The purpose of the study is to measure behavioral, attitudinal and other brand loyalty antecedents, and to develop an operating model for measuring and managing brand loyalty of commercial banks ...clients. A random sample of 500 members of the South African Commercial Institute, who are also commercial banks’ clients, received a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire to be completed online via Twitter and Facebook. About 196 people completed the questionnaire. The data possess construct validity and reliability (α ≥ 0.70). The results show that seven of the 12 original antecedents are banking related, namely five Attitudinal antecedents (r2 = 0.557) and two Other antecedents (r2 = 0.442). Behavioral antecedents were not important to bank clients. All the antecedents have factor loadings above 0.60, and there is a significant positive correlation between Attitude and the Other antecedents (r = 0.75; p ≤ 0.01). This means that the model is useful for managers in managing brand loyalty at their banks. It is also of value to researchers and academia looking to conduct further research on how to measure and manage brand loyalty. However, a caution is that the data originated from South African banks’ clients. Country-specific influences can cause different brand loyalty preferences among international banks’ clients.
AcknowledgmentI wish to acknowledge Mr. Sarel Salim for his contribution to administering the data collection for the original research on brand loyalty in banking (see also Salim and Bisschoff, 2014 in the reference list).
The study investigates the relationship between customers’ loyalty, trust and satisfaction concerning an organization’s reputation in the South African banking sector. High service levels exist in ...this highly competitive and price-sensitive market. Access to banking has also digitized significantly, and banks adapted their service strategies to comply with COVID-19 restrictions such as hard lockdowns and limited movements. Customers were not able to attend banks. Hence the whole personal (contact) service and loyalty scenario required aggressive reengineering. A bank’s competitiveness can be impacted significantly by service quality, price competitiveness, and product diversity. As a result, the study with the primary objective is to determine the new relationships between customer loyalty and antecedents such as service quality, customer satisfaction, customer trust, brand image, reputation, customer loyalty, and word of mouth. Data were gathered from South African customers using a 5-point Likert scale distributed via an electronic platform (Google Forms). More than 1,000 questionnaires were distributed, and 150 were completed and returned (representing a 15% response rate). The reliability is satisfactory (Cronbach alpha coefficient on all antecedents exceeded 0.775). The literature model was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. The analysis showed that the model possesses convergent- (r2 < Sqrt AVE) and discriminant (AVE > 0.5) validity and possesses satisfactory fit indices (CFI = .951, TL = .941, NFI = .922, RMSEA = .089, CMIN/df = 129.072/592.188 = 2.188). This indicates that the model can be operationalized in South Africa to measure post-COVID-19 bank loyalty.
Introduction
The growing need for environmental awareness accentuated the importance of green and sustainable business practices. This is also true for universities that modernly expanded their green ...training and research to engage in green operational practices.
Methods
This article summarises the main principles and factors of implementing green initiatives. Firstly, a generic theoretical approach conceptualizes implementing green initiatives at universities. The investigation analyses existing and current green initiatives at the universities, considers the benefits and barriers of implementing green initiatives, and develops a theoretical model for implementing green initiatives at South African public universities. An adapted conceptual model consisting of twenty significant literature antecedents (
p
≤ 0.05) and 13 latent variables (factors) could be hypothesized. This model was tested empirically with reliable data (α = 0.749) from a five-point Likert scale questionnaire administered to 144 responding green managers at eight selected South African public universities.
Results
Although the regression model explains satisfactory variance (R
2
= 0.862; R
2
adjusted = 0.841), only five of the 20 antecedents in the theoretical model are significant. They are
Cost of green products
(
r
= 0.527;
p
≤ 0.05),
Lack of awareness and training
(
r
= 0.435;
p
≤ 0.05),
Managerial attitude and commitment
(
r
= 0.369;
p
≤ 0.05),
Digitisation
(
r
= 0.552;
p
≤ 0.05), and
Management Committee
(
r
= 0.451;
p
≤ 0.05). Further analysis revealed that the data possess embedded intelligence. Resultantly, 13 factors were identified, explaining a cumulative variance of 61.8%. However, only six factors are reliable and, therefore, usable (α ≥ 0.57). They are
F1
:
Convenience and efficient workflow, F2
:
Personnel cooperation, F3
:
Efficient use of resources, F5
:
Learning and improvement, F6
:
Delegation of authority
, and
F7
:
Improved management attitude
. Cumulatively, the six usable factors explain a cumulative variance of 45.5%.
