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Global key account management is the use of the key account management system aimed at global accounts; these global accounts can also be known as multinational companies. These types of companies are key players for business-to-business model companies as they might account for as much as 80% of all sales. At this level of importance, to lose a customer like that could be a death sentence for the business. Adopting a global key account management to keep these essential types of customers is a good strategy, knowing the tremendous value they provide. The company MinebeaMitsumi, being aware of this, brings up the case study for the initiation of a global key account management system, that will bring a best in class service to the key accounts of MinebeaMitsumi in the automotive market. To start this project, it is needed an assessment of the current situation in which MinebeaMitsumi operates to its key accounts. At the same time, it is intended to upgrade the digital infrastructure MinebeaMitsumi uses for its operations. The case study is presented as an exploration and analysis of MinebeaMitsumi and how should this new system be implemented in an early stage. This way, preparing the ground for a larger project at the time of full implementation.
Telearbeit, also das Arbeiten von zu Hause aus oder von jeden anderen beliebigen Ort abseits des herkömmlichen Arbeitsplatzes im Unternehmen, ist ein flexibles Arbeitsmodell das sich seit der Jahrtausendwende weltweit sehr stark verbreitet hat. Dies liegt vor allem an der rasanten Entwicklung der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie und der immer besseren Netzabdeckung. Wichtige Faktoren sind aber auch die teilweise veränderten Wertevorstellungen der Generationen X und Y. Die traditionelle Arbeitszeit von 8-17 Uhr wird immer unattraktiver, vielmehr möchten Arbeitnehmer über die Souveränität verfügen den Zeitpunkt und die Lage ihrer Arbeit weitestgehend selber bestimmen um somit ihr Privat- und Berufsleben besser miteinander vereinen zu können. Bezeichnet dafür ist das Ergebnis einer Umfrage: Jeder zweite Deutsche würde gelegentlich außerhalb des Büros arbeiten wenn er die Möglichkeit dazu bekäme. Weltweit hegten diesen Wunsch sogar 63% der Befragten. Viele Unternehmen bieten bereits verschiedene Telearbeitsmodelle an, eine Vielzahl von Experten hält dies aber immer noch für zu wenig. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt, dass Telearbeit unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen zu einer win-win-Situation für alle Beteiligten wird. Je nach Unternehmensgröße können Einsparungen in Millionenhöhe auf Grund sinkender Betriebskosten und steigender Produktivität erzielt werden. Mitarbeiter sind motivierter und empfinden weniger Stress was sich positiv auf die Gesundheit auswirken kann. Sogar Verkehrsnetze können durch Telearbeit entlastet und der Ausstoß von C02-Emissionen verringert werden. Jedoch sind viele Tätigkeiten schlichtweg nicht in Telearbeit umsetzbar. Betroffen sind vor allem der Einzelhandel sowie handwerkliche und produzierende Gewerbe. Auch nicht jeder Arbeitnehmer ist für Telearbeit geeignet. Je höher der Bildungsgrad und je komplexer die Aufgabe desto größer ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit jene Aufgaben außerhalb des Büros erledigen zu können. Die wichtigsten Faktoren für eine erfolgreiche Umsetzung von Telearbeitsprogrammen sind aber in erster Linie die Vorgesetzten. Vertrauen in die Fähigkeiten und die Selbständigkeit der Mitarbeiter und die damit verbundene Bereitschaft direkte Kontrolle abzugeben
The goal of this thesis is to evaluate the impact the choice of registered cooperatives as legal form for start-ups can have on the success of crowdfunding campaigns regarding information asymmetry and agency costs. The theoretical analysis argues that due to the reduction of information asymmetry between founders and contributors, agency costs should be reduced,and success of their crowdfunding campaigns should be more likely. This result is confirmed with some caveats with the help of expert interviews. In conclusion, only companies that aim for additional benefits of registered cooperatives are eligible to be founded as registered cooperatives in order to decrease information asymmetry and increase chances of success in crowdfunding.
Throughout the paper, the different concepts are applied to the practical example of the founding process of a social start-up, the Zeitcafé Freiburg, which results in the recommendation of registered cooperatives as legal form and crowdfunding as one source of capital.
In recent years, the topics of new work and agile practices have received growing at-tention. The concept and mindset Working Out Loud are embedded in this field. It is described by five practices and attitudes being visible work, relationships, leading with generosity, purposeful discovery, and having a growth mindset.
The present study attempts to evaluate whether it holds that this concept is predomi-nantly adopted by employees in hierarchical companies. The underlying assumption is that employees in hierarchical settings are deprived of a sense of self-efficacy which they gain by applying Working Out Loud. The results and conclusions are based on a combination of the findings of existing academic literature and the outcomes of con-ducted interviews with Working Out Loud promoters. As the concept Working Out Loud is not yet scientifically proven, the interviews are particularly important to draw relevant conclusions. For this purpose, employees were asked questions aiming at de-fining the present organizational structure in their companies and the underlying rea-sons for them engaging in Working Out Loud practices.
The conducted interviews and analyses yielded the result that employees tend to adopt Working Out Loud practices due to an underlying missing sense of self-efficacy, among other reasons. It could be shown that although not previously selected, the in-terview sample of Working Out Loud promoters appeared to be predominantly posi-tioned in hierarchical structures. Whether this proves the hypothesis right or whether the benefit and visible change in a hierarchical context is higher than in an agile one, needs to be further analyzed in future research.
XXXXXXXX, according to XXXXXXXX is a disruptive technology. This technology offers producers several advantages, such as more efficient and sustainable production, as well as cost savings and process optimization. Many producers are under increasing pressure to adapt their production in the long run tothe fast-growing technological standards andincreasing worldwide environmental consciousness. They are now facing the challenge of maintaining their competitive advantage in the medium to long run. Unfortunately, mostcompanies are not familiar with the new XXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXX might encounter rejection. Therefore, it is necessary to understand what actions need to be taken to convince a potential customer in the B2B relationship of the new technology. For this purpose, the following research question is posed: Which strategy supports the market entry of XXXXXXXX printing applications?-The impact of XXXXXXXX on technology introduction. To answer the research question, results were compiled on the basis of a literature research and an online survey on customer needs in décor baseboards and in vehicle interior design.
The research and the survey show, that decisions are always based on an emotional basis. In addition, information which is communicated several times and on different sensory levels, is better absorbed. The aspects sustainability, cost savings, individualization, waiting times and competent consultation play a central role for customers. Moreover, an economic challenge is crystallizing due to the Covid-19 crisis. As a result, the focus should be on emotionalizing and dramatizing the content when presenting the new XXXXXXXX technology. Here, the customer’s wishes should be included, and a personal connection should be built up as well as strong emotions evoked. This enables the creation of a very good customer experience, which is essential for decision-taking. In addition, the communication should take place on all sensory levels to provide the potential customer a multisensory experience. In order to better implement the proposed actions, it is recommended to meet the customer at a trade fair or in the XXXXXXXX building.The correct use of the proposed actions will help XXXXXXXX to successfully convince the potential customer of XXXXXXXX.
