In Taiwan, prior to the petroleum industry liberalization starting from 1990, the whole petroleum market was highly regulated and monopoly. Since 90s, the first private owned gas station was built in 1997; the Formosa Petrochemical Corporation went public in September, 2000; the Petroleum Administration Law was implemented on October 13th, 2001; and almost all famous international petroleum businesses had plans to establish branches in Taiwan. As the result, the monopoly market gradually became more and more competitive during that period. The China Petroleum Corporation, one of the state-owned enterprises, was the only price leader in the market, and currently still has absolute influence. This research, therefore, is focus on how CPC adjusting its business strategies and marketing management while facing the intensive competition in this liberalizing market. The main findings are as follows: 1. Since the Formosa Petrochemical Corporation and other international petroleum companies joined into this competitive market, CPC has actively adopted much adjustment. However, the company and all staffs must try harder if they plan to keep 70% market share. 2. For future competition, CPC has adopted not only some defensive tactics to keep the current market shares, but also many aggressive strategies so that the company can continuously penetrate, expand, and diversify the new market . Moreover, CPC has asked its staffs to provide their best service in order to secure the client base and to improve the competence. In fact, those good business strategies really helped CPC increase its total sales and profits; or keep its current market shares at least. However, CPC still need to deploy some other marketing approaches such as to keep its cost down, to better off its service, and to train qualified staffs, so that the company can advance its competitive preference and diversify its marketing strategies as well. Keywords: petroleum industry liberalization, the Petroleum Administration Law, business strategies, and market share

Small businesses have an integral role in the U.S. economy and represent 99.7% of all employers in the United States; however, approximately 50% of small business start-ups fail within the first 5 years. Developing and implementing a well-formulated marketing strategy is critical to the success of business because a marketing strategy provides long-term benefits for a company's financial performance and increases the survival rate. The objective of this case study was to explore the marketing strategies that small retail business owners use to sustain their businesses for the first 5 years. The population was 5 successful retail-based small business owners in New York and New Jersey who had developed a well-formulated marketing strategy and sustained their start-ups for the first 5 years. The conceptual framework built upon Porter's competitive strategy theory. Data collection involved semistructured, face-to-face interviews and a review of company marketing documents. Data analysis involved coding and populating the data in software. Thematic analysis and methodological triangulation of the data revealed several themes: online marketing, marketing knowledge and planning, market research, and customer acquisition and retention. The findings of this study contribute to social change through the potential to improve economic activity, create stability in the local economy, and decrease small business failure rates by using marketing strategies effectively. Application of the findings could also lead to increased employment in communities where small businesses are located to improve the standard of living of local residents and contribute to effective positive social change

Business owners' lack of strategies to prevent and detect occupational fraud in small retail businesses in the United States could result in substantial financial losses or insolvency. Grounded in Cressey's fraud triangle, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore internal control strategies 6 owners of small retail businesses in southeastern Pennsylvania used to prevent and detect occupational fraud. Face-to-face interviews, observations, and documentation are the data collection techniques I used in this study. Data were transcribed, coded, analyzed, and member checked to identify emergent themes. Six themes emerged from the thematic analysis: financial impact, transaction responsibility and monitoring, networking and business models, communication, separation of duties, and training. The results of this study indicated areas for action that owners of small retail businesses could take to prevent and detect occupational fraud. Strategies business owners could implement to protect their businesses from occupational fraud include monitoring, employee identity documents to track employee activity, separation of duties, and communication with employees. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential for social entrepreneurship because small business owners create employment opportunities for members of the community, including high school students with the desire to run small retail businesses. Small business owners serve their communities by focusing on wealth distribution, including donations to local charities that foster economic stability with positive effects on society.

Title: Digital business strategy - The driver for change in internal and external business environment Authors: Sumera Magsi and Sarah Shaaban Advisor: Andrea Fried Master thesis, 30 credits Background:The effects resulting from a more intense use of digital technologies in companies is visible in the integration between business and IT strategies which creates an urge for digital business strategies to emerge. Thesis aim: The aim is to investigate the current state of digital business strategies which includes highlighting benefits and challenges. By doing that we also are aiming towards answering, in what way ITBA can be questioned due to DBS. Methodology: A qualitative research based on a multiple case study by conducting semi- structured interviews. All the selected case companies are using digital business strategies as a part of their internal and external business environment (IEBE). The respondents have a role in the chosen case companies of being responsible for the implementation and use of strategies, digital business strategies and digital technologies. Findings: This study identifies that their exits a linkage between business strategy and ITBA. The main finding about the current state of DBS involves both internal and external DBS activities. Further findings show that benefit of digital business strategy to be the opportunity to levering costumers and challenges to be connected to the different IT maturity levels of the employees. The way that digital business strategy can question ITBA is based on that it is the driver for change for the case companies.

