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This paper evaluates the relative effects of operations management and marketing on the performance of businesses. It aims to demonstrate how the integration of these two functions enhances customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and sustainable growth. Employing a qualitative, exploratory research design, the study collected primary data through semi-structured interviews with managerial and operational staff, complemented by secondary data for validation. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the findings. Results reveal that efficient operations management—through process optimisation, resource utilisation, and quality control—significantly improves service consistency and customer satisfaction; strategic marketing initiatives, including personalised and data-driven campaigns, enhance brand visibility and loyalty; and the integration of these functions yields superior performance outcomes. The study concludes that aligning operational efficiency with innovative marketing strategies is critical for sustaining competitive advantage and long-term success in the dynamic QSR industry.

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play an important role in poverty alleviation and job creation in developing economies. An MSME needs to develop its own brand to differentiate itself from its competitors. After having developed its brand, an MSME needs to communicate its brand to its target audience. This study aimed to explore the development of brands and brand communication practices in MSMEs. Integrated communication theory was adopted to address the research objective, and exploratory qualitative research was employed to achieve the research objective. In-depth interviews were conducted with managers of MSMEs in townships in South Africa. and primary data analysed through content analysis. The findings of this paper uncovered that MSMEs’ brands were developed with an element of uniqueness and communicated through traditional platforms and social media. The paper offers recommendations to managers of MSMEs on brand communication and suggests future research directions on the topic.