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The main purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the customers’ motivation to participate in SAP‘s Influencing Programs and to subsequently generate suggestions for possible improvements.
The framework for the domains of interview design, analysis of conducted interviews, as well as the analysis of secondary sources is presented by theoretical analysis of both the involvement of business-to-business customers in the innovation process as well as the nature of motivation.
Empirical findings show that customers’ motivation to participate in SAP IPs consists of, in descending order of importance, the following motives: Influencing functionality, understanding functionality, learning about future functionality, contact to SAP, and contact to other companies. The design of SAP’s Influencing Programs is generally in line with the motivation of participating customers. Still, improvements could be realized in terms of customer involvement during the selection process, internal alignment between different Influencing Program teams, and mandatory training of Influencing Program moderators.
A Successful introduction of E-learning for Bosch Car Service and Auto Crew Workshops Worldwide.
(2016)
The purpose of this study is to determine how to introduce E-learning successfully for Bosch soft franchise workshops to maintain quality in services and a high level of customer satisfaction. The study focuses on two research question A) Should Bosch continue to invest in producing elearning course for workshops. B) How to increase workshop’s participation for e-learning. Regional Concept Managers from 14 countries evaluated the existing e-learning courses to define exclusively “E-learnings” pro and cons as per their marketplace to see if investing in elearning is beneficial. Secondly, the emphasis was placed on Regional Managers to brainstorm on what are the new strategies can be used to motivate the workshop to take part in e-learning. Broadly speaking, learning is an expensive and time-consuming activity that can be a disadvantage when it comes to teaching people. Bosch was one of the pioneer company after Daimler that uses e-learning platform to train their workshops- Bosch car Service and Auto Crew. The vision for e-learning was very innovative and useful for the workshops to teach the structured way of showing all the works that carried out in a workshop. However, low participation from the workshop in e-learning courses has been a challenge.
The first part of the thesis provides a theoretical understanding of the Automotive Aftermarket. It also gives detail introduction and usage of “E-learning” in 21st century. The second part explains the workshop concepts “Bosch Car Service” and “Auto Crew.” It also provides an overview of “how e-learning course is produced and used for workshops” and the final part consists of an “Empirical Research” that includes the findings from Expert Interview and survey with Regional Managers. The findings from empirical part reveal that E-learning courses are useful for the workshop. Therefore, Bosch should continue to invest in producing E-learning Courses. However, study shows the different areas that need improvement, therefore findings from the empirical research need to be considered by the Headquarter as well as the Regional Organization to successfully introduce “E-learning” for the workshops.
This study belongs to the field of innovation research and is based on the application of a theoretical concept of a technology acceptance. The theoretical concept developed in the context of this research work is investigating the connection between efficiency, quality, security and business process re-engineering and the intention to adopt mobile payments technologies by merchants within the retail industry. Mobile payments is an emerging topic which is currently experiencing a rise. Although there are significant differences in a level of mobile payments acceptance around the world, the widespread adoption of the technology has not prevailed yet. Moreover, more research is needed to investigate and explain retailers’ prospective on the mobile payments adoption. The growing scientific interest in this topic is relevant in terms of innovation development, theories of global competition platforms and evolving landscape of global payment systems.
From this holistic prospective the fundamental hypotheses and crucial questions in terms of mobile payments adoption by merchants were derived. The analysis of the data sample of 90 companies of various sizes and operating in different industries obtained by means of a survey conducted at one of the largest trade fairs in Munich, Germany in autumn 2015. The data was analyzed using descriptive univariate and multivariate methods and the significance of the conceptual framework was validated. A major positive trend in mobile payments adoption was indicated. The findings of this research suggest that efficiency had a significant positive influence on the intention to adopt mobile payments by merchants. Banks and credit card companies were recognized as the most preferred mobile payments providers among retailers with an increasing interest towards independent companies. Based on the findings, the scientific guidelines for the future research were outlined and the concrete recommendations from the managerial prospective for achieving a successful adoption of mobile payments among merchants were suggested.
