Acta Commercii

Orientation: Customer loyalty is crucial in the retail banking sector, given the increasing competition within the industry and from emerging non-traditional players. 

Research purpose: This study sought to establish the influence of corporate governance practices on customer loyalty in Nigerian retail banks. 

Motivation for the study: Conducting a study of this nature highlights how corporate governance practices contribute to customer loyalty in the retail banking sector of Nigeria as a developing country in Africa. 

Research design, approach and method: Premised on relationship marketing and stakeholder theoretical orientations, the study used a sample of 424 bank customers scientifically selected from eight commercial banks identified within Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria. A six-construct survey instrument was used to collect relevant data. Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) version 3 was utilised to ascertain the interaction between customer loyalty and corporate governance practices domains. 

Main findings: The result of the PLS-SEM model established that all corporate governance practices had a positive effect on customer loyalty at a very significant level (p < 0.01), except transparency and disclosure, which had an inverse relationship and effect on customer loyalty, though at a non-significant level (β = -0.005, p = 0.93). Presence of competent bank management had the highest positive influence on customer loyalty. 

Practical/managerial implications: The findings of this study will be useful for bank management and role players in the financial and other service sectors on the importance of good corporate governance and specific attributes of the identified corporate governance that are critical for business success.

Contribution/value-add: This study was able to identify corporate governance practices from customers’ perspective, which is a departure from the traditional shareholder perspective in business studies. It has advanced the relatively known terrain in corporate governance and business literature by opening up new debates on the relevance of corporate leadership beyond the confines of the boardroom.

Orientation: African countries offer many investment opportunities and also urgently need global investment finance. Along the value chains of the agro-industrial sector there are many global challenges for African countries to attract foreign direct investment. This article investigates the investment flows in agro-industries and products to and from South Africa. 

Research purpose: This study evaluates the nature and dimensions of the agro-industrial sector that receive investment inflows in South Africa, as well as investigating South African investment patterns into Africa.

Motivation for the study: Of particular interest is the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) flows, their integration into global value chains and sustainable investment options. 

Research design, approach and method: Qualitative data and visual techniques using available data for the period 2003–2014 disambiguate the linkages in FDI patterns with regard to regions, industries and specific companies. Flows between regions and the specific companies are identified and studied. 

Main findings: The results indicate that the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are the largest investors in South Africa, with a strong focus on agricultural input production and subsequent agro-processing industries. South African investment into Africa follows a similar, albeit narrower and more focused, pattern. The study concludes that foreign multinational enterprises are actively involved in global value chain expansion and South African firms are following suit. 

Practical/managerial implications: The lack of FDI in actual agricultural crop production in Africa offers future investment opportunities. 

Contribution/value-add: This study creates a better understanding of how FDI in agriculture is linked to the development of regional value chains in the Southern African region. The methodology applies a novel approach to an important field of study, of which little knowledge exists, and may contribute to the creation of wealth in the countries of the region and the welfare of its population.

Orientation: In a competitive retail business environment, the essence of service quality is invariably amplified. Within a university context, the same applies, given that the student population of customers is relatively finite and yet there are a variety of food outlets on campuses. 

Research purpose: This study aims to investigate the existence (or lack of it) of a relationship between gender, race and price and the dependent variable of students’ service quality perception of campus-based food outlets. Although gender and race are the most obvious defining demographic features of a student population, the variable of price is usually a major consideration for student purchases. 

Motivation for the study: The study is an applied research as it is focused on addressing an issue with real-life business implications. 

Research design, approach and method: It employs the use of data collected in a crosssectional manner from 200 respondents selected through non-probability sampling.

Main findings: The findings of the study indicate that no significant differences exist in service quality perception when gender is considered. Conversely, results show that the service quality perceptions of racial groups differ. The study also finds that a weak but positive correlation exists between price and service quality perceptions.

Practical/managerial implications: These results indicate practical implications as they can become useful condiments for refining the offerings and services of the studied campus-based food outlets in the quest to meet or exceed customer expectations. 

Contribution/value-add: From an academic perspective, the study builds on existing knowledge by exposing the association that the independent variables of gender, race and price have with students’ service quality perception in the specific context of campus-based food outlets in Gauteng, South Africa.