This Bachelor degree thesis deals with the strategies that IKEA has adopted in France since its establishment up to now. It is essentially based on interview with the person responsible for the public relations of IKEA France. But, other sources were used concerning our empirical findings: IKEA’s brochures, surveys from researchers… The purpose of the thesis is to explain and illustrate how a company succeeded to establish abroad, by applying a domestic concept. This issue is of importance because it provides information for the reader who would like to know how a company can be export all over the world by adapting its policy to the local specificities. It identifies and gives explanations about the marketing strategies implemented to export the IKEA concept to the French market.

<p>This Bachelor degree thesis deals with the strategies that IKEA has adopted in France since its establishment up to now. It is essentially based on interview with the person responsible for the public relations of IKEA France. But, other sources were used concerning our empirical findings: IKEA’s brochures, surveys from researchers… The purpose of the thesis is to explain and illustrate how a company succeeded to establish abroad, by applying a domestic concept. This issue is of importance because it provides information for the reader who would like to know how a company can be export all over the world by adapting its policy to the local specificities. It identifies and gives explanations about the marketing strategies implemented to export the IKEA concept to the French market.</p>

Abstract Title: Services Marketing in a Cross-Cultural Environment: Elekta in Germany Level: Master Thesis in Business Administration Author: Katrina Dietrich &amp; Giorgos Angelakis Supervisor: Maria Fregidou-Malama Examiner: Akmal Hyder Date: 2014-January   Aim: This study aims to examine how culture, trust, network and standardization/adaption are applied within the Service Marketing of Elekta in Germany and if they overcome the characteristics of Services within a culturally different environment.   Method: The research uses qualitative data, applies a single case study, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect primary data.   Result &amp; Conclusions: The applied model shows that Elekta uses a balance between adaptation and standardization as well as applies trust and network under awareness and use of the German culture. These factors are used in combination and are influencing each other in order to create a homogeneous and tangible service.   Suggestions for future research: The case study indicates that one company is subject of the study in one country, hence generalization cannot be achieved. Therefore future research of other countries and other service industries can extend this research.   Contribution of the thesis: This research stresses the importance of culture, adaptation/ standardisation and trust and networks in cross-cultural services marketing of Elekta. It shows how heterogeneity and intangibility are influenced by the variable trust, network, adaptation/ standardization and culture.

Aim: The aim of the study is to examine trust development in international marketing of financial services marketing of the National Investor (TNI) in UAE and Egypt. To achieve this, the researchers adapted Fregidou_Malama and Hyder (2015) framework of international services marketing that explains cultural influences on Adaptation/Standardization, network and trust formation in international services marketing. Method:  A single case study approach is used as the research strategy and qualitative research using semi-structured interviews. The research uses qualitative interviews as the primary source of empirical data. Results and Conclusion: This study indicates that cultural values play a major role on the way people communicate, interact and conduct their businesses within the financial services sector in UAE and Egypt, and that cultural values, origins, policies, rules and regulations are factors that can affect how international companies build trust relationships within local cultures. Our results show that cultural dimensions such as power distance, individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity/feminity affect trust building, networking and adaptation strategies in international marketing of financial service of the company. Research Contribution: This study contributes and shows the implication of the need for adaptation to satisfy customers’ needs and expectations in international marketing of financial services. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt have almost identical cultural dimensions, in order to build trust, TNI adapts its services to meet up with the Egyptian customers' needs and expectations. In addition, all of the previous studies that were conducted using Fregidou_Malama and Hyder (2015) framework are in the marketing of healthcare services of Elekta AB, Sweden whereas this study focuses on financial services and also conducted and compared two identical national cultures from two different countries and their influence. Suggestions for Future Research: One of the limitations of this research is that it is a case study and doesn’t reflect the overall international financial sector and therefore the results and observations indicated in this research might differ along with the variation of the studied environment.  Therefore, we recommend further study using the same model within the same financial service sector and the same business environment and compare with any European nation that is culturally distant from the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.