Advanced sales approach to increase professional fairs participation: international experience
(2016)
The following bachelor thesis was written in cooperation with Hannover Fairs USA, Inc. (HFUSA), which is the Deutsche Messe AG’s (DMAG) U.S. subsidiary. DMAG in Hannover, Germany, is one of the biggest and most active event organizers in the world. The target region of the HFUSA office is North America. Their function is to host industrial trade shows in Chicago and to sell exhibit space at their parent company’s shows in Germany to American companies. The focus of the thesis will be on the DMAG’s CeMAT show which serves the intralogistic and material handling industry. The topic of the thesis is ‘Evolving a structured and advanced sales approach to enhance the number of American companies, participating at the Deutsche Messe’s CeMAT show.’ The research focus is on the intralogistic and material handling industry, the meaningfulness of trade shows and various skills and processes of sales theory. Furthermore, it places emphasis on corporate and sales strategy. The thesis offers possible measures which should serve c-level employees of the company as a basis for creating a more standardized corporate, marketing, and sales strategy to streamline the process amongst employees, to enhance sales processes, improve efficiency and therefore increase revenue in the long run. This will also positively influence the process of achieving their goal of enhancing the number of participating U.S. companies at the CeMAT show in Hannover.
Cost accounting is one of the main sources of information for the management in the company. A correctly designed cost accounting system may address the most important issues in order to support effective and successful decision-making, which among others include price building, efficiency measurement and profit evaluation. In order to enable the full functioning of the system the company should ensure that the system is designed according to the company’s size, operations and processes, as well as information needs. For Testo Sensor GmbH the optimization of cost accounting system became essential, as the information it provides at the moment is not sufficient and reliable for decision-making. Obviously, the reason for this is that the system was not correctly and thoroughly designed at the times of the company foundation. Therefore, the goal of current paper is to develop and adjust the cost accounting system to the company’s operations in order to fulfill the information needs. In order to reach this goal the following objectives were defined: to analyze the current state of cost accounting system of Testo Sensor to reveal its weaknesses and incompatibilities to address these incompatibilities by developing the improvements and possible optimization potentials In order to fulfill these objectives, the review of the German and English literature on the current topic was made in order to identify possible approaches and methods and provide a theoretical background for solutions of the existent problem. In addition to this, a number of interviews was held with the employees of Testo Sensor, as well as the parent company. Finally, the exact data for 2011 – 2015 for cost analysis was taken from the company’s database systems and other documentation. The result of the current paper represents a number of the optimization potentials, which relate to all elements of the cost accounting system. In addition to this, a proposal for implementation of cost center planning and control, which currently is not implemented in the company, was designed. The optimization proposals were developed with the consideration of the theoretical methods applied in German companies, as well as the company’s particular needs and possibilities.
Automated Advisory Services. An investigation of Efficiency on Using the Black-Litterman Model
(2016)
This thesis seeks to investigate efficiency of current portfolio theory, using the Black-Litterman Model, for creating portfolio recommendations as offered by Automated Advisory Services. These services have recently appeared, offering wealth management through a digital store front. As the human component has been removed from the equation, algorithms based on portfolio theory provide portfolio recommendations upon profiling the user of such services. Tests on parameters of the Black-Litterman Model will be run between September 2007 and December 2009, the financial crisis. The aim is to understand how efficient the parameters are able to steer the model to reflect the investor preferences, and how Black Litterman portfolios would have performed during turbulent economic times to test the efficiency claim by providers of automated advisory services.
This paper analyzes automated advisory services, a new business model developed by Fintech start-ups in the USA. The markets for automated advisory services (AAS) in the USA, where it is most established, and in Germany, where the market is still in the infancy stage, are examined and compared. The aim of the paper is to identify the market conditions determining user acceptance of automated advisory services in the USA and comparing the German market conditions to the US market in order to predict consumer acceptance in Germany. The markets are examined using the PEST analysis and Porter´s five forces framework. Recent market data, mainly from online media like online newspapers and studies, is collected and applied to the models. The data reveals that the market conditions for AAS are similar in both markets but in Germany there are some negative factors restraining growth. The second part of the paper is a technology acceptance analysis of automated advisory services using the UTAUT2 model. The UTAUT2 model is first applied to and extended for the automated advisory services market. Afterwards, the market data is applied to the model, confirming that the market data and theoretical framework of the model are conform. Finally, an outlook into the future of AAS in Germany and the USA is given, showing that the German market has the potential to develop similar to the US market once the negative influences on technology acceptance are diminished Further research into the aspects individualization of automated advisory services, web 3.0 applications and security of the algorithms and user data should be conducted.