Small businesses owned by women cease operations 11% more often than businesses owned by men. Women, who own over 37% of all businesses in the United States, contribute significantly to the 50% small business failure rate. The purpose of this multiple-case study was to explore strategies 5 women who own small businesses use to succeed in business beyond 5 years on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The theory of constraints was the conceptual framework. Data were collected through semistructured face-to-face interviews, websites, company documents, and archival records. Transcript review of interview response data was used to strengthen the credibility of the interview data. Three themes emerged: customer and employee relations, leadership, and strategic management. Customer and employee relations were the most important theme, and strategic management was the second most important. Strategic management was one of the main sources of growth in all the 5 participant's businesses. Participants discussed skills in managerial decisions and strategies to manage the day-to-day business operations that played an active role in entrepreneurship. Female small business owners identified strategies used to eliminate constraints that may have prohibited the business operation to succeed. The findings may inspire entrepreneurs to enhance their leadership skills, increase capacity to expand their small businesses, start new businesses, and explore entrepreneurial options. Social implications include the potential to serve as a guide that encourages female entrepreneurs to enhance their professional practices and to adopt new business strategies to make better strategic decisions.

The main question in this study was: do business units that exhibit a "linkage" or "fit" between their business strategy and manufacturing strategy variables, outperform competitors who lack such a fit? This exploratory research focused on two business strategies: cost leadership and differentiation. Based on existing literature, twenty-four hypotheses concerning the relationship between business strategy and selected manufacturing strategy variables were developed. The manufacturing executives of eighty-eight broadwoven cotton fabric mills (SIC 2211) were surveyed using a qualitative questionnaire. Two sets of comparisons were made between the manufacturing strategy variables of the sampled firms: first, high vs. low performers pursuing cost leadership strategy; and second, high vs. low performers focusing on differentiation strategy. Within each set of comparisons, high performers reported linkage between their business strategies and selected manufacturing strategy variables. This study re-affirms the importance of linking business strategy with manufacturing strategy variables as a forceful weapon for overcoming competition.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / A atuaÃÃo produtiva das empresas provoca degradaÃÃo ambiental, agravada pelo crescimento da demanda por energia e da dependÃncia global dos recursos nÃo-renovÃveis. Um dos mais sÃrios impactos envolve as mudanÃas climÃticas devido Ãs emissÃes de gases de efeito estufa, que afetam todas as empresas, inclusive as do setor eÃlico, direta ou indiretamente. As empresas respondem estrategicamente de forma diferenciada dependendo do grau em que sÃo afetadas e do mercado em que atuam. O trabalho analisa a influÃncia dos stakeholders e dos fatores polÃticos, tecnolÃgicos e ambientais nas estratÃgias dos produtores de energia eÃlica do Brasil e de seus fornecedores, assim como as principais prÃticas adotadas por essas empresas em resposta aos desafios impostos pelas mudanÃas climÃticas. Metodologicamente, optou-se pela realizaÃÃo de pesquisas bibliogrÃfica, documental e de campo. Na pesquisa de campo realizou-se um estudo exploratÃrio, de natureza qualitativa, com a aplicaÃÃo de entrevistas voltadas a identificar os fatores determinantes que influenciam as estratÃgias do setor eÃlico no estado do CearÃ. ApÃs, aplicou-se um questionÃrio, de natureza quantitativa, junto Ãs produtoras de energia eÃlica do Brasil e fornecedores. Os resultados sugerem que os fatores que mais influenciam as estratÃgias empresariais dessas produtoras e seus fornecedores sÃo os polÃticos, com Ãnfase nos leilÃes de energia promovidos pela ANEEL, por meio dos quais sÃo atingidos preÃos mais competitivos no mercado de energia. O stakeholder de maior influÃncia à o acionista, e essa influÃncia indica sua forÃa coercitiva nas decisÃes estratÃgicas das produtoras de energia eÃlica do Brasil e dos fornecedores. A prÃtica empresarial sugerida como a mais adotada foi a de inovaÃÃo, e o resultado demonstra que, na busca da mitigaÃÃo dos efeitos das mudanÃas climÃticas, as empresas podem vir a estimular o desenvolvimento de processos mais limpos e sustentÃveis, alÃm de reduzir os custos relacionados aos seus processos. A adoÃÃo de prÃticas empresariais com o intuito de mitigar ou compensar os efeitos das mudanÃas climÃticas depende da influÃncia de fatores externos. A pressÃo e influÃncia dos stakeholders sÃo de grande importÃncia para que o setor de energias renovÃveis como o da energia eÃlica se consolide no planejamento energÃtico mundial. Na Ãltima dÃcada os empreendimentos eÃlicos brasileiros receberam maior nÃmero de incentivos fiscais e investimentos em tecnologia. Nesse contexto, o estado do Cearà objetiva, com suas aÃÃes, aumentar a competitividade nesse segmento e oferecer uma alternativa viÃvel para minimizar os impactos ambientais decorrentes das mudanÃas climÃticas. / The productive operation of companies causes environmental degradation, worsened by the increasing energy demand and global dependency of non-renewable resources. One of the most serious impacts involves climate change due to emissions of greenhouse gases, which affect all the companies, including the wind sector, directly or indirectly. Companies strategically respond differently depending on how they are affected and the market they serve. This work analyzes the influence of stakeholders and political, technological and environmental factors in the strategies of brazilian wind energy producers and their suppliers, as well as the key practices used by these companies in response to challenges posed by climate change. Methodologically, it was opted to carry out bibliographic, documental and field search. In the field research was conducted an exploratory study, qualitative, with the application of interviews aimed to identify the determining factors that influence the strategies of wind power sector in the state of CearÃ. Then was applied a quantitative questionnaire to brazilian wind energy producers and their suppliers. The results suggest that the factors of most influence in the business strategies of brazilian wind energy producers and their suppliers are the politicians, with emphasis on energy auctions promoted by ANEEL, through which are achieved most competitive prices in energy market. The most influential stakeholder is the shareholder, and this influence indicates the coercive power of the shareholders in the strategic decisions of brazilian wind energy producers and their suppliers. The results indicate that the business practice more widely adopted was the innovation, and the result showed that in the pursuit for mitigating the effects of climate change the companies are likely to stimulate the development of cleaner and sustainable processes, and reduce costs related to their processes, and therefore obtain competitive advantage. The adoption of business practices in order to mitigate or compensate the effects of climate change depends on the influence of external factors. The pressure and influence of stakeholders have great importance for the sector of renewable energies like wind power be consolidated in the world energy planning. In the last decade, brazilian wind power projects received more tax incentives and technology investments. In the context, the state of Cearà aims with their actions to increase their competitiveness in this segment and offer a viable alternative to minimize the environmental impacts of climate change.

Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing entrepreneurial populations, accounting for 8 million of the 28 million small businesses in the United States. Small businesses fail at a rate of 55% by the 5th year of operation and women, who own over 30% of all small businesses, contribute significantly to the 55% small business failure rate. Using Schumpeter's framework, this single exploratory case study investigated how women entrepreneurial small business owners use strategies to sustain their business operation beyond 5 years. A purposeful sample identified 2 women salon small business owners located in the Macon, Georgia metro area. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of company documents. Three emergent themes were identified using Yin's 5 step analytic strategy approach: motivation for business start-ups, which included the motivation, skills, and education needed for business sustainability; success factors, which included innovation and the overall business environment, and employee and customer satisfaction which included customer and human relations. The impact of these practices can enhance social change by contributing to the sustainability and profitability of the organization which can enhance the economic security of the family, community, and the nation. New knowledge from this study could impact entrepreneurship success strategies and increase the number of women-owned businesses beyond the first 5 years of operation.

Individuals in the millennial generation, born from 1980 to 1996, have many entrepreneurial opportunities; however, many people in the millennial generation lack the skills, motivation, and business strategies to survive in business. Because of the influx of competition, lack of experience, and lack of business-world strategies, entrepreneurs can miss opportunities and fail within the first few years of business operations. Grounded in the systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that business owners in the millennial generation used to survive in business longer than 6 years. Participants consisted of 5 business owners in the millennial generation in 5 businesses in northern Virginia with successful experience in implementing strategies to survive in business longer than 6 years. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of relevant company documents. Data were analyzed using Yin's 5-step process of compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding data. The 4 key themes derived from data analysis were marketing, support, lessons learned, and passion. The findings of this study might be beneficial to business owners who seek to survive in business longer than 6 years by demonstrating the need for using effective marketing strategies, recognizing the need for adequate support, learning from past mistakes, and having passion for operating the business. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential for business owners to improve local job opportunities, increase the economic prosperity of their communities, and increase local community services through their contribution to the local tax base.

Leaders of small businesses need dynamic capabilities created through careful implementation of information technologies (ITs) to enhance efficiency, performance, and output. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore strategies leaders of small businesses used in developing countries to implement ITs for improved business performance. The framework for this study was the technology, organization, and environment model. The sample population consisted of 10 leaders of small businesses located in the Accra region of Ghana. The study participants had at least 5 years of experience working with small businesses that implemented IT. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and review of companies' strategic and project plans. The data analysis process included methodological triangulation, coding, the identification and congregation of themes, and the interpretation of inferences. Five themes emerged: top management support for IT implementation, investment in appropriate IT infrastructures, engaging in appropriate IT knowledge and skills training, creating an organizational culture of IT acceptance, and embracing legal and regulatory frameworks for IT. Findings from this study might assist leaders of small businesses in gaining insights into key IT strategies required for improving small business survivability. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to facilitate employment generation and reduce poverty in developing countries by improving small business performance.