scholarly journals Understanding the Country Image-Travel Motivation Nexus in Emerging Tourism Typologies for South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 28-33
Author(s):  
Tafadzwa Matiza ◽  
Elmarie Slabbert
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
International Business ◽  
Medical Tourism ◽  
Travel Behaviour ◽  
Country Image ◽  
Travel Motivation ◽  
Table Mountain ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire ◽  
Origin Effect

Abstract Introduction. This paper explores the influence of country image on the evaluation of a destination’s attributes from the perspective of inbound tourists to South Africa - within the context of both business and medical tourism. Material and methods. Data were generated from a self-administered questionnaire distributed as part of a survey of inbound tourists visiting South Africa’s Table Mountain. Factor analysis and multiple regression were employed to determine the factors and establish their relationship, respectively. Results. The results suggest that South Africa’s image as a country influences tourist’s perception of the country and its destination attributes. More intriguingly, the results show that South Africa’s image is subject to both stereotypes and the country-of-origin effect. Conclusion. The paper concludes that country image is a significant heuristic cue in the appraisal of the destination attributes that motivate inbound tourist travel behaviour. More so, it is aspects such as the ability to manage its affairs, nationally branded exports and the availability of international business-related opportunities that may be most influential to South Africa’s perceived image in tourist decision-making.

scholarly journals The salient place brand factor(s) influencing medical tourism to South Africa

Tourism ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-353
Author(s):  
Tafadzwa Matiza ◽  
Elmarie Slabbert
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Medical Tourism ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Nation Branding ◽  
Tourism Destination ◽  
Decision Support Model ◽  
Place Brand ◽  
Potential Factors

Regardless of its importance to the global tourism economy, there is still limited academic inquiry relating to Africa within the context of non-traditional tourism typologies, such as medical tourism. This article contributes to the broader understanding of the potential factors influencing medical tourism by extending place branding theory to the decision-making process of tourists within the South African medical tourism context. The present study examines the place brand - medical tourism nexus using data generated from a sample of n=233 conveniently sampled inbound tourists. Exploratory Factor and Multiple Regression Analyses were applied to the data. It emerged that South Africa's socio-cultural place brand was found to be a statistically significant heuristic cue, positively influencing medical tourism to the country, pivoting aspects such as the country's cultural practices and colonial heritage, as some of the key considerations in the decision making the process of tourists when considering South Africa as a medical tourism destination. Critically, the results associate medical tourism with the socio-cultural profile of South Africa, through the place brand as a heuristic cue for information symmetry. The study enriches both place branding and medical tourism discourse by providing empirical evidence of the nexus between the two constructs. Practically, destination marketers are provided with critical insights into tourist perspectives, and it is recommended that African governments and medical tourism facilitators collaborate to develop a nation branding theory-based framework as a decision support model for proactively managing and communicating the image of South Africa as a medical tourism destination

Crisis or opportunity: Marks and Spencer’s tryst with Indian retail

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 671-690
Author(s):  
Arunima Rana ◽  
Ravi Shankar
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
International Business ◽  
Brand Management ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Competitor Analysis ◽  
Fashion Retail

Research methodology The case is written using secondary data sources (namely, research documents, press information, journal articles and published interviews). Publicly declared company information has further been leveraged to augment case facts. All information sources have been duly acknowledged in the reference section. Case overview/synopsis The case is written in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the Indian retail industry, revolving around scenarios in which a multinational retailer has to decide on its long- and short-term strategy in such an economic crisis. The case story has been developed around Marks and Spencer’s retail venture in the Indian market. With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting business at various levels, with countries moving to lock down and economies shrinking to recessionary levels, one of the worst affected sectors is retail. The teaching case builds upon Mark and Spencer’s initial decision of not entering and extending its food/grocery business in India. While it remained a dominant player in Indian fashion retail for almost two decades, it needs to re-think its decision of entering food retail owing to a pandemic situation affecting its offline sales/store footfall and increasing competition from global fashion brands such as Zara and H&M that had flooded the Indian fashion retail sector. The case provides a context for students to perform environmental factor and competitor analysis for a sector, with special focus on decision making in a changing crisis scenario. Complexity academic level This case could be used in undergraduate and MBA classroom programme, across subjects such as retail management, marketing management, international business, international business environment and strategic business management. This case fits while discussing topics such as business environmental factors, competitor analysis, decision-making under crisis, market entry decision, omnichannel retail strategy, consumer behaviour and brand management.

