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Most Western countries have very low percentages of women who study in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. These fields are of economic
importance as they are essential for innovation - the key to the creation of new products,
ideas and processes. Especially in developed countries, the STEM sector is one of the
largest growth factors. Having mainly men studying in STEM fields limits the available
talent and thus the quality of human resources; therefore, it is important that more
women study in STEM fields for more efficiency and increased economic development.
In contrast to Western countries, Muslim countries exhibit large numbers of women in
STEM majors. This thesis analyses different aspects of Muslim countries to determine
reasons for more women in these countries to study in STEM fields. The current study
is based on literature such as journal articles, textbooks and online sources. The
following factors are studied to answer the first research question: social reasons
(including religion, history, perception of women, wealth and social status, and
educational system), legal framework, technological reasons and economic reasons.
The findings indicate that a combination of aspects and circumstances leads to the large
numbers of women in Muslim countries in STEM majors. Among the analysed factors
the educational system and economic situation of Muslim countries seem to be the root
cause.
Furthermore, the current study analyses consequences of the high number of women in
STEM fields in Muslim countries in the labour market, to answer the following
questions: (1) Do educational opportunities lead to equal opportunities in the labour
market? (2) Is it respectable for women in Muslim countries to work? (This question
addresses factors such as Islam, tradition, a woman’s role as a mother, mixed-gender
workplaces, demography and legal restrictions) (3) In which sectors do women work?
(sectors and leadership positions) (4) What is the relation of female labour to the
economy? (impact of economic situation, economic landscape, globalisation, and
importance of female employment for the economy).
The result is that educational opportunities for women in Muslim countries do not
translate into equal chances in the labour market. Regarding STEM fields the
employment of women ranges from gender equality to nearly no opportunities at all,
depending on the country. The small numbers are most likely due to the lower position
of women in society, the generally less opportunities for women in the labour market
and women’s rights issues.
This bachelor thesis is a comparative study between German and French consumers. Why do Germans spend less on food than French consumers? This question, which is the main one of this paper, leads to a subdivision in three other questions: How do the culture and some financial aspects of Germany and France impact their food buying decisions? German consumer vs. French consumer: how important are the characteristics of each consumer behaviour Profile? Are the other parameters being taken into account while buying food the reasons why French consumers spend more on food than Germans?
In order to answer the first two questions not only an analysis of both culture is required but also an examination of the consumption behaviours of each population. By means of qualitative and quantitative research methods the third question will be treated.
According to this comparative study, the results show that buying decision related to food is strongly influenced by some cultural aspects of each population. An answer of the main question of this study can also be derived after analysing the German consumer Profile.
This thesis focuses on what factors make a food- or restaurant franchise successful in general and what factors make a food-or restaurant franchise in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, successful. A literature research was conducted to combine these factors into a framework for food- and restaurant-franchises and potential entrants in Freiburg im Breisgau. Furthermore, a PEST- and location analysis for Freiburg im Breisgau for food- and restaurant franchises was performed. Results show that success factors break down into two main topics namely the franchisor-franchisee relationship and food- and restaurant-franchise key performance indices. Belonging to the franchisor-franchisee relationship, extensive communication and cooperation lays at the core of each successful franchise. Average check, revenue per available seat per hour, and meal duration feature important key performance indices which contribute to the franchise ́s success. Menu analysis, the nine segment matrix and good quality of food and service ensure a competitive advantage if reviewed regularly and lay the foundation of a regular customer basis. Food- or restaurant-franchises in Freiburg im Breisgau include the following success factors: offering vegetarian and vegan options, operating out of the city district of Altstadt-Mitte, and orienting prices to the industry standard although respecting locally produced ingredients. This work gives a first orientation framework for the success of franchises as well as concrete success factors for Freiburg im Breisgau, which could be tested and optimized by further research.
Heart leadership is a leadership style which focuses on finding purpose and
passion in one’s life and job. The generation Y (Millennials), as a rather
technophile generation entered companies around of the turn of the
millennium. On the one hand, nowadays generation Z with new values, ideas
and requests to their work environment enters companies, and on the other
hand companies need to be attractive for skilled personnel. The heart
leadership concept addresses these requirements. This concept refers to the
ability to use one’s awareness and heart energy to create a culture focused on
exceptional relations, trust, care, spirituality, compassion, positivity, and
development.
The aim of this thesis is to answer the question of how heart leadership impacts
a business in the long run. To answer the research question “How can doing
things in a heart way impact the future of modern businesses?”, a literature
review was conducted.
The beginning of this work provides an explanation of what leadership means,
followed by explaining different leadership styles based on the Full Range of
Leadership Model with a concrete explanation of transformational leadership.
By defining the context of heart leadership with the meaning of the heart, what
aspects this kind of leadership includes, and the definition of human potential,
eleven heart factors that influence a business were derived through repeated
and overlapping attributes which a heart-led leader should have. These factors
show that heart leadership has a positive long-term impact on several areas of
a business, including the increase of overall work performance, mental health,
commitment, engagement, employee retention, resilience, profit and more.
The outcome of this thesis recommends integrating heart leadership in actual
leadership principles in companies. Heart leadership is an extension of
transformational leadership that meets the needs of a new generation,
positively changes the work environment, and enables employees’ full potential
in order to survive as a company in a competitive market and the race for
qualified employees.
Despite the growing interest of the media, businesses and consumers in recent years, cryptocurrencies have not reached widespread adoption to date. Research on the factors that induce consumers to use this new technology or that prevent them from using it is scarce. Therefore, this thesis aims at identifying factors that influence consumer adoption of cryptocurrencies. First, a research model based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was developed and extended by the factors perceived risk and perceived trust. Then, primary data was collected by conducting a survey on consumers’ perception of cryptocurrencies. The hypotheses were tested through a multiple regression analysis and perceived usefulness was found to have the strongest impact on consumers’ intention to use cryptocurrencies, followed by perceived trust. Furthermore, gender has proven to have an effect on the intention to use cryptocurrencies, with male consumers being more likely to use cryptocurrencies.
In the wake of the financial crisis of 2007, the largest economies of our times struggled hard with adverse economic shocks. Several central banks (CBs) employed their conventional monetary policy tools to their limits and beyond. When failing in their attempt, unconventional monetary policies got gradually introduced in order to stimulate the overall economy, to alleviate market dysfunctions and to reduce liquidity shortages. Building on diverse research conducted by international researchers and data provided by international economic institutions, this paper gives a comprehensive overview of different types of unconventional monetary policy tools that were, and still are, broadly employed. The concept of Quantitative Easing (QE) with its opportunities and risks will be elaborated, as well as appropriate exit strategies from these unconventional monetary policy measures. Putting a special focus on the QE programs run by the Bank of Japan, the Bank of England and the European Central Bank, the successes and failures of real-world examples of unconventional monetary policies will be analyzed in detail. In order to evaluate the usefulness of QE, a comparison of theoretical and real-world results will be conducted. The paper finds that even though QE had a broad range of positive effects on selected economic aspects, the risks of both over-indebtedness and a too strong dependence of economies on highly accommodative monetary policies prevail. Before considering an exit from QE – if still possible at all – many years of further monetary easing and economic stimulus will pass. The raison d’être of unconventional monetary policies, mainly QE, over an extent period of time is doubtful and will have to be closely monitored in the years to come.
