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Kulturelle Zugehörigkeit betrifft jeden Menschen tagtäglich, denn man ist umgeben von formellen und informellen Gruppen, von denen man selbst ein Teil ist. Zugehörigkeit ist eine der Funktionen, die Kultur innehat. Heutzutage wird Zugehörigkeit auch in Social Media Werbung angesprochen. Diese Art von Werbung über soziale Netzwerke gewinnt zunehmend an Bedeutung, durch die steigende Nutzung und Gewohnheiten der Menschen. In dieser Arbeit wird der Bedeutung von Zugehörigkeit in Social Media Werbung nachgegangen. Hierfür wurden Interviews mit Fußballfans durchgeführt und diese Daten anschließend ausgewertet und interpretiert. Fußball ist über die Jahre hinweg selbst zu einer Art von Kultur geworden und ein sehr emotionsverbundener Sport. Daher wurde diese Forschung am Beispiel des Fußballs durchgeführt. Darauf basieren die Erkenntnisse zu den Faktoren der Bedeutung von Zugehörigkeit, welche eine nicht unbedeutende Rolle in Social Media Werbung spielt.
In dieser Arbeit wurde untersucht, wie sich die Diversität von Teams auf die Innovation in Unternehmen auswirkt. Sie analysiert die Dynamik zwischen Teamzusammensetzung und Innovation in Organisationen. Angesichts der Globalisierung und des raschen technologischen Wandels müssen sich Unternehmen von dem Wettbewerb abheben und innovativ denken. Diese Fähigkeit, neue Lösungen zu entwickeln und sich anzupassen, ist von entscheidender Bedeutung. Die Vielfalt in den Teams, einschließlich kultureller, geschlechtsspezifischer, altersmäßiger und beruflicher Unterschiede, kann Kreativität und Innovation fördern.
Experteninterviews untersuchten den Zusammenhang zwischen Teamdiversität und Innovation in Organisationen. Die Befragung von Fachleuten lieferte tiefe Einblicke in die Praxis und erweiterte die Theorie. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Vielfalt, wenn sie effektiv gehandhabt wird, innovative Ideen hervorbringt und die Problemlösung und Produktivität verbessert. Herausforderungen wie widersprüchliche Standpunkte und Kommunikationsstile unterstreichen jedoch die Notwendigkeit eines bewussten Diversitätsmanagements.
Zusammenfassend gibt die Bachelorarbeit wertvolle Impulse für Theorie und Praxis. Sie zeigt auf, wie abgestimmte Diversity-Maßnahmen die soziale Gerechtigkeit unterstützen und den Unternehmen erhebliche Wettbewerbsvorteile bieten können. Die Erkenntnisse dieser Arbeit sollen das Bewusstsein für die Bedeutung von Diversity (Diversität) in der Unternehmenskultur stärken. Sie bieten Anregungen für die Weiterentwicklung von Diversity-Strategien.
Anhand des Fallbeispiels der Mall GmbH untersucht diese Arbeit die Entwicklung wirksamer Marketingstrategien auf LinkedIn für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen im Business-to-Business-Marketing. Angesichts der wachsenden Bedeutung von Social-Media-Plattformen im Geschäftsumfeld, insbesondere für KMU, ist es von
entscheidender Bedeutung, Strategien zu entwickeln, die speziell auf ihre Bedürfnisse zugeschnitten sind und gleichzeitig den Nutzen für das B2B-Marketing maximieren. Für die angewandte Forschungsmethodik wurden verschiedene Ansätze kombiniert, darunter eine umfassende Analyse der Mall GmbH auf LinkedIn, Benchmarking, eine SWOT-Analyse, Experteninterviews und eine Kundenumfrage. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass LinkedIn im B2B-Marketing eine zunehmend wichtige Rolle für KMU spielt. Trotzdem steht die Mall GmbH vor Herausforderungen, insbesondere in Bezug auf die aktuell noch geringe Nutzung von LinkedIn durch ihre B2B-Kunden. Es wurden elf konkrete Handlungsempfehlungen erarbeitet, um die digitale Präsenz der Mall GmbH zu stärken und Geschäftsabschlüsse über LinkedIn zu generieren. Diese Empfehlungen umfassen Maßnahmen zur Leadgenerierung, Kundenbindung und Content-Erstellung. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit vertiefen das Verständnis dafür, wie KMU, anhand des Fallbeispiels der Mall GmbH, wirksam auf LinkedIn agieren können, um ihre geschäftlichen Ziele zu erreichen. Die identifizierten Handlungsempfehlungen bieten konkrete Ansätze für KMU im B2B-Marketing auf LinkedIn und geben wichtige Impulse für zukünftige Forschungsvorhaben in diesem Bereich.
Soziale Medien sind aus dem modernen Leben nicht mehr wegzudenken, vor allem im Zusammenhang mit der Informationsflut und der Digitalisierung. Ihre Bedeutung für Unternehmen, insbesondere in Branchen wie der Medizintechnik, kann gar nicht hoch genug eingeschätzt werden. Plattformen wie LinkedIn und YouTube bieten nicht nur Möglichkeiten zur Verbreitung von Inhalten, sondern auch wichtige Kanäle zur Interaktion und Kommunikation mit Kunden. Die Arbeit behandelt Themen rund um die Grundlagen von Social Media, die Kommunikation mit Kunden am Beispiel des Unternehmens und die Ergebnisse einer Umfrage zur Nutzung von Social Media Plattformen. Unter Einbeziehung des direkten Kundenfeedbacks aus der durchgeführten Befragung soll eine umfassende Handlungsempfehlung für die effektive Nutzung von LinkedIn und YouTube durch die PAJUNK Medical Produkte GmbH entwickelt werden.
This thesis investigates the persuasiveness of triathlon celebrities on consumer purchase intention, employing a quantitative research methodology grounded in the Source Credibility Model and the Match-up hypothesis. Through a survey-based approach, data was collected to analyse how consumers perceive characteristics of triathlon sports celebrities and how the match-up between triathlon celebrities and product types as well as the perceived characteristics affect consumer purchase intention. Running shoes and winter boots were selected as the two product types.
The study population consisted of a total sample size of 204 respondents. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between triathlon sports celebrities' attributes, product-endorser matchup, and consumer purchase intention. Findings revealed significant positive relationships between perceived expertise and purchase intention for both running shoes and winter boots. Moreover, a positive relationship was observed between perceived physical attractiveness of triathlon celebrities and purchase intention for both products. While perceived trustworthiness did not significantly impact purchase intention, the study demonstrated a positive relationship between perceived product-endorser match-up and purchase intention for both products. Practical implications stemming from these findings emphasize the importance of strategic sport celebrity selection and product-endorser fit in endorsement campaigns. This research contributes to the academic field by focusing specifically on triathlon celebrities’ and their persuasive impact towards consumers.
Der Tourismus ist eine der größten und profitabelsten Branchen der Welt. Seit vielen Jahren wächst der Umsatz und die Zahl der Gäste stetig, aber der Wettbewerb in dieser Branche ist groß. Viele Reiseziele und Unternehmen versuchen, über die Social-Media-Plattformen neue Kunden zu gewinnen. In den letzten Jahren haben viele Unternehmen die Macht und den Einfluss von Social Media erkannt, und es wurde zu einem der effektivsten Marketing-Tools. Doch wie hat sich Social Media genau auf die Tourismusbranche ausgewirkt und wie groß ist der Einfluss auf Destinationen und Unternehmen? Die folgende Arbeit analysiert die Auswirkungen von Social Media auf die Tourismusbranche und sucht nach Möglichkeiten, diesen Einfluss für das Marketing in dem jeweiligen Bereich zu nutzen.
Tourism is one of the biggest and most profitable industries in the world. Since many years it keeps a steady grow in revenue and guests, but the competition is high in this branch. Many destinations and companies are trying to win new customers through emerging Social Media platforms. In recent years a lot of companies recognized the power and influence of social media, and it became one of the most effective marketing-tools. But how did Social Media effect the Tourism industry exactly and how big is it´s influence on destinations and companies? The following thesis analyzes the effects of social media on the tourism industry and searches for ways to use this influence for marketing in the respective field.
Diese Bachelor-Thesis befasst sich mit dem Social Commerce und ihren Affordanzen, Visibility, Metavoicing und Guidance Shopping, als Handlungsmöglichkeiten für Anwender von sozialen Netzwerkplattformen. Das Ziel war es, nach der Affordanz beziehungsweise Funktion zu finden, die auf einer alternativen Netzwerkplattform den größten Nutzen bei der Informationsbeschaffung für den Konsumenten im Rahmen des Kaufentscheidungsprozesses bringt. Die traditionelle Conjoint-Analyse wurde heran- gezogen, um die Präferenzen von Auskunftspersonen aus einem Convenience Sample zu messen und die daraus resultierende Nutzenbeiträge der Funktionen und Af- fordanzen zu ermitteln. Das Ergebnis unterstreicht, dass die Visibility nicht nur den größten Nutzen hervorbringt, sondern auch die höchste relative Wichtigkeit. Dies geht auf digitale Shops zurück, die eine bedeutsame Funktion auf einer alternativen Netzwerkplattform finden würden. Im Kontrast findet das Verschlagworten eine geringe Bedeutung. Präferenzen und Nutzen von Funktionen und Affordanzen sollten daher bei der Suche nach einer alternativen Netzwerkplattform berücksichtigt werden, um dem Anwender bei der Produktsuche zu unterstützen.
Gamification has become an innovative marketing tool in the tourism industry. It can potentially increase engagement and brand awareness and enhance overall tourist experiences. This thesis presents the theory behind gamification and its application in travel marketing. It discusses extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors, fundamental concepts, practical examples, and the role of mobile applications in driving these strategies forward. By understanding how gamification can amplify tourist engagement, marketers could take advantage of this strategy and create campaigns that leave a long-lasting and positive impression. In addition, real-world examples demonstrate that tourism marketing can benefit from this innovative technique. Based on the literature's most critical findings, a model for implementing gamified marketing strategies to potentially increase tourist numbers during off-season traveling in less popular destinations is proposed.
Die vorliegende Bachelorarbeit untersucht anhand einer E-Shop Analyse der Sick AG, Wachstums- und Umsatzpotentiale im E-Commerce Bereich zu optimieren. Durch den Einsatz von qualitativen Interviews wurden Erkenntnisse darüber gewonnen, welche Erfolgsfaktoren einen erfolgreichen E-Shop ausmachen und welche Optimierungsmöglichkeiten Einfluss auf das Wachstum- und Umsatzpotential haben. Die Arbeit untersucht, wie die Analyse eines E- Shops dienen kann, um eine Basis für einen Business Case zu Erstellen. Die Analyse des E- Shops umfasst eine Umfrage von Kunden, eine Wettbewerbsanalyse sowie eine SWOT- Analyse. Die Ergebnisse der E-Shop Analyse und der qualitativen Interviews werden genutzt, um die Forschungsfragen dieser Arbeit zu beantworten und eine Handlungsempfehlung für die Sick AG anzufertigen. Die Handlungsempfehlung basiert auf fundierten Erkenntnissen, die sich aus den Experteninterwies und der E-Shop Analyse ableiten lassen.
Abschließend kann festgehalten werden, dass die Analyse eines E-Shops und die darauf basierende Entwicklung einer Handlungsempfehlung für einen Business Case von großer Bedeutung sind, um das volle Potenzial des E-Shops auszuschöpfen. Durch die Optimierung der E-Commerce Strategie können Umsatzsteigerungen und Kundenzufriedenheit erreicht werden, was langfristig zu einem erfolgreichen und profitablen E-Shop führt.
Advertising plays a major role in a company’s marketing activities, especially today, where people are surrounded by a massive number of advertisements in daily life. Therefore, it is important to know how advertising design can be applied in such a way that is able to attract interest and to stand out against competition. When it comes to comprehension of international advertising, cultural aspects should be taken into consideration as well. The aim of this paper is to identify and compare cultural and societal characteristics in advertising design by detailed examination of Japanese and Western culture, predominantly Germany, to accomplish cultural comprehension. Literature research and analysis represent the chosen method in order to achieve this aim. Furthermore, examples of Japanese and German consumer goods advertising shall be analysed and compared. In the course of this paper it was pointed out that Japan has a high number of unique cultural aspects and is different in many aspects compared to Germany. This is observable in advertising design as well.
