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Analysis of the scrum implementation and establishment at Mercedes-Benz Cars 2020 Best Finance
(2017)
In an increasingly complex and dynamic world organizations must be able to be adaptive and act more flexible to remain competitive and sustainable. This also applies for the implementation of long-term projects which is the focus of this thesis. Project organizations increasingly tend towards agile process models (scrum) in project management as an alternative to traditional process models (waterfall) in order to increase the project efficiency through greater flexibility and transparency.
This bachelor thesis deals with an analysis of the scrum implementation and establishment in the project Best Finance at Mercedes-Benz Cars. After the theoretical foundations of the traditional process model are explained another part reviews the implementation of it in Best Finance. In this context, the challenges with this approach based on theory and experienced in Best Finance are identified to justify the transition to agile methods. Main object for the practical part constitutes a research concept to analyze and evaluate Best Finance based on scrum. The basis of the concept constitutes the generally valid project management success factors which are complemented by questions of the agile theory.
The interrogation with the representatives of Best Finance by means of quantitative and qualitative data collection serves as an information source for the research concept. The project management success factors are evaluated and analyzed. Main results show that the agile process model is still at the beginning regarding its operational application, though, the project organization of Best Finance made first positive experiences with this approach. However, the analysis also reveals that there is still potential for improvement regarding the project procedure based on scrum. The practical recommendations suggested at the end of the thesis aim at creating a better understanding of scrum and the promotion of the establishment in Best Finance.
The objective of this thesis is to examine the recent rollout of Commercial Excellence, a sales-process standardization and improvement project within the currently ongoing integration of TRW Automotive Holding Corporation into ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Focusing on change management and the challenges posed by resistance to change, the aim is to derive recommendations for action during future rollout phases. Based on leading theories regarding change management, expert interviews delivered mixed results. While it is indicated that resistance to change was only a minor issue throughout the rollout the careful analysis of the collected responses still offered the potential for improvements. Therefore the author was able to identify the inclusion of sales support functions into the project as a solution for resistance to change caused by restrictive data release policies. Additionally, it was found that the diversification of the communication mix as well as centrally offering individualized training programs can further facilitate future rollouts of Commercial Excellence.
All kind of human interaction such as conflict resolution or engaging in new business partnerships are essentially based on bargaining and negotiations. The following thesis examines the basic elements of negotiations especially in a global working environment. A special focus is set on the most prevalent characteristics of negotiation patterns used in the US as well as their way of navigating international negotiations successfully, corroborated by an example case of conflict resolution by the US-American company Apple in China. In essence, deep knowledge and intercultural sensitivity is the key to successful negotiations whereas strategy choices based on the negotiator’s inherited culture should not be depreciated.
In an ever smaller and connected world, the need for instant access and communication is becoming more and more necessary. This is especially true in business, and no one understands this better than the people working at the Global Success Club. This is why they have decided to develop a mobile application specially catered to serve busy executives of innovative manufacturing companies, and help them find the right business partners for their next business venture or innovative collaboration. This thesis was written on the behalf of the Global Success Club to help them determine the optimal way to develop a mobile application that aims to connect innovative manufacturing companies in a global setting by looking at two research questions:
1. How to win B2B users/customers for a mobile application by focusing on smart user interface; and
2. Which method of marketing communication, direct marketing (emails & follow-up calls) or social media marketing, is more successful in winning over users in the internet affinitive US market.
This paper will accomplish its task by first looking over past research done by authors and researchers about how mobile applications are changing the way of the world and the way we communicate. The paper will also explore why businesses are now deciding to adopt new technologies to help them with business processes that were traditionally done offline. In order to answer the questions posed by this thesis, research was conducted on previous studies and what they have suggested pertaining to the research questions. Based on the research, hypotheses were made and those ideas implemented into the final plans by the company for the design and marketing communication strategy. Conclusions were made about the most effective user interface designs based on the hypotheses, and a study will be carried out at a later to judge their effectiveness. A study on the marketing strategy taken by the company was able to show that a more direct marketing message is optimal to win users and would be more effective if combined with wide spread and cost-effective online marketing.
“The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit” – Milton Friedman.
There has always been, across the history, a human side, an ideology, that people follow with the hope of finding justice and equity in the world. This concept has always been adapting to the culture, time, and situation it faces. In our actual economic system, this concept is known as social responsibility, and to adapt to the market necessities it has evolved to corporate social responsibility, but apparently, when the people want to see results this is not enough.
