Title: Rethinking the Spectrum of Marketing Communication Tools in B2B  Date: 2022-06-03 Level: One-Year Master’s Thesis 15, ECTS Institution: Karlstad Business School Authors: Jonathan Segerström & Elina Tidström Tutor: Bo Rundh Keywords: Business-to-business (B2B), Business marketing, Marketing communication, Digital media. Research question: How does a company within the automation industry work with their marketing communication? Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain the transformation of marketing communication in a company within the automation industry. By doing this, the study aims to contribute to the growing literature about marketing communication’s usefulness for the business market. Method: This thesis had a deductive approach in which a single case-study method was used to investigate the research area of interest. Having used qualitative methods of data collection, interviews were held and triangulated with other documents that were later thematized and analyzed with the chosen theoretical framework. Based on the analysis, conclusions were drawn. Conclusion: The initial conclusion from this case study is that along with the addition of a marketing function within the company ABB Robotics, they have become more customer focused. This new focus has allowed for more marketing communication tools being used, and more specifically those that traditionally are viewed as non-personal ones which have been enabled with developments in the digital media landscape. All marketing communication tools within the theoretical framework were identified, and found to support the personal selling function in different ways. The findings from this study suggests that it could be beneficial for B2B companies to deploy a wider spectrum of marketing communication tools, however, future studies would have to include more companies to further validate this statement. / Titel: Omtänkande av spektrumet av marknadskommunikationsverktyg inom B2B  Datum: 2022-06-03  Nivå: Magisteruppsats, 15 ECTS  Institution: Handelshögskolan i Karlstad  Författare: Jonathan Segerström & Elina Tidström  Handledare: Bo Rundh  Nyckelord: Business-to-business (B2B), B2B marknadsföring, Marknadskommunikation, Digitala medier.  Forskningsfråga: Hur arbetar ett företag i automationsindustrin med sin marknadskommunikation?  Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att förklara transformationen av marknadskommunikation inom ett företag i automationsindustrin. Genom att göra detta syftar studien till att bidra till den växande litteraturen om marknadskommunikationens användbarhet för B2B-marknaden.  Metod: Detta examensarbete utgick från en deduktiv ansats där en fallstudiemetod användes för att undersöka forskningsområdet av intresse. Efter att ha använt kvalitativa metoder för datainsamling hölls intervjuer som triangulerades med andra dokument som senare tematiserades och analyserades utifrån det valda teoretiska ramverket. Utifrån analysen drogs sedan slutsatser. Slutsats: Den initiala slutsatsen från denna fallstudie är att genom tillägget av en marknadsföringsfunktion inom företaget ABB Robotics har de blivit mer kundfokuserade. Denna nya inriktning har möjliggjort fler marknadskommunikationsverktyg, och mer specifikt de som traditionellt ansetts vara icke-personliga. Detta har i sin tur möjliggjorts genom utvecklingen i det digitala medielandskapet. Alla verktyg för marknadskommunikation inom det teoretiska ramverket identifierades och visade sig stödja den personliga säljfunktionen på olika sätt. Upptäckterna från denna studie tyder på att det kan vara fördelaktigt för B2B-företag att använda ett bredare spektrum av marknadskommunikationsverktyg, men framtida studier bör inkludera fler företag för att ytterligare validera detta fynd.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2010. / Many researchers undertook research about small, medium and micro enterprise in South Africa. Although there are numerous articles and a lot of previous research surveys about SMMEs in South Africa, USA, UK, Taiwan, China, Australia and many other countries, no research has been done in South Africa with regard to the use of marketing strategies by SMMEs in rural areas with specific reference to KwaZulu-Natal rural areas. Therefore, the assumptions and the confusion that surrounds rural owners‘/managers‘ awareness, perceptions and the use of marketing strategies in their areas highlight the need and create interest for marketers to conduct more research on this particular area. There were number of other important reasons such as the failure rate of SMMEs, high rate of unemployment and the large numbers of people moving from South African rural to urban areas due to unemployment and poverty. The study was conducted within the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal province, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The sample for the study consisted of 374 respondents of owners/managers of SMMEs. The respondents were selected using quota sampling. Respondents were required to complete a 10 page questionnaire with an interviewer present to assist. The overall aim of the study was to investigate and describe the use of marketing by SMMEs, in order to identify factors influencing the possible insufficient use of marketing, so as to improve rural SMME marketing, and thus reduce SMME failure. The results of the research revealed that there was a lack of marketing knowledge and expertise and limited use of marketing strategies by the owners/managers of the rural SMMEs. There were also some external and internal factors contributing to the use of marketing strategies by the rural SMMEs. This means that marketers in South Africa cannot simply apply the marketing strategies and marketing theories in this situation. It is also important for marketers to conduct more specific research studies to determine the suitable marketing strategies for the rural businesses, as the rural situation is different from the urban situation. / Durban University of Technology.