The neuromerchandising group GmbH & Co KG, creates holistic experiences for
customers at the point of sale by leveraging the latest findings of research in
neuroscience and evolutionary biology. In order to find an appropriate research tool
to analyze customers` attitudes at the POS three survey methods are tested,
evaluated, and compared against each other at the example of an attitude survey for
the MyMuesli GmbH. A traditional attitude survey method is less reliable due to
issues with bias compared to the other two methods. Possible reasons for bias are
explained in this work. The projective technique survey, which uses indirect
questions, is rather ambiguous and long, and the third method, which uses a card
game for the responses, is inappropriate for detailed statistical analysis. A
combination of the methods is recommended and suggestions for improvement are
made throughout this work.
In this paper the author will look at the development of industrial parks with case study of Ethiopia and Kenya since this are the developing countries and with a blue print to industrial parks in which the authors main objective is to establish the industrial park planning and development of Industrial Parks in Africa, establish the importance of ICT as a response to the sustainable planning of industrial areas in Africa and to establish the issue of environment sustainability in Africa. The problems in implementing the industrial parks the mismanagement of funds, challenges faced by foreign investors, not usage of ICT knowledge, threats from the terrorist groups and the recess in support by the government. Hence the need to address these issues in this research work. Threat analysis will be addressed in consideration to Kenyan economy that brings in a recession to the country such as Al-Shabaab. Finally conclusion and recommendation are made in which in the author’s findings is that the governments are eagerly working to put their country modernized and with high security. Revenue made by the government is set to put security measures to make more revenue from tax in by implementing the police reforms. Hence the conclusion that investing in industrial parks are of great benefit for foreign investors, the governments and will aid in poverty eradication in Kenya and Ethiopia.
This thesis investigates what measures a third-party logistics (3PL) provider has to take in order to be able to acquire contracts in foreign countries for further growth of its business. This study is being carried out on behalf of a German medium-sized 3PL provider whose strategic objective is to acquire especially those contracts which have not been outsourced to other 3PL providers by the customer before. This is due to the fact that it is difficult to replace another 3PL provider owing to a customer’s high switching costs. A general global marketing process is being applied for investigation. This process is adapted to the specific case of a 3PL provider by results of expert interviews conducted with different employees at the headquarters as well as two foreign subsidiaries of the company. Based on this process, the author derives general recommendations for the company. The conclusion of this thesis is threefold. First, general recommendations including early market entry, preparation through intense market research and the creation of a competitive advantage are given. Second, a plan of action is proposed on what measures have to be taken when participating in a foreign tender. Finally, a decision tree on how foreign tenders can be evaluated with respect to the company’s strategic objective is suggested.
The present study was conducted in the International Purchasing Department at the Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG which is the headquarters of the international grocery retail discounter Lidl. The subject was defined by the author in cooperation with Mr. Robert Maier, executive manager for non-food and brand, and Ms. Silvia Carazo Soto, manager for the product range development in the Lidl non-food sector. The present study has two major purposes: Firstly, to investigate how customers perceive the non-food products and sector at Lidl and secondly, to identify what characteristics they value and would like to see improved in the Lidl stores.
The goal of this present study is to determine various proposals to optimize the non-food sector of Lidl stores in order to increase customer satisfaction and sales. Data and information material for this research were gathered through the author’s mentors, colleagues, meetings, an empirical survey, internal company presentations, the company homepage, the university’s EBSCO online research database, various business press as well as scientific publications.
In the first part, a theoretical background on the subject as well as company insights into the non-food division is provided. These show that the spending power of consumers has increased, consumers are becoming progressively demanding and that Lidl is faced by strong competitors on the food retail market.
The thesis then presents the empirical study conducted by the author from 30 November 2015 until 12 December 2015. Three hundred customers in ten different Lidl stores in four German federal states were interviewed face-to-face. The survey included fifteen questions regarding the customer’s shopping behavior at Lidl, the customer’s satisfaction with regards to a non-food purchase as well as customer expectations, experience and improvement proposals of the non-food sector.