Economic growth in China is slowing down and China will no longer be the manufacturer of the world and consumers become more sophisticated. Therefore Chinese companies have to change strategies. This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the reasons for Chinese companies transitioning from equipment manufacturers to brand manufacturers, the phase of innovation in China, the internationalization of Chinese brands and accordingly the consumer behaviour. The change is fast and challenging and the Chinese companies have to overcome obstacles like culture, innovation and the country of origin effect. Chinese government is promoting innovation. The quality of Research & Development output lacks behind quantity and is often limited to technology improvements rather than basic research. Government is also pushing companies to go abroad. The biggest obstacle for Chinese consumer brands expanding internationally is the country of origin effect. To compete internationally and to be successful in the long run, Chinese companies have to deliver high product quality and use effective branding. After entering the market with low price products to gain market share, Chinese brands increase product quality and promote the consumer brand. By analyzing the smartphone market, this thesis evaluates the progress and sustainability of changing from low cost to high end manufacturing and branding.
Due to a low birth rate and rising longevity, Europe’s inhabitants are steadily getting older on average. In addition, the rising development of digitized workplaces and the resulting demands on employees’ competencies are urging businesses to reconsider the provision of equal training opportunities for all of their human capital, regardless of the employees’ biological age. It is often negative age-related stereotypes and overly generic training design in companies that hamper the learning success and thus the work performance of older professionals.
Through a combination of third-party case studies and semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted by the author, this paper aims to provide a more holistic, cross-industry, and multinational guide for firms to fully tap the potential of older professionals through the most effective training strategies.
In short, regular professional development reviews and mentoring opportunities can prove to be one of the most cost-effective and efficient training strategies for organizations. To achieve such an optimized learning outcome, managers should also cultivate a work environment conducive to learning and adjust the training design to their older workers' learning needs and preferences. Only then can managers be reassured that the invaluable tacit knowledge of the latter cohort is more apt to remain within the company and contribute to further innovation.
The purpose of this paper is a conceptualization of the identification and motivational methods for top distributors in the Chinese market for frequency converters. An examination of the market size, participants and segments is provided. Further the benefits for the manufacturer and distributor that occurring from a partnership are elaborated on and the term top distributor is defined.
Based on marketing channel literature a conclusive multidimensional model for the top distributor selection has been developed. The basic dimensions for distributor selection were determined as Sales/Market, Product/Service and Risk/Uncertainty factors. Those dimensions are supplemented by the China specific factors Guanxi and Human Capital. With special focus been given on the aspects that businesses might encounter when operating in China the reginal factors in distributor evaluation are also being discussed.
IN order to determine the value of different rewards two surveys were conducted. For the identification of the most valuable motivators a rewards portfolio was developed and applied on the data gathered in this surveys. The rewards portfolio was based on the portfolio analysis first developed by the Boston Consulting Group. The rewards determined as most valuable from both the manufacturers and distributor sides were “additional marketing and customer acquisition support”, “extended payment terms” and “market intelligence from manufacturer”. An explanation for the importance of those rewards is additionally provided.
Sustainable product offerings in food retailing have been increasing in the last years, making their way from specialized stores to mainstream food retail stores. It is the case of Germany in which sustainable food products are found in many retailing channels, even discounters. Many pieces of research have been focusing on the bio- and fair-trade labels effect on consumers' behavior, and increased interest has been put in the effect it has regarding WTP towards food products. These studies tend to conclude in a higher WTP towards sustainable labeled food products. However, the studies focus only on the valuation of the product qualities and leave the retailer format aside, which is the location where the product and the labels are being displayed and evaluated by the customer. This research will focus on assessing if the retailer format influences consumers WTP towards bio and fair-trade labels in the German food retail market. In total, 400 randomly selected participants answered one of four surveys regarding WTP towards food products in different retailer formats. Two retailer formats are considered discounters and supermarkets. This research analyses if the labels are performing adequately throughout all food retailing formats in order to provide valuable information for the future of sustainable consumption and regulation. In the end, we cannot conclude a statistically significant difference through the analysis of variance of the means of the label performance in both retailer formats.
This thesis deals with the determination of decision criteria for the development of a fixed-floating mix for non-financial firms and applies them to the example of Heineken.
Existing literature fails to offer a clear guidance on how to approach the fixed-floating decision. Managerial incentives, leverage, the availability of natural hedges, firm liquidity and the shape of the yield curve are frequently mentioned as factors influencing the fixed-floating mix of non-financial firms. I analyse a theoretical approach to constructing the fixed-floating mix and depict the difficulties that such a model based on historical data has in the current interest rate environment.
Conducting a peer group analysis, I study the trends in interest rate risk management in the brewery and alcoholic beverages industry. A clear tendency of the firms in the sample to maintain a high percentage of debt with fixed interest rates is visible. Furthermore, I analyse the risk-return trade-off and conclude that the importance of the fixed-floating split decision for the individual firm depends mainly on leverage and the firm’s capability to absorb volatility in interest expenses, measured by interest coverage.
Additionally, I determine leverage, the level of interest rates, the shape of the yield curve and the comparison to a core peer group as decision criteria Heineken should apply when reconsidering its fixed-floating mix in place. The analysis of these criteria leads to the conclusion that the current interest rate environment, financial metrics of Heineken and the comparison to a core peer group justify having a high percentage of debt with fixed interest rates and can even trigger Heineken to further increase the fixed portion of its debt.
It is generally recognized that emotions aroused in individuals through marketing communications have an influence on their buying decisions in the B2C context. However, it is often disregarded that individuals are also decision-makers in organizations. Therefore, in the B2B context, emotional stimuli in marketing communications may influence their organizational buying decisions as well. In this paper, we examine the extent to which marketers in the mechanical engineering industry can influence their customers by positive emotional stimuli. Practical recommendations are given for the marketing communication of the newly launched production line CUBE by ZAHORANSKY AG, one of the worldwide leading organizations in the industry for brushmaking machinery.
The aim of this paper is to explore factors driving and affecting motivation of workers for participating in Crowdsourcing platforms and propose adequate incentive mechanisms. A general definition what mainly motivates crowd workers, poses a difficult task, as it depends on a diversity of opportunities and challenges, which entail Crowdsourcing systems. Although they represent a common notion for the majority of crowd workers, these opportunities and challenges do not have the same effect on their motivation, as crowd workers are in different situations and differ in their influenceability. Thus, creating incentive mechanisms for such a heterogeneous pool of people with different backgrounds, holding different reasons and motivations concerning their participation at Crowdsourcing platforms represents a major challenge. In any case, incentives should meet the needs of the increasing number of remote workers in order to motivate them participating in Crowdsourcing platforms and contribute with quality work. This in return will ensure the sustainability of the Crowdsourcing system.
