/library/oar/handle/123456789/5501 2025-10-27T21:35:41Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/6057 Title: The 2011 divorce referendum in Malta : an analysis of billboard effectiveness Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this dissertation is to explore how effective billboards are in a referendum or voting campaign. Design/methodology/approach - In order for the research questions and hypotheses to be developed, a thorough analysis of existing literature in the field of commercial billboard advertising and psychological processes was conducted. Interviews with the pro- and anti-divorce campaign movements supported the development of an online quantitative questionnaire aimed at students aged between 18 to 29 years reading at the University of Malta. The results were analysed statistically using cross-tabs. Findings - The results suggest that recall can show several facades of how audiences tend to interpret different levels of effectiveness. Research limitations/implications - This study is among the first attempts in creating a foundation in the area of billboard advertising in Malta and its effectiveness in an election/referendum campaign. Practical Implications - The results can offer practitioners and future socio-political campaigners a clearer idea of which billboard ideas may be more effective over others. Originality/value - Billboard recall and effectiveness in a referendum has never been thoroughly researched. Future campaigners can use this research to learn more about which tactics can be used to establish an effective political marketing campaign. Description: B.COM.(HONS)MARKETING 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/6002 Title: Service quality in the Maltese motor insurance industry Abstract: Purpose: This paper is intended to analyse the service quality of motor insurance companies in the Maltese industry, focussed specifically on private motor policies, to continuously strive to differentiate what they offer to better fulfil customer demands. Methodology: The SERVQUAL model as developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985, 1988) was adopted to evaluate service quality, by measuring the discrepancy between the customers' expectations and perceptions. The perspective of three different participants; the general public as the consumers of motor insurance policies, the insurance company management and the companies' front-line employees was measured through questionnaires to identify insurance company shortfalls and any mismatch between the latter and motor insurance customers. Findings: It was identified that insurance customers who claimed in the last five years had a lower perception of their insurance company and higher expectations. Results also showed that Maltese insurance companies had a number of shortcomings which needed to be identified and tackled, especially in the dimensions which resulted to be the most important to customers i.e the reliability dimension followed by the responsiveness dimension. Research Limitations: This study was made taking five major motor insurance companies as representative of the Maltese insurance industry. This is a first attempt were future research can be more comprehensive with a larger number of insurance companies and higher number of iii participants involved in all the three questionnaires. Gaps between the managerial and front line employee responses can also be determined. Practical Implications: This study benefits the motor insurance companies as it highlights the gaps between what they are currently offering and what the customers expect. This can benefit both parties with more satisfied customers as a result of higher company performances. Value: Although insurance might not seriously invest in service quality at the moment, considering that this service sector is at its maturity level, offering service quality is a unique preposition which companies can adopt to retain customers and hold a top of mind reputation in their minds. Description: B.COM.(HONS)MARKETING 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/5868 Title: The willingness to use mobile payments : the Maltese scenario Abstract: Technological advances and the internet have become an integral part of our lives and have brought massive changes in the way we do things. Mobile phone evolution and more importantly the advent of Smartphones, have revolutionised the way financial transactions are made. The transition from cash and cheques to credit cards to internet banking has now progressed to mobile payments or m-payments. This concept is still relatively unknown in Malta and this study aims to explore the willingness to use mobile payments in the local scenario. The research was conducted by taking an overview of the present situation of financial institutions and the telecommunications industry in relation to mobile payments. It also takes into account mobile and internet usage in Malta and the willingness of the major business sector stakeholders to introduce mobile payments locally. The main part of the research was through a survey with 224 participants conducted through both CAPI and CATI methods which focuses on how the Maltese make payments, how they use existent financial facilities and which financial institutions they trust most and feel most comfortable using. It also investigates mobile usage of participants including the types and brands of mobiles they use, which mobile service providers they choose and the level of trust and comfort they feel. The questionnaire also asks participants whether they are aware of mobile payments, what they understand by the term and if they would be ready to use them. The main findings after analysis of data collected was that 58.5% of participants have heard of mobile payments and 71.9% of them are willing to use them. The major factors of willingness to use are ease of use and availability while that of unwillingness is security. Respondents feel most comfortable paying by charging to their mobile phone account and most uncomfortable paying by debiting to their bank. 50% of participants foresee no change in their use of current methods payments and banks are most trusted to operate the mobile payments service followed by credit card companies and lastly telecommunications operators. Description: B.COM.(HONS)MARKETING 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/5799 Title: The marketing of small and medium sized enterprises Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this dissertation is to get a deeper understanding of how the concept of marketing is seen and put into practice by SMEs. Design/ Methodology/ Approach - A number of journals related to marketing for SMEs were analysed and discussed. Qualitative, in-depth interviews with five established Maltese SMEs were conducted discussing the points raised from the journals. The interviews were later analysed and discussed to understand the marketing concepts of SMEs at a local level. Findings - Marketing was seen as a means to inform customers about the business and its offerings. SME owner---managers were also interested in creating and maintaining customer relationships. The main aim of marketing seemed to be to create sales. The results show that SME marketing varies substantially from that of large multinationals. Research limitations - This dissertation does not come short of limitations due to the fact that the SME 'world' is very vast. Apart from being vast their is much less information available about SMEs, since most research is conducted on large multinationals. Practical implications - From the paper one could understand how limited marketing is within SMEs. Originality/ Validity - This dissertation offers an insight into the little---researched area of marketing within SMEs. It brings evidence of the perceptions of marketing and how they affect marketing management in small enterprises. Description: B.COM.(HONS)MARKETING 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z