Regista-se, de uma forma global, uma evolução significativa ao nível da integração das tecnologias Internet, nos modelos de negócio business to business. Mas, à medida que, cada vez mais empresas utilizam a Internet, ela é neutralizada como fonte de vantagem competitiva. Foi com base neste problema que se procurou estudar como é que uma empresa pode utilizar as tecnologias Internet, para desenvolver uma vantagem competitiva sustentável. Este trabalho descreve as dimensões e natureza das principais plataformas de negócio electrónico (portais B2B) e as estratégias de negócio electrónico mais adequadas, ao suporte das estratégias das empresas. E, para avaliar este impacto das tecnologias Internet, no desenvolvimento e sustenção de vantagens competitivas, desenvolveu-se uma ferramenta analítica (AITIC - Análise do Impacto das Tecnologias Internet na Competitividade) que foi aplicada em duas empresas.

Social media is increasingly being used by business-to-business (B2B) firms to engage with their customers as they seek to maintain and grow their relationship with their customers. In my dissertation, I examine what communication objectives B2B firms seek to achieve via social media at different stages of the relationship cycle (exploration, expansion, maturity). I then use a panel of social media experts to evaluate the social media efforts of these firms to determine how well these firms achieve their social media objectives. I then contrast how the social media communication objectives of these firms at different stages of the relationship line up with what academic literature suggests as being the most appropriate at the given stage of the relationship and thus highlight the gaps between theory and practice.

Internet marketing and relationship marketing are becoming prevalent in Australian firms. The advent of the internet has created numerous opportunities for marketing professionals to enhance current marketing practices, including relationship marketing. However, the investigation of marketing relationships in an internet environment is scant. Further, there appears to be no investigation of this phenomenon within the context of Australian service industries. Thus this research attempts to bridge the gap that exists between academia and practitioners by investigating internet-facilitated relationship marketing. Given these gaps in the literature, the research problem investigated in this research is: How does B2B internet use affect inter-firm relationships in service industries? The literature does not investigate this research problem in any depth. However, a framework about internet-facilitated marketing relationship in the extant literature was integrated and synthesised with literature about internet marketing and relationship marketing to arrive at three research issues: RI 1: How does level of internet use affect structural and social bonds in an inter-firm relationship? RI 2: How do structural bonds interact with social bonds in an internet environment? RI 3: How do structural and social bonds determine relationship outcomes in an internet environment? To investigate these three research issues, a combination of qualitative and quantitative two-stage methodological approach was used. The first stage was eleven convergent interviews to build on the extant literature and to further confirm and refine the theoretical framework. In the second stage, a survey methodology was used to test the model about internet-facilitated inter-firm relationships in Australian business internet banking users. Data was analysed and the hypotheses specified in the main model were tested using structural equation modelling techniques. Thus this research involved both theory building and theory testing. The findings of this research have implications for the three research issues. The results for the first research issue showed that the internet has little negative impact on relational bonding in the B2B context. That is, technology-mediated transactions in financial services may not be detrimental to established relationships because trade efficiencies are more of a concern for businesses rather than the social aspects. Information technology-enabled connectivity can facilitate trade efficiency, therefore the relationship. Moreover, the impact of internet use on relational bonds of trust and dependence is moderated by the length of B2B internet use. That is, a longer period of dealing with an exchange partner on the internet facilitates relational bonding. The findings for the second research issue were that most interrelationships between structural and social bonds in an internet environment are in line with the generic literature. The findings for the third research issue are related to the relational outcome as a result of bonding. Although the internet has little direct impact on commitment and intention to stay, it contributes indirectly to the relational outcomes through structural and social bonding. In addition, the findings of this research highlight some important issues in relationship marketing research. That is, inter-relationships of the relational constructs depend on the context in which the relationship exists. The main contribution of this theory building research is the development and confirmation of a final theoretical framework about internet-facilitated inter-firm relationships. That framework is a contribution because it is the first rigorously researched step towards understanding the important confluence of two new and powerful streams of business activity of internet marketing and relationship marketing. This thesis has both theoretical and practical implications in the area of internet marketing and relationship marketing. The framework was built from theory and empirical research to represent this process and provides a foundation for further research.