The present bachelor dissertation deals with the increasing popularity and attractiveness of fitness studios in the German market, the resulting competition and the possibility to differentiate oneself by adapting various marketing measures. The classical marketing mix and its existing instruments are explained in detail, and the possibility to use them in the area of sport and explicit fitness is reviewed. The effectiveness and application of the instruments are then explained using the example of McFIT, which has become the current market leader through their successful use. A competition analysis comparing McFIT and two competitors in the German market helps to identify existing strengths and weaknesses and compare the companies.
SPACs are an alternative way for companies to access the capital market. They have experienced a boom since 2020, and in the following year 613 SPACs raised more than $160 billion in the US. However, SPACs are controversial and have been criticized for bad performance and incentive misalignments. This bachelor thesis aims to examine whether the current US SPAC boom is a temporary phenomenon or whether SPACs represent a long-term alternative to the traditional IPO process. To answer this research question, a literature review and 14 semi-structured expert interviews were conducted to explore the reasons for the boom, the advantages and disadvantages for companies seeking to go public, and the winner and losers of the SPAC process. This work shows that SPACs had already gained acceptance in the market before the boom, and it argues that SPACs are a viable alternative to the traditional IPO process for young, risky companies due to the regulatory advantages and the support of SPAC sponsors. In addition, the majority of key SPAC stakeholders are winning in the SPAC process and are likely to continue to support the market in the future. At the same time, this paper finds that the Corona pandemic was an important catalyst for the SPAC market, but that the associated reasons for the boom will probably recede. Moreover, PIPE investors will be more selective in the future and sponsors without appropriate expertise and network will have to liquidate their SPACs more often. This bachelor thesis therefore concludes that SPACs will continue to exist. However, there will be fewer and higher quality SPACs in the future.
The Revive Turbo Cleaner is a cleaning fluid which removes carbon deposits from inside petrol or diesel engine systems. It is distributed internationally through wholesalers and sales agents to workshops and private car owners. After the acquisition of Revive Automotive Solutions Ltd by Bartec Auto ID Ltd in summer 2016, the new owners decided to further develop the brand and to move into the promising German automotive aftermarket, as the Cleaner had shown good sales figures in the home market UK and in a number of international markets. This paper examines environmental factors influencing the German marketplace, analyses Revive’s actual customer segments including consumers and business clients, provides profiles of its competitors and substituting technologies, regards the characteristics of the specific industry and defines the product’s qualities in order to draw a conclusion on the appropriate Marketing Mix to employ for the German market. In advance to the analytical work, the paper critically considers the range of theoretical frameworks used for the analysis, namely PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces Analysis, the SWOT Analysis and the Marketing Mix in order to define and update original concepts as wells as adapt them to the research requirements.
While the global economy is suffering from the consequences of COVID-19, China has managed to tackle the crisis and was able to restart the national economy within a few months. The objective of this study is to identify how the German industry in China was able to restart after the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The conducted research is based on two underlying research questions: “How did the German industry in China overcome the COVID-19 crisis?” and “which future trends are emerging in German companies because of the COVID-19 crisis?”. To answer these questions, qualitative expert interviews with representatives of the German industry in China were conducted. As experts for their respective company, the interviewees were able to provide firsthand experience for this research. More specifically, they were questioned about the measures that were taken to combat the epidemic, their impact on the economy and potential trends that may emerge as a result of the crisis. The interviews showed that the Chinese government and German companies both implemented effective measures to fight the economic impact of the epidemic. Furthermore, the study was able to identify future trends that stem from the concepts that were developed to overcome the crisis. The COVID-19 outbreak was a catalyst for these trends. The risk-based containment approach of the Chinese government in combination with the measures taken within the companies, such as the immediate establishment of task forces and the implementation of alternate working models, was a successful strategy to overcome the COVID-19 crisis. Recognizing the trends that emerged from the crisis and acting accordingly will be essential for German companies.
Promotional offers play a significant role in order to obtain and retain new and existing customers. There are already many researches comparing the performance and effectiveness of sales strategies during the promotional period. Results reveal that the framing of the saving message influences consumers’ perception of the price which in turn leads to an uncommon purchase decision. Even though the offers are mostly economically equivalent, people have preferences depending on the pricing practice. Data from previous researches shows that in many cases bonus packs are generally more preferred than a discount. Most commonly applied in-store strategies in Germany are price discount and buy one get one free. Will the value perception for BOGOF still be higher than price discount after the promotion expires? This study will specifically focus on BOGOF and price discount in the consumer nondurable goods industry. A total of 450 randomly selected people participated in the A/B survey. The A survey focusses on questions relating to price discount whereas the B survey includes questions regarding BOGOF. In both surveys, the promotion is no longer valid. The survey data reveals that the willingness to pay for consumer nondurable goods during the post-promotion phase is higher when promoting with BOGOF rather than with price discount. This research has the potential to form a crucial answer for academics and marketers in the consumer nondurable goods industry as it provides insight of the long-term influence of promotion on consumer psychology.
How value is perceived has a large influence on the purchase decisions of customers. Previous studies have focused mainly on the value perception of customers, but which role does the value perception of a seller play and what impact does it have on a sales conversation? Is the value of a product or service perceived equally by the seller and the customer or is there a significant difference?
In this research we will specifically focus on the tourism industry and find out how sellers and customers perceive the value of a package holiday. A total of 50 sellers and 100 customers participated in our survey and the results show, that there is a significant difference in the perceived value of the offered package holiday between sellers and customers. The sellers tend to perceive value lower than the customers and in addition, the sellers’ value perception is characterized by a lower variability. Furthermore, when it comes to estimating how the other side perceives value, our results show the opposite of what the respondents expected.
This research has the potential to provide an insight into the mind of the sales person and lead to a better understanding of sales psychology.
A growing population, climate change, animal welfare and health concerns are issues with increasing relevance. They draw attention to new technologies that focus on more sustainable and healthier solutions. This thesis analyses the market of meat substitutes with the aim of getting a deeper understanding of the market drivers, what contributes to consumer acceptance and a successful market positioning. The focus lies on the factors that make meat substitutes successful alternatives in Germany.
The research includes previous literature, expert interviews and a marketing mix analysis. The secondary literature is used to introduce the topic, to analyse the market drivers and to gain insights into consumer food choice behaviour, whereas the expert interviews focus on market assessment and effective company positioning. The marketing-mix analysis is conducted on the basis of purchased meat substitute products which are compared to regular meat products. The researcher included a place analysis that takes the entire German market into account, as well as a promotional analysis that highlights effective marketing strategies.
Based on the findings of the thesis, it can be concluded that animal welfare, sustainability and health trends are major drivers of meat substitutes. The market is expanding and has great future potential. However, large scale consumer acceptance is highly dependent on the preferred sensory properties such as authentic taste and texture, as well as a product variety that meets German consumer preferences. All in all, the promotion of meat replacement products should focus on a combination of benefits that include both functional and emotional aspects.
