Browsing by Author "Theron, Edwin"

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    Die bemarkingstrategie-implikasies vir toerisme-aanbiedings vir blanke afgetredenes in die R.S.A.
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1990) Theron, Edwin; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of . Dept. of .
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    The effect of public investor activism on trust : a case study in the asset management sector
    (AOSIS, 2019-02-11) Viviers, Suzette; Theron, Edwin
    Orientation: Compromised global trust levels appears to be one of the lasting legacies of the 2007 financial crisis, also in the financial services industry. In order to rebuilt trust, it is not only important to identify the drivers of trust, but also to assess the contexts within which trust is cultivated. Research purpose: The researchers investigated the impact that this announcement and a subsequent apology by Futuregrowth’s chief investment officer (CIO) had on trust in the asset management sector. Motivation for the study: Trust could be compromised when investors publicly engage with investee companies on contentious issues. As most investor activism in South Africa takes place in private, a unique research opportunity presented itself when Futuregrowth Asset Management publicly announced that they would suspend their funding to six state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Futuregrowth is the biggest private fixed-income asset manager in Africa and is renowned as a responsible investor. Research approach/design and method: Content analysis was performed on 31 articles published in financial newspapers and magazines. In addition, semi-structured personal interviews were conducted with the CIO of Futuregrowth, another member of his team and six prominent local asset managers. Main findings: The findings suggest that asset managers who wish to engage with investee companies in South Africa, especially SOEs, should preferably do so in private as a first recourse. When they do decide to speak out in public, they should focus on maintaining both calculative and affective trust. Failure to recognise the importance of affective trust, especially during periods of socio-political and economic uncertainty, could jeopardise trust in the asset management sector. Practical/managerial implications: The evidence suggests that affective trust is increasingly important in the chosen sector. Asset managers should no longer only focus exclusively on credibility, reliability and competence but should also give due consideration to the affective trust elements of integrity and fairness. Contribution/value-add: The findings are particularly pertinent in countries with small stock exchanges and high degrees of director interlocking. The research methodology adopted in this study represents a novel contribution to research in the asset management field.
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    Kerktoewyding deur die jonger generasies : hou verhoudingsbemarking die sleutel?
    (Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, 2015-09) Theron, Edwin; Van Tonder, Steven
    Tradisioneel fokus nie-winssoekende organisasies op die ouer generasies wanneer fondswerwing en ondersteuning verlang word, eerder as jonger generasies (soos Generasie Y). Hierdie benadering blyk egter kortsigtig te wees, aangesien Generasie Y-verbruikers daarvoor bekend is dat hulle graag by aktiwiteite wat ’n sosiale doel nastreef, betrokke raak. Kerke (as spesiale verskyningsvorm van nie-winssoekende organisasies) is geen uitsondering op hierdie reël nie. Hierdie studie fokus gevolglik op die bestuur van kerktoewyding onder Generasie Y-verbruikers. ’n Aantal aanduiders van kerktoewyding is geïdentifiseer vanuit die verhoudingsbemarking-literatuur. Data is aan die hand van ’n web-gebaseerde opname ingesamel onder 912 studente van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch, terwyl die statistiese ontledings gedoen is aan die hand van meervoudige regressieontledings. Die resultate van die studie toon dat Generasie Y-verbruikers hul besluit tot kerktoewyding aan oorwegend drie faktore toeskryf: afhanklikheid, klein-groep ondersteuning en opvolg. Die studie bevind voorts dat Generasie Y-verbruikers ten opsigte van kerktoewyding groter gemeenskaplikheid ervaar, en dat lidmate van tradisionele en nie-tradisionele kerke groter ooreenstemming ervaar as wat voorheen aanvaar is. Dit is veral insiggewend dat geslag ’n beduidende invloed op Generasie Y-verbruikers se besluit tot kerktoewyding het.
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    The management of long-term marketing relationships in business-to-business financial services
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008-12) Theron, Edwin; Terblanche, N. S.; Boshoff, Christo; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Business Management.
