The perceived influence of relationship quality on brand loyalty: An emerging market perspective
African Journal of Economic and Management Studies
ISSN: 2040-0705
Article publication date: 30 November 2018
Issue publication date: 1 March 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which the attitudinal loyalty of customers of small and medium apparel businesses is influenced by their perceptions of trust, commitment and satisfaction. In turn, the influence of their attitudinal loyalty on future behavioural loyalty is established.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative descriptive research approach was employed and questionnaires were administered to customers of three selected small and medium enterprise (SME) brands in the metropolitan city of Gaborone, Botswana. A total of 260 questionnaires were suitable for data analysis. The interrelationship of the constructs was analysed via structural equation modelling. In addition, the measurement and structural models were assessed.
Findings
Trust, commitment and satisfaction have a positive and significant influence on the attitudinal loyalty of SME customers, while attitudinal loyalty has a positive and significant influence on their behavioural loyalty.
Research limitations/implications
The tested model confirms the hypothesised relationships between SME customers’ trust, commitment, satisfaction, attitudinal loyalty and behavioural loyalty. Attitudinal loyalty is linked to its three antecedents (trust, commitment and satisfaction) and its outcome, behavioural loyalty.
Practical implications
The findings assist the management of SMEs in understanding how the cultivation of trust, commitment and satisfaction can foster attitudinal loyalty, ultimately leading to improved behavioural loyalty.
Originality/value
The current study contributes to new knowledge on the interrelationship of selected relationship quality dimensions, attitudinal loyalty and behavioural loyalty among SME customers in the apparel industry of Botswana. Few research studies have examined how attitudinal loyalty relates to its antecedents and outcome in Botswana, as an emerging African economy.
Keywords
Citation
Ledikwe, A., Roberts-Lombard, M. and Klopper, H.B. (2019), "The perceived influence of relationship quality on brand loyalty: An emerging market perspective", African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 85-101. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJEMS-04-2018-0113
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited