The aim of this master thesis is to improve the competitive position of a selected company by creation of new marketing mix. The thesis is divided into three parts. The first part constitutes the theoretical basis. The second part contains SLEPT analysis, analysis according to Porter’s five forces model, analysis of the company‘s marketing mix and its competition, and also includes a questionnaire. The third part deals with creation of new marketing mix for the company.

Business model design and innovation has been identified as a powerful tool for creating competitive advantage, yet empirical studies which identify the mechanisms for creating this competitive advantage are largely absent in the literature. Coupled with this, innovative multi-sided platform firms that depend on the resources of partners have grown to be some of the most valuable firms in the world, disrupting entire industries in the process. However, there is a dearth of empirical studies on business model design strategies that confer competitive advantage on multi-sided platforms. This study explores the business model design and innovation strategies used by owner-managers of multi-sided platforms to create competitive advantage. Data was collected through 13 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with the owner-managers of South African multi-sided platforms. This study found that partners and customers play an important role in co-creating value and influencing the design of multi-sided platforms. In order to create competitive advantage with their business models, the owner-managers in the study used four broad, non-exclusive business model design and innovation strategies. These comprised: design differentiation strategies, value creating innovation strategies, building network effects and locking in customers and partners through relationship management strategies. This study contributes to the literature by identifying business model design strategies that are utilised to create competitive advantage. The study also highlighted the importance of “ecosystemic” thinking in creating multi-sided platforms. A framework is presented that can aid managers in creating multi-sided platform business models that confer competitive advantage. / Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

This study describes the factors that drive competitiveness between local firms and multinational enterprises (MNE) in a retail consumer market of an emerging country. It also seeks to identify the approaches and strategies the competitors consider and adopt to maintain the advantage in the consumer market.The objective of this study is to identify the factors local firms and MNE’s will consider when competing with each other. The study also wants to identify the preferred mode of entry of MNE’s.The study will be a quantitative study where relationships between competitors and their performance in the market are measured.The results revealed that local firms do have a competitive advantage over MNE’s in the retail consumer market due to the local firm’s knowledge of the market, rather than the technology and skills. It’s also clear that MNE have a preferred mode of entry and they chose to compete in the industries where they are stronger than the local firms. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Netzwerke, insbesondere für organisationsübergreifende Innovationsaktivitäten, gewinnen weiter an Bedeutung. Zunehmend kann auch ein Wettbewerb der Netzwerke und Allianzen attestiert werden. Innovationsfähigkeit kann hierbei zum wichtigen Wettbewerbsvorteil werden. Diese Studie gibt Aufschluss über wesentliche Treiber von Innovationsleistung in Netzwerken. Innovationen werden dabei zum einen als marktbezogene Produkt -und Dienstleistungsneuheiten, zum anderen i.S.v. netzwerkinternen neuen Maßnahmen und Prozessen verstanden. Hierzu wurden 757 Manager/Koordinatoren innovationsorientierter Netzwerke angeschrieben. Auf Basis der gewonnenen Daten wird die Wirkung von Innovationsstrategien, Innovationskultur, Wissensaustausch, Kospezialisierung, Führungsstil und Reflexivität auf die Innovationsleistung von Netzwerken aufgezeigt. Die vorliegende Studie ist Teil eines umfangreichen empirischen Forschungsprojekts mit Förderung aus Mitteln des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) und des Europäischen Sozialfonds im Förderschwerpunkt "Innovationsstrategien jenseits traditionellen Managements"

Introduction - Firms nowadays are trying to build a sustainable competitive advantage toensure their long term stay within the market. But as the business environment is rapidlychanging due to the new technology, it makes it difficult for firms to develop a competitiveadvantage. Moreover, SMEs in emerging economies are struggling with how to develop theircapacity to respond to the shift in the business environment. Purpose - The purpose of this study is to adopt Teece’s (2007) framework in the developingcountry to be able to understand and identify the capabilities that an entrepreneur needs tohave to be successful, especially emphasizing how Saffron produces SMEs in Afghanistancan perform the good competition in an unstable environment and provide factors on howentrepreneurs can get a sustainable competitive advantage using the DC framework. Method – This study was carried out by using a qualitative approach with an exploratorynature and a case study research design. The main data was collected by conducting in-depthinterviews with entrepreneurs in the saffron business. To analysis the collected data, the sixstep of thematic analysis method by Barun and Clarke (2016) was used. Findings – In the collected data, there is evidence that indicates that entrepreneurs inemerging markets can use the DC framework to gain and increase their capabilities to dealwith the uncertainty in the business environment and firms need to change theirorganizational structure from centralized to decentralized. Meanwhile, flexibility inoperations and adaptability to changes can afford SMEs with a greater possibility to gain acompetitive advantage in an unstable business environment. Further, while female'sparticipation in the value chain of the economy is more effective compared to males, theirrole in leading businesses remains marginal, therefore, firms cannot gain competitiveadvantage by systematically excluding some resources such a women’s. There is potentialloss of excluding women if international partners would prefer more diversity in products.Human resources is also a capacity of SMEs that is difficult to replicate. Hence, SMEs inemerging markets cannot gain a competitive advantage by workforce gender segregation.