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / South African companies, as well as international companies using South Africa as a base, that have reached an appropriate size, track record and capacity to consider expanding abroad often look at business opportunities in their neighbouring countries, specifically those that are members of the Southern African Development Corporation (SADC). The markets and business environment of the 15 members in the Community differ substantially amongst themselves, but each has some characteristics and business potential to recommend it to the expansion seeking SA corporation. This paper provides an exhaustive analysis of the SADC's economic environment and characteristics. As such, it makes sense for a South African company that produces high-technology products or services and sells in the business-to-business market space to explore markets in geographical proximity to itself. The existence of the SADC region as a trade block, its associated objectives to improve regional inter-trade and regional socio-economic stability and established infrastructure motivates the focus of this study. It is envisaged that further study could be suggested to identify and develop methods to ascertain market feasibility that could be applied to other countries in Africa and in the world market. According to Thompson (2006b: 1), a business feasibility study can be defined as “a controlled process for identifying problems and opportunities, determining objectives, describing situations, defining successful outcomes and asssesing the range of costs and benefits associated with several alternatives for solving a problem.” The identification, extraction, presentation and consolidation of lessons learnt could benefit new market entrants by identifying possible pitfalls before they embark on a market entry campaign. The study delves into the intricacies of doing business in emerging economies, doing business in Africa and doing business in SADC countries. The external and internal forces that could prove instrumental and decisive in the success of an organisation that seeks to measure market feasibility is examined, thus identifying key warning signs or hazards that would hamper feasibility before embarking on costly business plans and marketing campaigns. The study develops a proposed decision support matrix to determine market feasibility. This matrix could prove useful as a preliminary investigation tool for companies active in the sector and exploring the different geographical markets in question to base an initial business decision on, prior to investing in a business plan or more focused business intelligence.

Packaging is a topic under debate and scrutiny intoday’s society, due to its obvious environmentaldetriment – but also the business opportunities – tied tominimizing or even eliminating packaging.therefore, in this thesis, the aim is to introduce Chinesetea culture to the Swedish through packaging design,By tea culture studies and surveys of the Swedishmarket, with less is more, and minimalism designtheory to design elegant and Sustainable package. Withthis design, convey the Chinese tea ceremony cultureand Zen philosophy.Through the study of Chinese tea culture, then analysiscurrent tea packaging on Chinese and Swedish markets,from the structure, color, material...every aspects ofpackaging design to show the Chinese tea culture in theSwedish market.4According to our respondents and theory, packaging isa big component in a brand's marketing strategy and tocommunicate the brand’s message and values.Marketing information can be designed into visualelements that are used on the package to communicatea message which could speak out the consumers'emotions. But packaging is a topic under debate andscrutiny in today’s society, due to its obviousenvironmental detriment – but also the businessopportunities.So, how to balance the commercial and environmentalthose two aspects and how to express sustainabledesign in my project, is the major issues I have to figureout.Key words: Chinese tea culture, less is more,sustainable packaging design, graphic design, Zen andtea ceremony, tea business marketing

This study addresses the rationale of using partners in relationship initiation with potential buyers and how relationship initiation takes place in triadic settings. As the authors have identified relationship initiation as an under-researched area, further research in this field is needed in order to enhance knowledge regarding the use of partners in the relationship initiation with potential buyers. Based on a case study, the authors investigate a company, their partners and potential buyers during the relationship initiation process. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, observations and analysis of documents. A model was developed based on existing literature in order to allow the authors to analyse the data. The analysis provides an overview of how and why companies use partners to initiate relationships with buyers and how relationship initiation occurs in triadic settings. A new conceptual model was developed suggesting that any actor within this triadic setting can trigger the relationship initiation and that this process shouldn’t necessarily be regarded as sequential. This study also shows that the degree of brand awareness that a company possess can influence their relationship initiation processes.