This thesis deals with the investigation of internationally operating project teams, using the automotive division of the cooperation partner and topic initiator Marquardt Group. The overall research question examines which skills in terms of emotions, culture and know how are required from program managers as a result of globalization. Background information about globalization, project management and the company itself is provided as a first step. In order to get an overview, qualitative expert interviews are conducted with program managers, their superiors, disciplinary supervisors and team members. The interview process serves to gain a stronger knowledge of the weaknesses in project management within the Marquardt Group. The results reveal clear problems, particularly in the analyzed subject areas processes, intercultural competence and communication.
Further information concentrating on intercultural competence and its potential training measures, as well as communication in so-called virtual teams due to the lacking face-to-face communication is given, followed by recommendations for improvements for the analyzed fields with weak points. It can be concluded that globalization and the consequent internationalization have a major impact on project teams requiring especially the advancement of professional, the related methodological, as well as leadership and social competences of program managers.
The purpose of this thesis is to determine which factors of the German entrepreneurial attitude can ensure a successful transition onto the Mexican market, defining the values and characteristics of a German entrepreneur.
In this context, explanations of the characteristics of the German entrepreneur, his "entrepreneurial attitude", "entrepreneurial characteristics" and "entrepreneurial intention" are of importance for the further investigation.
Through the literature research, this content was composed and defined. The Mexican market was taken as the focus and considered in the context of culture, values, and characteristics. Subsequently, the findings were verified and discussed through several expert interviews. By that, the research questions were aimed to be answered.
The results show that the terms of achievement, sense of duty and time-dominated are relevant success factors of German entrepreneurial attitude. There is a need for adaption for those terms and especially for the terms of authoritarian leadership style and hierarchical.
The results of the literature review with regard to the content of the definition of German entrepreneurship were seen by some of the experts as outdated and not up to date.
Finally, this work provides recommendations for a successful transition of German entrepreneurs to the Mexican market to promote entrepreneurial activities. Here, reference is made to the values and characteristics that have found approval or rejection through the interviews.
The literature research was limited to the dimension model of Hofstede and is not including other cultural models. The sample amount of five experts permits only a general analysis and conclusion.
The present thesis attempts to answer the question “What makes a bond green?” by analysing the current status of the green bond market with regards to its regulation and evaluating the need for harmonizing green bond standards.
A green bond, which is characterized by allocating its proceeds exclusively to climate-related or environmental projects, is a relatively novel sustainable financing instrument that has recorded exponential growth since the first issuance in 2007. The green bond market has developed as a privately regulated market leading to a range of different green bond standards and other market mechanisms used for verifying green bonds, of which some have developed into best practice followed by most issuers. This fragmented regulation and the lack of a globally accepted green bond standard leads to the difficulty in clearly identifying what makes a bond green.
By analysing the current best practice and comparing green bond standards this paper identifies the differences between existing standards and suggests the further harmonization of standards as an important prerequisite for the further growth of the green bond market. Consequently, the challenges related to the private nature of green bond regulation is reviewed, leading to the conclusion that the intervention of the government and establishment of public regulation for green bonds could be considered. With regards to the further expansion of the green bond market the EU Green Bond Standard that is currently under development by the European Commission is critically analysed.
The aim of this thesis is to elaborate and evaluate the current employer branding concept at a subsidiary of a globally represented organization. This enables the author to draw conclusions and give improvement recommendations.
The first part is based on scientific literature and data. It outlines the concept of employer branding and shows which areas of a company are affected hereby. Next, it is explained why a successful employer branding concept can be advantageous for companies and how to communicate it. To conclude the first part, challenges that come with employer branding in a global company context are elaborated.
The following part of the thesis, is developed from internal data and information. It focuses on the current employer branding concept at the subsidiary. Moreover, it is revealed why an employer brand is necessary and which challenges and opportunities, for this concept, exist at that subsidiary. It is also reflected on the effects, set corporate guidelines and conditions, have on the local employer branding concept.
The last part, attempts to measure the success of the current employer branding concept at the subsidiary. This is conducted by assessing three different sources with regard to their influence and significance on the employer brand. At first, the company’s key performance indicators are evaluated. Secondly, results of two surveys, which were conducted for this thesis, are analyzed and interpreted. Both give insight on people’s expectations and experiences with employers: One survey investigated an external target group while the other questioned the employees at the subsidiary. As a third source, results of a recent internal survey, which evaluated the employee’s perspective on their workplace, are included and assessed.
To conclude the thesis, improvement suggestions on how to have a successful employer brand, according to demographic region, operating business sector and global context are given. The recommendations include content-related adjustments, proposals for the inclusion of corporate standards, ideas on how to raise the employer brand’s awareness and finally suggestions for improved communication of the local employer brand.
Hybrid work is an increasingly common model of work applied around the globe and is expected to be continuously gaining importance. This thesis is aimed at identifying what impacts hybrid work has on international companies. A literature review was conducted to provide findings of recent research to identify possible positive as well as negative impacts. Furthermore, a survey was distributed to 150 employees with leading positions in international companies, resulting in 16 responses, which were analysed using metrics of multiple regression. The qualitative part of the survey was assessed as well. The small sample size only allows for an indication that hybrid work might impact sick days of the workforce in a negative way and that less business trips are taken due to hybrid work. The other impacts that were identified through the survey suggest impacts on a larger scale than simply human resources, indicating that hybrid work can impact the entire profitability of a company and should therefore be properly assessed and managed with a broad view on all possible impacts on different levels in mind.
The current COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in a so called "people-crisis" changed the people work and forced businesses to re-locate teams to a virtual working environment.
Virtual and remote work became the only way for many firms to stay afloat, and it meant drastic and forced changes in the meaning of work for a large number of employees. Although this seemed to be impossible for many business organizations, the current reality proved the exact opposite. The pandemic put many teams on a test, which only the high-performers and the ones were ready to adapt, learn and grow could pass. Therefore, complex and well-developed organizations need effective team performance in order to survive. Even though technology makes collaboration possible in a virtual environment skills that make it successful. Employees who merely "perform their jobs" are no longer desired by many businesses. Instead, companies search for talent who own an agile mindset and have the required soft skills to work and adapt in a team.
The aim of this research is to provide general information on the importance of teamworking as well as to analyze the impact of the virtual working environment during COVID-19 crisis on the teamwork.