The video game industry has come a long way from its humble beginnings in a computer lab at the Brookhaven National Laboratory’s instrumentation group to a multi billion-dollar industry. Considering that the gaming industry is a relatively young industry, it has faced a substantial amount of structural changes and shifts that were intensified by mega trends (i.e. Digitalization) that influence every industry in a certain way. One of these structural changes was the emergence of smaller studios, also known as “indie studios”. Even though these studios have always been a part of the industry, they themselves and their games respectively have gained a lot of appreciation and support over the last decade. Some of these titles even managed to upset those of the big and established studios, also referred to as AAA studios. The most dominant factors that allowed for the emergence and the success of smaller studios were the drastically reduced entry barriers (i.e. free development kits, online distribution websites) and the supportive environment offered to them (e.g. university programs, incubators). Yet, some studios manage to generate better results with their games than other studios do and therefore remained capable of competing in the industry. This circumstance inspired this thesis to identify the KSFs (i.e. Key Success Factors), also referred to as CSFs (i.e. Critical Success Factors) that allow for a successful launch of the game. Generally speaking, KSFs are those business areas and activities that, if executed in a proper way, enable a company to compete successfully in a given market. Since their introduction in 1961 by D. Ronald Daniel, a consultant with McKinsey & Company, the KSFs have been the subject of many studies and academic research papers. A majority of the research tends to focus on applying the KSF methods to more established industries (i.e. healthcare, construction). In addition to that most of the research conducted within the field of KSFs tends to gravitate around identifying and forecasting the KSFs that might be of interest for a given time period instead of focusing on a dedicated event such as the launch of a product. This thesis therefore provides the first comprehensive research on the KSFs in the context of the gaming industry, with special regard to the smaller studios (i.e. indie studios) and the launch period of a game.
First and foremost, this study aims to identify the KSFs that are of great importance to the successful launch of a given game. Furthermore, it tries to research how these KSFs are identified and implemented by the studios. Additionally, it will be researched if the studios are using the traditional model outlined by Howell, M. (2010) or if they rely on other methodologies to identify and implement the relevant KSFs for a successful launch. Lastly, it will be analysed, how smaller (i.e. indie studios) determine whether or not a game was a success and what metrics they use for this evaluation.
The study relied on secondary data provided by scientific journals, books, conference papers from the fields of busines, project management, strategic management and gaming. Since the available scientific literature for this specific research topic was considerably scarce, a lot of the needed content and references used in this thesis were acquired through practical research.
The research followed a hybrid approach, indicating that quantitative as well as qualitative research methods were applied. The qualitative research was conducted in the form of interviews with six industry experts that all had contributed in their way to successful game launches in the past. They were thoroughly researched and evaluated before being contacted in order to ensure their ability to contribute to answering the research question. The data and inputs gathered from the qualitative research were used throughout the theoretical part of the thesis in order to compensate for the continous lack of academic resources and to support the claims made by the author. Furthermore, the data was used to create the survey (i.e. quantitative research) that would be distributed among 409 potential participants. Similar to the quantitative research, these participants were also thoroughly researched and evaluated in order to ensure the legitimacy of the results.
Findings suggest that smaller studios (i.e. indie studios) are not familiar with the traditional model proposed by Howell(2010), which tends to be employed larger corporations in rather established industries. Yet they are familiar with the concept of KSFs and determine as well as implement them through agile project management, which has its origins in the software development industry. This way studios are able to adjust and adapt their KSFs at a faster pace, which is essential due to dynamic environment they operate in. The results indicate that a majority of the participating studios use the Scrum development method in order to determine and implement the required KSFs for developing and launching their games. A significant number of studios rely on dedicated agile project management software programs that aid the companies throughout the project lifecycle. The most popular programs being Trello and Jira. The qualitative research identified a total of 22 potential KSFs that are deemed to be important for the successful launch of a game. The most crucial KSFs were considered to be the following:
- Team chemistry & intrinsic motivation & internal communication
- Budgeting & scheduling & scoping
- Selecting distribution channel & front-page promotion
- Presentation of game on websites & USP
- Active community on social networks & strong customer support & transparency
The results indicate that the traditional one dimensional metrics (i.e. sales level) of evaluating the success of a game launch might no longer have the highest weight in the opinion of studios. The success tends to be determined by a set of one-dimensional metrics, which are quantifiable (e.g. sales levels, positive reviews) and multi-dimensional metrics which are not quantifiable (e.g. learning experience, fulfilment).
Summing up, there might not be such a thing as a “magic formular” that will ensure the success of a game launch. Yet, the research aims to provide suggestions based on the findings from practical research that could be of usage to studios when launching their next game.
Given the increasing diversity in today’s business environment and workforce, having the right skills and abilities to manage intercultural interactions become increasingly important. Universities and business schools try to equip their students with the right capabilities by sending them abroad for a study semester or internship.
Within this thesis, the multidimensional construct of Cultural Intelligence, which is defined as being effective in intercultural interactions will be introduced and how students’ international experiences are influencing it.
Using quantitative data from a self-conducted survey which includes the widely used and validated Cultural Intelligence Scale is going to demonstrate if both a study semester and an internship abroad influence Cultural Intelligence more than just one kind of international student experience. The study also tries to find out if previous international experience and Cultural Distance have a significant impact on Cultural Intelligence.
The results indicate that both kinds of international student experiences are not enhancing Cultural Intelligence more than just one type of student experience abroad. There is also no significant influence to be found from prior international experience and Cultural Distance. Although the survey results are not going to provide significant findings, internal and external factors which are enhancing this intelligence are going to be identified theoretically, as well as the positive effects of Cultural Intelligence on the business environment.
Social media is important to the private lives of people. Marketers can use this to sell their products and create a competitive advantage. This study’s research questions were formulated in order to examine this topic more closely. The aim of this thesis is to provide a theoretical background on social media and the influence of purchase decisions, as well as empirical evidence. Secondary data from various journals and articles was used to provide a theoretical framework based on the latest information. Empirical studies by researchers in different industries have examined the topic with a statistical approach. Their findings are used to provide a practical perspective. The results show that social media has a positive influence on consumers’ purchase behaviour. The conclusion discusses recommendations for future research, limitations and a critical view on existing empirical research and theory on this topic.
To achieve sustainable development, appropriate individual consumer behavior is required. However, the increasing statements expressing the intention to buy green products by consumers are reflected in only a fraction of actual purchases. This paper presents a literature review on the attitude-behavior gap phenomenon, focusing on the controversial role of green marketing in promoting sustainable consumption and its influence on the gap between intentions and behaviors.