The markets are expanding, we live in a world where everything and everyone are connected, there is no more privacy, and therefore, no place to hide. Companies need to be honest with the information they share and should follow the international rules for environmental and social protection and development. People are demanding better quality, more innovation, and eco-friendly and socially responsible company. The people verify many factors before acquiring any product, starting with the quality, the suppliers, the factories conditions, the employee’s satisfaction levels, and the corporate responsibility of the company.
The central topic of this thesis is the so called “corporate volunteering” a concept that brings together the business necessities and ties them together with the social responsibility. In this concept, the company participates actively and directly to enhance the social and environmental situation, using their resources, and their human capital. There are many advantages of implementing the corporate volunteering, but also many factors to consider while changing the corporate culture, and transmitting values.
The idea of this text is to present the corporate volunteering as a new concept, highly efficient for the companies and communities, while analyzing its changes, objectives, implementations, benefits and challenges to face while implementing the corporate volunteering.
In 2008 a white paper called “Bitcoin: A Peer-To-Peer Electronic Cash System” was published by Satoshi Nakamoto. This paper describes an electronic payment system that succeeds where many have failed before. The system is called Bitcoin and it deals with the double spending problem. Also, it is a peer-to-peer decentralized system meaning that it works separately from any government or any financial institution. Bitcoin relies on cryptographic proof-of-work blocks any chance of protocol disruption. Satoshi Nakamoto called Bitcoin an electronic payment system but the public now calls it a cryptocurrency because of its similarities to a currency.
Many pessimists thought that Bitcoin could never be successful and that this technology will not have any value in the future. Despite that, a considerable amount of people believe in the possibilities of cryptocurrencies and in the possible developments that this futuristic technology could inspire, especially in the financial service sector.
This purpose of this thesis is to investigate cryptocurrencies and the financial service industry in order to examine the challenges and opportunities that cryptocurrencies deliver. Section I of the paper will look into cryptocurrencies and their mechanism. Afterwards, an analysis of whether cryptocurrencies are actual currency will be given. The next section of the thesis will cover government regulations on cryptocurrencies. Then, the paper will analyze public perception and why it is important. Section II of this thesis evaluates the current financial service system and the potential benefits of the blockchain. Central banks and moral hazards in the finance sector are examined afterwards. Then, analysis on inflation and wealth is provided. After that, a summary of the advantages and drawbacks of both the cryptocurrency system and the traditional finance service system are given, followed by a section that estimates the utilities and effects of cryptocurrencies in the future. Finally, a conclusion is derived.
This bachelor thesis is designed to develop a segmented sales approach using the target costing method. Herby it is important to note that this thesis is a practical one, on behalf of a German high-tech company. The assignment was to create feasible action points, which will later assist during the company's sales approach improvements.
The theoretical part of this thesis deals with the basics of product segmentation, process analysis and sales channel analysis. Afterwards, the theoretical background for the sales cost analysis, target costing method and sales scenarios is elaborated. The aim was to define major elements later applied in this thesis.
The second part of this thesis applies the theoretical knowledge established in the first chapter to the situation at the company. The results of the project show an importance to focus on one specific product, due to a high level of competition. Currently, the sales scenario consists of the direct and the indirect sales channel. As a consequence, sales costs are very high. The third chapter gives recommendations for each chapter. Results show the need for simplicity and less reporting as well as one maintained document archive system. The third part shows the importance of establishing an online channel. Furthermore, it is advised to establish one strategy for the sales channels and to communicate this to coordinate different sales channels effectively. The fourth and fifth parts deal with the sales cost and target costing recommendations, highlighting marketing and HR costs as the main cost driver. One solution to reduce the sales cost is to establish the online channel, saving travel costs and to reevaluate marketing activities. That way, the target of limiting the sales cost to 15% of the revenue could be met.
The purpose of the following bachelor thesis is to provide a strategic marketing concept for PTC’s Augmented Reality software in the life science industry.
The first part deals with an introduction into the underlying process of strategic marketing planning.