The current mechanisms and information sources for international students in Germany are insufficient. This thesis aims to evaluate the need for potential substitutes of preexisting information sources. Specifically, it analyzes if a commercial service provider can operate as a successful alternative. To investigate current mechanisms and their shortcoming, former information sources were assessed and evaluated. Additionally, five expert interviews were conducted gaining a time accurate evaluation of the present situation. The results show that current information sources are too bureaucratic and restricted in their actions. Nonetheless, the findings also display that there is a great need for optimal and effective access points. This thesis concludes with an analysis of a likely business model, and how it would successfully operate within the Chinese market. Conclusively, a commercial service provider has the optimal prerequisites to fulfill the current demands of international students.
This research explores the efficiency or effectiveness of video interviewing. It checked the effectiveness of video interviewing in the assessment of skills and the prediction of future performances. The research was comparative, meaning that video interviewing was compared to the other media of interviewing. This was done in terms of their advantages, innovativeness, efficiency and practicality. It describes what video interviewing is all about, what qualities and benefits it possesses and what downsides does have. 6 Recruitment Specialists and HR experts [Industry experts] took part in a survey. Results show that video interviewing has many benefits that emulate the basic characteristics of a face to face interview. However, video interviewing has even more advantages that make it more practical than face to face interviews at some stages of the recruitment process. All these observations led to the conclusion that video interviewing is a very effective interviewing media.
Changes are constantly accelerating. A major issue that companies are dealing with is how to communicate those changes in a way that is efficient and effective and therefore successful. Traditional models such as the ones by Lewin, Bridges or Kotter are reaching their limits due to the orientation on fixed vision, goals and processes. The time has come to change the way change is managed. New organizational structures are therefore required. An example of a new model to deal with the speed of change is agile management. Agility provides a platform for better communication, including the quantity and quality aspect. IMS Gear, an automotive supplier located in South Germany, is currently in the stage of a transition. Agile mindsets are anchored in their vision and strategy, yet the implementation of agile frameworks is still improvable. The PEP project is a first step into the direction of ensuring the future of the company despite all external and internal changes. Therefore, based on a model by Audi AG consultant Gergs, improvement approaches are developed.
The signs of global warming are everywhere, ranging from highest record temperatures in cities to mega wildfires in the amazon. Heat is melting ice glaciers, contributing to floods and rising sea levels.
Transportation is one of the largest carbon-emitting sectors and it is difficult to meet the carbon reduction goals without a significant improvement in the change from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles to Electric Vehicles (EVs). EVs are capable of reducing transport related emissions. However, the problem is that EVs on their own haven’t convinced consumers to make the switch and there is a role for policy makers to play.
This study seeks to provide recommendations to support policy makers to come up with measures that if adopted, could increase EV uptake in Singapore. A survey questionnaire has been conducted to discover and understand the factors which affects EV buying decision in Singapore in addition to literature review from past studies.
The main concerns of Singapore car drivers of EVs are that they are too expensive, lack of availability of public charging stations and long charging duration. An experimental component in the survey found that providing information on EVs could increase willingness to purchase an EV.
Analysis from other countries shows that successful governmental policies includes first and foremost, financial incentives to make the prices of EVs as competitive as similar ICE models. Other soft incentives were also implemented which acts as a complement at a later stage of adoption.
Recommendations for policy makers includes actions under the following: National goals/legislation/infrastructure, sales support and availability and quality of information which Singapore policy makers can consider to move towards a renewable and sustainable future.
Country risk affects cross-border investments significantly. Therefore, this paper aims to understand the concept of country risk and the available country risk assessments (models), by comparing and evaluating them. Secondly, the effectiveness of these assessments in predicting an economic downturn will be analysed. Lastly, this paper investigates the determinants behind the country risk models, using country credit ratings as a proxy.
The effectiveness analysis is based on the comparison of the credit ratings with the respective real GDP growth of Malaysia, Mexico, Japan and Portugal in a case study approach. Thereafter, Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient analysis will be performed to investigate the determinants of the country risk models.
Results from the case study approach show that country risk assessments generally could not predict an impending economic slowdown. In addition, the correlation coefficient analysis illustrates that some variables have in general weak correlations to the credit ratings. For instance, the real GDP growth has mostly weak relationships with the ratings and tends to be statistically insignificant. On the other hand, lending and deposit interest rates have relatively strong correlations to the credit ratings and are significant at 0.01 level for some of the ratings. In addition, Mexico and Japan have the tendency to produce opposite results with the same set of indicators.
Even though investors should not rely on these country risk assessments to forecast a major crisis, the models could act as the basis of risk management. This is because these assessments do provide investors with some useful information.
Surge pricing is a dynamic pricing strategy which has been developed by the American ride-sharing platform Uber. Based on demand and supply, the surge pricing algorithm calculates a trip fare for both, riders and drivers. In times when demand outstrips supply in a certain geographic area, the algorithm applies a so-called “surge factor” which is multiplied by the basic trip fare. This way, the provider can calibrate demand and supply until they reach the market equilibrium again. This paper examines whether dynamic surge pricing can also be applied to the offline food retail market. Consequently, it starts by giving some theoretical background on dynamic and surge pricing, and with the aid of a PESTEL analysis, highlights all the factors presenting opportunities and limitations for the implementation of surge pricing in supermarkets. In addition to that, by conducting a SWOT analysis of dynamic surge pricing, this thesis investigates what the prerequisites are to a successful implementation strategy. In the end, it outlines possible consequences for consumers if surge pricing is used in grocery stores. It will be found that, from a theoretic point of view, a dynamic surge pricing strategy is feasible in the offline food retail market. However, it does not present the optimal pricing method for neither of the market participants.
With the fourth industrial revolution, advanced technological products play a key role in the development of all countries around the world. In recent years, there has been a drastic increase in the demand for high-tech merchandises in ASEAN nations. The purpose of this thesis is to identify the trends, opportunities and challenges that German high-tech producers may come across when they want to enter ASEAN markets. In addition to that recommendations on some strategies that could be used by German enterprise (SMEs) to ease entry into this market shall be discussed. The research analysis secondary data from TrendEconomy to determine the trade trends of German high-tech goods in ASEAN area, and then to implement SWOT and five Porter’s force analysis to identify the potential ASEAN markets. The result of this research is that Vietnam is seen as an attractive market for German high-tech products such as aerospace, computer-office machine, pharmaceuticals, scientific instruments and chemistry. Furthermore, Philippines is a potential place for German computer-office machine and electronics-telecommunications, Singapore is a good destination for scientific instruments and armament. In addition to that, Thailand and Malaysia are ideal nations for pharmaceuticals and machinery, respectively.
