recommendations that will help improve the per capita consumption by making Clover’s premium beverages more attractive across the affinity groups defined as LSM 1-6. To achieve the objectives, the research methodology took the form of a mixed method approach to ensure that the qualitative detail is captured in order to supplement the quantitative research data. The literature review provided detailed insight into global trends pertaining to the beverage industry. A cross-industry analysis was carried out to explore innovative trends and developments that could provide direction for the research project. The literature review, at both the local and global level, provided the foundation for the research questionnaire and the SME interview questions. Based on the findings from the qualitative SME interviews and the quantitative surveys that were carried out, specific themes have emerged. These themes have been categorised and have helped provide clarity on the existing gaps in literature. There are specific factors that influence how business can be carried out responsibly within the LSM 1–6 segments without having an undertone of being exploitive. There are trends that have emerged which profile the typical LSM 1–6 consumer and businesses need to understand these specific needs and behaviour. This study aimed to contribute to the body of knowledge by providing business organisations with insight into LSM 1–6 and how to succeed responsibly in this segment.
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    Factors affecting family owned businesses in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
    (2018-09) Mlobeli, Siphamandla; Mapudzi, H.
    Family owned businesses play a vital role in the entire South African economy. The main objective of the study was to investigate the factors affecting family owned businesses in Durban, KwaZulu Natal (KZN), as well as to establish the leadership styles of management present in family owned businesses. The study also aimed to establish the effect of succession planning on these businesses and propose strategies for the sustainability of family owned businesses. The study was exploratory and qualitative research methods were used to conduct the research. Scheduled individual in-depth interviews with family owned business managers/business owners were conducted by the researcher. The respondents consisted of five businesses that were selected by the researcher around Durban; the respondents were chosen by means of non-probability sampling methods. The findings of the study revealed that there is a lack of communication between family owned businesses and the government; hence, the government has no support towards family owned businesses. The majority of the respondents indicated strategic planning and succession plans as major factors affecting the survival of family owned businesses. Other factors that the respondents highlighted include poor financial management, lack of technology, globalisation, family feuds, lack of education within the family owned businesses, lack of business experience, skill shortages and poor leadership. Based on these findings, the researcher recommended that family owned businesses need to critically evaluate all the internal and external factors before and during the progress of the business. The researcher further indicated that a clear succession plan is required, while family owned business managers need to lead by example.