Die vorliegende Bachelorarbeit untersucht die Wechselwirkungen zwischen Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation und der Gestaltung des Unternehmensimages, um die Erwartungen verschiedener Interessengruppen zu erfassen. Eine wichtige Erkenntnis ist die Verknüpfung von zwei bisher getrennt erforschten Bereichen: Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation und Unternehmensimagebildung. Im Gegensatz zu früheren Studien, die sich auf einzelne Aspekte konzentrieren, zielt diese Arbeit darauf ab, die Wechselwirkungen zwischen den einzelnen Bereichen besser zu verstehen. Methodische Raffinesse ermöglicht es, bisher unentdeckte Zusammenhänge zu ermitteln und Unternehmen bei der Erhöhung der Transparenz und Kommunikation ihrer Nachhaltigkeitsinitiativen zu unterstützen, um das Vertrauen ihrer Zielgruppen zu stärken.
Erkenntnisse aus der Forschung belegen, dass ein erfolgreiches Markenimage und eine positive Markenidentität, maßgeblich von der Kommunikation beeinflusst werden. In einem sich wandelnden Wirtschaftsumfeld, in dem ethische und soziale Werte eine immer größere Rolle spielen, wird es für Unternehmen immer wichtiger, eine Strategie zu entwickeln, die auf Ehrlichkeit und einem Verständnis der Bedürfnisse ihrer Zielgruppen basiert, um den Erfolg des Unternehmens zu sichern. Eine Betrachtung der zukünftigen Entwicklungen deutet darauf hin, dass Kommunikationen rund um die Themen Nachhaltigkeit eine bedeutende Rolle in der Unternehmensführung einnehmen werden. Daher müssen Organisationen ein Gleichgewicht zwischen Transparenz und Verantwortungsbewusstsein aufbauen, um ihr Engagement glaubwürdig zu kommunizieren - sowohl intern als auch extern. Mit einem kooperativen Ansatz zwischen verschiedenen Interessengruppen kann eine nachhaltige Entwicklung initiiert werden. Somit liefert die Arbeit einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Verständnis der Beziehung zwischen Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation und Unternehmensimage und beleuchtet, wie Unternehmen durch authentische Kommunikation ihr Image und ihre gesellschaftliche Wahrnehmung positiv beeinflussen können.
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.
This thesis deals with the topic of "Personalization in online marketing" and focuses on the planning and conception of a project plan for a club membership to specifically increase customer relations in the online store. uhlsport GmbH serves as a case study to highlight the implementation of a personalized marketing strategy.
In view of the rapid development of the digital marketplace, personalization is becoming increasingly important as a means of customer retention and acquisition. The paper analyzes the basics of online marketing, the importance of personalization and its impact on building long-term customer relationships.
Within the scope of a literature research, the theoretical basics of personalization in online marketing are discussed and the success factors of club memberships are highlighted. An examination of uhlsport GmbH enables the analysis of the practical implementation as well as the derivation of insights for project planning.
The results show the importance of personalized approaches to strengthen customer relationships. The developed project plan for club membership provides uhlsport GmbH with a basis for implementing such a strategy. This thesis not only provides insights into practical implementation, but also recommendations for action for companies that want to optimize their customer loyalty in e-commerce.
The common occurrence of impulsive buying is present in our everyday lives, but what is behind this occurrence? Impulse buying behaviour is described as a sudden, spontaneous, and compelling phenomenon that accounts for a great part of regular shopping. However, shopping should not only be considered in physical stores but also on online websites and social commerce platforms. With the advancement of technology, the number of social media users is also increasing and with it the importance of online purchases. In order for businesses, marketers or e-retailers to capitalize on this surge, it is necessary to understand what factors drive impulse buying behaviour, and particularly what the key driving factors of online impulse purchases are. Therefore, this paper address impulse buying behaviour and its general influences as well as social media marketing and online stimuli. Moreover, it aimed to examine the relationship between online impulse buying behaviour and social media marketing. To identify the relevant insights on the topic, a systematic literature review was conducted by using databases and literature search engines such as Emerald, Google Scholar, EBSCO, and ResearchGate. After the selection process, 39 articles were further reviewed for this study. The main findings that emerge from the paper are hedonic motivation, price promotions, payment facility, website quality and content, and trust beliefs on online websites are the key driving factors of online impulse buying behaviour. Furthermore, certain literature indicates that social media marketing influences impulsive purchases through so-called influencers and adapts influencing factors of online impulse buying to their social network sites.
Der Rückgang der Kundschaft und die Vielzahl an digitalen Geschäftsmodellen sorgen für Umsatzeinbrüche und zwingen immer mehr stationäre Stoffeinzelhändler zu Schließungen. burda create! vertreibt in vielen Stoffgeschäften weltweit Schnittmuster, sowie Zeitschriften und ist daher ebenso von dieser Situation betroffen. Ziel der Arbeit ist es zu beantworten, wie der Verkauf von burda style Schnittmustern im stationären Stoffeinzelhandel mithilfe von multisensorischen Konzepten und Maßnahmen wieder gestärkt werden kann. Dabei soll auch beantwortet werden, wie es gelingt mehr Frequenz in Stoffläden zu generieren, welche Faktoren zu einem längeren Verweilen führen und wie der Kunde zu einem Käufer gemacht werden kann.
Auf Grundlage der theoretischen Ausarbeitung wurden Faktoren herausgearbeitet, die für ein kundenzentriertes Design maßgebend sind: das Zusammenwirken der menschlichen Sinne und die Schaffung einer Wohlfühlatmosphäre. Dabei galt es nicht nur den Point of Sale, sondern auch den Point of People zu betrachten. Basierend auf einer qualitativen Befragung, sowie quantitativer Umfragen wurde ermittelt, wie zufrieden bestehende Kunden mit den burda style Katalogen und den stationären Stoffläden sind. Da bestehende burda Kunden einen höheren Altersdurchschnitt haben, wurde eine neue Zielgruppe im Alter von 18 bis 35 Jahren befragt, um herauszufinden wie es gelingen kann, diese als Kunden zu gewinnen. Die Auswertung dieser Umfrage zeigt, dass viele nicht vollkommen zufrieden mit dem Prozess der Schnittmusterauswahl im Stoffladen sind, und die Hälfte kann sich vorstellen, in Zukunft eine andere Marke für ihr Nähprojekt zu verwenden. Diese Ergebnisse unterstreichen die Wichtigkeit von der Konzipierung neuer Konzepte, bei denen der Kunde im Fokus steht.
Angesichts der bereits erforschten Faktoren und Wirkungen und der Ergebnisse der Umfragen, wurden Konzepte und Maßnahmen für den stationären Stoffeinzelhandel entworfen, mit Fokus darauf den Schnittmusterverkauf von burda style zu steigern. Diese wurden mit den Händlern von burda geteilt, damit sie diese umsetzen können und so Erfolge erzielen können.
Die Arbeit stellt die Faktoren, die für einen erfolgreichen Aufbau eines Network Marketing Geschäfts über die sozialen Medien ausschlaggebend sind, dar. Sie zeigt auf, welche Faktoren im Network Marketing und auf den sozialen Medien Erfolg versprechen. Anhand von drei Cases werden Erfahrungen aus der Praxis verschiedener Sichtweisen zusammen geführt. Aus der Betrachtung von Theorie und Praxis werden Erfolgsfaktoren und daraus folgende Handlungsempfehlungen für einen erfolgreichen Geschäftsaufbau durch die sozialen Medien zusammengeführt und veranschaulicht.
Die Musikindustrie hat in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten eine Transformation durchlebt, die zu einer neuen Arbeitsweise von Plattenfirmen, Künstlern und anderen Akteuren der Branche führte. Aufgrund der Digitalisierung veränderten sich nicht nur die Produktion sowie die Ausspielwege von Musikprodukten, auch die Vermarktung von Künstlern und ihrer Musik musste an die neuen Gegebenheiten angepasst werden. In der modernen Musikindustrie spielt Online-Marketing eine immer größer werdende Rolle. Diese wissenschaftliche Arbeit hat daher das Ziel zu identifizieren, wie digitale Medien (vor allem Social Media) als Teil der Marketingkommunikation effektiv in eine Marketingstrategie für Künstler integriert werden können. Dabei gilt es auch mögliche Trends herauszufiltern sowie Werkzeuge zur Messung des Erfolgs abzubilden. Anhand einer Datenbankrecherche wurden die zentralen Bestandteile einer Marketingstrategie, wichtige Elemente der Kommunikation durch digitale Medien und Erfolgsmessung sowie die Chance der Eigenvermarktung und Trends herausgearbeitet. Anschließend wurden die Befunde durch Künstler-Interviews und ein Expertengespräch auf die Praxis bezogen und diskutiert. Die Ergebnisse veranschaulichen die zunehmende Bedeutung sozialer Medien für die Marketingkommunikation von Künstlern der modernen Musikindustrie. Des Weiteren ließen sich WhatsApp, TikTok und Podcasts als Trends im Hinblick auf die Künstlerkommunikation hervorheben.
In this thesis, the following object was addressed: Is employee advocacy an influential component in the war for talents and customers? This thesis collaborates with the company Ambassify. Firstly, all relevant subjects and information regarding this topic were discussed in a literature review. Based on this, a research strategy was created, including all aspects necessary to answer the research question. In order to gather this data and then answer the research question a quantitative study, more precisely an online survey was conducted.
Greenwashing in the clothing industry and its impact on the corporate image of consumers in Germany
(2023)
With issues like climate change and the pollution of our planet, more and more clothing companies are following the trend of a sustainable marketing strategy. Greenwashing is often associated with that, as not all companies are honest about their statements. This study examines how greenwashing by a company in the clothing industry impacts the corporate image of 18 to 30-year-old adults in Germany. Studies regarding sustainability, consumer behaviour towards sustainable products, the behaviour in case of greenwashing incidents, and the identification of greenwashing are investigated. For the analysis, online survey data of 244 Hochschule Furtwangen University study participants are examined. The descriptive study provides information about the behaviour of consumers regarding sustainable clothing and their behaviour when it comes to greenwashing. It was found that consumers tend not to consider sustainability when buying clothes. Very few inform themselves about sustainability, and sustainable labels do not seem to influence their shopping decisions. The image of the consumer about the company involved in greenwashing appears to deteriorate. In addition, the willingness to keep buying from the company seems to be stopped or reduced for the majority. A weak positive correlation was found between consumer behaviour concerning the topics of sustainability and greenwashing. It can be summarised that the dishonest behaviour of clothing companies can harm their consumers' corporate image and brand loyalty.
This study focuses on whether users perceive Trust as an essential factor in revisiting Saleduck CHDE to maximize profit. Three major components were identified based on academic literature on online customer behaviour and e-commerce: Perceived Aesthetics, Perceived Usefulness, and Perceived Ease of use. Seven measurable indicators from previous research were used to measure the unobserved components. Also, relevant company data about the German-speaking Switzerland domain were analyzed to outline the relevance of revisiting visitors. According to Google Analytics, the average revisiting visitor generates approximately 4.8 times higher revenues than the average new visitor. The sample consists of 104 students and employed respondents who took part on a five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire also incorporates questions about demographics and target grouping. For assessing the relationship between these three constructs and Trust, Structural Equation Modelling techniques were implemented using IBM SPSS AMOS 28.0. Results show that most participants value Trust highly when using a coupon website. Nevertheless, relationships between Trust and its latent indicators could not be adequately assessed due to suppression effects. Additionally, differences between groups among both measured variables and latent constructs were assessed. The study found that five out of seven indicators in the measurement model significantly reflect the hypothesized components. However, insufficient sample size and a low number of indicators per construct were most likely the reason for the presence of suppression effects. Also, several potential validity issues occurred; the absence of German-speaking respondents from Switzerland, a low number of employed respondents, and a lack of diversity in the samples' age distribution.
Durch das digitale Zeitalter und die starke Vernetzung sind Influencer zu den neuen Superzielen in der Werbebranche geworden. Für die schnelle Vermarktung und den Durchbruch von Produkten, Dienstleistungen und Marken werden so genannte Social-Media-Influencer eingesetzt, die durch ihre Posts, Follower und Likes in den Social-Media-Kanälen ihre Community gezielt beeinflussen können. Als Adressaten von Werbebotschaften von Unternehmen haben Influencer nicht nur ein hohes Potenzial, die Wahrnehmung eines Produkts, einer Dienstleistung und einer Marke zu beeinflussen, sondern auch den Ruf und den wirtschaftlichen Erfolg eines Unternehmens und letztlich den Kaufentscheidungsprozess der Rezipienten.
Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit Social Media Influencer Marketing und der Frage, ob sich erfolgreiche und einflussreiche Werbebotschafter mit Social Media Aktivitäten von Kommunikations- und Schlüsselfiguren im Hinblick auf Luxusgüter typisieren lassen und welche Umsetzungsstrategien sich daraus ergeben.
In recent years, an increasingly technological and digital world, with new opportunities
and communication channels, has seen a power shift between brands and their consumers
in favor of the latter (Hansen et al., 2018). This bachelor's thesis examines the question
of whether there are models that can help companies and their brands to counteract the
change in the power balance while responding to changing consumer behavior.
Method: To answer this question, two models, crowdsourcing, and influencer marketing
were presented, that can also be used in the context of brand management. These were
analyzed from a brand perspective in terms of their possibilities and benefits. In addition,
both were analyzed from the consumer's point of view in terms of their correspondence
with the customers' requirements.
Results: The results show that both crowdsourcing and influencer marketing are suitable
in principle, because they address parts of the new consumer requirements, while at the
same time enabling the brand to act in a more self-determined manner. For a successful
implementation of the models, however, it is essential that there is a strong brand
community that wants to interact with the brand and its partners.
Significance of the results: The results provide some good initial insights into solving the
problem presented, but also clearly point out, that further research is required to better
address the issue of the shifted balance of power between consumers and brands.
Building and further strengthening customer relationships is of vital significance for organizations per diem, as maintaining an existing customer base is proven to be less costly than acquiring new customers. Therefore, customer loyalty programs serve as the ideal foundation to enhance customer-centric businesses in the long-run and reward continuous engaging customer behavior. The B2B automotive aftermarket industry with respect to loyalty programs is a general under-researched area. Thus, this study aims to close the gap.
The objective of this research study was to create a suitable loyalty program for the automotive aftermarket on the example of Parts Trading at Mercedes-Benz AG. In order to achieve that, literature concerning individual factors that compose a loyalty program were reviewed as well as twelve qualitative expert interviews in the German market conducted. The experts provide specific, deep-rooted practical knowledge in the automotive aftersales field and assist in gathering valuable information in terms of desired aspects, challenges and experiences regarding loyalty programs. The results were assigned to six categories which were further used to provide recommended action for a loyalty program in Parts Trading and the general automotive aftermarket.
The results of this study display that an automotive aftermarket loyalty program is associated with a great deal of effort, as various challenges have to be overcome. These include the issue of data management, specialized rewards that provide high-perceived value that need to be offered in an easy-to-understand scheme, the signif-icant topic of support and accessibility from the company that needs to be ensured before implementing a loyalty program and lastly, the subject of profitability for the organization. Consequently, it is suggested to derive further international studies where quantitative research with a greater sample size is conducted to review whether the results are in alignment along with a long-term study in which the impact on customer buying behavior and profitability of the program with the same experts is evaluated. However, these findings serve as the ideal starting point for Parts Trading with a lot of possibilities to further develop the loyalty program.
The impact of store atmosphere elements on the purchase behaviour and emotions of customers has an important significance in modern marketing. How to design and conceptualize a store atmosphere in such a way that it provides an unforgettable experience for the customer and entices him or her to arouse an interest in the store environment is one of the most fundamental concerns merchants and marketers must ask and think through these days – likewise, the role of culture in connection with store atmosphere is necessary to understand. The goal of this paper is to answer the question on how behavioural and emotional responses to store atmospheric elements such as visual, aural, olfactory, tactile, social, exterior design, interior design and layout & design differ across individualist and collectivist cultures. A cross-cultural analysis between Germans and non-Germans is made in respect to the posed question. A quantitative online survey was conducted, in which a total of 99 valid participants took part, of which 57 were Germans and 42 were non-Germans. This research extended the study of Barros et al. (2019) and added two more separate store atmospheric elements which are the general exterior design and the general interior design. The data was then analyzed, and the findings were ultimately presented. The findings showed that overall store atmosphere elements have similar emotional and behavioural effects on individualist and collectivist cultures with the exception of the general exterior design element, where a significant difference was found. This paper gives a comprehensive overview on the importance of store atmospheric elements in retail and the comparison between Germany which acts as a country that scored relatively high on the Individualism dimension of Hofstede’s national culture model and the countries Turkey, Russia, Portugal, Albania, Bosnia, Romania, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Iraq which serve as a union of cultures that performed high on the Collectivism dimension. Additional research on the topic needs to be done on how culture affects shopper’s emotional and behavioural responses.
This paper examines the potential of short videos within the organic marketing of startups. Through a case study, this research looks at the company Choosy UG (haftungsbeschränkt) (henceforth “Choosy” or “Choosy UG”) on the platform TikTok. Firstly, the relevance of short videos in marketing is presented and the specific strengths and possible uses of TikTok are shown in comparison to other platforms. Afterwards, quantitative and qualitative analyses are used to examine what an effective TikTok presence looks like and how the use of short videos affects the organic reach and engagement rate of the Choosy account. In the context of this work, it is elaborated how a good short video content strategy is developed for the platform TikTok and what it looks like particularly for Choosy. The results show that short videos can be an effective tool in organic marketing for startups, especially on platforms like TikTok. However, it is important to develop the right content and consider the specific strengths and weaknesses of the platform in order to realize the full potential of short videos. This paper provides valuable insights for startups looking to use short videos in marketing and shows that using TikTok can prove useful, especially for companies that do not allocate a large budget for marketing activities.
In today's business world, online communication has become increasingly important for companies to communicate quickly and cost-effectively with partners, customers and employees. As companies become more international, the importance of online communication has increased as it allows people to communicate from anywhere at any time. Companies that understand the importance of online communication and prepare for internationalization have a clear competitive advantage, as effective online communication not only strengthens customer loyalty but also improves a company's reputation and revenues.
This Bachelor's thesis focuses on the online communication of uhlsport GmbH, specifically the activity of all uhlsport brand Instagram channels worldwide. The aim is to examine what steps are necessary to initiate further internationalization of online communication. The focus on Instagram is interesting because there are currently many unregistered and inactive uhlsport country channels that do not correspond to the company's CI.
The thesis surveyed five uhlsport subsidiaries in France, Spain, UK, Scandinavia, and Benelux to gain insight into their working methods and impressions and to initiate improvement measures. The main results showed that most subsidiaries would like to engage in online communication, but they lack resources such as personnel, a central guideline for online communication, and training measures for a consistent CI in the entire uhlsport online communication.
The significance of these results lies in the need for a central online communication guideline that everyone must follow, and additionally, the thesis suggests a restructure of the Instagram channel strategy.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) bringt für Unternehmen Herausforderungen in der
dazugehörigen Kommunikation mit sich, welche oft von einem Mangel an Glaubwürdigkeit und Misstrauen geprägt ist. Daher ist es essenziell herauszufinden, wie
man diesen Herausforderungen begegnen kann.
Mit dieser Abschlussarbeit sollen Möglichkeiten aufgezeigt werden, wie ein
Unternehmen das Glaubwürdigkeitsproblem in der CSR-Kommunikation überwinden
kann. Welche Rolle dabei die Berichterstattung in Form eines unabhängigen, nicht-finanziellen Berichts spielt, soll ebenso Gegenstand der Forschung sein. Um die
theoretischen Erkenntnisse zu untermauern, werden zwei Nachhaltigkeitsberichte aus der Praxis analysiert.
Die Forschungsergebnisse geben Aufschluss darüber, welche Strategien Unternehmen
anwenden können, um einen positiven Einfluss auf die Glaubwürdigkeit ihrer CSR-Kommunikation auszuüben. Der CSR-Bericht zählt in dem Zusammenhang als größte
Informationsquelle und kann somit genutzt werden, um über die soziale Verantwortung
von Unternehmen zu berichten und unter Beachtung verschiedener Anforderungen die Glaubwürdigkeit der CSR-Kommunikation zu erhöhen.
Für viele Unternehmen im B2B Bereich wie die SICK AG, stellen Messen und die
dort ausgestellten Exponate eine der wichtigsten Marketinginstrumente dar.
Allerdings befindet sich die Messelandschaft im ständigen Wandel. Nicht nur
technische Innovationen, sondern auch die Corona-Pandemie haben das
Erscheinungsbild von Fachmessen anhaltend geprägt.
Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es zu erforschen, wie Fachmessen in
Deutschland sich in den kommenden Jahren verändern werden und welche
Auswirkungen sich daraus für die Exponatelandschaft der SICK AG ergeben.
Um diese Frage zu beantworten, hat man externe und interne Prognosen mithilfe
von Experteninterviews geprüft. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass insbesondere
Präsenzmessen mit spezifischen Fokus für die SICK AG eine führende Rolle
einnehmen werden. In Bezug auf Exponate wird eine Mischung aus Hardware,
virtueller und hybrider Exponate unerlässlich. Besonders wichtig ist es dabei,
dass die Gesamtheit des Messestandes einem Konzept folgt und dabei für den
Kunden relevante Inhalte präsentiert werden.
Concerns about mental health and the declining rate of body satisfaction have increased interest in topics such as diversity, body positivity, and inclusion in recent years. Thus, the suggestion is that companies can communicate deep meanings through advertising images and strengthen their brand identity. This bachelor thesis proposes the application of two theoretical frameworks: Esch’s "Brand Steering Wheel" for identifying the brand identity, and the framework of “Visual Grammar” for analyzing images in advertising. The aim is to find out if diversity in advertising can improve brand identity.
Firstly, this work intends to offer an overall understanding of advertising, brand identity, and multimodality. For this, previous academic literature is used to establish a theoretical basis for understanding. Secondly, certain problems that lack inclusion in traditional advertising are analyzed. Thirdly, with the help of the theoretical framework, the brand identity is analyzed using the brand steering wheel. Additionally, Kress and van Leeuwen’s framework of visual grammar is used to examine images for their meaning.
The findings indicate that there is significant theoretical and practical evidence to suggest that the application of diversity in advertising campaigns would be an effective strategy to build a strong brand identity. The identities and relationships indicated in the photos between viewers and models represent desired attributes that may be identified with the advertiser's products. The brand may be picked if the viewers see that it is correctly represented.
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.
The aim of this thesis is to answer the question of how consumers can be influenced by influencers to purchase sustainable fashion. To this end, the following research question was posed: How do social media influencers influence consumers' attitudes, awareness, and purchase intentions toward sustainable fashion? In order to answer the research question, the main terms of the work were defined and explained. Through the use of multiple examples, sustainable influencers with different reach were analyzed. The results of this work showed that followers can be influenced to buy sustainable fashion by influencers on Instagram. Companies see influencer marketing as a high opportunity to achieve their business goals such as brand awareness and increasing sales. Based on this, it is recommendable to use influencers as a corporate strategy to raise awareness of sustainable fashion brands. In this way, sustainable companies can reach different target groups.
Durch die weite Verbreitung von Smartphones wächst das Potenzial des mobilen E-Learning-Marktes. Auch in der Branche des Fremdspracherwerbs sind massive Veränderungen erkennbar: Das Erlernen einer neuen Sprache ist nicht länger an physische Klassenzimmer gekoppelt, sondern kann nun auch durch die Nutzung von mobilen Applikationen (Apps) praktiziert werden. Auffallend ist jedoch, dass Sprachlern-App-Anbieter, wie auch die Jicki GmbH, Schwierigkeiten haben, ihre Kunden an die App zu binden. Das Ziel dieser wissenschaftlichen Arbeit ist die Identifikation von
motivationsbedingten Faktoren, die das Engagement bei Sprachlern-Apps beeinflussen.
Aufgrund mangelnder Datenlage zu Sprachlern-Apps dienten Fitness Apps bzw. Physical Activity Apps (PA-Apps) als Vergleichsprodukt. Mittels einer Datenbankrecherche
wurden anhand dieser Studien Engagement-Einflussfaktoren extrahiert. Anschließend wurde das Vorhandensein dieser Faktoren bei der Jicki-Sprachlernapp geprüft und deren
Auswirkungen auf das Nutzerverhalten untersucht. Dabei wurden Testnutzer der Jicki-App in Form von Einzelinterviews bezüglich ihrer Intentionen zur Nutzung und ihrer
Erfahrungen mit der App befragt und mögliche Empfehlungen für ein stärkeres Engagement abgeleitet. Basierend auf den Ergebnissen der Datenbankrecherche haben persönliche Einstellungen und Motive, Erwartungen und Zielerreichung, Gewohnheit, technische Funktion und Bedienbarkeit Einfluss auf das Engagement bei PA-Apps. Diese Faktoren konnten durch die Einzelinterviews in der Jicki-App bedingt wiedergefunden
werden.