Transforming a face-to-face (F2F) medical congress into a virtual experience without losing the added value of the offline event is the challenge many associations and event organizers face in 2020.
Background: The unexpected COVID-19 outbreak has made face-to-face congresses impossible in Q2 of 2020. In order to continue medical education, virtual congresses are organized.
Objectives: The aim of this thesis is to determine the advantages of a virtual congress format and illustrate a way to effectively organize a virtual congress. Moreover, the thesis aims to analyze the performance of the digital experience platform (DXP) created by MCI the Netherlands, taking into consideration different stakeholders’ needs and its future opportunities.
Methods: This bachelor thesis is based on the available literature as well as data from the company MCI the Netherlands and quality interviews were conducted with
10 industry experts.
Results: The digital experience platform can increase registration numbers and share the content with more people worldwide like never before. With the easy accessibility, the DXP offers the possibility to increase audience reach. By offering a long-term learning opportunity the platform enhances the user experience of the delegates. Valuable data insight can be retrieved through the platform and shared with various stakeholders. Evaluating the advantages of virtual congresses, it can be said that virtual congresses will be the future of the event industry, however they will not replace face-to-face congresses but can be seen as an additional learning possibility.
Conclusion: With the digital experience platform MCI the Netherlands was able to successfully transform their internal digital capabilities into a future-proof innovative client solution. MCI is the first company in the European market who offered a virtual experience for more than 10.000 participants and strengthened their position as one of the market leaders.
Employee engagement is crucial for companies because of its positive influence on performance, retention, and profitability. However, the rising appearance of hybrid workplaces and generational changes have presented challenges in maintaining employee engagement. Leadership has been shown to play an important role in developing engaged employees. This paper examines the relationship between transformational leadership and employee engagement and whether gender, presented as male, diverse and female, impacts this relationship.
A sample of 118 respondents, that have worked for over one year under a leader, has been analyzed through simple and multiple regressions. The relationship between transformational leadership and employee engagement proved significantly positive, highlighting the key role leadership plays when fostering engaged employees. However, the moderating relationship of all three genders was not significant. These results suggest that companies should focus on training transformational leaders and engaging employees regardless of the employee's gender.
The thesis introduces a case study research presenting the transfer pricing problem of a selected MNE. Hereby, the researcher derives an appropriate method for the case and concludes with a comparison of theory and practice. The theoretical part of the thesis evaluates existing transfer pricing methods as explained by the OECD, Germany and the USA. The second part is about the choice of the research methodology, case study research and expert interview.
The third part first introduces the case study, analyzes a theoretical framework of the transfer pricing process and evaluates the existing transfer pricing methods, which allows for the derivation of the most appropriate transfer pricing method for the case. The fourth part concludes the research by applying the derived transfer pricing method, the Cost Plus Method, to the particular case study. By combining theoretical and practical approaches, a solution to the problem is determined.
Over the past years, operating conditions of German retail banks have been significantly altered by increased regulation, digitalization and new competitors. Consequently, numerous market participants have begun supplementing or replacing traditional processes with technology-based ones. Wüstenrot Bank AG Pfandbriefbank (WBP), a midsize financial corporation located in Ludwigsburg, Germany, is a primary example for this development. Notwithstanding all reforms, WBP suspects that many of its online products are unprofitable, yet has been unable to perform accurate measurements. Research shows that this is by far no exception and that in spite of digitalization’s proven impact in other industries there are very few empirical studies comparing traditional and technology-based processes in retail banking. This paper aims at filling this gap by determining the present efficiency of technology-based processes at WBP and their potential for aiding optimizations in the field. The paper uses process costing for evaluating present profitability, a methodology proven in manufacturing and other service industries yet relatively new to banking, and thus also sets a methodological recedent. For this method processes are first modeled using the ARIS concept of Scheer (1990); following Cooper and Kaplan (1988) and Horváth and Mayer (1995) costs are then determined for individual process steps based on their resource consumption and finally aggregated into the entire process. In a second step the present
situation serves as basis for simulating hypothetical scenarios used for assessing the effectiveness and impact of technology on further optimizations.
The research finds that in the case of daily money, a typical online product, neither WBP’s traditional nor its technology-based processes are profitable in the first year after account generation. In fact, losses are so extensive it is likely the product is generally unprofitable. In addition, the analysis finds that, contrary to the initial hypothesis, technology-based processes are even less efficient than traditional ones. Through subsequent simulations it becomes clear, however, that rather than digitalization all together, it is the insufficient degree of use of technology that causes costs to be so high. Therefore, optimization potential is much higher for technology-based than for traditional processes. Consequently, the paper recommends further increasing the use of digital technologies and finds process costing to be the ideal tool for capturing the best of digitalization both within WBP and in the industry.
Fast and flexible – today's two most desired traits within the business environment. The quickly rising technological advancement makes it difficult for organizations to keep up with their productivity. Owing to the digitalization, organizations have to rethink their structures and processes to be able to adjust to the constantly changing environment and ultimately continue to stay a successful force. A “one-size-fits-all” solution does not exist, which makes the initiatives time-consuming and difficult.
Since digitalization comes with major challenges that have to be tackled to decrease the gap in potential business productivity, the first objective of this paper is to identify relevant action points for organizations, together with the examination of the best practice of agility and its structural and cultural traits.
Further, this work aims to comprehend the structural and cultural traits of the case of [company name]. This is approached by a mixed method empirical analysis. First, by qualitative in-depth interviews with the first and second level managers based on the preceding theoretical framework of Spiral Dynamics and a concept of organizational culture analysis. Second, by a quantitative online survey with the remaining workforce based on the model of Competing Values Framework, assessing not only the current but also the by the workforce desired structural and cultural traits.
The model of Spiral Dynamics defines differing predominant core value systems of mankind, whereas challenges that cannot be accomplished with current behaviors initiate the evolution to another core value system – just like digitalization does with the case of [company name]. The Competing Values Framework is a scientifically justified concept to analyze organizational culture.
The last objective of this paper is to develop a set of tailored recommendations towards agile work approaches for the case of [company name] based on the preceding analysis and the theoretical framework of a scientifically justified change management process.
The conducted research reveals that the organization’s culture mainly shows traits of a traditional organization, with top-down decision-making and task assignments, selective transparency, silo-communication and a lack of interdisciplinary collaboration, which results in the predominant core value system of Success. Additionally, the analysis of the desired traits reveals a congruency with agile organizational traits, or in other words, the predominant value system of Synergy. With respect to the results, the study makes seven recommendations, incorporating the theory of a successful change initiative. Together with specified action examples, the way towards the desired predominant value system is paved.
