This thesis consists of three independent papers, ordered chronologically with respect to when they were initiated. Empirical research has established that there are large and persistent productivity differences among firms in narrowly defined industries (Bartelsman and Doms, 2000). Other studies, in particular Bernard and Jensen (1999), have shown the existence of a causal link running from ex-ante firm productivity to export decisions. Furthermore, exposure to trade has been found to enhance growth opportunities only for some firms, reallocating market shares and resources toward the more productive ones and contributing thus to aggregate productivity growth (Clerides, Lach and Tybout, 1998; Bernard and Jensen, 2004). These findings have led to the development of new theoretical models emphasizing the interaction between firm heterogeneity and fixed market entry costs in generating international trade and inducing aggregate productivity growth. The first and third chapters of this thesis extend the framework developed by Melitz (2003) to analyze the implications of  firm heterogeneity for old and new issues in international trade. The first paper studies the effect of trade liberalization between countries that differ in their relative endowment of skilled workers when growth-promoting R&D activities are skill intensive with respect to goods production. In particular, the analysis focuses on the changes that falling trade costs induce on consumer welfare and on the number of firms active in the different markets. The third paper uses the heterogeneous firm framework to study the interaction between financial constraints and the market entry behavior of firms. It also analyzes whether the impact of trade liberalization on average firm productivity and on individual welfare is affected by the presence of credit frictions. The second chapter presents an empirical work that contributes to the recent but fast growing literature that studies how different institutions and their level of development affect countries comparative advantage. The analysis presented in this paper focuses on the role of legal and financial institution in driving the specialization in contract-intensive goods and on how the degree of institutional development interacts with the propensity of firms to vertical integrate with their suppliers. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan i Stockholm, 2011

Private equity investing (PE) has experienced rapid growth on a global scale over the last few decades to become a significant industry. While scholars have devoted considerable effort to studying the area of risk capital investing into businesses, research about private equity as an asset class is surprisingly scarce. This dissertation addresses this gap by enhancing understanding of PE fund investing in general, and specifically about how heterogeneity in investor-specific characteristics and entry order strategies may impact performance. Based on a comprehensive set of interviews with PE fund investors, in-dept insights about variances in motives for investing in the asset class, ways of working, and investment strategies across investors were acquired; findings that are elaborated upon in the dissertation. In addition, to facilitate a thorough investigation of the links between organizational characteristics, entry order and performance, hypotheses were tested through the statistical analysis of unique data covering PE funds raised in Sweden over a twenty-year period. Among several novel results, this study indicates that the level of environmental uncertainty has a clear impact on which organization-specific factors explain entry order, as well as which factors impact the ability of an organization to take advantage of a chosen entry order. Furthermore, the study points at organizational reputation as an especially valuable asset in situations of uncertainty. While a good reputation does not directly lead to superior performance, it may be used in exchange for favorable entry order positions. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan i Stockholm, 2011</p>

Background: The Uppsala model is the most accepted paradigm regarding the internationalisation process of the firm. This thesis tries to complement the Uppsala model with Porter's theories regarding internationalisation. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to study to what extent the Uppsala model is applicable to a small manufacturing firm, and to see if the theory, combined with the Porterian framework, can provide a more solid framework for the description of the internationalisation process of the firm. Method: The master thesis is based on one personal interview with the CEO of the study object, Bukowski design. Results: The internationalisation process of the firm can to some extent be explained using the Uppsala model. It is, however, valuable to complete the picture with, for example, Porter’s theories, that permit a deeper understanding.

Technology based self-service (TBSS) used in supermarket self-scanning checkouts is a relatively new phenomenon in Sweden. Studies on TBSS as a self- checkout device have been formerly carried out but with focus on the customer perspective. The authors therefore saw a challenge in covering the self-scan checkout concept, from a company perspective. The purpose of this research paper is to investigate, through a management perspective, the changes brought about by implementing an innovative TBSS system in Swedish supermarkets, and its effect on the competitiveness of the company. This is done by presenting and linking the theoretical framework and empirical study in the research. The theoretical framework of the paper includes the following topics: role and importance of innovation in a business context and TBSS as innovation as well as product life cycle connected to innovation; competitive advantage theory and complementary concepts, value chain theory, and finally the importance of customer relationship management in the ‘new’ self-service economy. The empirical study consists of two Swedish supermarkets in the city of Linköping, Coop Forum and ICA Maxi. Results of the research paper mainly include the following: Changes brought about by implementing technology-based self-service systems in supermarkets must be discussed in the view of short-term and long- term perspectives separately. Changes involve the value creating activities of supermarkets and include increased quality of services to customers. It has been further found that TBSS can add to the competitiveness of supermarkets. However, positive financial results can only be expected in the long-term which in the case of Swedish supermarkets offering TBSS services is not yet apparent. The empirical findings have shown that Coop Forum and ICA Maxi had to carry out changes and make adjustments to their value activities and customer relationship management in order to operate TBSS checkouts successfully. Competitiveness between them has been also affected due to the TBSS service offering.