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.
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.
Conception and development of a corporate website strategy on the example of KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG
(2022)
In recent years, digitalization has caused an increasing transformation of the entire business world towards a digitalized economy. The Covid-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated this ongoing digital transformation. Therefore, online presence is also becoming increasingly important for companies to survive in the digital economy. KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG, a traditional medium-sized company firmly focused on face-to-face sales, was strongly affected by the limitations of the pandemic. Switching to digital alternatives, especially the corporate website, stands out as the most critical digital cross point.
This bachelor thesis uses a marketing strategy model to analyze and research the position of KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG in the market and explores the functions and characteristics that a corporate website must have to meet today’s customer, stakeholder, and employee needs.
First, this work intends to offer an overall understanding of digitalization and its impact on the medical technology industry and medium-sized companies. Secondly, the corporate website characteristics are considered. The third theoretical part includes the analysis of two digital marketing strategy models, which are compared with each other. Finally, the company KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG and its website are presented, and a strategy model for developing a website strategy for the business year 2023 and beyond is applied.
Interviews conducted with internal and external experts on websites provide valuable information and a deeper understanding of the importance of a website in the digital environment.
In the end, this paper gives recommendations for actions for website development.
Das Unternehmen XYZ befindet sich in einer entscheidenden Phase in der Umsetzung der Digitalisierungsstrategie. Im Rahmen dieser Strategie wird die neue Unternehmenshomepage mit dem neuen Onlineshop gekoppelt. Die Plattform fungiert zum einen als zeitgemäßer Onlineauftritt und zum anderen soll dadurch ein neues Rollenverständnis für das Unternehmen geschaffen werden. Herzstück der Plattform ist die mit dem Onlineshop verbundene Onsite Suchfunktion.
Ziel dieser Arbeit ist Teile der Strategie zu analysieren und teilweise kritisch zu würdigen. Um die Suchfunktion für den neuen Onlineshop neben grundlegenden sprachlichen Features zu erweitern, wurde eine Umfrage mit ausgewählten Mitarbeitern durchgeführt.
Die Ausgangssituation dieser Arbeit ist das Unternehmen zu präsentieren. Darauf aufbauend wird die Schnelllebigkeit der Digitalisierung erläutert, sowie die Reaktion des Unternehmens darauf. Kern der Arbeit ist die Analyse von User Experience (UX)- und User Interface (UI)-Komponenten des Shops sowie die Suchfunktion im Allgemeinen, als auch im Kontext von XYZ zu beschreiben.
Darauf erfolgt die Erklärung der Methodik der qualitativen Datenerhebung, welche für die Umfrage eingesetzt wurde. Anschließend werden Ablauf, sowie die dazugehörigen Ergebnisse dargelegt. Das letzte Kapitel liefert einen wertenden Ausblick auf Teile der Ergebnisse und fasst die gesamte Arbeit nochmals reflektierend zusammen. Abschluss der Arbeit bildet eine Diskussion, sowie ein persönliches Fazit.
Die vorliegende Bachelorarbeit behandelt das Thema einer Social Media Strategie für ein kleines und mittelständisches Unternehmen, welches im Business-to-Business Sektor tätig ist. Aufgrund der zögerlichen Nutzung von Social Media von KMUs im Business-to-Business Sektor und den mangelnden empirischen Erkenntnissen besteht die Frage, wie Social Media am effektivsten eingesetzt werden kann. Mithilfe einer systematischen Literaturanalyse arbeitet diese Bachelorarbeit eine Social Media Strategie heraus. Der praktische Teil wird mit der Überprüfung der empirisch belegten Erkenntnisse an der Werbeagentur teufels garantiert.
Die vorliegende Arbeit ermöglicht eine Erkenntnis über die Herausforderungen, die die chinesischen Unternehmen AliExpress und Shein implizieren und den aktuellen Erfolg auf dem Markt, der durch angewandte Strategien bestehend bleibt. Das Ziel der Arbeit umfasst die Herausforderungen der beiden Unternehmen, die diese ihren Kunden gegenüberstellen und den angewandten Marketing-Strategien, die grundlegend dafür sind, Problematiken als primärer Kunden nicht allzu kritisch aufzufassen. Für die Analyse wurden Problemfelder dargestellt und anhand einer Umfrage diskutiert. Die Analyse bietet einen Überblick über die Herausforderungen, dennoch sind Optimierungsansätze nicht vollständig realisierbar. Die steigende Popularität der beiden Online-Shops ist auf bestehende Strategien zurückzuführen und diese sollen auch weiterhin ausgeführt werden und die Schwierigkeiten überwiegen.
Today, in an increasingly digitalized world, the Internet and social media allow for connection on a global scale. Companies utilize social media for their business-to consumer and business-to-business marketing activities.
This paper focuses on establishing a LinkedIn strategy development process in business to-business social media marketing for the AMOS Sport Business School in Strasbourg, which is seeking new partnerships with partners from the German sport industry, who will bring added value to the school.
To answer the research questions, interviews were conducted with six experts who either came from the business-to business marketing sector or worked at or on behalf of LinkedIn. Based on the interviews, the focus was on determining key components for a LinkedIn strategy. The results highlighted four reasons for choosing LinkedIn: the presence of a national and global target group, the seriousness of the content and users, the importance of LinkedIn presence for company marketing, and LinkedIn’s use as a recruitment tool. Seven key components of a LinkedIn strategy were identified: “definition of goals,” “target group identification,” “adaptability and agility,” “content creation approach,” “employees’ integration,” “LinkedIn monitoring,” and “LinkedIn algorithm.” Special attention must be paid to the fourth, fifth, and seventh components, which can influence each other. The research made it possible to determine how to develop the strategy successfully by paying particular attention to LinkedIn’s algorithm, which can be “artificially” influenced by employees’ LinkedIn engagement activities, thereby resulting in a more successful strategy. Such a chain reaction can be initiated at the content creation stage by observing the eight elements of “content creation approach”: “generation of a high level of engagement with published content,” “language,” “relevant and authentic message,” “up-to-date content,” “hashtags,” “time and frequency,” “selection of the appropriate type of content,” and “content distribution plan.”
An AMOS Strasbourg LinkedIn strategy was developed, along with recommendations for action for each component. Investment in the sales navigator was highlighted, as it facilitates target group identification and therefore provides a higher guarantee of success for the LinkedIn strategy when used in conjunction with the other key components. The strategy’s organization and implementation was accompanied by a content guideline and content distribution plan so that AMOS Strasbourg’s strategy can achieve positive results.
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.
One size fits all? A multicultural marketing perspective on the U.S. market for luxury watches
(2021)
The purchase of luxury goods like mechanical watches is experiencing steady growth and it is increasingly shifting to e-commerce platforms, also due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nevertheless, there are culture-related different motivations to purchase those items. One size fits all? According to this question it was investigated if there can be several cultures detected and if they show a different purchase behavior along the customer journey that can be explained with one of the six dimensions of Geert Hofstede (2001). Therefore, several hypotheses along the customer journey are set to find out if there are still ethnical backgrounds that have an influence on the buying process of the U.S. customers. The focus for this research lies on Asian Americans and Hispanics in comparison with the 'Rest of the USA', including ethnic groups like White Caucasians, Afro Americans, and many more.
In order to answer the research question, a quantitative study was deducted with the help of Google Analytics. It provided several Key Performance Indicators like for example sessions, bounce rates, session durations, purchased brands, and many more on Chrono24’s marketplace in the USA.
The study shows that the observed cultures in fact have different characteristics along the customer journey, but not every hypothesis could be explained conformingly with one of Hofstede’s dimensions. Consequently, a one size fits all customer journey does not exist. Additionally, the work suggests how further research and cultural adaptions can lead to optimized customer journeys on a marketplace.
Social Media spielt in der heutigen Zeit für viele deutsche User eine wichtige Rolle im Alltag. Doch aufgrund der hohen Nutzungszahlen, werden die sozialen Netzwerke inzwischen nicht mehr nur für freizeitliche Aktivitäten benutzt, sondern sind auch bei Unternehmen eine beliebte Möglichkeit Konsumenten auf sich aufmerksam zu machen.
Und nicht nur im B2C-Bereich werden die sozialen Netzwerke genutzt, sondern auch immer mehr B2B Unternehmen verwenden die sozialen Netzwerke um Aufmerksamkeit für sich und ihre Produkte zu wecken. Aufgrund der geringen Ressourcen die dafür aufgewendet werden müssen, bieten sich bei Social Media vor allem für kleine und mittelständische Unternehmen viele Möglichkeiten.
Die vorliegende Arbeit wird daher zunächst die theoretischen Grundlagen über die Zielgruppe und die bevorzugten Interaktionsmöglichkeiten der User erläutern, während im nächsten Schritt Social Media und insbesondere die Plattformen Facebook und LinkedIn inklusive ihrer Nutzer analysiert werden. Dabei werden zur Veranschaulichung Best-Practice-Beispiele vorgestellt, welche bereits in den sozialen Netzwerken erfolgreich sind.
Ziel ist es, ausgearbeitete Handlungsempfehlungen aufzuzeigen, welche es gewerblichen Unternehmen mit begrenzten Ressourcen ermöglichen ihre Reichweite durch die Plattformen Facebook und LinkedIn zu erweitern.
The research defines the optimization possibilities of listing content for entrepreneurs on Amazon. The research aims to provide insights into the measures to the improvement of the ranking and the user experience. This thesis examines the strategies leading to Amazon's current market position. Due to Amazon's customer-focused orientation, this strategy enables cross-market development.
The theoretical background indicates the success strategy of Amazon, driven by the Content Marketing Strategy (CMS) in which the compilation of content elements is performed in a value-added manner. Amazon's Content Marketing Strategy is an unbeaten strategy that contributes to today's customer reach. This is driving all retailers to embrace the concept of CMS and integrate it as part of their business to benefit from amazon's success and effectiveness in the future.
Based on the frameworks used, the relevance factors and the performance factors, which have a direct and indirect influence on the ranking of the products are analyzed. The result of the analysis describes how keywords, authority, conversion rate, and the Click- Through-Rate are shaping ranking components. In addition, there is a need for the right approach to Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
By optimizing the content components, the listing is received with better interest by the target audience, which leads to direct increases in traffic. Successfully implementing SEO measures result in a unique and excellent user experience, which in turn drives the need and buying behavior of the users.
The results prove the importance of such measures to enable successful and effective participation of entrepreneurs on Amazon. Thus, the entrepreneur is considered a relevant and trustworthy retailer who encourages users to buy.
Key words: e-commerce, search engine optimization, content marketing, content optimization, user experience
Oversupply on the market and excessive consumption by consumers are a by-product of a globalized world, causing severe societal and environmental damages. These factors have increased society's fears and have resulted in a loss of trust in corporate’s business operations, leading companies to gradually lose market share. Modern society is increasingly becoming aware of the necessity to behave sustainably, resulting in higher expectations towards sustainable practices of businesses. As a result, a growing number of consumers are demanding companies to operate in a more environmentally friendly way, with more transparency, collaboration, and consumer participation to alleviate societal fears. Consequently, responding to customer needs and desires is crucial for the company's success and future survival. In general, companies are now expected to attract and retain a loyal customer base and help make the world a better place by developing a sustainable corporate brand.
This paper studies based on a selected case study, the impact a Purpose-Driven Marketing Strategy can have on business operations, illustrating how the latter societal requirements can be addressed and fulfilled through a Purpose-Driven Marketing Strategy.
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.
How does corporate communications succeed in reaching non-desk employees with important news and which communication channel is most suitable for this purpose? Due to the continuous changes in technology, companies must also consider how they can update and improve their information distribution channels. Digitalization is making operational processes increasingly flexible and more efficient in many areas.
The goal of this bachelor thesis is to answer the research question "Does a podcast help to sustainably increase the information level of manufacturing employees at Roche Diagnostics Automation Solutions GmbH (RDA)?" using qualitative interviews.
A total of two surveys were conducted with guided interviews with employees from the manufacturing division of RDA. The first round of interviews focused on determining the status quo of the level of information of the production employees, while the second round of interviews addressed the perception of the podcast in the manufacturing area of the RDA.
The results of the qualitative research demonstrate the great importance of internal communication and reveal the value added and success factors of a podcast in the operational area of a company. The central findings of the interviews were the flexibility, convenience and time savings that a corporate podcast provides.
Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, einen Lösungsansatz für den Zwiespalt zwischen dem grossen Marketingsegment für Werbung für Programme für Gewichtsverlust und der steigenden Fettleibigkeit der Gesellschaft zu finden. Neben der physischen, soll die psychische Gesundheit in Bezug auf das Selbstbild der weiblichen Gesellschaft langfristig geschützt werden, weswegen die Darstellung der Frauen in Werbung genau analysiert wird.
Besonderes Augenmerk liegt hierfür bei der ASA (Advertising Standards Authority), wie sie bereits in Großbritannien existiert. Es soll geklärt werden, ob dieses Konzept ebenso für die in dieser Arbeit angesprochene Problematik funktionieren könnte.
Als Ergebnis wird die Werbung für Gewichtsverlust als Folge für ein grundlegendes gesellschaftliches Problem genannt. Es werden mehrere praktische Lösungsansätze geboten, bei der alle Unternehmen zusammenarbeiten müssten. Das Prinzip der ASA stellt dabei einen guten Anfang dar.
The leisure industry experiences a shift in selling their services online. While external sales channels have been dominating the online ticket sales in the last decade, a new trend of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) sales through individual platforms has been on the rise. This study aimed to research on the usage of external and direct sales channels in the leisure industry and tried to find reasons for the rapid increase of leisure venues shifting their sales channels on their own online platform and abandoning external sales channels. For this study, a primary research with leisure venues across Germany, Switzerland and Austria in the form of a questionnaire with 104 participants was conducted. The topic of the questionnaire was the usage of external and direct sales channels and ticket reseller as well as promotion methods of the leisure venues participating. Furthermore, an expert interview with the CEO of a wellness centre was conducted to gain first-hand knowledge on the research topic. The thesis ends with an analysis of the survey results and conclusions on what the usage of external and direct sales channels in the leisure industry are and how the DTC trend emerged from the state of the industry.
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.
COVID-19 has caused severe consequences for the tourism sector, many small- to medium sized travel agencies went bankrupt. Furthermore, the digitalization has been an important global trend, which also affects tourism. The question “how a travel agency could survive in these external circumstances?” is now under the spotlight.
With information from secondary literatures, the macroenvironments surrounding the Chinese and German travel markets are examined. This comparison results in two PEST analyses in order to find out the differences. The case of KaiYuan GmbH, a travel company with Sino-German background, represents a survivor of COVID-19. The SWOT analysis on the company´s microenvironment shows that to possess a broad portfolio and to enter new markets are crucial. The results from the macro- and microenvironment analyses lead to the creation of the new business model Intelligent Travel Agency (ITA), which combines digital developments and a diversified product portfolio. Refined marketing strategies as a German travel agency towards Chinese customers are presented, such as utilizing different Chinese media channels. With feasible components and implementation suggestions, ITAs could replace traditional travel agencies and ensure the existence of travel agencies.
Gender Marketing für Kinder - Wie Gender Marketing zum Erhalt veralteter Geschlechternormen beiträgt
(2021)
Die vorliegende Bachelorthesis erörtert wie gängige Gender Marketing Methoden bei Kindern zum Erhalt veralteter Gendernormen und Rollen beitragen. Weiterführend soll gezeigt werden, dass Gender Marketing nicht nur ein Resultat der Gesellschaftsordnung ist, sondern diese durchaus auch beeinflusst. Studien zeigen, dass Stereotypen im Gender Marketing Kinder vermehrt beeinflussen, da ihnen das Wissen und die Reife fehlt um diese zu erkennen. Kinder beginnen schon früh mit der Entwicklung ihrer Persönlichkeit, dabei orientieren sie sich an den Vorbildern ihres Umfelds. Um diese Frage zu beantworten werden in der folgenden Arbeit wissenschaftliche Artikel, Bücher und Studien analysiert.
Die Arbeit ist in vier grundlegende Bereiche aufgeteilt. Diese Bereiche sind die Hinführung zum Thema und der Forschungsfrage, eine Einführung in die Grundlagen der Marktsegmentierung sowie in die Entwicklung moderner Genderkonzepte. Es folgen der Hauptteil und im Anschluss eine abschließende Diskussion verschiedener Kritikpunkte.
Der Hauptteil erörtert anhand der angegeben Literatur, wie Firmen und Marketingexperten Gendermarketing nutzen um ihre Zielgruppen anzusprechen. Des Weiteren wird in diesem Abschnitt gezeigt, dass Gendermarketing Kindern hauptsächlich beibringt wie die Rolle des Mannes und der Frau im Beruf-, Sozial-, und Privatleben aussieht.
Die vorliegende Bachelorarbeit wurde in Kooperation mit der ZF Friedrichshafen AG verfasst, welche am 1. Januar 2021 eine neue unternehmensinterne Division für Elektromobilität gegründet hat. Im Zuge der Umstrukturierung in dem Unternehmen soll die Digitalisierung der internen Kommunikation vorangetrieben werden.
Ziel der Arbeit ist es, im Rahmen der Neugründung der Division zu erarbeiten, wie die bisherige Nutzung digitaler Medien ausgebaut werden kann, wie digitale Medien als Informations- und Kommunikationsmittel bei den verschiedenen Mitarbeitergruppen des Unternehmens wahrgenommen werden und wie die interne Kommunikationsabteilung die Mitarbeiter der neuen Division am besten durch digitale Medien erreichen und beteiligen kann. Für die Analyse wurden interne Dokumente, Experteninterviews sowie eine internationale Mitarbeiterumfrage als Erhebungsinstrument herangezogen.
Anhand der Forschung der Arbeit zu dem Thema der internen Kommunikation mit einem besonderen Fokus auf digitale Medien, kann eine Basis für ein digitales Kommunikationskonzept innerhalb der neuen Division erarbeitet werden. Zusätzlich werden Handlungsempfehlungen bezüglich der Integration der gefundenen Ergebnisse in das bereits bestehende Kommunikationskonzept der internen Kommunikation abgeleitet.
Can the different framing of price promotions decrease consumer value perception and their willingness to pay? Prior research provides evidence of differences in consumer perception of economically equivalent monetary and non-monetary price promotions. In detail, many research works suggest that non-monetary promotions positively affect consumer perception and are therefore preferred over monetary ones that are associated with a drop in quality. Results suggest that this biased consumer behavior is caused by the framing of the promotion, causing difference in cognitive processing and dissimilarities in perception of benefits and product quality. We put this theoretical foundation to the test on the Turkish consumer market of non-durable goods, in order to contrast effects on consumers of the economically equivalent formats ‘50% discount’ as a monetary and ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ as a non-monetary promotion. In particular, the focus was set on analyzing attractiveness perception of the two promotion types and the development of WTP pre- and post-promotion. To achieve this, the non-durable goods rice and antibacterial soap were selected as product stimuli to stage scenarios before, during and after a promotion period. Four sets of questionnaires were shared on social media and distributed to a total of 919 participants via randomization generator. The survey results put forward empirical validation of product-related decrease in value perception as a consequence of both promotion types, namely the ‘promotional effect’. Nevertheless, our data provide no evidence for the ‘framing effect’ in neither attractiveness perception nor post-promotional WTP. This paper aims to bridge the gap on empirical research of key theoretical implications of promotional impact on consumer behavior and to benefit domestic and foreign marketing managers conducting business operations on the Turkish market.
The trend of digitalization has fundamentally changed numerous industries. The field of marketing in particular has changed significantly in recent years. Technological progress makes it possible to reach new customer groups individually with the targeted use of artificial intelligence. It is highly relevant for companies to know how modern marketing can be used profitably with the help of artificial intelligence and which hurdles and challenges need to be considered. The numerous applications of artificial intelligence in marketing include, for example, sales forecasts, personalization of websites or chatbots. This bachelor thesis focuses on the use of artificial intelligence in marketing and analyses the effects on customer loyalty. In order to explain the success of the use of artificial intelligence in marketing, three established theories are considered. The trust-commitment theory emphasizes the role of trust and commitment in the process of developing relationships between buyers and sellers. Several studies show that customers trust a company or a deployed artificial intelligence technology more when the services are personalized, convenient and of high quality. A high level of trust in turn has a positive impact on the overall service experience. The expectation-confirmation model consists of three determinants to explain users' intention to continue using the artificial intelligence enabled service: confirmation of expectations, perceived usefulness and satisfaction. When users' expectations are met or even exceeded, this has a positive impact on customer satisfaction, which in turn has a positive impact on the intention to reuse a technology. The technology acceptance model predicts an individual's attitude towards technology use, taking into account two main determinants: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Various studies show that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are necessary preconditions for user satisfaction and intention to reuse the artificial intelligence technology. These results are also in line with the findings from the expectation-confirmation model.
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.
Mental health is becoming a more important topic in the workplace, and it is not anymore only addressed in employee's free time. Due to increased sick leave, costs are rising for companies, the company's reputation could be improved, and productivity could be raised.
To prevent and handle common mental disorders in the workplace better, the research paper focuses on how a corporate culture should look like.
If the corporate culture is supportive and understanding, employees will feel secure enough to disclose their common mental disorder. If there is no stigmatization and judgment, people will feel normal no matter if they are diagnosed or at risk of a mental health problem.
Also, if people are empathetic and know each other well, colleagues, managers, and bosses will recognize stress and adapt to employee's tasks and jobs, which will prevent common mental disorders at all.
As a result, the board of management should think about how the current corporate culture is and how a supportive culture looks like that shows empathy and understanding.
Small measurements and selected interventions can make a huge difference.
The topic of education and web-based training in particular in the technical domain has gained wide acceptance as an effective medium for enterprises to deliver learning and training for their employees and customers. Since learning through the web has several didactic challenges to face, companies must choose the adequate learning method to deliver training to their employees. In the case of Bosch Communications Systems, using web-based training for instruction in the field of professional audio engineering, software remains a subject of investigation and constant innovation. The present study aimed to determine which method of web-based training is better to apply for Expert Level learning on the use and configuration of the sound system software SONICUE. To achieve so, the instructional design of the two methods of study, video tutorial and simulation tutorial, were developed based on cognitive theories. Learning outcomes and levels of user experience of both methods were measured and compared. A sample of 31 participants of Bosch Communications Systems, divided into the two tutorial groups, took part in the present research. Results indicated no significant differences in learning outcome; however, the video tutorial received higher levels of preference among participants and was perceived in a more positive manner than the simulation tutorial in terms of practicality, design, features and navigation. The results of this evaluation reflect the importance of incorporating cognitive research based frameworks to improve the learning quality.
Die vorliegende Arbeit dient der Beurteilung einer virtuellen Substitutionsmesse hinsichtlich deren Erfolgspotenzial und den Stärken und Schwächen gegenüber physischen Messen. Dabei gibt die Literaturrecherche allgemeine Blickpunkte wieder, die Bezug nehmend auf die Reitsportbranche im praktischen Teil vertieft werden. Eine Analyse des Messewesens und der Reitsportbranche geben vorweg einen Einstieg in die Thematik. Aspekte der Flexibilität, der Wirtschaftlichkeit, des Messe-Erlebnisses und der Multisensorik sowie der Kommunikation und Technik werden zur theoretischen Betrachtung herangezogen und bilden die Grundlage für die Einschätzung der virtuellen Messe. Im Rahmen einer zusammenfassenden SWOT-Analyse können Stärken innerhalb der flexiblen Zeitgestaltung und der technischen Funktionen festgestellt werden. Zusätzlich werden Schwächen innerhalb der Kommunikation und der Erzeugung eines multisensorischen Messererlebnisses erkannt.
Das praktische Beispiel anhand der Pferdemesse „Online Horse Fair International“ unterstreicht die Stärken und Schwächen und resultiert in konkreten Empfehlungen zur Weiterentwicklung einer virtuellen Publikumsmesse im Rahmen der Pferdebranche. Anhand einer Teilnehmer Zufriedenheitsumfrage kann ein besonderer Fokus der Informationsfunktion der Messe festgestellt werden, während das Einkaufen in den Hintergrund rückt. Folglich kann sich die virtuelle Messe durch Schaffung eines Ortes des Erfahrungs- und Wissensaustausch von der physischen Messe abheben. Allgemein gilt es daher nicht die bestmögliche Annäherung an eine reale Messe zu kreieren, sondern ein aus den Stärken abgeleitetes Alleinstellungsmerkmal hervorzubringen.