Total Hip Arthroplasty is a highly effective procedure. Precise preoperative planning is crucial for a positive patient outcome. One approach to improve patient outcomes is preoperative planning of hip implants, which could replace the currently dominant 2D planning and improve processes in dealer markets by enabling more efficient delivery. The objective of this study is to survey and measure dealers’ acceptance of a patient-specific delivery and operating room setting. The evaluation is based on the Technology Acceptance Model. A recommendation for action will be derived from the evaluation.
This study examines the acceptance of new technologies through a systematic literature review utilizing the Technology Acceptance Model. Additionally, it presents the current state of 2D and 3D planning for hip implants and analyzes the Italian and Brazilian dealer markets. The target group was surveyed quantitatively, and their acceptance was analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistical evaluation.
The two markets share similarities in their current requirements and conditions. In Italy and Brazil, planning is done intraoperatively by surgeons, which has been identified as an obstacle on several occasions. Acceptance of the new process is therefore mixed and requires supportive measures.
The similarities between the two markets allow for uniform comparability and interpretation. However, the acceptance can be traced back to the lack of preoperative planning among surgeons. It is clear that both markets are rather critical of a switch to preoperative planning, especially 3D planning. Therefore, some measures and further research on surgeons must first be taken before a successful implementation is possible.
The aim of this research is to analysis the economics situations in China, especially in Tianjin TEDA and Shanghai those two special economic areas in China, to see what kind of opportunities they may bring to the mid-size European companies which would like to have business in these two regions, and also to see what kind of disadvantages that are not befit for having business in those two areas. The research has analysis the economic situations in China to show the overall national economic status and situations in the in the recent years.
Tianjin and Shanghai are different with each other in the economic style; some statistics has shown the differences of economic characteristics in Tianjin and Shanghai. Companies in different industry areas have been classified both in Tianjin and Shanghai.
The study attempts to analyze the short-term effects of merger and acquisition bids of German acquirers on the stock prices of two involved companies. On the announcement day, a statistically significant average abnormal return of 11.5% is found for the target firms compared to an insignificant negative abnormal return of -0.28% for bidding firms, and the synergistic gain for involved firms is 5.72% on average. The strategy of specialization or diversification shows strong evidence that it has a large impact on the short-term stock returns with specialization triggering stronger abnormal returns than diversification bids for bidding firms and substantially smaller price reaction for target firms. The outcome also suggests that higher target cash-to-market-value ratio leads to significantly lower abnormal returns for target firms during the announcement period.
The growth of Islamic banking is evident from its presence in over 60 countries and the establishment of Islamic branches by major conventional banks. Despite its small share in global financial assets, there is extensive literature examining the performance of Islamic banks. Some researchers claim that Islamic finance is imitating conventional banks and it has therefore become necessary to understand the business model of Islamic banks. This bachelor thesis reviews theoretical and empirical literature to identify differences between Islamic and conventional banks. The objective is to examine the stability of Islamic banking by comparing performance indicators on capitalization, stability, profitability and efficiency. The results indicate that competitive pressure leads Islamic banks to deviate from their principles which promote profit and loss sharing (PLS). The preference for PLS lies within the fact that profit is earned on actual performance. Deposits in Islamic banking may also be structured according to PLS and it is observed that Islamic banks distribute profits even if they earned a loss to prevent withdrawal. Although Islamic banks tend to be better capitalized and more profitable than conventional banks, the data on their stability and liquidity are inconclusive. Data gathered on efficiency indicate that Islamic banks are more profit efficient while conventional banks are more cost efficient. Islamic banks seem to spend more on remuneration and training which positively impacts managerial competence. The limitation of this paper is that the reviewed empirical studies are based on different sample sets. In addition, Islamic banks might not pursue the same practice everywhere as Shariah law is based on interpretation. This leads to differences in what is considered Shariah-compliant and therefore reduces the comparison’s reliability.
The world is in a trend of urbanization, which leads to population surges in the major cities. The consequences are an increase in pollution and traffic congestion. With the rise of the sharing economy, bike sharing systems are a possible solution to the urban traffic problem, which at the same time is a sustainable “green” way of transportation. This trend is especially visible in China where the combination of bike sharing and the Internet of things has resulted in a new form of bike sharing: the free-floating bike sharing system. This paper seeks to analyse the new model, the underlying market conditions of China and Germany affecting the system and eventually tries to evaluate the chances and limitations of the FFBSS in the German market, considering the differences in the market and the opinions of expats who experienced the system first hand in China. This paper focuses on the two major operators of the free-floating bike sharing system, Mobike and Ofo bike, who have split most of the Chinese market between them, kicking out most of its competitors.
The European Monetary Union is a unique monetary system that exists for nineteen years now. An ongoing discussion about the workings and the role of the European Monetary Union is being conducted by researchers, who come to various conclusions. The current crisis made it clear that the current construction is not ideal, and there is a certain room for improvement.
This thesis introduces an in-depth analysis of the current role and workings of European Monetary Union, as well as a potential consideration of the benefits and risks connected to a potential entry of Hungary into the Eurozone. The literature review discusses the inner working of the unique case of the EMU, which is a monetary union, without budgetary union obligations for its member states. The literature review highlights the general benefits and risks connected to the membership in a monetary union, as well as mentions the unique benefits and risks connected to a membership in EMU.
The second part is dealing with the research methodology; macroeconomic indicators of Lithuania, Slovakia, Germany and Italy are being examined and analyzed, in order to determine the degree of influence EMU is having on the chosen macroeconomic indicators and outliers. A summary of the knowledge from the literature review is being applied for the subsequent analysis.
The third part first introduces the macroeconomic situation of Hungary, analyses the development of such factors and contemplates the compliance with the Maastricht Convergence Criteria, which need to be fulfilled in order to become part of EMU.
The fourth part of the thesis concludes the research by combining the knowledge from the literature review and knowledge gained from the country analysis. A conclusion about the potential risks and benefits of EMU entry by Hungary is being drawn.
The goal of this bachelor thesis is to investigate the role of self-disclosure in a Thai-German team. In-depth interviews with Thai employees and former German interns of a German automotive supplier based in Bangkok were conducted. To link the phenomenon of self-disclosure with intercultural management, German and Thai culture standards represent the base to discuss tendencies in the behavior of Germans and Thais.
The results demonstrate that general topics predominated over private subjects at the early stage of the relationship between the interviewees and their team members. Throughout the relationship, topical depth and breadth increased although the share
of positive topics outweighed. Both the Thais and Germans displayed a great willingness to share general and personal aspects which has led to the deepening of the relationship and the building of trust. The in-group/out-group effect was recognized as the interviewees preferred an in-group recipient for specific issues to be talked about.