In recent years, the aspects of sustainability and environmental friendliness have taken on an increasingly large role in our society and due to climate change and scarcity of resources, green technologies are growing. As the consequence, this ongoing trend has affected the business environment. Companies need to adapt their strategies to a sustainable manner and take advantage of the potential opportunities generated by this change. Considering the impact and importance of Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the global business environment and economic development, this paper has therefore addressed the question of how SMEs can gain a competitive advantage by implementing a green marketing strategy and how far possible advantages can be used for the internationalization of these companies. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five German and Swedish case companies to investigate to what extent they are implementing a green marketing strategy, if they have reached any competitive advantages generated by this strategy, and whether these competitive advantages have contributed to a smoother internationalization process. To answer these questions, the case companies are positioned on the green marketing matrix proposed by Ginsberg and Bloom (2004) which is the basic concept for analyzing the respective strategy, then case studies’ attitudes regarding the aspect of sustainability, competitive advantages raised from implementing a green marketing strategy and their potential impacts on internationalization process are analyzed. According to the empirical findings, the case studies have registered a tremendous change in customers' behavior regarding green behaviors in society, which emphasizes the need to implement a green business strategy. Particularly, applying a green marketing strategy enables companies to achieve several competitive advantages which help them develop an optimal position against competitors and even exploit them in their internationalization process.

The utilization of total quality management (TQM) is advocated by some experts, as a partial remedy to the ills of the healthcare industry. However, some healthcare administrators are not yet sold on TQM. Some healthcare administrators still question the impact of TQM on the operational, financial and strategic health of their institutions. They consider the investment in TQM as unjustifiable because the return on such investment in their mind is questionable. This study illustrates how the constant market share model can be utilized to show the competitive benefits of TQM. Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that the fears of some healthcare administrators are unfounded. Not only that TQM does not compromise organizational effectiveness, but it actually improves it, as it contributes to increasing market share.

This research aims to present, analyse and discuss how to sustain a competitive advantage in the Fashion Luxury market throughout a case study of Emerging Fashion Brands. The analysed data determines that considering the customers’ demands, the attributes of the Emerging Fashion Brands and the idiosyncrasy of the Fashion Luxury Market these brands must apply a Differentiation Strategy directed to a focal target group in order to sustain their competitive positions in the market. Furthermore, the findings of the research prove the relevance for Emerging Fashion Brands to identify their innovative capabilities where to design or redefine their Business Models. Also, this research describes a future scenario of the Fashion Luxury Market whereby the identification of the upcoming trends and opportunities are identified. Therefore, a holistic approach of the Fashion Luxury Market is provided in order to help the managerial decision-making.

Purpose The purpose of this case study is to explore the measures which the engineering consulting firm use to retain their employees for sustaining competitive advantage. The key focus of the research is to address the reasons for high employee turnover and connect these reasons with the measures to retain employees to maintain a low employee turnover for sustained competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative and abductive approach is applied for this research with a single case study of a Swedish-based engineering consultancy firm. Data collection includes both primary and secondary data. Primary data was achieved based on semistructured and virtual interviews with five interview participants; two of them are at managerial levels. Secondary data include reports and documents from the case company, the Swedish Federation of Innovation Companies, and other relevant sources. Findings and conclusion Low employee turnover rate can help sustain a competitive advantage for an engineering consulting firm. Nine retention measures are explored in this study which includes eight non-financial measures and one financial measure which can be listed as: 1. Transformational leadership style; 2. Open and trusting culture and values of an organization 3. Talent management approach which enhances job security and opportunities for advancement; 4. Respectful, open, and inspiring communication; 5. The autonomy which empowers freedom and independence of work and decision-making; 6.Work-life balance; 7. Employer brand, interesting clients and meaningful projects; 8. Diversity of the workforce; 9. Fair compensation package Originality/Value This study contributes to the knowledge-intensive segment and the engineering consultancy field with insights from a leading Swedish engineering consulting firm. A newly established model is presented with concepts from previous research findings and the empirical findings of this research.

Small businesses make up about 90% of all business entities and employ about 60% of the total workforce, yet 50% of small businesses fail within their first 5 years. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore how SBOs use the appropriate product diversification strategies to remain sustainable. The sample population were 3 small retail business owners in a large-sized county in the Washington, D. C. metropolitan area who employed fewer than 19 people and have successfully used product diversification strategies to remain sustainable beyond 5 years. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and company document reviews. Data analysis entailed using an alphabetic coding process to identify the frequency and importance of themes. Grounded in the conceptual framework of the model of market orientation, this study revealed 4 themes that could help small business owners use the appropriate product diversification strategies to remain sustainable: customer-centric decision-making, market-trend orientation, resource orientation, and complementary products and services. The implications for positive social change include the potential to give small business owners a decision-making framework to achieve sustainability and growth, which would contribute to healthy economic conditions through consumerism, higher employment rates, and a reduction in poverty. The findings of this study could benefit local, small businesses and communities.