Die vorliegende Bachelorthesis untersucht Social Media Marketing in Business-to-Business Unternehmen als Instrument zur Steigerung der Markenbekanntheit im Business-to-Business Segment und erklärt die Einsatzmöglichkeiten der sozialen Medien im Business-to-Business Bereich. Diese Arbeit wurde in Kooperation mit der Angelo Oberflächentechnik GmbH erstellt, ein Kleinunternehmen aus der Beschichtungsindustrie mit Hauptsitz in Tuttlingen. Unternehmen aus dem Business-to-Consumer Sektor nutzen die sozialen Medien schon länger, da diese sehr früh erkannt haben, dass die Social Media Präsenz ein ausgezeichnetes Instrument ist, um mit den Kunden direkte Kontakte aufzubauen. Aufgrund der dauernd wachsenden Nutzerzahlen von Plattformen wie LinkedIn oder XING wird auch im B2B Bereich die Frage gestellt, wie vielversprechend Social Media Marketing in diesem Sektor ist.
The market for direct drive technology is said to have great growth potential. In order to increase its presence in this market, two new sensors from SICK Stegmann GmbH are currently in the market launch phase. The aim of this paper is to show the changes and challenges that arise in this market. As a result, new target groups and the resulting change in the distribution channel are proving to be the greatest changes and challenges for the company. Lack of knowledge about the product portfolio of the Motor-Feedback-Systems department on the part of the sales force further intensifies this problem. In this paper, approaches are elaborated on how these challenges can be counteracted and how a successful product launch can be realized. To this end, a training concept will be designed to enable the provision of the necessary product information. Further-more, product purchases of SICK Stegmann GmbH and other locations of the company are analyzed in order to be able to identify a causal relationship. As a result, correlations were identified, which is why cross selling represents another promising approach. Online presence in social media is also becoming increasingly important to companies. Another approach therefore relates to the use of Social Media to attract potential customers. Based on the insights gained in this paper, recommendations are defined, with whose implementation the market potential can be increased.
The demand for sustainable products has risen noticeably throughout the last years. For this reason, credence labels have gained enhanced importance, as customers use them as indicators for product quality. A rich body of literature investigated the effect of labels on product quality perception, but findings on label effects are still rather controversial. While researching the effects of labels on the one hand, previous studies tend to neglect other important influences on quality perception on the other hand. This paper examines the role of retailer formats and the presence of quality labels on consumer willingness to pay (WTP). For this purpose, a total of 400 participants received a monetary incentive to execute a novel survey based on neuroscientific assumptions, in an attempt to identify the impacts of credence labels in supermarkets and discounters on customer WTP. The results indicate that the magnitude of prices can influence reaction times and hence show that reaction times offer researchers an effective parameter to determine customer WTP. The presence of labels on food products was found to positively influence quality perception in a significant manner. A significant difference between the retailer formats, as well as a potential interaction between the two factors related to WTP, could not be detected. In conclusion, general assumptions about the label performance within distinct retailers should not be made. The results, however, indicate that the subject offers a promising topic to conduct further research in.
Personalisierte Online-Werbung und Datenschutzbedenken: Perspektiven aus den USA und Deutschland
(2020)
Today, personalized online advertising is part of user's everyday life. Based on data collected online, targeted advertisements are displayed. This approach often triggers concerns among users about the protection of their data, which has made data protection a globally important issue in recent years. This is also the case in Germany and the U.S. These two countries have two fundamentally different approaches to protecting their users' data, which is due to different perspectives on privacy and the culturally different handling of user data.
Based on cultural behaviors, there are many differences between users from the U.S. and Germany, but that they also have some similarities that affect user behavior and attitudes toward personalized online advertising. The concept of personalized customer communication is promising and can be beneficial for both users and advertisers. The cultural aspects help to assess a user's personal boundaries in order to decide on the degree of personalization of an advertisement so that no concerns are raised.
The topic of this bachelor’s thesis is the connection between culture and social media marketing for environmental nonprofit organizations. It focuses on the question whether culture does have an impact on the performance of social media marketing for environmental nonprofit organizations. Based on this, the hypothesis is made that culture does have an influence on the intercultural performance of an environmental nonprofit organizations’ social media marketing. To provide an answer, the characteristics of environmental nonprofit organizations and social media marketing are analyzed by the use of cultural frameworks. Furthermore, a closer look towards the connection between culture and social media marketing for environmental nonprofit organizations is provided. As a result, this paper supports the hypothesis that culture does have an impact on the performance of social media marketing for environmental nonprofit organizations. The analysis shows that social media marketing and environmental nonprofit organizations both have characteristics that can be impacted by culture. This can lead to an effect on the performance of the environmental nonprofit organizations’ social media marketing caused by different cultural perceptions and aspects.
This thesis tries to answer questions with respect to a future cultured meat industry, that is what influences consumer behavior and which consumers will be likely to buy cultured meat products. In addition I am trying to answer the question if there even will be a cultured meat industry in the future or whether the current developments can be seen more like a bubble that will disappear once enough money is burned with no profits made. Answering these research questions was quite a challenge, even though I did an extensive amount of research the lack of available data was not ideal. Therefore, I need to acknowledge that with more available data more precise conclusions could have been drawn. Nevertheless, through my research I could conclude that the cultured meat industry, which is shortly before bringing the first products to market is unlikely to disappear. The technology seems sound and the concept behind it seems to make sense. Regarding potential consumers I concluded that marketers should try to identify consumers who go through extensive problem solving when making food or rather lifestyle choices. These consumers might be best to approach when launching the first marketing campaigns for a cultured meat product.
For thousands of years cash has been the only common payment method worldwide. From the markets of Ancient Rome to the itinerant tradesman of the Middle ages cash was indispensable. It was safe, easily transportable, and durable. Today, cash is considered a phase-out model. Newer, faster, more practical and, above all, more secure payment methods have long been available. Banks and governments in particular would like to abandon cash, as it is much easier to monitor electronic payment transactions than cash transactions. This results in concerns for many citizens, as they, especially the older generation, are still very attached to cash and still have difficulty using alternative payment methods.
However, the rise of electronic payment methods is unstoppable, all experts agree. This matter of fact and its input is an interesting and relevant topic for consumer research. This thesis examines the purchasing behavior of consumers using electronic payment cards. The cards do not differ in their external appearance, the difference lies in the components of the card and ensures that there are two types of cards of different weight. Cards which have the normal weight of this type of card and cards which are slightly heavier than the normal (standard) cards. The reason for the different weight of the cards is that objects of different weights are perceived differently by people. It is generally believed that heavier items are more valuable than light ones, probably due to the heaviness of metals such as gold and silver, which we humans generally consider as very valuable. The aim of this work is to find out if the weight of the cards which are intended for everyday use has an impact on the buying behavior of the consumers. This will be investigated scientifically with an empirical data analysis.
This thesis explores the emerging phenomenon of second screen marketing, by providing a holistic view on this topic. The first part presents an extensive literature review, approaching second screen marketing from an advertiser’s view. Second screening and user groups are defined and common second screen measures are presented and evaluated.
The second part examines the consumer’s perception of a brand using second screen marketing, comparing two age groups (18 to 30 years and 50 to 62 years). Brand perception is measured following suggestions from Low and Lamb Jr. (2000), using a three-dimensional construct consisting of brand attitude, brand image and perceived quality. Main findings entail, that younger audiences perceive a brand using second screen marketing significantly more positive than the older generation. While perceived quality for both age groups is evaluated neutrally, brand image and brand attitude scores show more extreme values. This is relevant for advertisers, as indications about potential target groups, content creation and success of marketing campaigns can be derived: Especially younger consumers are potential target groups and perceive second screen marketing as modern and innovative, but dishonest. Concerning content, strong implications about quality, an uniform brand image and the communication of trustworthiness should be a focus to marketers.
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.
This bachelor thesis is written in cooperation with the ZF Friedrichshafen AG, a global player in the automotive supplier industry. It deals with the change in live-communication that will occur during the next years and therefore especially with the change in trade fairs and events as this are the two most important live-communication formats. In live-communication there are major trends which will become more important in the future. This thesis will not only look at the trend of the digitalization but also in particular on the trend of sustainability in live-communication. To take a deeper look on the changes a short survey was conducted to see how companies in the trade fair sector implement sustainability and how relevant digital livecommunication formats are or will become. It is important to know which measures need to be considered when talking about sustainability in live-communication and whether digital formats have the potential to replace the traditional ones in the future. Therefore, you need to look on the pros and cons of a digital event in comparison to a classical real one.
Prior research on choice in context demonstrated extremeness aversion to be very effective on consumers’ purchasing behaviour. However, it seems that previous studies have neglected to investigate the impact of the spatial arrangements of choice architectures on consumers purchasing behaviour. Based on indications of prior research, we pursued to demonstrate in this study that consumers who are uncertain regarding their
preferences tend to search for alternatives in the middle of a choice architecture. Therefore, we hypothesized that an alternative, positioned in the middle of a choice architecture, will present a relatively higher choice share. To research this hypothesis we conducted an online survey mainly in Central Europe, which involved a total number of
901 respondents at the age between 15 and 95. The study’s results demonstrate that the decision making of the majority of the participants is heavily influenced by a choice architecture’s spatial arrangement. It became evident that the choice share of one
alternative was higher when presented in the middle of a choice architecture than when presented in the periphery.
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
Online Controlled Experiment at Euranka Sàrl: Improvement of a/b testing by increasing sensitivity
(2020)
Web-facing companies and online businesses generate more revenue than before, and the internet is growing exponentially. Conversion rate optimization has become a hot topic among online marketers and online businesses. Giant data-driven companies like Google, Microsoft, or Bing are pioneers in this field and use their big data to optimize their websites and services with online controlled experiments, but still, facing pitfalls. For companies with smaller user numbers, running experiments with reliable and conclusive results is even a greater challenge. As it is a critical success factor for online businesses, the thesis deals with ways to improve online experimentation for companies with smaller user numbers by increasing the sensitivity of experiments based on information provided in whitepapers and conference findings of pioneers in the field. These methods and guidelines are applied to a practical case at Euranka Sàrl, an online affiliate marketer based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Der Wirtschaftsboom in China der sich über die vergangenen Jahre beobachten ließ, hat dafür gesorgt, dass China global den wichtigsten und größten Markt für Automobilhersteller darstellt. In Bezug auf Volumen, Wachstum und Umsatz ist kein anderer Markt wie der chinesische Markt. Dadurch bietet er auch Besonderheiten, die kein anderer Markt bietet. Aus diesem Grund liegt es nahe, dass Trends sowie Veränderungen des Kaufverhaltens, der potentiellen Kunden genauestens beobachtet werden sollten, um langfristigen Erfolg zu garantieren, was eine Herausforderung für Automobilhersteller und deren Produktportfolio, sowie Marketingmaßnahmen bedeuten kann. In dieser Arbeit werden die aktuellen Trends im chinesischen Automarkt und das daraus resultierende Konsumentenverhalten untersucht. Um dies zu analysieren wurde eine Umfrage durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse der Umfrage zeigen unter Anderem, dass als klassisch zu bezeichnenden Faktoren immer noch einen hohen Stellenwert für chinesische Kunden haben und deutsche Marken auch unter jüngeren Generationen, Vorrang vor landeseigenen Marken haben. Aber auch Trends zur Elektromobilität, Car-Hailing Diensten und Onlinekonnektivität ließen sich feststellen.
The endowment effect shows that selling prices are higher than buying prices (Kahneman et al. 1990). This paper wants to answer the question whether the endowment effect can be reversed and the value perception for the sellers can be lower than the one of the customers. To answer the question two studies were executed where sellers and customers were asked to tell their willingness to pay or rather their willingness to accept. The product for the studies was a wedding dance course, customers were potential participants, sellers the dance schools/ teachers offering the course.
The results show that customers were willing to pay a much higher price than what sellers found was as an appropriate price. Sellers were accepting a much lower price. The endowment effect was reversed for this product. Reasons were the high involvement of the customer and the missing loss aversion on the part of the seller. However, the reasons show that it might not be possible to reverse the endowment effect for every product on the market.
Glutenfreie Produkte haben in der Lebensmittelindustrie eine große Bedeutung erlangt. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, ob glutenfreie Produkte in Indien lediglich im Trend sind oder eine langanhaltende Produktetablierung möglich ist.