The 1990s were one of the most profitable periods for European airline companies, mainly because of development of world economy and increasing globalisation trends. However, towards the end of the decade, a global economic downturn, high oil prices and new forms of competition turned the industry towards troubled times. The European air-travel industry had to face and accept the new airline business concept, called low-cost or no-frill airlines. In these conditions, traditional airlines had to rethink their strategies and question the old business model. As a response to the competition, European traditional full-service airlines formed alliances or networks to expand the route network and to increase efficiency. Although joint actions of airlines within alliances started to grow, full-service airlines continued to report losses in the weak business environment, in which the low-cost airlines were growing. This thesis aims at identifying the strategic decisions the European traditional airlines have made during the recent downturn in the industry and how the case companies perceive customer value in the alliance they are members of. In order to conduct this study, the authors have chosen two airline companies from two large European alliances. Interviews have been used as a main information source. Interviews were conducted with managers of companies, which at the same time were representatives of companies in the respective alliances. The secondary material such as previous interviews, annual reports of companies, recent studies in thefield, were used as complementary data. Findings and analysis at the end are introduced in response to general market situation, and as a company - alliance information.

Aim: The purpose was to perform a pre-study to marketing planning for a local squash club in Sweden that had difficulties with membership growth and development. This pre-study would provide the squash club with valuable information and a starting point when creating its first marketing plan. Method: The chosen research approach included theoretical and empirical studies. Empirical data was collected by triangulation, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. A semi-structured interview and two surveys using on-line questionnaires were conducted, analyzed and presented. The discussed theory including key definitions, models and concepts was related to the empirical data findings and reflected on. Results &amp; Conclusions: A small non-profit squash club with scarce resources and slim organization has to implement a customer centered mindset and work smarter instead of harder.It is important for the club to carefully match market opportunities with its objectives and capabilities.Engaging in marketing planning and the development of a marketing plan will enable the club to find new creative ways to offer a unique squash experience that will result in a positive membership development. Recommendations: The squash club should strive to develop key strategic partnerships that can compliment its strengths and help reduce its weaknesses.An own club website would improve internal and external communication significantly and decrease the club management’s administrative workload.It would be advisable for the club to perform annual online customer satisfaction surveys to monitor and measure own performance and detect key changes in the marketplace. Contribution: This pre-study could be a good opportunity for the squash club’s management team to engage in marketing planning and develop its first marketing plan. Perhaps this study could also benefit other small sports clubs with similar challenges and give them ideas and new tools for future development, such as using on-line surveys. Suggested future research: It would be interesting to perform a comparison among the four racket sports: tennis, badminton, table-tennis and squash and the reasons behind young people choosing to play one sport over the others.The result would help racket clubs to better understand how they should position themselves in the market place to attract young people to their particular sport.