Zugl.: Erlangen, Nürnberg, Universiẗat, Diss., 2006.

<p>Date June 12, 2008</p><p>Program IT Management</p><p>Authors Jessica Jarrell, 820506.</p><p>Västerås</p><p>Rais Iqbal, 791229.</p><p>Västerås</p><p>Supervisor Ole Liljefors</p><p>Title Business-to-Business IT Integration</p><p>Introduction</p><p>As business world has moved into digital era, new trends in business models have been emerged to do business. Digital infrastructure provided by internet enables enterprises to extend their boundaries for new customer and trading partners. Extending the enterprise without a solid IT infrastructure is incomplete, this is the reasons that enterprises are investing more and more in IT to build an IT integrated infrastructure where all its trading partners are linked together. On the other hand, technological world provides solutions and services to build IT integration for such extended enterprises. A wide variety of IT integration solutions and patterns available for enterprise to meet their integration goals, but this often brings unclear situation where companies have to think a lot before implementing IT integration patterns. A slight mistake in this scenario could shake the equilibrium between IT and business, to keep the equilibrium steady companies need to thoroughly examine their short-term and long-term goals and then different integration patterns can be employed to meet these goals.</p><p>Research Question</p><p>What approaches can be helpful for companies to accomplish successful business-to-business IT integration pattern for their short-term and long-term goals?</p><p>Purpose</p><p>The purpose of this thesis is to describe the concept of extended enterprises and, identify and describe the existing B2B IT integration approaches employed by extended enterprises.</p><p>Method</p><p>The research is of qualitative type and secondary data is used to conduct this research. Books and research papers has been used to construct theoretical framework. Electronic databases available at library of Mälardalen University such as Google scholar, Emerald and interlibrary network of Sweden (Libris) are used to search for secondary data.</p><p>Analysis Findings from the detailed literature study are analyzed to answer the research question. Integration patterns are analyzed described by the different authors of integrations patterns in three different ways. Firstly, integration patterns were analyzed in term of their advantages and disadvantages with technology and business, secondly, maturity of these integration patterns are analyzed and finally these integration patterns are analyzed for company’s short-term and long-term goals.</p><p>Conclusion Business process oriented and method-oriented approaches are good for long-term goals due to handling of business process management in both approaches and reusability aspects of method oriented approach. For short-term goals portal-oriented approach dominating in the integration community, application interface oriented approach is also good to meet the short-term goals. However, combinations of different approaches are found feasible.</p>

<p><p>För att skapa och upprätthålla ett starkt varumärke är det viktigt att sträva efter en så stor överensstämmelse som möjligt mellan dess identitet och image. Det betyder samtidigt att det är viktigt att regelbundet undersöka likheter och skillnader mellan dem. Denna magisteruppsats syftar till att utreda överensstämmelsen mellan kundernas image av varumärket ABB och företagets identitet. På så sätt har vi analyserat likheter och skillnader mellan hur ABB beskriver sig själva och hur kunderna i undersökningen uppfattar dem. För att sätta in läsaren i undersökningsområdet har vi använt teorier kring vad som utmärker ett starkt varumärke samt varumärkesbyggande för business to business marknader. Teorin innehåller vidare en beskrivning av begreppen identitet och image samt gapet som kan uppstå däremellan.</p><p>Genom att intervjua ABB:s informationsdirektör och marknadschefen för enheten Svensk Försäljning kunde vi beskriva varumärkets identitet. Urvalet grundade sig på personernas goda insyn och erfarenhet i undersökningsområdet. Varumärkets image undersöktes genom intervjuer med personer med olika befattningar och ansvarsområden på Vattenfall som varit kund till ABB under flera år. Genom att enbart fokusera på ett företag kunde vi få en djupare förståelse för uppfattningarna inom ett specifikt företag, men även hur de kan skilja sig åt kunderna emellan. Det långa och nära samarbetet mellan parterna kunde vidare bidra till en mer kritisk men samtidigt tydligare uppfattning om varumärket.</p><p>Undersökningen visar att det finns både likheter och skillnader mellan ABB:s identitet och image, vilket tyder på att det inte finns en enhetlig bild av varumärket bland de intervjuade kunderna. Att kundernas varumärkesimage till stor del baseras på andra värden än det som ABB kommunicerar ut kan förklaras i att de utvalda kunderna påverkas av egna upplevelser och erfarenheter i större utsträckning än den externa marknadskommunikationen. En lång affärsrelation kan därför innebära att kundens image av varumärket istället påverkas mer av hur ABB hanterar olika situationer, som exempelvis klagomål. Budskapen i den externa kommunikationen kan på så sätt innebära en större effekt i nyetablerade relationer.</p></p>