A proposição apresentada de uma estrutura de procedimentos para a segmentação de mercados empresariais, após extensa pesquisa bibliográfica, resultou em quatro grandes etapas e quatorze passos. Acredita-se que seja lógica, útil e de aplicação abrangente em vários setores industriais e de consumo. A base fundamental de segmentação estudada foi aquela que diz respeito aos benefícios procurados pelos consumidores durante o processo de decisão de compra e o setor escolhido foi a indústria do alumínio. Essa indústria apresenta algumas importantes particularidades que tornam o estudo ainda mais desafiador: é um oligopólio, o produto é classificado como uma commodity (padronizado) na sua essência e o seu preço base é definido pela LME aproximando-se do que seria uma estrutura de mercado de concorrência perfeita (as empresas são tomadoras de preço). Dessa forma, a segmentação estratégica de mercado passa a ser a grande possibilidade para deslocar essa estrutura no sentido da concorrência imperfeita, em que as empresas passam a deter algum poder sobre os preços praticados. A pesquisa exploratória identificou que o setor de alumínio desenvolve uma segmentação ainda incipiente que simplesmente fornece informações pós-facto para comparações no setor com pouca ou nenhuma contribuição efetiva para a conquista de vantagem competitiva ou um melhor atendimento aos clientes e diferenciação das ofertas. Com base nos dados gerados a partir de uma pesquisa empírica, foram identificados sete benefícios procurados utilizando-se a técnica da análise fatorial: efetividade da entrega, capacitação técnica e de vendas, lealdade e relacionamento com o fornecedor, imagem do fornecedor, vendas diretas a preços competitivos, eficiência do produto e logística do produto e da sucata. Foram, também, identificados três segmentos ou conglomerados associados a esses benefícios. A segmentação de segunda ordem com base em variáveis de relacionamento e demográficas, não se mostrou adequada para caracterização dos segmentos, como preconizado por alguns autores. / This current thesis presents a proposition of a step-by-step structure to the segmentation of business to business markets. This has been developed from extensive bibliographic research and encompasses four majour groups containing a total of fourteen steps. Its characteristics make it a logic and useful structure that can be applied in a variety of industries and end-user consumer markets. The fundamental aspect of segmentation studied that led to the development of such structure was that related to the sought benefits by the consumers during the purchasing decision-making process and the studied industry was that of the aluminum. This industry presents some important specificities that posed new challenges to the present study: it is characterized as an oligopoly and its product is characterized as a commodity in its essence with its price being set by the LME, being very close to a market structure of perfect competition (the organizations are price takers). In this sense, the strategic market segmentation becomes the main alternative to shift this structure to an imperfect competition in which organizations can bear some kind of power over the prices of their products. The exploratory research carried out in this study has identified that the aluminum industry practices some incipient kind on market segmentation that simply provides pós-facto information for comparisons within the industry with very little, if none, contribution to the obtaining of competitive advantage or a better service to clients and differentiation of the product offer. Based on the data gathered through an empiric research, seven sought benefits were identified through factorial analysis: delivery effectiveness, technical and sales qualification, loyalty and relationship with the suppliers, image of the supplier, direct sales by competitive prices, product efficiency and logistics of the product and scrap. Three segments or conglomerates were also identified as being associated to these benefits. Finally, the second order segmentation based on relationship and demographic variables did not present itself as adequate for the characterization of market segments within this industry, as proposed by some authors.

Im Rahmen eines strukturierten Fragebogens wurden Daten von insgesamt 191 untersuchten B2B-Marktplätzen zu 135 europäischen (inkl. 11 österreichischen) und 56 internationalen Marktplätzen erhoben. Hierbei wurden je Marktplatz 76 Kriterien untersucht. Um auch eine Rückmeldung der Kunden der Marktplätze zu erhalten, wurden zusätzlich 135 Fragebögen an leitende Personen des Einkaufs österreichischer Unternehmen verteilt. Ziel dieser zusätzlichen Befragung war es, die Bedeutung der erhobenen Einzelkriterien aus der Sicht von potenziellen oder bereits bestehenden Marktplatzteilnehmern zu bewerten. Es stellte sich die Frage, ob einzelne Unternehmen überhaupt in der Lage seien, im Vorfeld aufgrund der ihnen zur Verfügung stehenden Informationen zu entscheiden, ob bestimmte Marktplätze als "überlebensfähig" eingestuft werden können. Die durchgeführten Analysen sollten versuchen, diese Frage zu beantworten. Für Unternehmen, die sich einem Marktplatz anschließen möchten, ist es wichtig sich jenen Marktplatz auszuwählen, der eine höhere Überlebenschance besitzt. Somit stellt sich die Frage, ob bzw. welche Einzelkriterien oder Kriterienkonstellationen auf das Überleben eines Marktplatzes Einfluss haben. Mit Hilfe von deskriptiven und explorativen statistischen Analysen wurde im Rahmen des Forschungsprojektes versucht, auf diese Fragestellung eine Antwort zu geben. Zusammenfassend konnten zwar bei einigen erhobenen Kriterien Tendenzen lokalisiert werden, die sich in der Praxis auf das Überleben eines Marktplatzes positiv oder negativ auswirken könnten. Generell kann aufgrund dieser Untersuchung jedoch nicht davon ausgegangen werden, dass ein Unternehmen alleine anhand der ihm zugänglichen Informationen in der Lage ist zu erkennen, ob der ausgewählte Marktplatz im Hinblick auf dessen Überlebensfähigkeit eine Teilnahme lohnt. Gängige, in einschlägiger Literatur aufgestellte Behauptungen konnten durch die durchgeführten statistischen Analysen übrigens nicht nachvollzogen werden.