The effectiveness of internal marketing strategies of private tertiary education institutions (PTEIs) in an emerging market

The main purpose of this research was to determine if internal marketing (IM) activities are fulfilling their intended purpose of creating customer centred employees. Such IM activities are designed to enhance employee productive behaviour (EPB). The target population of this study consisted of academic staff from the Private tertiary education institutions (PTEIs) in Gaborone, Botswana. The questionnaires were hand delivered to a sample size of 140 respondents. The descriptive research method as well as the quantitative research approach was used in this study. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire, and analysed to compute factor analysis. The findings of this study show that the majority of the employees (96%) understood that the IM strategies motivate employees and was most importantly influenced the purposes of IM strategies. Two factors explained the ways management designed IM strategies: Management’s focus on the organizational goals and disregard for employees. The results of this study show that most of the employees (88%) believed that management unilaterally design IM strategies. Leadership and management of tertiary education institutions could apply the recommendations proposed by this study to create customer centred employees. In addition, recognizing the need for marketing faculty to make marketing knowledge creation and dissemination more relevant to education institutions. To accomplish this goal, more academic research can be targeted toward internal marketing for tertiary education institutions

Exploring the tourism potential of Mafikeng, South Africa

The majority of tourism-related studies are done with the consumer, namely the tourist, in mind. This paper, however, aims to explore the way in which the impact and potential of tourism is perceived by the local population in and around Mafikeng, the capital city of South Africa’s North West Province. During this investigation, data was collected in two different ways. Firstly, focus group interviews were held with senior marketing students in order to identify relevant variables (activities) related to the impact and potential of tourism. These variables were then used to design a Likert scale (5-point attitude) question. This questionnaire was distributed to a sample drawn from a population that consisted of local inhabitants of the Mafikeng (also known as Mahikeng) area. A quantitative analysis of the 128 responses was conducted in order to determine the perceptions of local residents. Various groupings of perceptions were identified through a cluster analysis. The study found that local residents generally had a positive perception of the impact and potential of tourism in the Mafikeng area. In addition, this research has also made a contribution to the development of a profile of the local residents regarding general perceptions of tourist activities in the Mafikeng area. The different perceptions identified during the cluster analysis have the potential to inform future research

Strategies for branding the city of Gaborone as a tourist destination.

City branding is a 21st century phenomenon that has been enthusiastically embraced by cities in high income countries. In emerging markets or developing countries city branding has not received much enthusiasm for arguably varying reasons. Cities brand themselves as viable destinations for possible investment, tourist destinations and to work in. City branding reduces risk for the customer or the traveller and acts as a sign of quality. Branding a city is an endeavour to enhance brand equity and to strengthen the core values of the city which results in competitiveness. The main objective of this study was to investigate possible strategies or ways of branding the city of Gaborone into a competitive city brand. The study used content analysis as a research technique and the respondents of this study came from the private sector and the academia. The findings of this study show that branding the city of Gaborone could result in a unique selling proposition and a well-thought city identity. The respondents indicated that Gaborone was unknown and could not compete against cities like London, Paris and Cape Town as a tourist destination. The second theme emerging from the findings of this study was that branded cities compete better than unbranded cities due to their identities and characteristics. It could be argued that a city must look at elements or characteristics that it can leverage on in order to become competitive. For example, the findings of this study showed that peace and security could be used to brand the city of Gaborone. However, it is important to note that peace and security on their own are not a tourist attraction but merely enablers for the branding of a city. The findings also showed that visitors, students and investors looked for personal safety before they could choose to visit a place. Branding a city undoubtedly influences customers’ perceptions about the city and can create a good reputation for the city. Gaborone, if branded well, would possibly have its current level of brand equity enhanced for future enhanced tourist attractiveness

The malarial exported PFA0660w is an Hsp40 co-chaperone of PfHsp70-x

Plasmodium falciparum, the human pathogen responsible for the most dangerous malaria infection, survives and develops in mature erythrocytes through the export of proteins needed for remodelling of the host cell. Molecular chaperones of the heat shock protein (Hsp) family are prominent members of the exportome, including a number of Hsp40s and a Hsp70. PFA0660w, a type II Hsp40, has been shown to be exported and possibly form a complex with PfHsp70-x in the infected erythrocyte cytosol. However, the chaperone properties of PFA0660w and its interaction with human and parasite Hsp70s are yet to be investigated. Recombinant PFA0660w was found to exist as a monomer in solution, and was able to significantly stimulate the ATPase activity of PfHsp70-x but not that of a second plasmodial Hsp70 (PfHsp70-1) or a human Hsp70 (HSPA1A), indicating a potential specific functional partnership with PfHsp70-x. Protein binding studies in the presence and absence of ATP suggested that the interaction of PFA0660w with PfHsp70-x most likely represented a co-chaperone/chaperone interaction. Also, PFA0660w alone produced a concentrationdependent suppression of rhodanese aggregation, demonstrating its chaperone properties. Overall, we have provided the first biochemical evidence for the possible role of PFA0660w as a chaperone and as co-chaperone of PfHsp70-x. We propose that these chaperones boost the chaperone power of the infected erythrocyte, enabling successful protein trafficking and folding, and thereby making a fundamental contribution to the pathology of malaria

Critical success factors in e-marketing adoption and implementation among the fast-moving consumer goods retailers in Zimbabwe

The institutionalization of e-marketing strategies, their adoption, and implementation hinges on the customers\u27 perceptions of the critical success factors that the literature identifies in terms of an online competitive advantage, online shopping infrastructure development, online customer relationship, and online shopping risk. To assess the critical success factors, a sample of 300 customers of the fast-moving consumer goods retailers throughout the provinces of Zimbabwe participated in this study. The results indicated that customers\u27 province of residence, their education and computer literacy levels are significantly associated with the critical success factors (CSFs) of e-marketing adoption and implementation. However, the study found that gender does not significantly affect the e-marketing CSFs. It is suggested that the demographic characteristics, related to education, computer literacy levels, and the province of residence are the strategic criteria for niche market segmentation and development that the fast-moving consumer goods retailers need to leverage for the successful adoption and implementation of e-marketing

Toward a standardized investigation protocol in sudden unexpected deaths in infancy in South Africa: a multicenter study of medico-legal investigation procedures and outcomes.

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Sex and ontogenetic variation in the crest of Numida meleagris: Implications for crested vertebrates.

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