<p>Datum: 2008-06-03</p><p>Ämne: Magisteruppsats i företagsekonomi, 15 hp</p><p>Författare: Magdalena Ekman, Emma Ronvall</p><p>Handledare: Carl G. Thunman</p><p>Titel: En utvärdering av kundtidningen Medley – läsarnas uppfattning om innehåll & layout</p><p>Problem: Medtronic AB önskar öka kännedomen om företagets produkter hos svenska läkare, sjuksköterskor, medicintekniker och andra</p><p>opinionsbildare. Ett sätt att uppnå det på är genom kundtidningen</p><p>Medley som skickas direktadresserad till personal på sjukhus och</p><p>kliniker i Sverige. Det är viktigt att kundtidningen har ett innehåll och en layout som tilltalar läsarkretsen.</p><p>Syfte: Syftet är att beskriva hur kundtidningen Medleys innehåll och layout uppfattas av läsarna samt vilka arbetsområden läsarna är verksamma inom. Vidare utvärderas om Medley är lyckad business-to-businessreklam som skapar kännedom om företaget Medtronics produkter.</p><p>Metod: Sekundärdata samlades in och en observationsstudie genomfördes där fem exemplar av Medley granskades. En matris framställdes som listade viktiga variabler som skulle komma att utvärderas. Utifrån matrisen formades en webbenkät innehållande tretton frågor som sedan skickades till 2020 yrkesverksamma personer inom sjukvården.</p><p>Slutsats: Läsarundersökningen resulterade i att 179 respondenter medverkade,där det var 72 läkare och 95 sjuksköterskor som medverkade. Läsarna vill helst läsa nyheter om medicinteknik, forskningsresultat,specialistområden och vetenskapliga artiklar. Respondenterna hade generellt positiva åsikter gällande Medleys layout, där teckensnittet fick högst betyg. Det var 107 respondenter som ansåg att deras kännedom hade ökat efter att de hade läst Medley, vilket representerar 59 % av samtliga respondenter. Sex av tio kriterier i Copy Chasers stämde överens med Medley, därav är kundtidningen Medley lyckad business-to-business-reklam som skapar kännedom om Medtronics produkter.</p> / <p>Date: 2008-06-03</p><p>Subject: Master Thesis in Business Administration, 15 hp</p><p>Authors: Magdalena Ekman, Emma Ronvall</p><p>Tutor: Carl G. Thunman</p><p>Title: An evaluation of the Customer Magazine Medley – the readers’ opinions about content & layout</p><p>Problem: Medtronic AB wishes to increase the knowledge about the company’s products among doctors, nurses, medical technicians and other opinion formers. A way of achieving that is through the customer magazine Medley, which is sent to personnel at hospitals and clinics in Sweden. It is important that the content and the layout of the customer magazine appeal the readers.</p><p>Purpose: The purpose is to describe how the content and layout of the customer magazine Medley is perceived by the readers and also in which work area they are employed. Furthermore Medley will be evaluated whether it is successful business-to-business advertising that creates knowledge about the products of the company Medtronic.</p><p>Method: Subsequently secondary data were gathered and an observational study was carried out, where five copies of Medley were reviewed. A matrix with important variables was made, where the variables that were going to be evaluated were listed. On the basis of the matrix the web questionnaire containing thirteen questions was designed and sent to 2020 persons working within medical care.</p><p>Conclusions: The research resulted in that 179 respondents took part, where 72 doctors and 95 nurses participated. The readers prefer to read about medical technology news, research results, specialist areas and articles of science. The respondents generally had positive opinions about Medley´s layout, where the font got the highest mark. There were 107 respondents that considered that their knowledge had increased since they have read in Medley, which represents 59 % of all respondents. Six out of ten criteria from The Copy Chasers agree with Medley; thereby Medley is successful business-to-business advertising that creates knowledge about Medtronic’s products.</p>