scholarly journals Exploring the factors that influence the career decision of STEM students at a university in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethel Ndidiamaka Abe ◽  
Vitallis Chikoko
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
South African ◽  
Career Decisions ◽  
Career Decision ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Career Decision Making ◽  
Stem Students ◽  
African Context

Abstract Background Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educators and stakeholders in South Africa are interested in the ways STEM students make their career decisions because of the shortages in these critical skills. Although various factors including family, teachers, peers, and career interest have been reported as determinants of career decision-making, there is a scarcity of studies that have qualitatively explored the levels of influences of any of these factors in the South African context. The main aim of this study was to investigate the factors that influence career decision-making among STEM student majors in a South African university. By better understanding students’ viewpoint on these factors, educators and policymakers can assist students in making career decisions that fit their experiences, personality, and expectations. Students in their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year of study respectively, were invited to respond to a semi-structured questionnaire about the factors that were influential in their decision to pursue a career in STEM. A total of 203 texts (response rate: 63%) were qualitatively analyzed utilising a hermeneutic phenomenology approach to traditional content analysis, whereby themes develop inductively from the data. Results We used a hermeneutic phenomenological method to traditional content analysis to examine the factors influencing participants’ career decision-making. Peer interrogation, modified member verification, compact description, code-recode tactics, and assessment trails were engaged to confirm quality and rigour. Three key results emerged, namely interpersonal, intrapersonal, and career outcomes expectancy. The perceptions of STEM students of their career decision-making in the South African context are more multifaceted than reported previously. The insights could inform policies to counter skills shortages in the STEM area. Conclusions In this exploratory study, we gave attention to describing the various ranges of students’ perceptions and experiences regarding their career decision-making. Several students reported, among other factors, that their families, personality, and expectations played influential roles in their career decision-making. Here, we discuss the meaning of interpersonal, intrapersonal, and outcome expectations with respect to career decision-making from the perspective of STEM students in a South African university.

scholarly journals The Quality Of Leader/Employee Relationship

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Carstens ◽  
Neil Barnes
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Sufficient Condition ◽  
Employee Relationship ◽  
The Relationship

This study set out to investigate what role the quality of the relationship between business leaders and their employees played in the performance of their business. The study compared the business performance of forty-five area managers in one of the major listed banks in South Africa with their specific leader/employee relationship profiles. The research approach was quantitative and of a correlational nature. The results indicate that although certain elements within the relationship between business leaders and employees indeed have an influence on business performance this alone was not a sufficient condition. The study suggested that the dimensions relating to vision, trust, accountability and decision- making have the strongest influence on business performance. Further research in this area is suggested.

scholarly journals Assessment of learners’ exposure to health education and promotion at school in the Limpopo Province of South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oni H. Tosin ◽  
Takalani G. Tshitangano
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
School Participation ◽  
Physical Changes ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire ◽  
Health Education And Promotion

Background: School participation and educational attainment among adolescents have been rising rapidly in the developing world. Thus, to attain Millennium Development Goal 6 (Combat HIV and/or AIDs, malaria and other diseases), it is crucial to seize the opportunity to educate and encourage teenagers about healthy choices and proper social behaviours that will continue into adulthood.Aim: This study aimed to assess the exposure of rural secondary school learners to health education and promotion at schools in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.Setting: This study was carried out at 10 secondary schools in Vhumbedzi educational circuit.Methodology: The study adopted a cross-sectional quantitative approach. Data were collected from 338 randomly selected learners from 10 secondary schools that make up a rural Vhumbedzi circuit in the Limpopo province. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data.Results: The findings showed that, 102 (66.07%) male and 121 (67.60%) female learners reported that they were taught about physical changes that occur during adolescence. In the same vein, most of the participants (n = 128, 84.39%) and (n = 152, 85.39%) males and females respectively claimed to have been taught about sexually transmitted diseases.Conclusion: In this study the secondary schools in the Limpopo Province of South Africa are making efforts to uphold and expose their learners to health education and promotion at school.Keyword: Health education and promotion, adolescents, school, learners

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