The attitude-behavior gap is attributable to various situational and internal factors, with the prevailing price sensitivity and routine purchase behavior for low-involvement products playing a critical role in the fast-moving consumer goods industry. Counteracting these factors with the help of a green marketing approach that encompasses internal, strategic, and tactical marketing orientations was examined in this work. While it has been found that creating credibility and transparency through a holistic marketing orientation and targeting the origins of the attitude-behavior gap with the respective green marketing tools can positively contribute to its narrowing, divergent green marketing strategies can lead to the opposite. Greenwashing as a strategy to give companies a greener image without adapting their business activities accordingly leads to a negative impact on the attitude-behavior gap.
On the basis of this analysis, the study found that according to the way a company employs green marketing strategies, it may either widen or narrow the gap.
Based on the history of office design, the changing technological environment and current business challenges, the physical workplace is an important aspect of the employee experience. The aesthetics of the work environment are one aspect that influences well-being and satisfaction on many different levels. This thesis provides a holistic and comprehensive perspective on the topic, including important influential factors from several scientific disciplines.
Two main dimensions of influence on the employee experience are considered. The direct- affective dimension deals with findings mostly from environmental psychology and neuroscience, which includes the impact of internal environmental quality and other psychological effects. Despite not always being consciously recognized, aesthetics and sensual perception have strong implications for the psychological well-being of organizational members.
The indirect-cognitive dimension deals with the work environment as an expression of organizational culture and the resulting implications of aesthetic considerations and the related symbolic and functional dimensions of the physical work environment. Common organizational artifacts and themes are explored as examples of the influence of aesthetic considerations for workplace design.
Next to the employee perspective, the managerial perspective and important implications, restrictions and issues for organizations in the creation and operation of workspaces are also considered.
Empirical research has been conducted to evaluate the application of aesthetic considerations and related issues in practice. Four expert interviews provide insight into the perspective of workplace design professionals on the aesthetics and related aspects of design, implementation processes and employee experience.
The aesthetic dimension of workplace design is often not actively considered by organizational members and management, but the research conducted in this work provides far-reaching evidence for the potential benefits of more considerate design choices for the aesthetics and beauty in the workplace. Using measures on both the direct and indirect levels of influence, the well-being and satisfaction of employees can be increased, and the attitudes and feelings held towards the organization can be improved. The importance of the interrelated fields of organizational culture and cultural change is explored. In addition, practical recommendations for the optimization of the aesthetical dimension of workplace design are offered at the conclusion of this work.
Job contentment, interpersonal relationships at work, quality of life – for a long time, these aspects were not given importance in an organizational context. Companies were considered rational units, and emotional aspects were neglected. Where people are recognized as an increasingly important resource in a company, emotions play a significant role. In the course of this, the interest in emotional intelligence in the workplace emerged. Especially in the field of leadership, emotional intelligence is now being given more and more attention and has proven to be a cause for numerous positive effects. Due to the limited research on this relation, this thesis aims to find out if and how emotional intelligence in leadership influences employee job satisfaction, specifically in a Danish organization. After outlining the foundations of emotional intelligence in leadership, job satisfaction, and Danish business culture, the empirical research focuses on employee interviews and an evaluation of the emotional intelligence of two managers. Specific focus is put on the employees' perception of their job satisfaction and their assessment of the importance of emotionally intelligent leadership. The results show the importance of emotionally intelligent behavior, and recommendations regarding the implementation of emotional intelligence to overcome workplace challenges are given.
Generation Z born between 1995 and 2010 has a growing influence on the markets and businesses need to adapt their marketing strategies to meet the needs and expectations of said generation and therefore influence their brand perception, preferably positively. Consequently, it is essential to understand Generation Z, their values, characteristics and behavior.
The goal of this thesis is to answer how the modern marketing strategy cause-related marketing influences the brand perception of Generation Z. Thus, the following research questions are being posed: “How does cause-related marketing influence Generation Z’s brand perception in Germany?” and “How can cause-related marketing influence Generation Z’s brand perception in Germany positively?”.
To answer the research questions a quantitative study regarding brand perception was conducted. More specifically a survey was run to measure the brand perception of Generation Z regarding the practice of cause-related marketing. The respondents had to indicate how much they agree or disagree with statements about brands practicing cause-related marketing posed on a 5-level Likert scale to measure their brand perception.
The results of the study indicate that the perception of Generation Z gets influenced by the practice of cause-related marketing. Moreover, Generation Z’s brand perception gets influenced positively. This effect can be augmented if companies pay attention to the specific values, characteristics and behavior of Generation Z and choose their message, collaboration partners and causes accordingly. Additionally, Generation Z’s brand perception can be influenced positively if cause-related marketing is practiced originally, especially via suitable communication tools.
Further studies concerning cause-related marketing influencing Generation Z’s brand perception in other countries or how specific brands or industries are affected could be conducted. Additionally, studies focusing on the negative impacts of cause-related marketing could be performed.
Many companies are struggling with the decision of whether they should invest resources in the new app TikTok to communicate and develop their employer brand. Therefore, this thesis addresses, the question: Should German companies invest in TikTok as an employer branding tool? As this topic is not well researched yet, this work is based on individual opinions of HR professionals and opinions on the internet. There is no scientific verification of the accuracy of the statements made in this paper.
To answer this question, interviews with 14 German HR experts have been conducted. Afterwards, the interviews have been summarized and evaluated. The results show that the answer to the research question depends on several factors.
TikTok is considered as a suitable tool if the company’s DNA correspond to that of the application and if enough personal resources are available. Also, if the target group and their needs match the young audience and if the company has already gained experiences on social media. Furthermore, the uploaded content should be authentic and involve motivated representatives of the target group (age 16 to 24). The company must give those employees full support, trust and freedom. Nevertheless, they should also invest in their training and let them know what is desired. The content on TikTok should be informative, short, in the language of the audience and the company should act as an adviser. Employer branding content should be published infrequently and only once a community has been built. The app should be understood as an awareness channel and it should not be expected to bring many applicants immediately. Firms should weigh the positive and negative sides and use the above factors to decide whether TikTok fits their own company.
The success of TikTok can be explained, for example, due to the dopamine release when watching videos on social media and the complex algorithm behind the app, which filters only relevant videos for the individual preferences of each user. Moreover, other hormones such as adrenalin and oxytocin are released, as well. The variety of sounds available and the possibility to share the content with other social media platforms, could also lead to a high popularity of the app. The short videos are favorable for the short attention span of social media users and not often being interrupted by any comments or advertisements makes watching TikTok videos fun.
In the light of incremental environmental degradation, social awareness and resource depletion along with high and volatile resource prices, food packaging manufacturers in Germany increasingly perceive pressure towards the implementation of circular business models. However, there does not exist any data neither about the current deployment of circular business models nor about the active efforts dedicated by manufacturers in the German food packaging industry while in many cases there is lacking expertise of how to implement circular business models. This thesis is going to close this gap by conducting a systematic observation of 41 food packaging manufacturers’ product portfolio and company policy in order to identify the current state of deployment and active efforts dedicated to the implementation. Moreover, the most applicable measures will be analysed in order to capture the level of circularity in the focal industry, while providing a step-by-step guidance of how to implement circular business models. There was found that the German food packaging industry is characterised by an open-loop approach since manufacturers focus on circular inputs but neglect the reuse and recycling of packaging materials. Besides, there could be identified six highly applicable metrics, which measure a range of different fundamental aspects of the circular economy. Finally, there was found that the process of implementing circular business models can be structured into four phases, whereas a set of key enablers permits food packaging manufacturers to overcome certain barriers and facilitates the implementation of circular business models. The conclusion was drawn that food packaging manufacturers in Germany still show noticeable potential for enhancement in order to increase circularity, especially by launching circular product designs, the reuse of certain types of food packaging and implementing a more holistic approach of circular business models.