Communicating in English did not significantly impact the amount of information revealed. The study emphasizes the role of self-disclosure for initiating, sustaining and enhancing a relationship between Thai and German co-workers.
Over the past few decades, global economic circumstances lead to difficulties when attracting, retaining, and motivating staff. In these dynamic markets, HR departments are struggling with how to navigate among new techniques and generations. However, in recent years neuromarketing has gained popularity among managers due to resourceful insights applicable to various business areas. Drawing on an investigation, this study examines how the implications gained from neuromarketing can be used to conduct an employer branding strategy and if neuromarketing methods can be a useful tool for the HR department. Analyzing distinct advantages of neuroscience by applying techniques that allow examining essential elements of the employer branding, leads to the detection of challenges and limits within the employer branding management and suggest a new perspective. Considering the literature gap, the methodology to assess whether there are implications of neuromarketing on employer branding will be derived from product branding. This study will first investigate the comparability of product and employer branding and then examine the extent to which neuromarketing methods can complement supplant the employer branding strategies. Finally, the results show the moderate relevance of neuromarketing on employer branding.
Sales promotional tools are of significant importance in attracting potential customers and retaining current customers. We can already have access to many studies in examining and comparing the causes and effects that different sales promotional strategies could bring to various aspects, such as, sales, brand name and brand loyalty. Several researches have also explained the irrational buying decisions and behaviors consumers have when they are given framed promotional message. Researches have shown that, in many cases, consumers tend to go for a free offer (bonus pack) instead of a discount offer although the economic value is equal. It is also shown by previous studies from students of Hochschule Furtwangen University have concluded that in Germany, for non-durable goods, consumer’s willingness to pay is higher with BOGOF offer then that of discount’s. They have also conclude that the effects that promotional tools could bring are long term by designing the survey with situation that the promotion has expired. It is known that BOGOF is preferred over discount, but how good is BOGOF compared to when there is no promotion given? And are there any changes in consumer’s perception towards product’s quality with different promotion applied? This study will be focusing on two promotional strategies: discount and BOGOF in the non-durable goods industry in Europe and in China. There will be a Baseline Test and an A/B survey. A total of 1061 participants were randomly selected to participate in an online survey. The questions of the Baseline Test are under a situation with no promotion, while A survey’s questions are under a situation of ended discount and B surveys are under a finished BOGOF offer. The survey results indicated that, both in Europe and China, the willingness to pay for non-durable products in BOGOF offer is higher than that of the discounts, while the baselines are close with the result of discounts. This study has the potential to contribute to academics and marketers in the non-durable goods industry as it consolidates previous findings and provides insights of the relationship between baseline and promotional tools.
Employers must have the necessary tools to engage in the fight for talent, which is growing increasingly competitive. The rising competitiveness of the recruiting industry today has further driven the development of the recruitment process, resulting in the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques.
In this thesis, a literature review of current applications of AI in recruitment is conducted to better understand AI’s present strengths and limitations as well as its future potential.
In particular, this thesis attempts to clarify, from a recruitment strategy perspective, how AI can be used to improve recruitment and facilitate recruiters’ daily work, with a focus on which guidelines should be in place to achieve these goals.
The results reveal a significant gap between the promise and current reality of AI applications in human resources. However, with a few adjustments and cautious implementation, AI can indeed provide recruiters with promising solutions primarily by taking over tasks such as sourcing, screening and possibly even interviewing applicants through video screening. This has the potential to improve the quality of hiring and eliminate bias in recruitment. The thesis also finds that, at present, a fully automated process without any supervision from recruiters is unrealistic, at least in the final stages of the decision-making process, due to the ongoing and crucial need for a human touch and the currently foreseen negative cultural reaction to AI in its present limited form.
The practical applications of the PMBOK Guide for the events industry - an analysis and case study
(2018)
The goal of this thesis is the investigation and analysis of the PMBOK Guide for its feasibility in the development, planning and executing processes of events and the implications of its employment on the overall project success. The analysis includes findings on which guidelines are most applicable, which require modifications, and which are not or only limited useful for event planning. The different processes and their usefulness in the events context are outlined and recommendations for their use are made. For illustration purposes a case study based on a trade show launch was developed and appropriate guidelines were applied, resulting in specific recommendations to the project team. Additionally, key performance indicators and other success measurements were developed in the course of this work. Since events need to pivot and are set in an agile environment, it is challenging to apply a waterfall method such as the PMBOK Guide to the project procedures making it advisable to ultimately employ a hybrid or selective approach. The results of this research can enable project managers in the events industry to more easily apply a waterfall methodology as a whole or in parts to their projects and provides a variety of indicators and measurements for performance evaluation.
Low organizational commitment of employees is a well-known challenge for organizations nowadays. In order to actively manage and promote organizational commitment, organizations need to be aware of its most important influencing factors. This thesis focuses on the exploration of the potential of human resource development to improve employee commitment. An empirical study has been conducted at the shop floor area of the project partner thyssenkrupp Aufzugsweke GmbH in order to investigate the negative influences on organizational commitment, identify the potential positive impacts of human resources development practices and provide the organization with a recommendation about suitable measures to retain and develop organizational commitment.
The following bachelor thesis was written in cooperation with the company GF Automotive AG located in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. It is a worldwide recognized development and serial production partner of the automotive industry. The thesis covers the topic ‘The potential of gaining competitive advantage through Green Marketing’. The purpose of this thesis is to research if sustainability within the automotive supply industry is of high importance and can be used to gain competitive advantage. The thesis offers possible measures to implement successful practices that were detected in the conducted benchmark. It points out that green marketing in the B2B business can support companies to differentiate and it illustrates how marketing communication of the company GF Automotive AG can be adapted in order to succeed and remain leader in the highly competitive automotive supply market
Digitalisation has great impact on employee-employer relationships. With Web 2.0 modern features like flexibility and mobility influence the organisational structure. Crowdsourcing is a new form of remote employment which will be analysed in this work. This system consists of several anonymous freelancers taking part in task collaboration via the internet. It is a process of connecting with a large group of unknown people in order to find solutions for a certain problem. This phenomenon describes several possibilities and challenges for Human Resources Management.
Based on the main literature two hypotheses were stated: The first one assumed that this certain success is dependent on participation and the second hypothesis proposes the dependence of the digital community itself. This bachelor thesis tries to investigate the influential factors contributing to a successful crowdsourcing initiative in the context of HR. The essence of this lies in motivational aspects therefore first crucial features were determined that lead to and result from motivation. Next, desirable characteristics of the crowd itself were identified such as diversity and autonomy. This all was concluded with the assumption that HR’s responsibility is developing novel possible practices in order to cope with the new challenges crowdsourcing presents. How those mentioned processes and suggestions might be put into practice maintains a suspect matter which requires more investigation in the future.