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 MARIA FERNANDA DE ALMEIDA PRADO.pdf: 2660611 bytes, checksum: 30744615f33d4388740900c81d8e2675 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-30 / In the corporate environment, building trust relationships between trading partners has been a relevant strategy as a way of establishing consistent and lasting relationships. This concept echoes with particular force in high-tech pharmaceutical markets, in an attempt by manufacturers to gain a preferential position against a complex distribution chain and fierce competition. However, little has been published about trust premises, particularly in highly specialized markets. This study aims to understand what are the key factors in building a relationship of trust between high-tech pharmaceutical manufacturers and their customers. More particularly, it seeks to understand, for each category of health professional present in the client's relationship chain, whether the factors identified as trust premises are similar or different. To do so, the research was carried out in two stages, the first being a systematic, integrative bibliographical review on the theme “trust relationship”, which selected twentyfive articles that explicitly or implicitly approached the origin of trust. In this step, six key factors were found consistently in the literature. In the sequence, these factors were discussed in an exploratory qualitative research, with in-depth interviews with ten representatives of three groups of health professionals, working in clinics and hospitals, where these drugs are primarily prescribed and dispensed: clinical staff (physicians), operational (pharmacists or nurses) and administrative (commercial). The contribution of this study is, by clearly identifying such factors, allowing managers to adopt relationship marketing strategies more appropriate for their clients’ profile, better understanding the conditions necessary to generate relationships of trust between strategic partners. It is also to map nuances in the perceptions of the groups of health professionals surveyed, since they influence and decide on the purchase of high-cost products, and may demand specific strategies in the construction of the trust relationship. / No ambiente corporativo, a construção de relacionamento de confiança entre parceiros comerciais vem se constituindo uma estratégia relevante como forma de estabelecer relações consistentes e duradouras. Esse conceito ecoa com força especial em mercados de alta tecnologia farmacêutica, na tentativa dos fabricantes em conquistar uma posição preferencial, frente a uma cadeia de distribuição complexa e uma concorrência acirrada. Entretanto, pouco se tem publicado sobre as premissas de confiança, em particular em mercados altamente especializados. Este estudo tem por objetivo entender quais são os fatores-chave na construção de um relacionamento de confiança entre fabricantes de alta tecnologia farmacêutica e seus clientes. Mais particularmente, busca compreender, para cada categoria de profissional da saúde presente na cadeia de relacionamento do cliente, se os fatores apontados como premissas de confiança são semelhantes ou distintos. Para tanto, a pesquisa foi feita em duas etapas, sendo a primeira uma revisão bibliográfica sistemática integrativa sobre o tema “relacionamento de confiança”, que selecionou vinte e cinco artigos que abordavam, explícita ou implicitamente, a origem da confiança. Nessa etapa, seis fatoreschave foram encontrados de forma consistente na literatura. Na sequência, tais fatores foram discutidos em pesquisa qualitativa exploratória, com entrevistas em profundidade, com dez representantes de três grupos de profissionais da saúde que atuam em clínicas e hospitais, onde tais medicamentos são prioritariamente prescritos e dispensados: corpo clínico (médicos), operacional (farmacêuticos ou enfermeiros) e administrativo (comerciais). A contribuição deste estudo é, ao identificar tais fatores, permitir que gestores adotem estratégias de marketing de relacionamento mais adequadas para sua carteira de clientes, melhor compreendendo as condições necessárias para gerar relacionamentos de confiança entre parceiros estratégicos. Permitiu também mapear nuances nas percepções dos grupos de profissionais da saúde pesquisados, uma vez que estes influenciam e decidem sobre a compra de produtos de alto custo, podendo demandar estratégias específicas na construção do relacionamento de confiança.

Originally presented as the author's Thesis (doctoral)--Technische Universität, Chemnitz, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 481-510) and index.

Univ., Diss.--Münster, 2003.