The advertising industry has strongly changed over the past years. Obviously, the coming of digital media has created networking between consumers and revolutionized traditional marketing toward companies building lasting relationship with potential customers and thereby generating an exponential growth in exposure and influence still called viral marketing. Despite the fact that viral marketing is an old topic, its relevancy in the business area is quite recent. However, little research is devoted to the adoption and internal usage of social media in SMEs, which are of high social and economic importance. Findings of numerous researches on this topic have been constructed on the B2C market. For this reasons, the aim of this study seeks to address the gap in knowledge regarding the use of social media in the B2B SMEs in Germany.
The Impact of Using Sustainability Labels in Advertisements of Fashion Brands on Social Media
(2022)
This thesis investigates the impact of sustainability labels in advertisements of fashion brands on social media. It aims to answering the following research questions: Do consumers search for more information on sustainability labels? Do sustainability labels impact credibility? Do sustainability labels impact purchase decisions? To answer the research questions an online survey with 202 participants was conducted. The empirical study revealed that consumers tend to search for less additional information when a sustainability label is displayed in an advertisement on social media. Few consumers believe that brands are fully sustainable when sustainability claims in an advertisement are not supported by a sustainability label. The display of a sustainability label may not be one of the most important factors for consumers considering purchasing fashion items. Those results suggest that brands should use sustainability labels as an important tool in advertising on social media to fill the informational need of consumers and increase credibility.
The impact of Social Media Marketing on consumer decision-making process in the tourism industry
(2019)
Decisions are defining our daily lives. Consumers are making decisions frequently. Since new technologies appeared, and globalization is rising, people are facing new challenges and are confronted with more decisions to make than it was two decades earlier.
Decisions are made in every industry. Likewise, it is in tourism.
The tourism industry is booming, and the necessity of the internet required more than ever. Simultaneously tourism industry is faced with a new consumer who is creating, commenting, sharing, liking and posting content. Hence, it is more complex to analyze and understand this form of consumer. Changing position from an offline to an online member of the internet have had a huge impact on consumers’ behavior. Adaptation of Social Media Marketing to the new consumers tend to be more difficult than it was earlier. Consumers are getting more communicative dispose of a wider range of information, as the internet became a tool to interact and communicate. It is now more important that the tourism industry acts in a successful and sustainable way to improve its Social Media performance and adapt communication processes to be able to influence decisionmaking and direct consumer to their touristic supply.
At this academic work, firstly, it is identified the term “tourism” to analyze the decisionmaking process adapted to the tourism industry. Moreover, critical phases, which can be strongly influenced by Social Media Marketing are defined, based on theoretical research.
Moreover, a model is going to be designed, which describes adequate Social Media applications which are influencing consumers’ decision-making process. This is based on a quantitative research in form of a questionnaire. The resulting model is proved and discussed later approached by a qualitative research, which will be designed as an expert discussion.
With the rise of the “Quiet Revolution” in the past years, introversion has gained significant importance on an international scale. Especially in individualistic cultures being an introvert does not fit the “Extrovert Ideal” and can lead to unpleasant situations in daily life. Introversion is a personality trait that can mainly be defined by the way a person gains its energy. While introverts gain energy in more quiet environments, the opposite is the case for extraverts. This bachelor thesis intends not only to capture the perception of introversion in the German speaking world, but the main focus is on the impact of introversion in the application process, specifically the reaction of introverts to certain personal characteristics mentioned in job advertisements. As the collected data of an online survey shows, introverts react differently to job advertisements that require characteristics involving a high degree of social interaction. While many introverts know that characteristics like the ability to communicate or work in a team appear in a high number of job advertisements for a variety of different jobs, they would apply to these positions, but given other options, they would rather choose less socially engaging positions. When communication skills are required, slightly more than half of the participants would not apply to the position. Lastly, the perception of introversion from an introvert’s view is mixed. While roughly 75% of the participants feel like introverts are more likely to be disadvantaged in the application process and slightly more than 50% replied that they would prefer to be extraverted, the other half responded that they prefer to stay the way they are, some people mentioning that they wish their skills would be appreciated more.
Mergers and acquisitions are effective strategies for corporations to accomplish their financial and strategic goals. They can, for example, assist businesses in increasing economies of scale or decreasing rivalry. The annual growth in the value of all mergers and acquisitions highlights the continued trend of M&As. Researchers differ on the role of national culture in post-merger integration. Some argue that national culture significantly influences post-merger integration, making it more difficult to create synergies. Other scholars argue that national culture should be viewed as a competitive advantage that leads to a more positive M&A outcome. National culture is not a major factor in post-merger integration, and other variables, like the firm's desire to adapt and corporate culture, dictate its complexity. Another viewpoint on the influence of national culture is that it relies on the level of connectivity, which means that the more tightly a firm integrates with another, the more probable cultural disputes develop. Therefore, this study aims to look at a wider prospect of the impact of national culture on post-merger integration. The research methodology used in this research work is the qualitative research design which involves a naturalistic study intended to collect, analyze, and interpret non-numerical to understand individual opinions, phenomena, concepts, or experiences. Primary and secondary data were used in this investigation. Semi-structured interviews were used to acquire primary data from the research sample. On the other hand, secondary data for the research study was gathered from existing sources such as prior study results, journal articles, reports, and other recorded literature on the role of national culture in post-merger integration. The results of this research were categorized in the form of the three themes, which forms the basis central basis of the research.
The impact of human trust on business performance by the example of non-governmental organizations
(2020)
How important, scalable and influenceable is the factor trust for charities? This thesis deals with this question regarding social media appearances of three NGOs. Furthermore, it aims to capture the general state of trust of millennials in non-governmental organizations.
This work is predicated on extensive literature research, an online survey, a group discussion with millennials and an application of the HuTrust Model by mext consulting.