Fast Fashion industry is a great example of a market with similar products and similar target groups of customers where marketing plays a key role in the competition for market share. In the era of Web 2.0. and Social Media boom businesses are facing a rise in customers’ forces and its pressure by influencing corporate communications and marketing campaigns. Ordinary people turn to influentials who reach broad consumer audiences and often have an impact on the decision-making-processes. In this way, brands are less protected by PR and advertising tools, as well as more vulnerable. Therefore, understanding the current communication environment and in particular how, when, where and who interferes with corporate image is important from managerial point of view and what strategy to be deployed. For these reasons, the thesis focuses on multichannel marketing in order to provide an understanding of how businesses have been connecting to
people and then it continues with exploration of social media and the blogosphere as ways consumers have been complicating and influencing channels. In the end, it has been concluded that Social Media and the phenomenon of Blogosphere has led to the appearance of new self-made opinion leaders who tend to influence consumer behavior and respectively company’s reputation and brands’ image. On the other hand, it has been observed this can be positive for businesses since it provides relatively useful market information which could be helpful for marketing and communications managers by enabling them to observe their target groups in a more efficient ways. In the pursue of findings, the thesis includes primary research with two interviews with a bloggers and a fashion brand affiliate person, and secondary research covering literature review on relevant topics.
Background
The recent worldwide financial crisis that occurred in last quarters of 2007 up until mid 2009 was accompanied by the massive failure of many financial institutions and liquidity providers. Investment banks and other institutionalized financial investors were unsuccessful in producing any real returns for their clients. This drastic fail in all the other traditional investments led to the questioning of how well the hedge fund industry performed in this light based on their promise as absolute return producers regardless of the market environment. This paper seeks to analyse the performance of the Long/Short Equity Strategy in particular relative to the performance of the overall market.
Methods
Thorough examination and validation of numerous empirical studies which have already been carried out on the subject matter are brought to light through the analysis of available historical data of the returns posted by these funds during the crisis using generally accepted statistical funds’ assessment tools giving an adequate angel to the performance of Long-Short Equity hedge Funds especially at the heart of the financial crisis in the last quarters of 2007 to mid 2009.
Results
Equity Long/Short Hedge funds as every other strategy in they industry succeeded in 2008 in outperforming other traditional investment vehicles and the broad stock an bond markets although the failed in to produce the absolute returns promised to their investments. In 2009 they posted similar results to that of S&P 500 index with subsequent declines in 2010 and 2011 thus failing to period their returns where highly correlated with that of the overall market coined with negative skewness and high kutorsis.
Conclusion
Even though hedge funds succeeded in outperforming the market in the heart of the crisis, they failed to provides their investors with absolute returns and also the benefits which the provide in terms of diversification to reduce the exposure of their funds to market risk was limiting. The very high fees paid to them by investors was not justified by their performance.
Network Marketing is a form of the direct selling retail channel of distribution and is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide. It has dramatically changed the way traditional businesses operates by mainly focusing on the success of his partners, their sales representatives to market their quality products provided. This industry produces billions of sales annually; however the lack of studies and information available on this field has led to lack of understanding and attack of being pyramid schemes. In this new era of technology, this profession continues to thrive as many people in particular women are looking for alternatives to the traditional corporate lifestyle. Furthermore, it has been found that becoming independent business owners in Network Marketing attracts the majority of women. Therefore, analyzing the characteristics of Network Marketing and the strategies deployed for their success is important to understand the reasons why women are willing to change their career path.
For these reasons, the thesis focuses on Network Marketing in order to provide an understanding of its rapid growth with an overview of its different phases from the beginning to the effect of the evolution of the Web 2.0 and social media. It goes forwards by investigating the characteristics of Network Marketing which appeal to women; by first examining their actual situation in the workplace in order to perceive their choice for leaving everything behind to start anew. Finally, a case study provides actual visibility and the new lifestyle of women being active in Network Marketing.
In the pursue of findings, the thesis includes primary research by conducting interviews with German and international independent network marketers, all women, and secondary research covering literature review on relevant topic.
In the end, it has been concluded and proved, despite the constant allegations, that Network Marketing is a serious and effective business model which benefits the company, the customers and the independent distributors. Moreover, it has been observed that this field fulfills the expectations of those women who want to escape from the challenges faced in the corporate world and desire an industry without barriers, as a result them being the majority and successful in this field.
Zoom fatigue - a phenomenon that has been occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing regulations forced numerous companies into home office, which shifted the internal communication to video conferencing platforms. Nevertheless, these solutions do not offer the same interactive atmosphere and social factor as face-to-face meetings. That is the reason why some people experienced a sense of distance and a lack of motivation and concentration.
Virtual reality collaboration platforms are a digital solution resembling a serious game situation that could solve the problem of impersonal teamwork. With this application users could meet in the virtual space, giving them enhanced possibilities to interact with their team members and work together on projects regardless of the distances in location.
As the platform is an innovation that is new to the market, the awareness about this product is not yet widely spread. With the help of an effective marketing mix and a market launch strategy, potential users should therefore be informed about this possibility, leading to a successful implementation of the platform in various institutions. To gain insights into the market and gather information about the target group an analysis through literature research as well as a survey has been carried out. The results showed that the market shows a general interest in virtual reality collaboration platforms. Nevertheless, several respondents expressed their lack of understanding and imagination to use the platform constructively in their professional environment. Additionally, expected high expenses and the lack of technical equipment could be an obstacle to implementing virtual reality collaboration platforms in traditional work processes. Therefore, the mission for the market launch strategy will be to develop a marketing mix that responds effectively to all questions and inspires organisations to discover their possibilities and benefits with this digital solution.
A shortage of skilled workers is a problem which many organizations face when expanding their plants abroad. In Germany, for many organizations it is comparatively easy to prevent this problem by constantly training their own employees in the apprenticeship system but in their plants abroad this option is commonly not available. The only way to achieve the same option abroad is to implement the apprenticeship program in the plants independently. That bears many challenges but also many opportunities. This thesis focuses on the implementation of the apprenticeship in Mexico and seeks to examine the main challenges which arise before, during and after the implementation. After the examination of these and explaining their root cause, various solution approaches are analyzed and recommended based on the case of IMS Gear SE & Co. KGaA.