Abstract Since the beginning of this new century, global steel industries have gone through dramatic change. From the researches we have observed, the following major changes have taken place. Number one, the¡¥death spiral¡¦in 2001 to the¡¥volcanic eruption¡¦in 2003; steel prices appeared as V shape fluctuations. Global steelmakers¡¦ raw materials, including iron ore, coking coal, hot-rolled band, pig iron and even steel scrap, prices are constantly on the rise; Survival Success Surprise was what many people in this business were saying. The second, reflecting this late-2001 pricing catastrophe, steel mills began to adopt new behavior patterns of rationalization¢wSmall is Beautiful ¡¥. In order to survive in some cases, and to win in others, the steelmakers: a) implemented more rapid production cutbacks once steel prices started to fall; b) closed marginal facilities and c) increased M&A activity.It suddenly became an international trend to merge and merge again;and the appearance of the Acelor Mittal giant steel company, people called this the Metal Mettle Mittal phenomenon. The third was that the Flying-geese Theory and steel industries began to spread across Asia, from Eastern Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, to Northern China, and to Southern India. Asia became the world¡¦s steel industry center. Just as the book,¡mChina Shakes the World: the Rise of a Hungry Nation¡ndescribes, China has became a ¡§magnetic field¡¨ in the global steel industry. China¡¦s steel production increased rapidly and caused supply to exceed demand. The fourth is that global steel industries are now ushered in the energetic resource constraints era, and not the capital constraints anymore. Upstream mine sources are monopolized, more than 70% of global mining sources are owned by three major companies. In the future, global crude steel manufacturing bases will leave the main steel consuming countries and settle down in countries that are rich in mine resources to produce steel. The fifth is identical with what¡mThe Age of Discontinuity¡npointed out. The beginning of a Sigmoid Curve includes Modern Imperatives, Market Smart, and Future Scenarios; the discontinuity of global steel industry and major changes are hard to predict. The demand, growth, and price change models are not the same anymore. However, perhaps there will be a stable New Continuum when discontinuity comes to an end. The local structure of steel industries is also going through dramatic change; it used to resemble a giraffe, now it looks like Steven Spielberg¡¦s ET! Local upstream cannot provide enough semi-product steel, imports of 7 to 8 million tons of semi-product steel manage to keep this in balance. Midstream steel industries, especially single rolling mills flourish. Yet the sizes of downstream processing industries are small with low added value. The demand is not enough to absorb the production of midstream mills, causing midstream steel rolling mills to rely on massive exports. A small head with a big body and skinny legs is like a giraffe, which is just the case in Taiwan¡¦s steel industry. Whenever local steel market is sluggish, the prices are subject to change. Taiwan¡¦s steel is mostly localized in the Asia area, while joining the WTO, internationalization, and globalization will only make competition worse than ever. The plans for a big steel mill in Yunlin and expansion of another large steel mill in Taichung will cause them to face local production surplus problems; the head has become larger than the body, just like ET. Asia¡¦s steel is mainly consumed by China, yet China is constantly increasing production capacity, causing the Taiwan steel material export and domestic market to shrink. If political factors are added into the mix, the market will become even harder to predict. The competition of steel mills in Taiwan faces with China, India, Japan, and Korea steel mills shall prove to be a very harsh test. They made NT $45.1 billion in 2003, NT $65 billion in 2004, NT $65.1 billion in 2005, NT $47.7 billion in 2006; estimates say they will make NT $60¡ã70 billion in 2007. At least one amount of capital can be made every two years in the Steel Mill C, causing them to have a global leading profitability. Their strategic management is something we should look upon and conduct research on; this also includes their learning and application of strategic planning, their sharing and exchanging of strategic execution experiences, and their innovation or revolution in visions or goals, etc. They are considered a capital and technology intensive industry, and with adequate management systems, they have become the role model of a sustainable competitive advantage and a perpetual operation and sustainable development. High-ranking finance personnel in the government point out that anybody can make money out of the Steel Mill C. Is that really so?! Our research reveals the sustainable competitive advantage of enterprises with high profit and low growth rates, we used the Steel Mill C as an example; the only integrated steel mill in Taiwan that makes everything on its own has a very high productivity that made it become one of the worlds most competitive steel mills. They constantly maintain high productivity with low costs. Thus, their core competence is actually their sustainable competitive advantage in long-term, and not their high market share. When an enterprise develops, it should focus on increasing its profit and growth at the same time; when the profit condition is better than growth, start focusing on growth (and vice versa). According to the World-Class Steelmakers¡¦ rankings by World Steel Dynamics, we find the mill is trying to be far away from a haze of low growth by expanding capacity. To come up with the following five internationalization strategy suggestions is that we give to our steel mill subject: 1. Construct competitive powers and strategies of growth with quantity and quality of production at the same time. 2. Maneuver to enter international markets.of low cost product and high growth boom 3. Focus on strategic products and valuable international product strategies. 4. Take control of multi-national vertical integral investment mineral related strategies. 5. Come up with the positioning strategies of a perpetual operation and sustainable development. within the global steel industry value chain. Have a vision, persist on fulfilling the core values, grasp hold of core abilities, construct a competitive edge, seize chances, actively plan beforehand, and take control of the future. Choose the right time, use the right tactics, and do the right things to survive and succeed as a going concern of world class steelmaker.

Today, companies permanently need to implement solutions aimed at generating competitive advantage that allow them to survive and be successful in ever changing and demanding markets. Therefore, to focus on customers is a common denominator for organizations, aiming to meet their needs and satisfy their expectations. In this context, society has become one of the players as one of the actors that highly influence corporate behavior. Communities have expressed more mistrust of corporations' because of various scandals. This has put business ethics in the spot light influencing companies to be good corporate citizens, respecting the law but also to create good social values and principles. Today, the level of demand goes beyond the direct impact of the organizations business to also incorporate how corporations can contribute to societal and environmental causes. For corporations, these activities are manifested through the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). However, from a corporate perspective, it is difficult to measure if these changes can have a positive impact on a firm. Instead, these contributory practices are mainly measurable from a philanthropic perspective. Therefore, it occurs to be a divergence between the concepts of competitiveness and business ethics which consequently raised our research question: How do large corporations, involved in philanthropic CSR projects, value the outcome of these projects? Our purpose with this thesis is to identify how corporations can increase their competitive advantage by supporting philanthropic projects. In order to achieve this, we have conducted a qualitative study where the collection of the empirical data was done through semi-structured interviews with three big corporations. These firms are all services providing companies who support social/philanthropic projects. This support is assisted by a non-profit organization that deals with social projects around the world while at the same time creates social commitment among corporations. In the theoretical framework, we have presented the concepts of competitive advantage, business ethics, branding, stakeholders and CSR as main theoretic pillars. The thesis also includes theories that relate these theories to each other, such as “Corporations and Society” and “CSR and Competitiveness”. In previous frameworks we found that there is a gap related to how theories describe the link between ethics and competitiveness in contemporary organizations. Finally in the analysis section we linked the empirical findings to presented theories and ultimately created a framework showing the correlation between competitiveness and business ethics and CSR. The main conclusions are that business ethics and competitiveness can be linked and bridged by the concept of CSR. Unlike previous theories we concluded that these two concepts are compatible which means that it is possible to get competitive advantage by pursuing social objectives.