Findings indicate that the level of trust matters in different areas such as social media engagement rate and the willingness to donate money to an NGO
Global warming threatens our climate. The planet we know today will deteriorate seriously if nothing changes. The massive consumption of textiles makes the fashion industry as the second leading global polluter after the oil industry. The rise in population increases demand and therefore, also production, which in turn leads to harmful environmental impacts. The global consumers have become increasingly concerned and aware of the importance of sustainability. Due to rising awareness of customers regarding the environment, green marketing strategies have become an important topic. Therefore, a huge number of companies are “greening” their marketing mix. Environmental concern and knowledge of consumers are growing but there is still contradicting behavior of consumers regarding environmentally friendly products. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of green marketing practices and environmental behavior factors on consumer buying behavior taking the fashion industry as an example. This thesis depends on theoretical findings of green marketing and environmental behavior factors in general and on the fashion industry. The practical part consists of a self-conducted survey were the impact of the above-mentioned determinants were examined on the example of eco-friendly fashion. Conclusions that can be drawn from the study were that even though consumers know about the negative impact of the fashion industry and they are concerned about the environment it does not translate into their behavior, since there are other factors which influence consumers decision more heavily when purchasing fashion items.
Globalization and digitalization are two major trends shaping organizations today. Information systems are heavily influenced by globalization because of the crucial role they play in many organizations operating in an increasingly international environment. One way this is demonstrated is through different usage behaviour displayed in different cultural backgrounds. The purpose of this study is to determine how cultural differences influence the use of information systems through the Technology Acceptance Model. Insights into differences in user behaviour are able to contribute to a better understanding of operating, developing and managing information systems.
The study is based on a mixed methods approach to empirical research using primary and secondary data. A literature review was used to establish a theoretical foundation of concepts regarding the key points of the study. Subsequently, two expert interviews have been conducted with the departments responsible for most of the information systems operated at the Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences with the objective to collect information about the provided services. It has been revealed that there is a movement towards expanding services to mobile devices. A survey was carried out to measure and analyze usage behaviour and attitudes of business faculty students towards the information systems. Based on path analysis of the collected data, an extended version of the Technology Acceptance Model has been developed with social influence as additional variable. The results show that different cultural dimensions impact the approach to use an information system differently characterized by the degree of support for the Technology Acceptance Model and the emphasis on either traditional factors or social influence. Finally, the survey has revealed general support for mobile learning information systems as an instrument to access information.
Travel bans, lockdowns, and social distancing shape the daily pandemic rou- tine and force marketers, producers, business, and consumers to changed buying behavior and disrupted buying habits. Online sales are sky rocking and hence the comprehension of changes in consumer behavior towards online shopping play an important role for the economy. The aim of the present thesis is to investigate changes in consumer behavior due to COVID-19 and give insights whether these changes last or not. Subordinately, it is examined whether – and if, how – online and offline buying motives are linked to possible lasting changes. Therefore, a deductive quantitative method, namely an online questionnaire, was chosen to conduct, and descriptive statistics to display and analyze data. The conducted data confirms a surge in online shopping fre- quency during the pandemic, but also shows that the respondents will not re- turn to old buying frequency habits and keep buying online as much as during the pandemic. Besides that, the present work confirms the assumption that COVID-19 raised awareness to support local stores. I further conclude that the research subjects gain trust in shopping online and will repeat new online shopping experiences. Hence, adopted consumer behavior will be repeated respectively and old buying habits are being refrained.
This bachelor thesis addresses the topic of digitalization in the healthcare industry and the resulting integration of Artificial Intelligence into medical care. The aim of this thesis is to develop new business model ideas for an international medical device manufacturer, enabled by the integration of a digital solution into the product portfolio. Furthermore, measures for the successful implementation of the business model ideas and positioning of the organization are to be developed.
To achieve this goal, a market research on the impact of digitalization in the healthcare industry and the resulting integration of Artificial Intelligence into medical care was conducted based on the relevant literature. In addition, the resulting opportunities and risks for the specific use case were identified.
Within the scope of this thesis, the following business model ideas were identified:
- BMI 1: Individual module-based offering,
- BMI 2: Comprehensive product and service solutions,
- BMI 3: Integrated supply and patient pathway solutions,
- BMI 4: Data platform provider.
Recommendations for successful positioning include (1) strengthening organizational structures for process orientation, (2) placing the digital solution not only as a solution for the patient pathway, but also as an enabler for ambulatory procedures, (3) expanding the digital solution with secondary process applications, (4) building a skilled workforce, and (5) partnering with technology companies to manage implementation of the platform-based business model idea.
We, a group of students from the "International Business Administration (IBW)" course at the Faculty of Business and Economics, have carried out a project as part of the subject "Managing Business Processes" that is intended to strengthen HFU's international reputation. This digital cookbook is intended to provide our guest students from partner universities with the opportunity to root the culture they have brought with them. On the other hand, we as hosts would like to convey the local culture to our guest students. By sharing diverse, broad and varied cuisines, we as a community could fulfill our motto of students for students. Not only does the HFU CookBook focus on the culinary arts, but it was also possible to facilitate personal student exchanges through an individual fact sheet. Due to the Corona situation, HFU could not live up to its usual standard for international exchange. Therefore it was important for us to enable the students a personal exchange, based on cultural facts, personal experiences and certain background information.
We hope that all readers of this book will enjoy cooking the recipes and learning about the different cultures.
Bon appétit!
This essay takes a fresh look at the interactions between Germany and its halal food market by evoking the facts, challenges, and opportunities of a norm that sets the limit between lawful and unlawful. Moreover, following the steps of various conducted research papers that analyzed the halal food market in different ethnic societies, this study aims to find out some of the significant success factors within the halal supply chain management in a German business context.
Many of the traditional alternative food networks are facing logistical challenges that impede them from increasing their scale and emerging from the market niche they currently operate in. Food hubs, as innovative business models, may be able to overcome these challenges and bridge the infrastructural gap between small and medium-sized local farmers and large-scale demand for local food products. Although the food hub concept has enjoyed only relatively little popularity in Europe, this might change with the European Commission’s plan for a more sustainable food system – the Farm to Fork strategy. This thesis aims to analyze the potential impact that this initiative as an external market force may have on the future of food hubs, so that it can be considered in their strategic decisions today. Nonquantitative scenario planning was used to develop four plausible future states, each characterized by a different level of success of the Farm to Fork strategy. The results indicate that it provides significant development opportunities for food hubs. Especially the regulations in institutional food procurement, the internalization of the true costs and changing perceptions of the value of food are potentially beneficial. However, this requires food hubs to pay close attention to the upcoming legal regulations when making portfolio decisions. A product offer that is based on environmental and social sustainability and healthiness in addition to local origin should put them in a favorable position to benefit off of these impending changes. At the same time, food hubs need to maintain their flexibility and respond adequately to consumer preferences in order to deal with the challenge of increasing competition with conventional retailers.
The effective, long-term management of natural resource wealth represents a big challenge for extractive countries like the Republic of Chile. The blessing of commodity abundance is accompanied by a phenomenon referred to as the resource curse. The implied limited economic growth and the general tendency towards opaque, exclusive and corrupt dynamics present in the extractive business foster the necessity for a strong transparency framework.
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has dedicated its efforts to this problem and has established an international standard for data availability and civil society participation along the extractive value chain. Analyzing the effectiveness and suitability of this approach for the achievement of greater transparency in the Chilean mineral resource management, it will be found that the EITI represents the appropriate basis for enhancing commodity governance. However, it will turn out that Chile’s individual motivation and consistency are vital for the initiative’s success.