The survey results show that 77% of all participants had bought non-food products at Lidl during the six months before the survey date. Of all these participants, 75% were either very satisfied or satisfied with their non-food purchase. Furthermore, it was concluded that Lidl lives from its price-performance ratio and promotion via the Lidl leaflet in-store or distributed to home. Inferential, the survey results suggest that the product presentation and the store atmosphere need to be optimized as well as the product availability. Moreover, the results indicated that customers think that up-to-date Lidl leaflets, information boards, product brochures and a mirror need to be available at the non-food sector.
In conclusion, on the basis of the results of this research, the author recommends optimizing the non-food sector in the Lidl stores by means of five different proposals. First of all, to improve the customer experience in a Lidl store by providing a “five senses experience” and secondly to optimize in-store promotion by integrating speed-bumps and optimizing the creation and presentation of product posters, banners and product paper models. Thirdly, the author recommends introducing a digital terminal as an operation tool to order and purchase non-food products that are sold out or not available in a Lidl store with the possibility to choose a home or store delivery, to search products on the Lidl homepage and to watch non-food product videos. Furthermore, the terminal includes a built-in shelf to collect paper product brochures. Fourthly, in order to optimize the product presentation of non-food products, two proposals for a sample product presentation are made. Primarily by means of a non-food module which is attachable to a non-food table in order to present a sample either on a coat hanger or a built-in shelf or by means of a hallstand with an integrated mirror. In addition, the author presents the option of a digital mirror. The fifth proposal is a category management LED lighting module installed above the non-food tables to facilitate the customer orientation in the non-food sector. In addition, the author presents three further proposals including executing customer satisfaction survey periodically, optimizing employee training and improving the Online Shop.
In conclusion, the thesis argues that Lidl is prepared to optimize the non-food sector in the interest of increasing customer satisfaction, attracting new customers, staying competitive and trendy and increasing sales. The author recommends focusing on providing an optimized customer experience in the Lidl stores, thereby primarily focusing on the most important sense, sight. For this, an optimized sample product presentation is primarily of highest interest followed by a better in-store promotion. The present thesis hopes to offer the Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG useful ideas on how to optimize the non-food sector and thus contribute to Lidl’s company success.
Economics of war
(2016)
The twentieth century was a period of great agitation in terms of historical and political events. Two World Wars erupted between 1914 and 1945 in a world already changing. They were separated by both growth and depression. This deeply impacted economics worldwide. In order to understand how the events reshaped the economical world and what it modified, the available literature was reviewed and summarized to focus on the main changes. This helps us to better comprehend the situation for the people at the time, and the economic order as we know it today. The wars had different consequences on countries, as France hosted the fights, it was fully destroyed and its economy was a ruin, while the United States did not fight the war on its soil, the wars boosted its economy, and it exited as a major economic power. This paper showed that war economy is incredibly expensive and hard to finance, being a considerable burden on any economy. Trade appears as a superior choice for countries, because as exchanges increase, the life of population improves, alike the economic health of a country.
Entrepreneurs are the people who start their own businesses, who take risk, find solution of problems and come up with idea which gives them financial benefits. The purpose of writing this thesis to find out the value business schools are providing to the entrepreneurs. Do the entrepreneurs get the right skills from the business schools? To find out the reason, which skills business schools are lacking to provide to the entrepreneurs. Why still now a day’s world leading companies are invented by the entrepreneurs who dropped out of college or who quite from their education which was not important for them for example Microsoft, Apple, McDonald, Facebook and many other successful brands in the world are being led by the people who has no good education. To find out the reasons and opinion from students a questionnaire was prepared to get results from people belong to different background, different nationalities and different cultures. 84% participants were students from business schools. The outcome of survey shows that business schools are not transferring value to the entrepreneurial mind students; many students also supported idea to start your own business during your studies. It lead to the pathway which had chosen by the successful entrepreneurs, in the other words if you find opportunity to start your own business then leave your studies behind and go for it. 69% respondents vote in favor that the universities should start degree in entrepreneurship; moreover 52% respondents want to become entrepreneurs. Furthermore, least important entrepreneurial characteristic is Good Education as well as good education is also least important to start your own business. It indicates that there is serious need to start entrepreneurial education in the schools and universities. The curriculum of business schools need to be review according to the needs of entrepreneurial mind students.