The study investigated what is the generalist education in nursing, how Keppler-Stiftung Haus Raphael, Senior Citizens’ Centre will start the implementation of this training and how people can be well informed using social media to convince them for a career path in nursing. The study examined if the use of social media will increase the turnout of people for this education. This thesis also researched, if the use of this promotional medium can help change people’s negative impression about old people’s home, especially for its funny smells and that, senior citizens are not well taken care of there as expected. From the starting theoretical background consisting generalist education in nursing and the trends of social media were discussed in details. Based on the theoretical issued examined, the empirical research is established, collecting data from staff of old people’s homes in five provinces in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Correlational analysis was used to test the sample on the two hypotheses. The positive correlation between social media campaign and the turnout for the generalist education in nursing was identified. The alternative hypothesis was supported because there was a significant relationship of independent variables to turnout of youths for generalist education in nursing
The influence of quality labels on perceived product value - Marketing to the conscious consumer
(2018)
Quality labels are an important cue for customers in their search for indications of product quality. They provide consumers with valuable information about production standards. Whether the value-added by labels directly translates into price premiums is still an open question, as researchers could not reach consensus so far. Moreover, the use of multiple labels on one product is another topic discussed controversially in the research literature. Current research has further identified multiple factors affecting consumers’ willingness to pay for labelled food products. For this paper, a survey among 400 shoppers from the Villingen-Schwenningen area has been conducted, in an attempt to identify the significance of various influencing factors on willingness to pay for labelled products. Four distinct food products have been tested in this survey, each in four different labelling situations. Two labels were used on the products, one indicating social standards and another certifying ecological production standards. The study identified the following factors as influential on participants’ expressed willingness to pay: product type, information and label type. The influence of missing reference prices could not be proven to be significant. The marginal effect of a second label was found to decrease for only two of the products. As the effects of each of the factors varied between the products, no general conclusion about the effects of either of them could be drawn. Therefore, the paper concludes on the note, that a general assumption about label value should not be made.
In two experiments, this empirical research examines consumers’ willingness to pay and the likelihood of purchase decisions by thoroughly investigating the neural, behavioral, and psychological properties of packaging design. A general theory is tested by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a NeuroPricing online survey on consumer behavior using the example product Tassimo. Hypotheses are tested with 592 German consumers who evaluated the packaging of Tassimo coffee. A closer look at the neural data from the brain imaging experiment shows that uncertainty can arise among consumers with regard to sustainable packaging and this can have a negative impact on the purchase decision and willingness to pay. The results from both experiments show that it is not possible to make a holistic statement as to which sustainable or enjoyment-focused packaging design increases the likelihood of a purchase decision or the willingness to pay. Implications for future packaging design research and underlying complexities with sustainable packaging are discussed.
The Influence of Macroeconomic Indicators Towards Sovereign Credit Rating and Sovereign Bond Spread
(2017)
The main purpose of this thesis is to investigate and to identify the macroeconomic indicators, as the determinants that could impact the sovereign risk. The sovereign risk here is represented by sovereign credit rating and sovereign bond spread. The world economy nowadays has become more globalized. It is becoming essential for all stakeholders in the global economy to become aware of the economic and the financial situation of a country. Sovereign risk interestingly represents not only the economic and financial situation of a country, but also the ability of a country to meet its financial obligation. This indicator plays an important role in attracting capital inflow and investment in a country. By using panel-data
framework, the estimations were built and analyzed to investigate the impact and the influence of the macroeconomic indicators towards the sovereign risk. The sample data of the research consists of 9 macroeconomic indicators as the explanatory variables, each of them includes 50 countries and 10 years of time period. Two separate panel data estimations with fixed effects model were created for each of the dependent variable, sovereign credit rating and sovereign bond spread. The results indicated that central bank rate, government debt level, total government reserves and unemployment rate have significant effects on the sovereign credit rating. Moreover, the results also indicated that current account balance, GDP growth rate, government debt level and unemployment rate have significant influence on sovereign bond spread. As both estimation share 3 significant explanatory variables, this implies that they are closely related.
The aim of this thesis is to gain an understanding of why and how electronic word of mouth (eWOM) is influencing consumers buying decisions, and to furthermore describe the opportunities and limitations, which using electronic word of mouth on YouTube as marketing tool represent. This thesis is a compilation of the most important studies and finding conducted in this field. It discusses the concept of word of mouth and some dimensions in which eWOM differs from its traditional counterpart and describes the most important criteria related to the influence of eWOM on consumers buying behaviours. It provides an overview of relevant studies regarding the impact of eWOM on the buying behaviour and discusses YouTube as a marketing platform. Finally, it identifies opportunities and limitations based on the previous findings related to using eWOM on YouTube as part of the marketing mix. The findings suggest that eWOM differs from its traditional counterpart mainly due to its wide and fast spread and is therefore perceived as more influential. Its influence was furthermore found to depend on factors related to the eWOM valence, the product or service addressed, the eWOM source and sender, as well as the platform used. Further, using eWOM shared on YouTube as marketing tool was identified to offer companies the opportunity to reach a wide and also usually hard-to-reach audience, increase awareness, interest and influence on consumers buying behaviour. Limitations were identified to be the uncontrollable spread, the target audience, the constant availability and uncertain credibility, risking authenticity as well as the interdependent influence.
When enterprises decide to expand operations to new foreign markets, they are encountered with the crucial decision of how to implement their marketing strategy in each market without losing consistency across their global brand image. This thesis will focus especially on the impact culture has on this decision and on its implementation. To do so, a qualitative analysis in form of expert interviews was performed in six multinational companies across different industries. Marketing managers from the headquarters were questioned about the implementation of their global marketing strategy in their local markets. The findings give new insights for managers in terms of future adaptations for efficient communication of marketing strategy across the multinational company.
The two strategic options standardisation and adaptation are examined in the literature to set a foundation to later discuss culture’s influence on this decision. Furthermore, a cultural framework will be given and the communication structure of the two main parties of a multinational company will be reviewed in the existing literature.
This paper analyzes the importance of recommender systems for B2C e-Commerce businesses, using extensive literature review as well as a consumer survey. Readers will gain a basic understanding on how the technology behind the recommendation works, how competitiveness in e-Commerce can be defined and what the consumer perspective on recommender systems is. The paper will ultimately provide valuable insights into how recommender systems can create a major competitive advantage for online retailers and why an online-shop without a recommender engine will struggle to stay or become competitive.
Digital transformation and globalization have become so prominent in today's life, that companies have to innovate in order to stay on the markets continuously. Thousands of new digital solutions are developed and launched daily, making it hard for the big slow corporation to catch up. In order to gain a competitive advantage, many corporates opened up to external sources of innovation such as suppliers, consumers, and startups.
This research focuses on showing how corporates and startups can mutually benefit from collaboration and particularly in the DACH region of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. To highlight the importance of the strategic partnership, the research also includes a short analysis of the main cultural differences between startups and corporates, an economic overview of the region and the characteristics of a collaboration between startups and corporates.
To investigate the topic, qualitative research based on published secondary data has been carried out.