This thesis provides a general assessment of the subject. Further research would be required in order to provide a precise evaluation.
The bachelor thesis investigates the development and impact of electronic payment methods, specifically concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer preferences, and the future of such methods. The primary objective of this study was to examine the effect of the pandemic and security concerns on consumer behaviour towards electronic payments. That was achieved through a literature review and a survey of 605 participants. The survey results indicate an increasing trend among consumers towards cashless payments due to their numerous advantages over cash transactions, including enhanced hygiene, quicker processing times, and improved security. As such, users exhibit a high level of comfort and convenience with electronic payment methods and are generally rarely worried about the security of their data. The study further reveals that electronic payment methods are gaining popularity worldwide, particularly mobile payments. The pandemic and improved security measures have led to a notable increase in their use, which is expected to continue to rise. Based on these findings, the study suggests that digital payments are the way forward and that these methods will be further developed to improve user-friendliness and security.
The present work illustrates the challenges non-profit organizations are facing, especially in regard to marketing measures. Rapid technical advancements and the continuous development of digital assets opens new creative possibilities, which organizations must recognize in order to operate successfully.
Future philanthropists’ charitable contributions are shaped by generational characteristics. The new generation forces organizations to implement new strategies and to revise its approach in order to address given needs and to satisfy all participants. Social platforms, permanent internet access and specifically mobile phones influence promotional activities which emphasizes the great importance of a digital marketing concept. Furthermore, charity organizations need to adapt new ways of engaging with their donor base in order to build a sustainable and lasting relationship.
This paper aims to reveal generational impacts on charitable contributions. It focuses mainly on marketing measures and the upcoming challenges and specifically aims to examine existing evidence for the effectiveness of Video Marketing. Hence, the key question to be answered is if video illustrates the new sales tool to approach future philanthropists. Therefore, an interview with the expert Dennis van Dijk, the COO of MSSG B.V., is being conducted to support the possible result.
This research identifies positive and negative influence factors by examining the effectiveness of digital video advertising. The objective is to discover ways of leveraging
these factors successfully through an extensive literature review. As this ad format has developed into a staple in most brands' media strategy, it is valuable to drive
understanding of effective implementation forward. Three brands that utilize digital video advertising are selected for an analysis of their recently published ads. This analysis is supported by a suggested model that was developed based on advertising literature to assess ad effectiveness. Results show that the perceived intrusiveness of an ad and the consequential ad avoidance behaviours in consumers represent a hindrance to ad effectiveness. In contrast, elements used in an advertisement that increase its value facilitated ad effectiveness. Credibility, entertainment and informativeness are ad value contributors and impact ad recall, the gateway to positive marketing outcomes such as purchasing decisions. The circumstances under which consumers are exposed to digital video advertisements play a role in if the ad message can effectively be conveyed.
While negative influence factors have their detriment, they can still be counteracted and leveraged. Advertisers and ad-supported video streaming sites like YouTube can find
ways to broadcast ads without significantly impeding the user experience and, in doing so, secure the continued profitability of this promotion format that depends on users
watching ads.
Global warming provokes our climate and the world how we know it today to change severely. The production of food together with its consumption is responsible for 19-29% of world’s greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities and further rises are
expected. As a response to this phenomenon, the assessment of a product’s carbon footprint has awaken huge interest with the purpose of controlling food’s environmental impact during its life-cycle. In order to involve individuals in the target of reducing harmful emissions, besides governmental and business efforts, CO2 labels have been developed to communicate a product’s carbon footprint and enabling consumers to make more climate-friendly purchase decisions. However, it has been shown that a successful
implementation of CO2 labels on grocery products still confronts barriers from the consumer side.
For a better understanding of the meaning of mentioned labels, this thesis deepens the theoretical backgrounds of greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint related to the food industry. In a second step, the acceptance and effectiveness of carbon labels on
groceries will be analysed critically by using contextual literature reviews and a case study on German purchase behaviour.
The economic impacts of tourism on regional, sustainable development - The case of the Swabian Alb
(2016)
The goal of the work was to determine the economic impacts of tourism on a region. Several models are described and the tourism value chain was chosen and employed for determining the economic effects tourism spending has on a region. The region chosen was the Swabian Alb which is located in the South of Germany. Many complex tools such as Input Output approaches or Tourism Satellite Accounts exist in tourism economic impact studies but for a small region such as the Swabian Alb those are too time-consuming. The value chain has proven to be an easy and effective tool in improving the positive economic effects of tourism such as multipliers and reducing negative effects such as leakages. The findings showed that the Swabian Alb is a sustainable region and does also research on economic impacts. However, there are gaps in this research and for a small region like the Swabian Alb is it is hard to measure indirect effects of tourism as those effects are not easy to capture especially in numerical terms. Therefore the value chain was developed and along the value chain potential sources of leakages and linkages can be found and ways to improve the sustainability can be formulated.
This thesis examines the existence and magnitude of the Dividend Month Premium in the German stock market over the period 1999 to 2021. The findings indicate that there appear to be significant positive abnormal returns in the lead-up to the ex-dividend date, which are reversed thereafter. This mispricing around a predictable event arises as a contradiction of the efficient market hypothesis and is driven by price pressure from dividend-seeking investors who are not exposed to additional risk compared to non-dividend periods. The asset pricing anomaly intensifies in times of economic uncertainty and is related to the level of dividend yield and liquidity. However, if firms decide to omit their dividend payments, the return premium disappears.
Precedent research in human resources management has put forward the challenges of recognizing the appropriate methods to unlock employees’ potential. However, it has been proven that leaders and managers can establish a culture where employees can unlock their potential with the proper understanding of neuroscience and emotional intelligence. This research has shown that cognitive skills, which are necessary for a good job performance, can be further developed due to neuroplasticity. Furthermore, understanding human needs and emotions can help people improve their work and life experience. This research also studies the relationship between employees’ well-being and job performance. Moreover, how emotional intelligence influences the company’s working atmosphere with its staff will be, with the support of literature research, thoroughly investigated and further analysed. Based on findings of various studies, attributes such as empathy, compassion, and kindness play a predominant role and indicate an underlying connection between motivation and job performance. All in all, questions such as how health impacts job performance and how neuroscience research and understanding human emotions shift the approach to motivating people will be further discussed. This research also questions what attributes a company leader should have to build trust with the employees and encourage them to work better. Therefore, this research takes a closer look into the exemplary leadership approach and explains why communication and purpose in the company matter when unlocking human potential. In addition, it highlights the effect of experiencing stress and fear at work and the remarkable impact of positive emotions such as kindness, gratitude, and compassion. Thus, with this understanding, this research acknowledges profoundly the positive influence of having a trustworthy and empathetic leader in the company. It fundamentally shows that working in a healthy and inclusive working culture, where psychological safety is ensured, one can, in fact, unlock the potential of employees to work better and feel good about themselves.