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The perceived influence of relationship quality on brand loyalty: An emerging market perspective

Aobakwe Ledikwe (Department of Marketing Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa)
Mornay Roberts-Lombard (Department of Marketing Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa)
Hendrik Baltus Klopper (Department of Marketing Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa)

African Journal of Economic and Management Studies

ISSN: 2040-0705

Article publication date: 30 November 2018

Issue publication date: 1 March 2019

1788

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

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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