The thesis then investigates the internal and external environment from a PTC perspective to draw conclusions on sources of competitive advantage. The market for Augmented Reality software is analyzed and provides a profound picture regarding industry structure and size. The life science industry is then narrowed down through segmentation and targeting based on potential buyer personas. Product positioning is followed by the definition of marketing objectives and key performance indicators to measure the success of the developed marketing actions according to the technology adoption lifecycle.
Research was gathered from secondary sources like industry analyst and technology reports, complemented with thoughts of potential target customers and experts.
To conclude, the thesis argues that the life science industry disposes of a high potential for Augmented Reality use cases with a strong ability to address industry trends. Combined with the attractiveness of a fast growing Augmented Reality software market and strong internal competencies, PTC seems to be in a favorable position for successful market entry. However, results also suggest that a high degree of industry adaptation is required for a better addressability of customer requirements and to gain trust among target customers.
In the era of digitalisation, mobile devices are supporting us throughout the day, in any situation, at any place and any time. We purchase goods and services through our phones, communicate with others and can get information about anything we want. The mobile technology is the fastest growing industry the world has ever seen. Mobile technology is the most influential driver of current social and economic change. Therefore mobile marketing is already a major factor in today’s marketing mix. Nevertheless adaption of mobile marketing progresses differently in different parts of the world. China took on a leading role in mobile marketing without many people outside China noticing. The purpose of this paper is to examine and display the major differences between China and Europe when it comes to mobile marketing. Especially, I will focus on WeChat, a relatively new communication application in China that has shaped mobile marketing significantly since 2011, the year of its launch.
However, due to significant differences in market scale, market complexity and adoption of technology in Europe and China it is important for European companies to understand the potential power of WeChat if they want to do successful business in China. Therefore I will give a comprehensive overview on how to use WeChat for business. Additionally I will connect the mobile marketing aspect with Chinese language learning. Chinese language learning represents a global current trend and is building a bridge between China and Europe both culturally and economically. For this paper I conducted practical research in a Chinese language school under European management in Beijing/China. This way I was able to gain first-hand insight in the obstacles a European company faces when it comes to WeChat mobile marketing in China. This paper will cover the theoretical foundation of mobile marketing and will connect it with real recommendations for successful WeChat mobile marketing.
Life cycle management of key products (franchises) offered by a company is one of its most strategically important tasks. As their overall ability to capture and use sales data improves, companies have been able to investigate and manage their franchises better than ever before.
This thesis explored the franchise management framework of Nike Inc., a global leader within the sporting goods retail industry. The thesis is divided into two parts. The first part explored the current franchise management framework of Nike and its effectiveness. The second part applies this framework to one of Nike’s biggest franchises and prime sources of revenue for the ‘Running’ category. ‘Nike Free’, the franchise in question, suffered a big decline in sales and surgical franchise management had to be applied in order to revive it. The results indicated that this framework delivered positive results and helped improve the performance of this franchise.
Fact based decision making, enabled by effective gathering and processing of sales data was used during this study. Overall, the goal of the thesis is to help understand and lay a foundation for effective franchise management for a sales organization.
Products and services do not have infinite lives. At some point, objects are not accepted by consumers anymore.
In order to hold up to ever increasing competition, many companies aim to introduce innovative technologies and products in ever decreasing intervals. However, companies cannot possess an infinite number of products in their product portfolio. Therefore, old products need to be eliminated to release capacity for newer ones. However, for many companies, phasing-out products does not count to core competencies and is perceived as unattractive. It is a common belief that only new product introductions have direct influence on turnover and profitability of a company. So at first, it seems reasonable to invest more resources in products that aim to make profits in the future rather than spending on outdated products. However, uncoordinated product phase-outs can as well have major negative impacts on the overall success of a company. Especially excess inventory and lack of communication during the whole process are seen as major issues. Literature conveys serious need of action concerning the subject.
The primary aim of this thesis is the evaluation and elaboration of the current state of the phase-out process of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, detect weaknesses and improvement potentials, and give improvement recommendations. These improvement recommendations aim to eliminate the detected weaknesses and realize unused potential.
The weaknesses and potentials are identified through face-to-face and telephone/Skype interviews and workshops. These interviews and workshops are conducted with a sample of employees from different departments, who are involved in the process.
This bachelor thesis focusses on the elaboration of a list of requirements for external warehousing including IT services (installation, repair and disposal) in the direct proximity of key customers of Bechtle.