<p><strong>Syfte: </strong>Denna studies syfte är att beskriva förtroendets roll i långsiktiga affärsrelationer mellan företag inom automationsindustribranschen. Betydelsen av ett starkare/svagare förtroende beskrivs och detta görs utifrån automationsföretagens perspektiv.</p><p><strong>Metod: </strong>Teorin grundar sig främst på Morgan och Hunts (1994) trust & commitment theory, där förtroende och relationsåtagande beskrivs som förutsättningar för långsiktiga b2b relationer. För att kunna testa hypoteserna, samt besvara syftet genomfördes en kvantitativ undersökning i form av en enkätundersökning med 251 deltagande företagskontakter.</p><p><strong>Resultat: </strong>Förtroende och relationsåtagande är förutsättningar för långsiktiga B2B relationer, vilket är en fördel för automationsföretag. En viss nivå av osäkerhet behövs för att förtroende ska kunna existera i långsiktiga affärsrelationer mellan automationsföretag.</p><p><strong>Nyckelord: </strong>Förtroende, Relationsåtagande, Osäkerhet, Långsiktiga affärsrelationer, Business-to-business.</p> / Ett projekt bestående av 9 studenter, resultatet blev en bok.

<p><strong>Background:</strong> In order to survive and attain growth organizations need to make different investments which require that different decisions are being made. It is a process, by which a person, group or an organization identifies a choice or judgment to be made, gathers and evaluates information about alternatives and selects from among the alternatives. Thus, a decision is of great importance for an organization for which it is interesting for us to see how they make their decisions regarding a purchase and foremost how the actual decision-making process is constituted regarding a purchase of a simulation solution offered by our case company FrontWay AB.</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The purpose of this thesis is to examine and understand how a client’s decision-making process looks like, concerning the purchasing of technical complex products in industrial organizations, more specifically in the pulp- and paper industry.</p><p><strong>Method:</strong> A qualitative study has been used, based on interviews with the clients of FrontWay who have bough their simulation solution or are in the buying process.</p><p><strong>Result and Conclusions: </strong>The empirical findings that has come to hand shows that the decision-making process actually was shorter than perceived by the case company. One explanation was that the investment was not seen as big. Further we have concluded that the selling organization and the buying organization do not see the same start and end point when a decision is being made. The decision-making process for the buying organization seems to be difficult to shorten down, however, if the selling organization will do some changes maybe it can be shortened down. It is however questionable if FrontWay can make changes at all since it requires a lot of work as well as a lot of resources. As it takes time to make a good decision, and also resources from the buying organization to have someone working with simulations solution fulltime it is unsure if it is of interest to actually shorten down the decision-making process.</p>

<p>Bakgrund: Vår utgångspunkt i uppsatsen är att produktskillnaderna blir allt mindre och det emotionella värdets betydelse blir allt större. I och med detta får varumärket en allt större betydelse även inom business-to-business. </p><p>Syfte: Vi avser att undersöka ICA Menyföretagens identitet samt vad dess varumärke står för. Dessutom vill se hur användbara de modeller vi använt är i business-to-business-relationer samt utforma en egen modell som förklarar hur märkeslojalitet uppnås i en sådan relation. </p><p>Avgränsningar: Vi kommer endast att beröra så kallad business-to-business samt varumärkets emotionella värde. Vi har koncentrerat oss på två av ICA Menyföretagens affärsområden; storkök och restaurang. </p><p>Genomförande: Vi har genomfört ett mellanting mellan ett expert- och ett snöbollsurval för att hitta lämpliga respondenter till vår undersökning. Vi har intervjuat kunder till och medarbetare i ICA Menyföretagen. </p><p>Resultat: ICA Menyföretagen har en otydlig identitet. Detta är något som avspeglas såväl internt som externt i företaget. På grund av detta samt branschens karaktär är det svårt för ICA Meny att uppnå märkeslojala kunder. Avslutningsvis anser vi att det råder en brist på teorier som behandlar varumärket och dess identitet i business-to-business-situationer.</p>