Journal of Business and Retail Management Research

Private label brands, consisting of merchandise sold exclusively through a particular retail chain, are growing in prominence throughout the world. Although highly advantageous to retailers, these brands exhibit pitifully low penetration rates in South Africa and are typically seen as being inferior to national/manufacturer brands. This study considers three key demographic variables and the impact of these on consumer responses pertaining to the perceptions of a private label brand. In this respect, a range of responses to PLB characteristics are assessed, focusing on perceived quality, risk, relative price and value. Furthermore, antecedents affecting perceived quality, and a moderator variable assessing the impact of entrenched loyalty to national brands, are included in the mix. Lastly, willingness to buy is also probed. The findings reveal that high income households shun PLBs, as do younger adults of 21 to 40 years of age. In contrast, consumers aged 60 and above appear to embrace these brands. There was a negligible difference recorded by the gender divide, although females appeared more inclined to favour private label merchandise. These results may assist retailers in better targeting predisposed consumers, particularly through customisable channels such as Facebook and Google Mail advertisements.

The study evaluates corporate governance practices among selected non-financial quoted firms across industries and analysed the level of compliance with the 2003 code of best practices in Nigeria. A data set on corporate governance mechanism was obtained from the firms’ annual reports, the publication of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) as well as the website of the firms and analysed using descriptive analysis. A corporate governance index was constructed to represent Nigerian corporate governance standard and listed firms were ranked according to the index. The results showed that firms observed between 2003 and 2010 have embedded corporate governance initiatives with an average compliance level of 72.15 percent and a growth rate of 5.83 percent. While the analysis showed a structural shift in corporate governance structure, a slow-down in change of corporate governance practice among firms in Nigeria was however observed.

The purpose of this study was to identify and assess the antecedents of brand loyalty from the perspective of Oliver’s (1997) cognitive, affective, and conative theorization of consumer loyalty. A convenience sample of 285 students across multiple majors of study completed a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire included brand equity, brand satisfaction, and brand loyalty items. Each item was measured based upon a seven-point Likert scale. Two jean brands, one premium jean brand and one nonpremium jean brand, were utilized to assess the items. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test proposed research hypotheses. Based upon Oliver’s theorization of consumer loyalty, a positive relationship was confirmed between brand emotional value and brand satisfaction, brand emotional value and brand loyalty, and brand satisfaction and brand loyalty for both jean brand groups. This study indicated a lack of association between brand awareness and brand emotional value. This notion suggests that even if a retailer carries a brand with high awareness, that brand will not necessarily invoke an emotional value in the consumer. Therefore, retailers should consider stocking more than just well-known brands, and make sure that the brands they carry meet the functional and non-functional needs of their consumers.

This study looked at the development of a scale to measure the perceived benefits of e-recruitment from the viewpoint of the recruiter. Based on the review of the previous literature and studies the research objectives were posed. The perceived benefits of e-recruitment were defined in the literature by several scholars from a qualitative perspective. Nevertheless, up to the knowledge of the researcher a quantitative scale to measure these perceived benefits was not developed. Through the review of literature and the interviews held with key recruitment and human resources managers and executives, a proposed set of constructs were developed in the form of a questionnaire. The initial questionnaire was, tested and administered to several sectors within Cairo, Egypt. Statistical results revealed a number of valid items that could be used for the measurement of these constructs. Future research should extend to other study sectors and other domains.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that affect young Egyptian consumers' attitudes towards fast-food advertising in Facebook which is considered the most widely used social media network. 4 focus groups were conducted with young consumers from 2 Egyptian cities. Content analysis was applied for the Egyptian fast-food Facebook fan pages with the aid of the NVivo software. The findings of this exploratory study have shown that young consumers are accepting the idea of fast food advertising in Facebook. Moreover, the research provides a framework for the factors that lead to consumers' engagement with the advertisements on Facebook. With the increase in the popularity of social media websites among the young generation, fast-food marketers find it a more effective medium for advertising for their chains among that segment. The research provides insights for marketers to make their advertisements more effective on Facebook. The participants in the focus groups were young consumers in Egypt. It would be useful to expand the sample and conduct the research in other developing and developed countries with more consumers from other age groups. Consumer attitude towards advertising as a topic generates interest from academics and practitioners in looking at analysis of the effectiveness and success of advertisements in social media. Therefore this research adds value in that, so far, there is very little academic literature on this particular topic exam

As Algeria is an oil-rich country having its revenues entirely linked to hydrocarbon exports, tensions in the oil market might engender risks of macroeconomic imbalances. Bearing in mind the importance of oil for the world economy and its fallout during a prolonged surge of its prices, it would be interesting to investigate the relationship inflation-oil prices, which is a point of contrast among economists. At first, we will display theoretical background of inflation and the inflation patterns in Algeria, before putting evidence of strategic issues of the oil revenues in Algeria. We will finish by an econometric analysis via a VAR model of the eventual relationship between oil prices and inflation in Algeria. This article aims to answer the question: “What’s the impact of oil price fluctuations on inflation in Algeria?

