https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/39155 2026-06-06T01:04:57Z 2026-06-06T01:04:57Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/39378 2020-06-03T10:14:17Z 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The reliance on social media during house hunting : a Maltese case study Abstract: Social Media has caused a change in the way people interact and communicate (Carther, 2013) The focus of this research is on the possible reliance on online social networking sites during house hunting. I further intend to examine the role of the agent in a property sale transaction and the potential impact of social media on a real estate agent. An analysis of the situation in Malta is undertaken to identify, the evolution of Social Media and its effects and impacts on the Maltese islands. Different interpretations on this topic are pointed out through literature. Some argue that Social Media has improved social interactions and facilitate business transactions while others state that this has led to a disturbance in the relationships which individuals have on the web. The scope of this literature is to use quantitative research methodology to assess the cause and effect relationship between Social Media and real estate marketing. The outcomes of the research may serve as an indicator to real estate firms and agents on how they can be involved in the decision-making process via social media platforms mainly through Facebook. Description: M.SC.STRATEGIC MANGT.&MARKETING

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/39377 2020-06-03T10:12:49Z 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The client–consultant relationship in the context of customer insight process : a local study Abstract: This study determines how top management executives differentiate across business consultants across a set of perceived value dimensions. Various earlier studies about customer insight and business to business services shed light on how these consultancy aspects are perceived and managed. However, most studies examining the relationship between the client and the consultant focus only on an organisational level rather than on the individual level, offering limited understanding on what are the main factors that influence a client to choose a particular business consultant. A repertory grid technique was employed for this study and this stems from Kelly’s personal construct theory. A purposive sample of ten executive managers participated in this study, subjected to a repertory grid interview. Each participant was selected on the basis of extensive experience in the use of customer insight and dealing with at least five external consultants. A manual process of data categorization ensued where all elicited constructs emerging from the repertory grid interviews were categorized into twenty-seven unique and distinct categories. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the 27 categories led to the identification of 11 key dimensions of perceived value on which managers distinguish between consultants as sources of insight. The most valued factors that top management executives see in business consultants is termed as security, meaning the reliability and punctuality of the business consultant. Reliability is followed by factors such as ingenuity and potential eliciting important values such as the knowledge and connections of the consultant. These findings offer an alternative explanation to how top management executives perceive value as offered by business consultants. Generally, earlier literature focused on analysing the relationship and use of customer insight on an organisation level rather than on an individual level. The findings emerging from this study have various implications on business consultants. This study reveals that business consultants have abundant prospects for refining their value offering towards top management executives. From an academic perspective, this study offers a starting point for future research as it uncovers a particular dimension of how business consultants are perceived on an individual level rather than on an organisational level. Description: M.SC.STRATEGIC MANGT.&MARKETING

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/39286 2020-06-03T08:24:46Z 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Influencing engagement in the local basketball scene Abstract: Purpose: This study explores the relationship between entertainment as a motivator for attendance at a local basketball match whilst also examining the different reasons behind it. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey was sent out to a non-random sample in order to gain insight on how sports enthusiasts feel about adding entertainment to the local basketball scene. A total of 216 respondents were collected of which 208 where used for analysis. The data was then analysed using the statistical program SPSS. Findings: The results drawn showed that there is a relationship between entertainment and engagement as seen in past research, though these did not vary much by age and gender on the Maltese scene. Research limitations/implications: The study sets the groundwork for future research that can be applied to other sports as this study mainly focuses on basketball. Originality/value: Recently, many people have become aware of the low attendance at local basketball games, though the problem has not been researched. However, the findings in this study may provoke some remedial action to be taken. Description: M.SC.STRATEGIC MANGT.&MARKETING

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/39285 2020-06-03T10:11:11Z 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The effectiveness of marketing campaigns in the online gambling industry Abstract: The iGaming industry has grown rapidly over the past decade, resulting in a large range of online gambling websites entering the market. This has naturally led to a highly competitive environment in which online gambling providers must constantly find ways to acquire new customers and retain existing ones. As such, the aim of this study is to discover the most effective marketing tools that can be applied to advertising and promotions to attract individuals towards a specific iGaming company. It aims to address which tools, amongst the number of different types of offers available, are the most attractive to pre-existing online gambling customers and which are compelling enough to cause a loyal customer to switch to a different gambling website. The main tool that will be researched is the use of promotions. This is because the use of promotions is common amongst all iGaming companies to gain new customers, maintain existing ones and to re-attract lapsed customers. A thorough literature review identifies the gaps in the literature which contributed towards the development of a number of hypotheses. The research questions are answered through the distribution of a self-administered online questionnaire. The responses received show that promotions are not the defining competitive factor within the online gambling industry. Nevertheless, they are still of great importance particularly for customer acquisition. The sample indicates that there are three categories of bettors determined by the number of online gambling accounts held, as well as interest in promotions. Based on the collected sample, there is also a deep longing for control amongst bettors in terms of their exposure to advertisements and promotions as well as the usability of online gambling websites. It is thus recommended that iGaming companies identify the categories in which their customers fall and appropriately target them. It is also recommended to provide bettors with the control that they crave. Further research may be undertaken to assess the impact that focusing on promotions to increase customer acquisition may have on revenues. Description: M.SC.STRATEGIC MANGT.&MARKETING

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z