Master’s thesis in International Logistics and Supply Chain Management Title:  Logistics Management in Retail Industry: a case study 7-Eleven in Thailand Author:  Latika Supasansanee and Patthaveekarn Kasiphongphaisan Tutor:     Susanne Hertz and Benedikte Borgström Date:      June 1, 2009 Keywords: 7-Eleven Thailand, Logistics, Retail     Convenience, Distribution Center and Warehouse, IT-Apply in retail store, and Competitive advantage Introduction: In today’s challenging competition in the consumer goods, the manufacturers strive for their products to reach final customers before they turn their heads to the rival’s ones. This research attempts to understand and investigate how 7-Eleven company manages its logistics activities, distribution and applying information technology to achieve competitive advantages. Purpose: The purpose of thesis is, in retailing industry and retailing convenience store’s perspective, to identify and describe the way 7-Eleven manages and operates its retail convenience business focusing on several aspects; strategic fits, distribution and IT, which support 7-Eleven’s activities and how they contribute to competitive advantages for the firm. Frame of reference: Based on various sources of literature concerning competitive advantage and strategic fits, distribution related to marketing and retail, distribution centers and warehousing, and information system apply in retail store.   Method: The study is considered as qualitative single-case study. Data is collected from the interviews with several parties involve with retail convenience industry in Thailand. Secondary data is retrieved from the information system, research and reports, publication sources as well as internet sources.  Lastly, data analysis is followed by the literature chapter.   Conclusion: By applying the synchronized strategies between supply chain members to adjust and modify the capabilities of firms, leads to supply chain benefits and competitive advantage for retail firm. The applications of IT and Distribution Centers enhance supply chain capabilities, reliability, and dependability which result in better service and market performance. They are also the keys that facilitate the operations of supply chain and retail store.

Syfte: Uppsatsen syfte är att beskriva och analysera varför IKEA-besökare i Karlstad, som tillhör kundgruppen 50+, väljer att inte handla möbler i samma utsträckning som de yngre besökarna. Metod: Uppsatsens undersökning grundas på en kvalitativ och en kvantitativ metod. Den kvalitativa metoden består av 20 öppna intervjuer med människor i kundgruppen 50+. Den kvantitativa metoden kompletterar den kvalitativa och består av frågeformulär som samtliga intervjuobjekt fick fylla i efter intervjuerna. Resultat: Flera faktorer framkom som viktiga för 50+ konsumenten då denne handlar möbler. När kundgruppen delades in efter kognitiv ålder märktes trender i deras preferenser. Personlig interaktion, tilläggstjänster och sortiment är exempel på faktorer som kundgruppen framhäver som viktiga men som de inte anser att IKEA erbjuder. Rekommendationer: En figur med förslag på åtgärder åt IKEA har bearbetats fram. Bland annat föreslås att företaget; breddar sortimentet med lyxigare möbler, ökar medvetenheten hos 50+ gällande de tilläggstjänster som erbjuds samt ökar personalens tillgänglighet. / Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to describe and analyse why IKEA visitors in Karlstad, belonging to the 50+ market segment, choose not to purchase their furniture to the same extent as the younger visitors. Method: The thesis is based on a qualitative and a quantitative study. The qualitative study consists of 20 open interviews with people from the 50+ market. The quantitative study complements the qualitative one and consists of a questionnaire that was filled out by all the interviewees after the interviews. Findings: Several elements proved to be of importance when the 50+ consumer purchase furniture. Trends regarding the consumer groups’ preferences emerged when the group was subcategorised according to cognitive age. Personal interaction, add-on services and range of products are examples of elements that the consumer group emphasises as important. However, the consumer group does not think that IKEA offers this at the moment. Recommendations: A figure containing suggestions for action has been created for IKEA. The company is for example recommended to; widen their range of products, increase the awareness amongst the 50+ market regarding the add-on services that are offered, and increase the availability of the employees.