This quantitative research explores the impact of deceptive advertising in Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) in Cameroon on students. We report the results of a questionnaire survey of 201 students randomly selected from eight private institutions. The findings provide new insights into deceptive advertising specifically in the Higher Education industry where no prior study had been conducted. We find that there is a fairly significant impact of deceptive advertising by Private Higher Educational Institutions on the students. Though fair, we suggest that there is urgent need for Government and other relevant stakeholders to establish measures to eradicate deception in the education industry as it undermines the value of Higher Education and the country’s educational system as a whole.

This paper covers Retail Management, globalization, ethical and legal issues related to the Retail Industry. Specifically the paper looks to a connection between a company’s emphases on culture as a mechanism to assure compliance. This paper looks at some relatively recent current events by Retail Industry giants like Walmart and Kroger. Leveraging secondary research these events will be discussed. In addition this paper will leverage primary and secondary research to help highlight a company’s culture as a very effective mechanism to prevent compliance failures. The primary research included in this paper was conducted via anonymous phone interviews. Interviewees were assured of anonymity, and provided the aggregated anonymous research results for their efforts. Interviewees were asked a script of questions that range from Yes/No questions, to scale questions and open ended questions. The interviewees included in the survey were confirmed to be seniorlevel human resource professionals with a focus on compliance. This primary research is not positioned to be statistically representative of all global retailers. This primary research does reflect a perceptive given the reach and size of the selected companies that participated. The primary research in support of this paper is limited to only a select few respondents. This is likely due to the nature of the compliance function in companies erring on the side of caution. Global retailers have many, large force

Customer service is an integral part of doing business today. Customer service providers must have adequate preparation to interact effectively with the customer. The preparation is a result of a commitment to increase understanding of the customer service industry, the knowledge of current trends, the ability to interpret those trends and the development of the fundamental skills necessary to achieve excellence. The aim of this is to analyse perceptions of job satisfaction levels at grocery retailers in South Africa and establish whether there is a relationship between job satisfaction and motivation of retail employees at grocery retailers in Pretoria, South Africa. It is evident from the research that the majority of respondents 43 percent strongly disagree with the statement that employee attitude is commendable, a view that is disputed by management. Management is of the impression that it is doing enough to address customer satisfaction problems. The research also established that the customer’s perception is that there is little empowerment to the frontline staff. The conducted research finally has established that there is a positive correlation between job satisfaction and motivation of retail employees of grocery retailers.

This research aims to provide guidance for the management of supply chains to improve the likelihood and extent of open innovation, and the management of trust with regard to coupling the potential role of the customer, competitors and suppliers to increase supply chain performance. It is the purpose of this study to introduce a model for applying open innovation privileged in supply chains. Through the understanding of the level of open innovation inside the Egyptian organizations – namely the automobile industry – it will investigate if there is a difference in the level of trust held between different trust types. A survey using an extant study is undertaken at multinational automobile assembly lines in Egypt. It involved one type of questionnaire completed by the middle managerial level. The presented model identifies a relationship between trust and open innovation in supply chains. Consequently, it could lead to the enhancement of customer satisfaction, an increase in internal customer performance and the development of innovative products. This explorative study also indicates that multinational automobile assembly lines working in Egypt are willing to apply the right amount of open innovation. The study is based on a relatively small sample of limited geographic scope (one country: Egypt), and of a short duration (one-year coverage). Future research should expand the geographic coverage to other parts of the world and prolong the duration. Internal r

Since the dawn of democracy South Africa has embarked in a process of dismantling protectionist business and trade policies, and made the country’s stream of commerce one of the preferred globally. The country’s sound competition and trade policies, natural resource endowments, market size and regional influence, attracted foreign businesss and foreign direct invetsment (FDI). Equally the country has been under pressure to protect the domestic industries from injurious competition and business, through sector specific laws, anti-dumping and countervailing duties laws, investment and competition regime. The concern has been the likilelihood of the introduction of trade and competition barriers, and the allienation of FDI. This paper critically examines the impact the country’s antidumping and competition law and practice upon foreign direct investment. Domestic industries have never been shy to file anti-dumping and anti-competition suits against foreign companies, sometimes even when there might be a public outcry. Relevant examples of these suits include the famous Wal-Mart anti-competition case, and recently the Brazilian frozen fowl meat anti-dumping case.