In order to consider all relevant aspects, five affiliates of Bechtle AG based in Germany have been taken into account. Different scientific approaches have been used for the current state analysis and the elaboration of the list of requirements. The product of this thesis is a decision template for Bechtle Logistik & Service GmbH Management whether the concept is to be developed further, or if the approach of a standardized concept contradicts the company’s character. In any case, the taken decision will have significant impact on the company’s strategy as it will send clear signals to all stakeholders. Under the consideration of all findings a recommendation for action is presented.
The vegan trend has experienced continuous growth in recent years, influencing companies inside and outside of the market due to shifts in consumer behaviour. This thesis investigates the perceptible success factors for entry into the healthy vegan snacks market and delivers promising implementation strategies. To identify and understand the market situation, current food trends are identified and described and detailed insights into the terminology of healthy vegan snacks are given. Subsequently, qualitative interviews with established companies and dieticians are conducted to better understand current food trends and to determine the most relevant success factors. Based on the findings, the author provides concrete strategy recommendations for established companies and newcomers in the market segment. The findings of the study show that the healthy vegan snacks market is very attractive and therefore offers several strategic options for successful market entry. However, newcomers have to face several challenges that should be considered and ideally overcome when planning market entry. Most successful entrepreneurs truly identify with their products and represent the customer groups themselves, enabling them to optimally understand and apply customer needs.
Creating successful teams after an M&A is challenging enough when employees share the same location and the same cultural background, but when the team consists of people coming from different cultures and is working in different locations, social distance can cause misunderstandings, distrust and miscommunication which makes successful M&As even more challenging. After the acquisition of Letrika in Slovenia and Kokusan Denki in Japan, the workforce within MAHLEs mechatronic division became highly diverse. On the one hand, this diversification is regarded as added value, but on the other hand it bears numerous challenges in day-to day business.
This thesis aims to outline cultural differences between Japan, Slovenia and Germany that affect collaboration within this division. Using literature research and an online questionnaire, the author intends to compare theoretical concepts with actual data collected at MAHLE Mechatronics. The questionnaire also includes multiple open questions that allow examining the current situation and supports the findings with real-life examples.
The first part focuses on the theoretical framework for this thesis. In chapter two an understanding for the concept of culture is given. Different models and explanations provide fundamental knowledge to grasp the construct of culture. Chapter 2.1. depicts the Lewis model, a model developed in 1996 categorizing cultures into three groups. In chapter 2.2., the paper continues with the GLOBE model which forms the basis of the empirical research conducted at MAHLE. Afterwards, culture specific characteristics of Japan, Germany and Slovenia are portrayed and compared in order to predict possible clashes that might emerge in work-related encounters (chapter 3). The illustration of the concept of intercultural competence, a skill to manage, understand, decode and interpret behaviors and mindsets of people from different cultures, will conclude the first part of this thesis (chapter 4).
Chapter five describes the methodology used in this paper. The findings of this study are presented in chapter six and are followed by the discussion and reflection (chapter 7). The paper concludes with an analysis and interpretation (chapter 7.1.), recommendations for future action (chapter 7.2.) and limitations of the study (chapter 7.3.) highlighting the main findings of the study and emphasizing the development of intercultural competence at MAHLEs mechatronic division.
Internationally standardized POS layout considering success factors - the example of Würth Group
(2017)
This work is part of the project “International expansion – Standards”. The overall objective of this thesis is to develop an internationally standardized POS layout which ensures a uniform international appearance. The situation in Germany as the headquarters and development center and the surrounding countries Austria, Switzerland and France has been taken into consideration. An analysis of the current layouts regarding shelving system, arrangement of the product groups, guidance system and design factors has been carried out in selected pick-up shops in these countries. In addition, a customer survey has been conducted whereby orientation, overview and legibility of the store have been focal points. As a third analysis the assortments of the respective countries have been analyzed and compared. It was found that some areas at the POS vary from country to country. Major differences exist in the assortments of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. Among the areas of arrangement of the shelves and product groups, size of the sales area, guidance system and coloring scheme, differences have been revealed as well. Taking into consideration the differences and similarities in the layouts and assortment optimization possibilities have been worked out. As a result an ideal layout has been developed on the basis of the conducted analyses. The layout itself can be implemented cross-nationally. Due to limitations in the analysis of the assortment, it must be analyzed in more detail in order to implement it for the new shop concept. However, a cross-national uniform appearance can only be reached if in addition to the new stores all existing pick-up shops are adapted to the ideal layout.