The primary purpose of this bachelor thesis is to explore the impact of information and communication technologies on the work-life boundary and to find out whether this impact constitutes a negative spillover. At the beginning of this paper, an examination of the general impacts, with an emphasis on flexibility and permanent connectivity, is conducted. In a second stage, these two major effects are assessed to find out in what way they influence the boundary between work and life. In a third stage, the finding is evaluated by analyzing the extent to which stress level, physical and mental health as well as work-life conflict and satisfaction are increased or decreased. Finally, the question concerning whether information and communication technologies are the only reason behind the change is addressed. The results of this thesis show that information and communication technologies indeed seem to lead to an increase in flexibility and permanent connectivity and therefore to a blurring of the boundary between work and life. This blurring is evaluated as being neither entirely good nor bad, as a dissolving boundary can have both positive and negative effects on stress, health, satisfaction and conflict. Furthermore, it is argued that technologies only enable change but cannot enforce it on their own. Instead, personal preference, institutional rules and culture play an important role in the determination of the extent to which individuals allow a blurring of their roles. Accordance between these factors is crucial to the health, productivity and motivation of employees.
Thus, it is recommended that employers analyze the preferences and cultural backgrounds of their employees in order to be able to provide tools and resources to blur or maintain boundaries depending on what is required
E‐Collaboration and what it means for the modern business world is attracting more and more the attention of today’s leaders and professionals. Especially organizations whose products and services are interactively created and used by global teams consisting of customers and suppliers have every reason to understand E‐Collaboration for its many benefits and opportunities. This bachelor thesis investigates how E‐Collaboration can scale the information processing capacity of international sales organizations using the example of va‐Q‐tec Ltd ECollaboration tool requirements are defined taking the circumstances of va‐Q‐tec Ltd into consideration. The findings of the study show that an E‐Collaboration tool with resource management, workflow and dashboard tool features are most needed to scale va‐Q‐tec’s information processing capacity. Furthermore, this paper explores different aspects of ECollaboration including the basic components of collaboration, the incremental scaling of information processing capacity and the circumstances of today’s international sales organizations. Empirical findings reveal that scaling information processing capacity requires central storage and processor systems supported by information technology. Scaling information processing capacity by increasing the workforces is found to be inefficient. Selfservice interfaces allowing 24/7 information access and exchange are the new benchmark for sales organizations.
Crowdfunding is one of the greatest financial innovations in finance today, which acts as a financing alternative for start-ups. The advantages provided in this financial structure not only enable entrepreneurs to realise their dream of raising capital but it also enables them to learn more about their product, establish a pre-customer base, pre-sales as well as build their brand though leveraging the internet as a marketing platform for their projects. Start-ups that have succeeded in raising their target funds, acknowledge the benefits they received. Even those that did not achieve their goal still appreciate the experience because through the feedback they receive from the public, they are able to enhance their product and make better decisions for their next projects. Also backers benefit significantly depending on their position; for instance, upon success startups acquire funds, donors on reward- and support-based platforms receive small gifts such as Tshirts, acknowledgements, on pre-purchase platforms backers receive discounts on pre-purchases and in a special case of crowdinvesting, investors receive dividends or equity from the start-up. Also, crowdfunding platform-administrators benefit from it when start-ups accomplish their goal. Start-ups may approach investors, business angels and banks for capital; however, the probability of acquiring funds is subsided and they also do not provides them additional benefits like those crowdfunding delivers. The crowdfunding process is one of the easiest means of funding startups’projects in comparison to that involved whilst seeking funds from banks and venture capitalists as well as business angels.
