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Table 4 indicates that most respondents who participated in the study were classified as having contracts with their cell phone network providers (73.3%), own a BlackBerry (50%), Nokia (26.8%) or Samsung (11.4%) cell phone, and have been using their current cell phone brand for 1 year or longer, but less than 3 years (39.1%). As with the demographic profile, male and female respondents seem to be very similar with regard to their cell phone patronage habits with the exception of the period they have been using their current cell phone brand. However, when further analysed, it can be determined that similar percentages of male and female respondents have been using their current cell phone brand for less than three years [males = 71.6% (11.9%) + (22.2%) + (37.5%); females = 71.8% (14.4%) + (16.9%) + (40.5%)] as well as for longer than three years [males = 28.5% (18.8%) + (5.7%) + (4.0%); females = 28.3% (10.3%) + (11.3%) + (6.7%)]. The period respondents have been using their current cell phone brand and gender are further explored when the results pertaining to the hypotheses formulated for the study are discussed.
Brand loyalty towards cell phone brands
Table 5 portrays the descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) for each of the seven items measuring brand loyalty towards cell phone brands, as well as for the overall brand loyalty construct for both male and female respondents. The table also reflects the p-values resulting from the Independent samples t-tests conducted. The p-values indicate whether the means for males and females with regard to each of the items measuring brand loyalty as well as the overall brand loyalty are significantly different from each other.
TABLE 5: BRAND LOYALTY TOWARDS CURRENT CELL PHONE BRANDS Items
I consider myself loyal to this brand I buy this brand whenever I can I buy as much of this brand as I can
I feel this is the only brand of this product I need
This is the one brand I would prefer to buy or use
If this brand was unavailable, it would be difficult if I had to use another brand
I would go out of my way to buy this brand Overall brand loyalty
* indicative of significant difference; p ≤ 0.05
It is evident from Table 5 that both male and female respondents agree the most with the item 'This is the one brand I would prefer to buy or use' (a mean of 3.03 for males and 3.32 for females) followed by 'I consider myself loyal to this brand' (a mean of 2.89 for males and 3.09 for females). Both male and female respondents least agreed with 'I buy as much of this brand as I can' (a mean of 2.27 for males and 2.26 for females) as well as 'I would go out of my way to buy this brand' and 'I feel this is the only brand of this product I need' (a mean of 2.51. for males and 2.81 for females). The overall brand loyalty mean scores for both males and females are just above the mid-point (2.50) of the five-point scale (a mean of 2.62. for males and 2.85 for females). This is not indicative of a particularly strong level of brand loyalty towards current cell phone brands.
A GENDER PERSPECTIVE OF BRAND LOYALTY IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CELL PHONE INDUSTRY 348 Males Mean