Discussion
The model aspires to demonstrate and measure the implementation of green initiatives at public universities. Although the theoretical model is detailed, the empirical study showed that not all of the antecedents are usable for measuring and managing the implementation of green initiatives at South African public higher institutions. This study validated five of the antecedents and six factors for immediate use. The model's unvalidated antecedents and unreliable factors require empirical revalidation before operationalizing it fully. Researchers and scholars exploring this avenue of green initiatives implementation models can also benefit from this article.
Orientation This study investigated the organisational commitment of academic personnel working from home within private higher education in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study ...adopted a quantitative methodology. The target population comprised of 133 academic personnel employed at a private higher education institution. Data were collected using an online survey with the validated Three-Component Model (TCM) employee commitment questionnaire. A satisfactory response rate of 79% was realised.
This study investigates the brand loyalty of consumers in the online booking platform industry. The Mabalingwe Nature Reserve served as a case study, while the Moolla and Bisschoff brand loyalty ...model was used to measure brand loyalty across twelve antecedents. This study aimed to, firstly, validate the model for use in online booking platforms, secondly, to measure the reliability of the data, and finally, to measure brand loyalty across twelve antecedents in online booking platforms. Online questionnaires were distributed via an online link by the booking managers of the game reserve, and 131 responses were captured; this represented a statistically adequate sample as per the KMO measure (.741). The descriptive statistics, using a 5-point Likert scale, showed that Brand trust (4.03) and Customer satisfaction (3.96) are the most important brand loyalty antecedents, while Culture (2.34) is the least important brand loyalty antecedent in an online booking platform. Exploratory factor analysis validated the questionnaire for online booking platforms, while Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (.701) indicated that the reliability of the data is acceptable. Regarding latent variable identification, Brand quality and Brand relationship are two most important factors, respectively, explaining variance of 13.1% and 8.7%. The study culminated in a model to measure and manage brand loyalty of online booking platforms. This model can be operationalized for use by managers, researchers, and academia.
The primary aim of the study was to determine if heart rate variability (HRV), and heart rate recovery (HRR) are related to several subjective indicators of recovery status (muscle soreness, ...hydration status, sleep quality and quantity as well as pre-competition mood states) for different match periods in male, elite, African, singles badminton players. HRV and HRR were measured in twenty-two badminton players before (pre-match), during (in-match), after (post-match) and during rest periods (in-match rest) of 46 national and international matches. Muscle soreness, hydration status, and sleep quality and quantity were measured on a daily basis whereas mood states were measured just before each match via questionnaires. Prior to each match warm-up, players were fitted with a Fix Polar Heart Rate Transmitter Belt to record heart rate every second during each match and HRR during service breaks and after matches. Kubios HRV software was used for final HRV analyses from the series of R-R-intervals. A strong, significant canonical correlation (Rc = 0.96, p = 0.014) was found between HRV, HRR and subjective indicators of recovery status for the in-match period, but only strong, non-significant relationships were observed for pre-match (Rc = 0.98, p = 0.626) and post-match periods (Rc = 0.98, p = 0.085) and a low non-significant relationship (Rc = 0.69, p = 0.258) for the in-match rest period. Canonical functions accounted for between 47.89% and 96.43% of the total variation between the two canonical variants. Results further revealed that Ln-HFnu, the energy index and vigour were the most prominent variables in the relationship between the autonomic markers of heart rate and recovery-related variables. In conclusion, this study proved that subjective indicators of recovery status influence HRV and HRR measures obtained in a competitive badminton environment and should therefore be incorporated in protocols that evaluate these ANS-related parameters.