The major aim of this paper is to analyse how crowdfunding has simplified the means of raising capital for start-ups and how this modern financial instrument is anticipated to develop in the next five years. Withal, the paper seeks to show how crowdfunding has enabled startups to curb their financial predicaments. The paper will firstly, provide the foundation of crowdfunding, including success factors of start-ups. Next the author will analyse how crowdfunding platform operate, then its significance to start-ups including the risks involved. The author will investigate crowdfunding in Europe, America and Australia. Results from the Interviews conducted with start-up founder Dominick Solenick and platform CEOs from Switzerland will be illustrated. Finally, a conclusion based on this research will be provided.
In the context of dynamic and unstable business environment companies tend to more flexible performance management system. Being a central element in a performance management framework, forecasting practice becomes a major concern for business organizations. The practitioners claim that there is a significant gap existing between the development and the application of forecasting activities. In this respect strong bridges are required to connect theory and practice. Through an expert interview method author investigates how forecasting activities contribute to business performance. The main purpose of this research paper is to investigate the problem statement by answering the questions concerning how planning activities have changed in the last few years and what is the current attitude and commitment to forecasting tool. Furthermore, this study explores how forecasting is integrated in the decision-making process and how it affects business decisions. Finally research investigates whether companies apply a rolling forecast as well as the reasons for and against using a rolling approach are also considered. The main findings of the research show that companies have altered their planning activities to improve forecast effectiveness, to reduce uncertainty and risks, to enable a more flexible resource allocation. Interviewed companies expressed growing interest and commitment to forecasting as an instrument of control. Moreover, results demonstrate that forecasting plays a crucial role for the business organization by facilitating business decisions and providing assumptions for business plans. Also different practices show, the more complex and larger organization is the more scrutinized and granular the forecast process should be. Regarding a rolling forecast, only two interviewed companies use this approach. All respondents found a rolling forecast beneficial for the business, however, in order to be successful companies are required to put more efforts and gain more experience with this method.
The primary objective of this study is to determine the direction of Bosch
workshop service concepts in India. The approach is based on Classic Bosch Car
Service, one of the world’s largest independent workshop concept owned by
Robert Bosch GmbH. In the era of high competition where the mindset of
customers is rapidly changing and technology is evolving; therefore, Bosch is
continuously working on developing new workshop service concepts such as
Franchise Bosch Car Service and Digital Bosch Car Service. Therefore, this study
examine two research question a) on which workshop service concept Bosch
should focus in India b) how to increase the number of franchisees for the future
concept. This study focuses on India because it is an emerging market where car
repair industry is growing rapidly.
The first part of the thesis explains the concept of workshop service and
franchising. The second part provides a complete overview (franchise model,
value proposition, etc.) of three concepts. The final part consists of empirical
research which includes the findings from end customer and franchisee surveys.
The findings from practical and empirical part revealed that Franchise Bosch Car
Service (FRC BCS) is ideal for the Indian market and end customer. Therefore,
Bosch should focus on developing its network of FRC BCS in the short term. The
usage of different marketing tools, partnership with financial institutes, individual
onboarding program and approaching private investors will help to increase the
number of franchisees.
In the long-term, Bosch should consider going in the direction of Digital Bosch
Car to increase market share and maintain its competitiveness.
The present paper identifies appropriate communication strategies to support the implementation of Cross Selling (CS) in the sales organization illustrated on the example of Robert Bosch GmbH. Therefore the focus is on the analysis of internally applied communication media in order to determine strong and weak points. In the first instance, an extensive literature research with respect to CS is conducted and a theoretical framework of effective communication provided. Subsequently, an empirical study is being carried out. Surveys are sent worldwide to the CS Coordinators at Bosch in order to analyse currently applied communication media and identify possible communication gaps. Furthermore, an expert interview with CS project leader Paulo Ferreira is conducted in order to gain additional insights into the CS field within Bosch. In the process, it results that the CS project team already makes an adequate use of communication means; but nevertheless there is still potential for improvement with respect to certain communication activities. The results indicate that the most effective communication techniques are based on face-to-face interaction with a high degree of social presence and information richness. By the application of theoretical foundations combined with knowledge obtained through primary research, a recommended course of action is issued on how to further optimize the communication within the central CS project team. On this basis, the recommendation is given to develop an internal integrated marketing communication program which takes a number of additional measures into consideration. In addition, limitations of this study as well as future perspectives are being discussed.