The corporate culture of South Korea influences the profitability of Korean companies to a great extent. Traditional Korean values are based on Confucianism which emphasizes collectivism and hard work. This created a foundation on which successful companies emerged. However due to economic reasons Korean values are forced to change as it is questionable if Korean companies can remain profitable with the traditional culture within their systems. With the exposure to western culture Korean managers are trying to adopt beneficial methods that western companies have proven to be favorable. As a consequence Korea’s corporate culture is gradually changing while still retaining some of its unique features. As western companies seek to collaborate with or acquire Korean companies, culture clashes are inevitable. Despite the large differences between cultures it can be observed however, that with thoughtful management high synergies can be achieved in such collaborations and that Korean companies are becoming more and more competitive in the global market.
Managing employee engagement in high-growth companies: The case of Red Hat in high-growth companies
(2017)
Purpose
This thesis aims to analyze employee engagement in high growth companies with the case of Red Hat.
Methodology
Primary research involved the gathering of a mix of qualitative data in the open- source IT company Red Hat in the United Kingdom. Both an interview and a focus group methodology was applied. Literature from the research fields of employee engagement was reviewed and integrated into the primary research design.
Findings
The findings showed that fast-growing companies encounter many challenges in the fields of employee impact and purpose, recruiting and retaining, career development, leadership and management, and organizational culture. Best practices on how to scale culture were worked out. The findings concluded that actionable solutions such as modifying the recruiting process for cultural fit and giving more autonomy to regional leaders and teams, can help cope with the challenges of employee engagement in a fast-paced environment.
Limitations and implications for further research
One of the main limitations of this study is the lack of literature available to link organizational growth and employee engagement. Contrasting more stable environments with change environments or using a larger sample size may potentially add to this field with further reliable and insightful findings. This issue may be re-investigated in the future as well, as the nature of change environments can affect the findings. Red Hat is a very people-focused company with a flat hierarchy. Thus, investigating this issue in more hierarchical companies could lead to different findings with different challenges and would further complete this research field.
This research paper is about Mobile Banking. Mobile banking is rapidly growing in emerging countries as compared to emerged countries. The research conducted here will help us to understand as to why mobile banking is so successful in emerging countries and the factors that contribute to its success, the regulations behind it and to see if the Technology Acceptance Mobile (TAM) theory can be proved or linked to the success of mobile banking in the countries used for analysis. The analysis was conducted using a qualitative research method of document analysis
In a time, where supply increases and thus distinguishing oneself from the competition becomes increasingly important, different neuroscientific methods are being used in order to find out what consumers want, how they react to stimuli and how they make a decision. The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to find out how neuroscience can help understand what happens in the human brain, and how neuromarketing influences the consumer behaviour, answering the question whether the drugstore chain ‘dm-drogerie markt’ has the key to the brain of their consumers. By clarifying the neuroeconomic foundations like the structure of the human brain and the human senses, and by explaining the modern measuring techniques which are being used nowadays, the foundation is laid which is needed in order to be able to understand the insights of neuromarketing, its prospects and limitations, as well as Limbic®. By understanding the influence of emotions and motives with regard to decision making, the four ways into the brain of a consumer, as well as the prospects and limitations of neuromarketing, the relevance and importance of neuromarketing becomes clear. Taking a closer look at Limbic® (Limbic® map, emotional systems and the Limbic® types) offers theoretical support, which is being combined with the results obtained from an online survey as well as a store analysis, allowing a clear idea of why ‘dm-drogerie markt’ is this successful and to what extend neuromarketing plays a role with regards to the success. In the end the conclusion is being drawn that ‘dm-drogerie markt’ has the key to the brain of their customers, and that using neuromarketing elements is one of the major reasons for the success.
Due to fierce competition in the recent decades, focus on customer service is becoming increasingly important in all industries including grocery retail. The purpose of this study is to discover the different services offered by grocery stores in Egypt and Germany, to examine the reasons behind offering different services in the different countries and to learn the effect of the same services being offered in different countries.
The data was collected by conducting an online survey and then analyzed with reference to available literature. Findings and conclusions are presented in the form of lessons learned and suggestions for grocery stores in both countries to improve their consumer’s future shopping experience.