Für die Untersuchung wurden zunächst die Krankheiten, die mit den glutenfreien Produkten in Verbindung stehen definiert. Anschließend, wurde der glutenfreie Markt weltweit sowie in Indien analysiert. Außerdem, wurde die Entstehung der Trends und die mit den glutenfreien Produkten zusammenhängende Trends veranschaulicht. Zum Schluss, wurde eine Online-Umfrage für in Indien lebende Personen durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse der Literaturanalyse und der Studie zeigen, dass der glutenfreie Markt in Indien das Potenzial hat die glutenfreien Produkte langfristig zu etablieren.
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.
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.
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.
Trade shows are a major marketing tool for B2B companies due to its effectiveness by reaching all key players in the industry at one place in one point of time. However, this is combined with a high cost factor making a cost justification crucial. For this purpose, an objective explanation on the results of the trade show performance is compulsively necessary. The following research focuses on a single multinational B2B company within the safety, security and communication industry. It aims to convey an understanding of how to evaluate the trade show participation of Bosch Building Technology. Hereby, theoretical deliverables will be compared to explain relevant success factors of the B2B market and the industry while identifying trade show dimensions. This research includes expert interviews to gather information from professionals in the field of trade show organization. Subsequently to an internal survey research, the example of a best practice measurement model is analysed in a case study.
The relationship between health care practitioners and the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly drawing public attention due to misguided behaviour. Practices like gift giving, holding luxurious conferences or allowences for research are under scrutiny. With all these influences, how can practicioners stay neutral and have the interest of patients in mind? And what is the level of emotions and data used by the pharma industry when marketing drugs to a physician? In order to find out, we targeted pharmaceutical industry managers and directors to participate in an eleven question online questionnaire. For example, participants were asked to rate the best approach between data and emotions to persuade physicians. The results show tendencies in the data, but fail to show significant evidence for our hypotheses. Further research is needed in order to clarify which factors influence the decision for an emotional or data driven approach.
Search engines such as Google are an important information platform for international society. By actively applying Search Engine Optimization (SEO), website operators can influence their positioning in search engines and thus increase the visibility of their website. This thesis deals with search engine optimization in the context of digital marketing. The result of this work is the structural development of a search engine optimization strategy for international websites. This strategy is not limited to specific markets or industries, but its validity is tested by applying it to the practice-oriented case study of the Spanish website of sevDesk.
First of all, an overview of the search engine as a digital channel First of all, an overview is given and its functionality and significance for digital marketing is explained. The needs of search engine users are identified by analyzing the characteristics of search queries and search intentions and then classified according to the AIDA formula into different phases of the modelled purchasing process.
In addition to the analysis of the search engine users, a closer look is taken at the specific ranking algorithm of the search engine Google, a second important component of search engine optimization. Various studies are compared in order to work out influencing factors of the ranking algorithm. These are explained in more detail in the context of the disciplines of search engine optimization. The next step is a closer look at the international context and technical and cultural peculiarities of the optimization of international websites.
In the following, strategic process flows from the existing technical literature are considered and extended to the international market under appreciation and critical consideration of the literature search. The developed strategy will be implemented using the case study of a Spanish website. The data will be collected and first results will be presented and evaluated.
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.
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.
Die Bedeutung preispsychologischer Effekte bei Events - Aktueller Forschungsstand und Perspektiven
(2019)
Die Preispsychologie trägt maßgeblich zur Erklärung des menschlichen Kaufverhaltens bei. Zahlreiche empirische Studien zur Wirkungsweise preispsychologischer Effekte zeigen, dass eine gezielte Beeinflussung der Preiswahrnehmung des Kunden möglich ist. Demzufolge liegt es nahe, dass diese auch bei Events Möglichkeiten zur Steigerung der Zahlungsbereitschaft und Verbesserung der Gewinne bieten können. Die Eventbranche kennzeichnet sich durch eine zunehmende Professionalisierung und Diversifizierung, daher nimmt auch der Preis sowohl aus Nachfrage- wie auch Anbietersicht eine zunehmend wichtige Rolle ein. Mittels einer Befragung von zwölf Eventmanagern untersuchen wir empirisch, welche Überlegungen zur Preisgestaltung von Events einfließen und inwieweit preispsychologische Effekte in der Bepreisung berücksichtigt werden. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen eine Lücke zwischen der theoretischen Kenntnis der Effekte einerseits und der praktischen Anwendung anderseits. Daraus ergeben sich konkrete Ansatzpunkte für eine verstärkt am Kundennutzen orientiere Preisgestaltung sämtlicher Einnahmequellen von Events.
In the economy, it is always important to respond adequately to the wants of customers in order to satisfy their needs. The fashion industry in particular is strongly affected by the fast pace of life, which is why it is particularly important for companies in this sector to adapt their brands and their products to the current market. In order to work successoriented, the companies have to align themselves with the existing generations, whereby the companies increasingly adapt their products to the generation Y. However, Generation Y will soon be outnumbered by Generation Z. Therefore, the aim of this work is to find a suitable future-oriented marketing strategy for the fashion industry in Germany that successfully targets Generation Z while taking social milieus into consideration for defining the target audience. The first part of the thesis comprises the presentation of different theories to elucidate Generation Z and to present various approaches to milieu research. In order to answer the research question, an empirical research was conducted with Generation Z as the target audience. The study relies on quantitative data collection via primary research. The analysis of the collected data shows the current perception of Generation Z towards fashion companies, their brands and the use of social media channels. As a result, an improved social media strategy combined with appropriate communication between companies and customers is needed to reach Generation Z more widely, create brand loyalty and strengthen the company's position in the market.
The interest in topics such as consumer behavior, consumer psychology, and decision-making in the context of marketing has increased in recent years, due to the rise in marketing spending, ineffective marketing campaigns, and product failures, giving way to the growing scientific field of neuromarketing.
This bachelor thesis proposes the implementation of a neuroscientific foundation in order to improve conventional marketing mix models. Firstly, this work intends to offer an overall understanding of the characteristics and techniques of conventional marketing and neuromarketing. Secondly, it explores the for marketing relevant brain areas in association with the importance of emotions. In addition, it analyses the connection between marketing activities and consumer behavior by putting forward the different arguments for its effectiveness of a neuromarketing foundation. Finally, the key learnings regarding the successful implementation of neuromarketing are discussed, based on the application of neuromarketing techniques as well as based on the Limbic® model from Hans Georg Häusel. The application of these two approaches is illustrated based on the 4Cs.
This thesis employed academic literature from several scientific fields and findings from brain research to develop a theoretical foundation for understanding the concept of neuromarketing in a business context. Various examples were used to identify the potential of neuromarketing and to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of conventional marketing methods and those of neuromarketing. The vivid examples and discoveries from brain research and the problems of conventional marketing support the statement that there is a need for something innovative to face the current issues. The thesis proposes the implementation of a neuromarketing foundation with the Limbic® model or with neuromarketing techniques such as eye-tracking to obtain greater insights into the consumer in order to improve marketing performance. The findings from brain research and consumer neuroscience indicate that there is significant scientific evidence to suggest that the application of neuromarketing would be an effective complement for conventional marketing methods and can create a competitive advantage.
Companies operating in the grocery industry are facing low customer loyalty, resulting in strong customer switching behaviour. Additionally, the high similarity of the products predominantly prevents them from deriving benefits from switching barriers. As these issues represent decisive interfering factors for a sustainable and successful business, we intend to examine possible customer retention strategies, which target an increase in customer loyalty. We aim to identify the most appropriate reward strategy in the context of customer loyalty for direct sellers in the grocery industry.
In order to compare and evaluate different possibilities, we conducted an empirical study. Our study focuses on the concrete case of bofrost*, a representative of direct sellers. A total of about 430 bofrost* customer panel members participated in an online survey. With four different survey versions, four customer groups were influenced by different specific customer retention strategies. After being confronted with unfavourable situations, participants had to state how likely they would recommend the company, intend to stay loyal to the company and abstain from competitive offers.
The survey data reveals no significant differences among the four groups. Therewith, based on the study results, we cannot diagnose the best strategy. Nevertheless, based on the theory of cognitive dissonance, we highly recommend bofrost* and other direct sellers to surprise the customer with a present, namely with a T-shirt, discreetly embroidered with the company logo. Furthermore, this research highlights the specific potential of direct sellers - especially in the grocery industry - to reinforce relational switching costs by implementing this suggested customer retention strategy. Thereby, companies can strengthen customer loyalty in the long-term and are able to prevent customers from churning. Moreover, company-specific recommendations of action are provided to bofrost*.
This research creates value to direct sellers, specifically of the grocery industry, by offering a foundation for decisionmaking regarding the design of a sustainably effective customer retention strategy. This takes companies a step closer to the increase of customer loyalty, which is essential in the light of a highly competitive market in which own customers are likely to get attracted from competitors.
The topic of sexism in advertising has attracted the attention of many scholars for more than four decades now. It is 2019, and the topic remains current and open to debate.
This study explores the relationship between sexism in advertising and society’s views on the roles of men and women on the basis of German dwellers. The investigation has been conducted based on significant theories and current examples and reinforced with empirical data collected from a survey. The results showed that most of the participants surveyed thought that men and women were not being accurately pictured in advertising. In addition, those who have cataloged an ad as sexist disagreed with that content reflecting their opinion about the roles that men and women play within society. Moreover, it was observed that factors like age and occupation have an influence on both the recognition of sexism in advertising and the conception on gender roles.
Mit einer Wiederbelebung und Wiedereinführung von zahlreichen alten Marken und Produkten in den vergangenen Jahren und Jahrzehnten sind Retro-Produkte ein gewichtiger Teil der Produktpalette in vielen Branchen geworden. Auch in der Videospielbranche haben Retro-Produkte in den letzten Jahren große Aufmerksamkeit erfahren, mit der Einführung von offiziellen Neuauflagen alter beliebter Spielekonsolen mit vorinstallierten Spieleklassikern und dem erneuten legalen Verkauf zahlreicher alter Videospiele bzw. der Veröffentlichung von Remakes dieser Videospiele.
Das Themengebiet des Retro-Gamings wird in der Literatur und Forschung bisher selten aus wirtschaftlicher Perspektive behandelt. Dies gilt besonders in Bezug auf eine gezielte Betrachtung spezifischer geografischer Einzelmärkte. Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich daher, bezogen auf den deutschen Absatzmarkt, mit einer Untersuchung des Wettbewerbsumfelds und der strategischen Potenziale von Retro-Gaming-Produkten anhand von drei unterschiedlichen Arten von Retro-Games. Dies geschieht auf Basis der von Michael E. Porter beschriebenen Wettbewerbskräfte, der Unternehmensvorteile durch das Angebot von Retro-Games, der Eignung der unterschiedlichen Arten als Produkt und offener Marktchancen. Diese werden auf Basis von Informationen aus der Fachliteratur, Markdaten und einer Befragung innerhalb der lokalen Zielgruppe für Retro-Gaming Produkte erforscht.
Die Eigenschaften des Wettbewerbsumfelds unterscheiden sich dabei je nach der betrachteten Art von Retro-Games. Es zeigen sich die Vorteile einer Verlängerung des Produktlebenszyklus und der Möglichkeit der Anziehung zusätzlicher Kunden bzw. Retention alter Kunden. Weitere Ergebnisse indizieren eine je nach untersuchter Art von Retro-Games unterschiedliche Eignung als Produkt, und Interesse an einem erhöhten kommerziellen Angebot von Retro-Games innerhalb der Zielgruppe.
Diese Bachelorthesis diskutiert die Bedeutung eines nachhaltigen Produktmanagements, um langfristig die Kaufbereitschaft von Waschmittel bei Schweizer Konsumenten zu steigern. Aufgrund der derzeitigen Umweltthematik ist es notwendig, dass sowohl Unternehmen als auch Konsumenten nachhaltiges Verhalten annehmen können. Diese Arbeit erschließt Handlungsempfehlungen für den Waschmittelmarkt in der Schweiz. Bezogen auf die Unilever Schweiz GmbH, soll verstanden werden, welche Erfolgsfaktoren Konsumenten zu einem nachhaltigen Kauf animieren. Basierend auf einer Literaturrecherche, die sich auf gegenwärtige Theorien bezieht, werden Preisstrategien, Produktauslobungen, PoS Kommunikationen, das Markenmanagement sowie die Einschränkung von Entscheidungsfaktoren berücksichtigt. Durch eine Wettbewerbsanalyse sowie durch einen Konsumententest werden Erfolgsfaktoren verifiziert. Diese quantitative und qualitative Erhebung ermöglicht eine ganzheitliche Betrachtung des Waschmittelmarktes, wobei Strategien gezielt für die Unilever Schweiz GmbH implementiert werden können.
Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Steigerung der Markenbekanntheit im Körperpflegemarkt. Verschiedene Problemfaktoren erschweren kleinen Marken mit einem begrenzten Budget eine erfolgreiche Positionierung zur Steigerung der Bekanntheit in den Bereichen der Distribution und Kommunikation. Deshalb werden in dieser Arbeit verschiedene Marketingmaßnahmen, die den Erfolg einer bekannten Marke beeinflussen, aufgezeigt. Den Rahmen der Arbeit stellt die Zusammenarbeit mit dem Unternehmen MANN UND SCHRÖDER COSMETICS und der Marke VANDINI. Die Analyse der aktuellen Literatur und die Abgrenzung der zentralen Begriffe bilden die theoretische Basis der Arbeit. Bezugnehmend auf das Modell des Marketing-Mixes werden anhand der Bereiche Distribution und Kommunikation Möglichkeiten zur Steigerung der Markenbekanntheit im Körperpflegemarkt untersucht. Anwendungsbeispiele des Wettbewerbs und die empirische Erhebung Qualitativer Daten durch Experteninterviews, dienen der Erörterung spezifischer Erfolgsindikatoren zur Steigerung der Markenbekanntheit. Hierbei wird vorwiegend ein explorativer Forschungsansatz verfolgt.
Das Ergebnis sind Handlungsempfehlungen für die Marke VANDINI. Diese umfassen ausschließlich die Bereiche Distribution und Kommunikation. Eine flächendeckende Drogeriemarktdistribution und die Priorisierung von digitalen Kommunikationsmaßnahmen sind von besonderer Relevanz zur Steigerung der Bekanntheit der Marke VANDINI und stellen die Grundlage weiterer operativer Planungsprozesse des Unternehmens dar.
Die Neukundenakquise ist für jedes Unternehmen unabdinglich. Unabhängig von Branche, Produkt oder Serviceleistung ist jedes Jahr eine bestimmte Anzahl an Neukunden zu akquirieren. Die Aktualität der telefonischen Kaltakquise zu hinterfragen ist endscheidend, da diese weit verbreitet und als Erstkontaktmethode maßgebend am Aufbau der Kundenbeziehung beteiligt ist. Mit dem Aufkommen der Nutzung der sozialen Medien im Business-to-Business-Bereich hat sich ein weiterer Zweig in der Neukundenakquise ergeben. Anhand der Betrachtung der literaturbasierenden Einflussfaktoren in der telefonischen Kaltakquise, wie beispielsweise die Kommunikationsfähigkeit, die Vertrauenswürdigkeit, die Erfahrung, das Unternehmensimage, etc., einer durchgeführten Expertenumfrage zur Gewichtung der Einflussfaktoren und Fragen zur Aktualität der telefonischen Kaltakquise und Social Selling, wurde ein Vergleich der beiden Erstkontaktmethoden ausgearbeitet. Aus diesem resultiert, dass das Social Selling die Durchführung der telefonischen Kaltakquise nicht ersetzten kann, jedoch eine Kombination der beiden Methoden sinnvoll erscheint.
Die vorliegende Bachelorarbeit beschäftigt sich mit der gezielten Ansprache des Seh- und Tastsinns in deutschen Supermärkten. Zunächst werden anhand einer Literaturanalyse der Mehrwert und die möglichen Einflussfaktoren einer visuellen und haptischen Marketingstrategie erörtert. Durch das Mittel der Beobachtung werden daraufhin Umsetzungsbeispiele aus der Praxis ermittelt und analysiert. Darüber hinaus werden, durch Experteninterviews mit den zuständigen Filialleitern, die Erfolgswirkungen der jeweiligen visuellen und haptischen Gestaltung erfasst. Die erhaltenen Aussagen werden durch die Ergebnisse einer Kundenbefragung bezüglich der Erfolgswirkungen ergänzt. Im Anschluss werden anhand der erhobenen Daten Optimierungsmöglichkeiten in der Umsetzung visueller und haptischer Reize im Supermarkt bestimmt.
Die Umsetzung visueller Reize findet vor allem in der Nutzung von natürlichen Materialien und Produktbildern statt. Haptische Reize ergeben sich dagegen im Angebot von Selbstbedienung und loser Ware. Die sensorischen Elemente bieten den Supermärkten die Möglichkeit, durch die Hervorhebung von Waren, die Erzeugung positiver Emotionen und Assoziationen, sowie der Erstellung eines Einkaufserlebnisses, den Umsatz zu steigern und sich von Wettbewerbern zu differenzieren. Dennoch beschränkt sich die Gestaltung der Märkte noch stark auf den Sehsinn. Da Kunden ebenso Wert auf den Tastsinn legen, sollten auch haptische Reize gezielt genutzt und in einer stimmigen sensorischen Strategie eingebunden werden.
After the Second World War and especially in the early 70s a new phenomenon arose – today widely known as globalization. It eliminated barriers and thus increased international competition. Companies such as Siemens, General Electrics and Procter & Gamble were forced to act globally in order to stay competitive and therefore they had to redefine their businesses in a strategic and internationally oriented manner. As one of a company’s most essential departments, human resources was tremendously forced to adapt to the changed business environment. Language skills, cultural awareness and global mobility were only a few new requirements in human resources.
Early in the beginning of globalization, large companies recognized the opportunity to outsource specific departments with the goal of cost-saving and resource bundling. Manufacturing was and still is a predestined department to make use of outsourcing, whereas the situation for other departments including IT, procurement and human resources is more complex. The main fear is losing control to the outsourcing partner. Main departments with a strategic importance for the overall success are therefore only conditionally suitable for outsourcing. Companies need to ask themselves, how much control over their human capital they are willing to sacrifice for saving costs and staying competitive. With the purpose to evade this conflict of objectives, companies seek for a hybrid model, which allowed them maintaining control and cutting costs at the same time.
In the early 70s, first companies found the solution in the Shared Service Center model, which then rapidly spread throughout a number of countries and industries. Human Resources Shared Service Centers can be defined as a hybrid model, combining advantages and avoiding disadvantages of outsourcing and decentralization of Human Resources. The Shared Service Center model is expected to lower costs, improve efficiency and service quality, and enable organizations to better focus on core functions. Although the strategy seems only having advantages, there are many aspects to consider in the pre-implementation phase. Moving to the Shared Service Center model represents an immense strategic project, including high risk, costs and impact on the overall success. For this reason, the project needs to be well planned, designed, implemented, monitored
and evaluated from the right people, at the right time and at the right place. Any small mistakes made during the project might have an unpredictable and irreversible impact and prevent the company from benefiting of the Shared Service Center model or might even force the organization to stop the project completely. Before deciding to implement Shared Service Centers, companies need to accept that there is neither guarantee for success nor a universally valid success strategy. Best and worst practices will be discovered during the transition at the earliest and a success evaluation can only happen in the post-transition phase. Although the Shared Service Center model is not a recent trend as it found first-time application many decades ago, the topic remains relevant as many companies still hesitate implementing this risky strategy. Some organizations succeeded, others failed and returned to their old approach while some are currently in the transition phase.
Before deciding to move to the Shared Service Center model, one of the top pharma company’s was facing the same issues as other companies on such a scale. The management increasingly felt the pressure to offer the same or an even better service quality at a lower price. Changing the strategy and implementing Shared Service Centers across the globe was seen as the most promising solution. The large pharma company with employees of many nationalities worldwide offers a huge variety of cultures, which can be seen as a chance, but also as an obstacle on the way to a successful Shared Service Center implementation. Primarily, the company has to consider that the project might not work in the same pace, quality and method for all countries. Finding best practices for all countries is a desirable goal, yet not easy to achieve.
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.
The interest in topics such as the environment, health and sustainability has increased dramatically in recent years, due to concerns about global warming and demographic change, giving way to the concept of “green branding”.
This bachelor thesis proposes the application of a green branding strategy in order to position Irish agri-food products in the German grocery retail market, and explores its potential effectiveness and current relevance. Firstly, this work intends to offer an overall understanding of the characteristics and implications of a green branding strategy. Secondly, it analyses the connection with Ireland as a country of origin for agri-food products, by putting forward the different arguments for its suitability for the respective products. Finally, the key learnings regarding the successful implementation of a green branding strategy are discussed, based on a real-life best-practice case.
This research employed previous academic and trade literature to develop a theoretical foundation for understanding the concept of green branding in a marketing context. Various forms of industry, consumer and retail insights were used to identify the extent of demand for green brands in Germany and to analyse strength and weaknesses of the Irish agri-food industry in this regard.
An expert interview with the Marketing Manager for Kerrygold in Germany was conducted to uncover points arising from the best-practice application of a green branding strategy.
The findings indicate that there is significant theoretical and practical evidence to suggest that the application of a green branding would be an effective positioning strategy for Irish agri-food in the German consumer market.
In the digital age, companies are increasingly asking themselves how to reach their customers. In recent years, chatbots and language assistants have opened up an innovative form of communication and provide an opportunity to interactively expand touchpoints. Their integration can take place on different communication channels and thus, directly address the users.
This paper discusses how chatbots and language assistants work and how they can be used. Expert interviews have been conducted for qualitative analysis. Based on the theoretical analysis and the expert interviews, the added value for companies when using bots and language assistants is determined. Subsequently, an assessment of the bots and language assistants is made and a recommendation for further research is given.
Die SICK STEGMANN GmbH verkauft ihre Motor-Feedback-Systeme als Komponenten zum Einbau in Servo-, Linear- und Torquemotoren verkauft. Die Motoren werden wiederrum in Maschinen und Anlagen verbaut. Vor allem Motoren mit Einkabeltechnologie, die durch die Schnittstelle HIPERFACE DSL® von SICK bereitgestellt wird, gelten als entscheidender Vorteil für den Maschinenbauer, der dadurch letztlich einen geringeren Verkabelungsaufwand hat. Das Problem entsteht dabei, dass der Maschinenbauer nur den fertigen Motor sieht und die Produkte von SICK als Komponenten für ihn nicht ersichtlich sind. Weiterhin gewinnen umfangreiche Servicestrukturen immer mehr an Bedeutung, diese hatten in der Vergangenheit in der Business Unit „Motor-Feedback-Systeme“ einen geringen Stellenwert. Die Thesis soll klären, inwieweit der Wandel vom Komponentenhersteller hin zum Service- und Solution Provider vollzogen werden kann und welche Positionierungsmaßnahmen dafür notwendig sind. Im Rahmen von Experteninterviews und einer internen Kundenbefragung mit Hilfe eines standardisierten Fragebogens wird der Ist-Zustand beschrieben und daraufhin eine Soll-Analyse zur Klärung der Forschungsfragen abgeleitet. Die Analysen zeigen, dass Veränderungen auf Produkt- und Serviceseite notwendig sind, um vermehrt Maschinenbauer anzusprechen und hier einen Kaufwunsch zu platzieren. Im Detail beschäftigt sich die Thesis mit der Ausarbeitung neuer Positionierungsstrategien für Motor-Feedback-Systeme und Services. Ferner werden Handlungsempfehlungen zu weiteren strategischen Überlegungen beschrieben. Die Evaluierung schließt die Bachelorthesis ab.
Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, ob und wie Gender-Marketing in der deutschen Automobilindustrie angewandt wird. Es wird der Zusammenhang zwischen biologischen Erkenntnissen und deren Implikationen für das Marketing hergestellt und untersucht, ob große deutsche Automobilhersteller diese auch in der Praxis anwenden.
Schließlich sind Frauen eine Käufergruppe mit noch viel ungenutztem Potenzial, die allerdings nicht unbedingt mit denselben, auf Männer ausgerichtete Marketingmaßnahmen begeistert werden können. Mit dem Einsatz von sozialen Bindungen und Emotionalisierung können bei vielen Frauen positive Reaktionen hervorgerufen werden.
Des Weiteren wird auch klar, dass Gender-Marketing ein komplexes Thema ist, dessen Erfolg schwer messbar ist, da es in Verbindung mit anderen Marketingaspekten steht.
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.
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.