    Since relationship marketing re-emerged as an approach to marketing, the concept was met with a great deal of interest. This interest resulted in relationship marketing being researched extensively, whilst businesses started to look for ways to build relationships with their clients. Relationships with clients can, however, only be managed if the dimensions contributing to the relationship are adequately identified. From an academic viewpoint, once all the relevant dimensions have been identified, these dimensions can be used to construct a model that can guide the management of long-term marketing relationships. The aim of this study was to identify the dimensions that are important when longterm marketing relationships in business-to-business (B2B) financial services are managed. The study started with a comprehensive review of the marketing literature. The literature review was followed by two empirical studies. The first empirical study was conducted among relationship managers, while the second empirical study focused on both the relationship managers and clients of a leading South African financial services provider. Both the relationship managers as well as the clients were part of the afore-mentioned financial services provider’s B2B domain. Phase 1 of the empirical research (the exploratory study) focused on an assessment of the perceptions of 75 relationship managers in respect of the importance of a number of pre-determined dimensions. A web-based approach was used and a questionnaire was developed according to the requirements of the Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) method. Based on the literature review and the results of the exploratory study, a set of 11 dimensions emerged as important for the management of long-term relationships in B2B financial services. The second phase of the empirical research focused on the perceptions of both relationship managers (the relationship manager sample) and B2B clients (the client sample). In the case of the relationship manager sample, a web-based questionnaire was sent to 300 relationship managers, while 400 clients participated in the client study. Relationship manager data were analysed by means of regression analysis whereas the client data were analysed with the aid of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The LISREL 8.80 software program was used to fit both the measurement model and the SEM model. The results of the study confirmed the important roles of especially trust and commitment on a person’s intention to stay in a relationship. Furthermore, the study found that relationship managers and clients appear to view the process of relationship management as an intricate process. Although relationship managers and clients differ on the importance of some of the further dimensions, agreement existed for the importance of especially satisfaction and communication. It was also found that relationship managers appear to over-estimate their performance levels on some of the identified dimensions. The uniqueness of the study lies in the simultaneous consideration of the perceptions of both relationship managers and clients. The most important contribution of the study is the construction of a model through which long-term marketing relationships in the B2B financial services industry can be managed.
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    Trust in an unwanted service environment : the case of pregnancy termination counselling services
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2014-08) Ebersohn, Rachelle; Theron, Edwin
    Orientation: The South African Termination of Pregnancy Act (No 92 of 1996) promotes the use of non-mandatory counselling before and after a pregnancy is terminated. The reality is, however, that not all women who are faced with the issue of termination are necessarily willing to undergo counselling. The literature revealed that this unwillingness could partly be ascribed to the fact that women do not necessarily trust counsellors and the research thus addressed the question how trust can be managed within this industry. Research purpose: The purpose of the research reported here was to investigate the influence of communication, empathy, shared values, competence, reputation and support services on trust within the pregnancy termination counselling industry. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative approach was used to assess the significance of the hypothesised relationships. Self-administered questionnaires were used to target 175 female students of a leading South African university. The data were analysed using regression analysis. Main findings: The results of the study contradict some often-assumed antecedents of trust. Managerial implications: Trust within the pregnancy termination counselling industry can be managed by services providers through focusing on personalised communication, empathy, reputation, support services and rapport. Contribution/value-add: The value of the article is twofold: Firstly, based on the findings, at practitioner level, abortion counsellors will be assisted in how to deal with clients to create trust. Secondly, the findings from the study will assist academics to understand the nature of the unwanted services industry better. Services providers and other policy makers have to rethink their current approaches through which trust is built within the abortion counselling industry.
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    Trust in independent community pharmacies : do employee-related factors matter?
    (AOSIS, 2020-07) Theron, Edwin; Pelser, Almeri
    BACKGROUND: Offering quality healthcare services in South Africa's remote areas remains a challenge. Pharmacies, and independent community pharmacies (ICPs) in particular, can play a vital role in providing access to pharmaceutical products and services in these areas. AIM: Part of the success of ICPs is the role that their employees play in building trusting relationships with pharmacy clients. It is against this background that this article investigates key employee-related factors that contribute towards building affective, calculative and contractual trust when pharmacy clients are serviced. SETTING: Clients of a specific ICP group participated in the study. The selected ICP group, which manages eight pharmacies across the Western Cape Province, has between 8000 and 41 000 active client profiles per pharmacy. METHODS: All 299 respondents who participated in the study were personally interviewed. Statistical analyses were done through Statistica, and structural equation modelling (SEM) with partial least squares (PLS) was used to assess both the measurement and the structural model. RESULTS: Although a number of significant relationships were confirmed, the importance of especially familiarity is highlighted when trust is managed in a pharmacy client-employee relationship. CONCLUSION: Given their geographical location, ICPs are ideally situated to provide access to healthcare services in the more remote areas of South Africa. By focusing on managing trust, ICPs can ensure a more constructive experience to their clients.