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is an emerging focus within South Africa (SA). In Human Movement Sciences (HMS) in SA, research is primarily discipline-specific, and many researchers ...are unfamiliar with SoTL. To explore how we (as HMS lecturers) could integrate SoTL into our research, we formed a community of practice (CoP). The SoTL unicycle depiction of Swart et al. (2016) suited our visual analogy since the focus of HMS is on the human body that is in motion. For us, the unicycle represented HMS SoTL in motion. Swart et al. (2016) viewed the SoTL movement as an academic’s individual journey, whereas we saw SoTL from a CoP perspective. Therefore, we adapted the unicycle into a tandem bicycle, representing our collaborative engagements. Participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) formed our theoretical framework. Through our dialogue, each tandem wheel’s focus emerged. The back wheel was about deciding to SoTL (or not). This became a linchpin of our critical dialogue during the relationship-building phase of our CoP. Once we committed, we needed to learn how to keep our CoP moving forward. This became the middle wheel of our tandem bicycle. Next, the front wheel and handlebar became our guide into what the future of SoTL would be for us. The tandem bicycle, therefore, represents our collective cycles of learning as we became SoTL researchers. We believe our learning can support others transitioning from discipline-specific research to engaging in SoTL.
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This study aimed to analyse the consumer ethics behaviour of South African managers when they make business decisions in their personal capacity. This means the decisions have a direct and personal ...impact on the manager; the manager suffers the consequences or gains benefits from their decisions and not the company they work for. The literature base explores rationalisation of unethical behaviour to sensitise the reader to defence mechanisms for unethical behaviour. The mechanism neutralisation and normalisation are used to explain unethical behaviour and why the boundaries are always pushed. The literature also seeks to identify demographic variables and their relationships to respondents as a guide to determine where potential relationships in this study could be identified. The population consists of graduate managers with at least three years of management experience. A snowball sample was used online to invite South African managers with three years managerial experience and a university degree to partake in the study; 102 completed the questionnaire. The data was subjected to testing sample adequacy using the Kaiser, Meyer and Olkin test (KMO=0.790), sphericity as per Bartlett's test was significant (chi square (91) = 396.550, p < 0.05) and the reliability according to Cronbach alpha (alpha=0.853). The results show that both the ethical attitudes and ethical behaviour are well below the midpoint of 3.5; this signifies acceptable ethical attitudes and behaviours. However, closer scrutiny shows that in nine of the 14 scenarios, the managers ' behaviour is statistically significantly less ethical than their attitude profile. In one scenario (keeping the extra change), the unethical behaviour is also moderately practically significant (d=0.58) as measured by Cohen's d-value. No significant correlations were identified between the demographic variables and the scenarios. Exploratory factor analysis (explaining a cumulative variance of 60.52%) extracted three factors. These are misleading behaviour (37.04% variance), untruthful behaviour (13.71% variance), and price benefit (9.77% variance). All three factors have excellent reliability coefficients. The results show that although the managers have ethical attitudes and behaviours well within the ethical boundaries, their behaviour is less ethical than their attitudes. Here, three scenarios are specifically worrisome because all three are regarded (attitude) as acceptable behaviour (when they are not), and the managers indicated that they also act unethically upon these scenarios. These scenarios are to keep quiet if a product is incorrectly priced, test products in shop but order from elsewhere, and misuse limited offer specials. The study also shows that although the managers know better, overall, they are pushing the boundaries and behave less ethically; albeit still within the general ethical sphere, it is less ethical than their attitudes indicate. The ethical basis is good. It is promising that managers know what the right thing to do is, and behave accordingly, especially for a country like South Africa where corruption, state capture and personal gain in business decisions are rife. The measurement of attitudes provides a barometer of the business ethical atmosphere of South African managers. Attitudes are strong behavioural drivers. This means that behaviour in consumer ethics can be positively influenced if attitudes are showing a positive inclination towards ethical consumer decisions. KEYWORDS: ethics, behaviour, managers, South Africa, perceptions, profile, attitudes, consumer, decision-making TREFWOORDE: etiek, gedrag, bestuurders, Suid-Afrika, persepsies, profiel, houdings, verbruikers, besluitneming
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