Thesis (Ph. D.)--Carleton University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 244-268). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 198-213). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 198-213). Also available on the Internet.

Diss. Helsinki School of Economics. / Text in English with abstract in English and Finnish. Includes bibliographical references (p. 211-219).

Diploma thesis is focused on analysis and evaluation of the relationship between gender of target group and prices of consumer goods in various retail chains in the Czech Republic within the categories of drugstore goods and clothing.

O design tem sido cada vez mais reconhecido como uma fonte de vantagem competitiva para as empresas, sendo considerado uma atividade estratégica no desenvolvimento e no sucesso comercial de produtos baseados em diferenciação. Percebendo a relevância do design na competitividade da indústria, a presente pesquisa teve como objetivo principal a realização de uma análise do uso do design no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos (PDP) em empresas desenvolvedoras de bens de consumo. Através dessa análise, buscou-se caracterizar a atuação e a função do design, identificando também os fatores facilitadores e inibidores das práticas de design nas empresas estudadas. Visando o alcance dos objetivos propostos, optou-se como procedimento metodológico uma abordagem qualitativa de estudos de casos múltiplos, selecionando-se quatro empresas como objetos de pesquisa. A coleta de dados do trabalho consistiu em entrevistas com o setor de desenvolvimento de produtos de cada uma das empresas, sendo dividida em seis etapas: a primeira foi destinada à coleta de informações institucionais; a segunda consistiu na modelagem do processo de desenvolvimento de produtos; a terceira investigou o processo de design; a quarta caracterizou o perfil dos entrevistados; a quinta identificou as atividades desempenhadas pelos entrevistados e, por último, a sexta etapa correspondeu à realização de um workshop de design. Os resultados obtidos por meio da coleta de dados permitiram identificar um padrão de práticas existentes nas empresas. Constatou-se que as empresas estudadas demonstram uma predisposição em relação à utilização e a investimentos na área do design para o desenvolvimento de seus produtos. Porém, por outro lado, verificou-se que o design não tem sido explorado de maneira eficiente pelas empresas. Um dos principais fatores identificados como inibidores das práticas do design corresponde a uma lacuna de conhecimento das potencialidades de atuação do designer dentro das empresas. Vale ressaltar que a amostra da pesquisa não é representativa de toda indústria brasileira, portanto, as evidências não podem ser generalizadas. Entretanto, pelos padrões identificados entre os objetos de estudo, acredita-se que parte das práticas identificadas possam ser encontradas em outras empresas desenvolvedoras de bens de consumo. / Design has been increasingly recognized as a source of competitive advantage for companies and seen as a strategic activity in the development and commercial success of differentiation based products. Considering the design importance in the industries competitiveness, the present study aimed to do an analysis of the design use in the product development process (PDP) in companies that develop consumer goods. Through this analysis, we sought to characterize the performance and function of design, as well as identify the facilitating and inhibiting factors of design practices in the companies studied. Aiming to achieve the proposed objectives, we chose as methodological procedure a qualitative approach of multiple case studies, selecting four companies as research objects. The work’s data collection consisted on interviews with the product development sector of each company, which were divided into six stages: the first was designed to collect institutional information, the second consisted in modeling the product development process; the third investigated the design process, the fourth characterized the profile of respondents, the fifth identified the activities performed by respondents and, finally, the sixth stage corresponded to a design workshop. The results obtained through data collection identified a pattern of practices in companies. It was found that the companies studied show a predisposition towards the use and investment in design for the development of their products. However, it was found that design has not been effectively exploited by companies. One of the main factors identified as an inhibitor of design practices corresponds to a lack of knowledge on the potential role of the designer within companies. It is noteworthy that the research sample is not representative of the entire brazilian industry and therefore, the evidence cannot be generalized. However, with the patterns identified among the objects of study, it is believed that most of the practices identified can be found in other of consumer goods developing companies.

O design tem sido cada vez mais reconhecido como uma fonte de vantagem competitiva para as empresas, sendo considerado uma atividade estratégica no desenvolvimento e no sucesso comercial de produtos baseados em diferenciação. Percebendo a relevância do design na competitividade da indústria, a presente pesquisa teve como objetivo principal a realização de uma análise do uso do design no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos (PDP) em empresas desenvolvedoras de bens de consumo. Através dessa análise, buscou-se caracterizar a atuação e a função do design, identificando também os fatores facilitadores e inibidores das práticas de design nas empresas estudadas. Visando o alcance dos objetivos propostos, optou-se como procedimento metodológico uma abordagem qualitativa de estudos de casos múltiplos, selecionando-se quatro empresas como objetos de pesquisa. A coleta de dados do trabalho consistiu em entrevistas com o setor de desenvolvimento de produtos de cada uma das empresas, sendo dividida em seis etapas: a primeira foi destinada à coleta de informações institucionais; a segunda consistiu na modelagem do processo de desenvolvimento de produtos; a terceira investigou o processo de design; a quarta caracterizou o perfil dos entrevistados; a quinta identificou as atividades desempenhadas pelos entrevistados e, por último, a sexta etapa correspondeu à realização de um workshop de design. Os resultados obtidos por meio da coleta de dados permitiram identificar um padrão de práticas existentes nas empresas. Constatou-se que as empresas estudadas demonstram uma predisposição em relação à utilização e a investimentos na área do design para o desenvolvimento de seus produtos. Porém, por outro lado, verificou-se que o design não tem sido explorado de maneira eficiente pelas empresas. Um dos principais fatores identificados como inibidores das práticas do design corresponde a uma lacuna de conhecimento das potencialidades de atuação do designer dentro das empresas. Vale ressaltar que a amostra da pesquisa não é representativa de toda indústria brasileira, portanto, as evidências não podem ser generalizadas. Entretanto, pelos padrões identificados entre os objetos de estudo, acredita-se que parte das práticas identificadas possam ser encontradas em outras empresas desenvolvedoras de bens de consumo. / Design has been increasingly recognized as a source of competitive advantage for companies and seen as a strategic activity in the development and commercial success of differentiation based products. Considering the design importance in the industries competitiveness, the present study aimed to do an analysis of the design use in the product development process (PDP) in companies that develop consumer goods. Through this analysis, we sought to characterize the performance and function of design, as well as identify the facilitating and inhibiting factors of design practices in the companies studied. Aiming to achieve the proposed objectives, we chose as methodological procedure a qualitative approach of multiple case studies, selecting four companies as research objects. The work’s data collection consisted on interviews with the product development sector of each company, which were divided into six stages: the first was designed to collect institutional information, the second consisted in modeling the product development process; the third investigated the design process, the fourth characterized the profile of respondents, the fifth identified the activities performed by respondents and, finally, the sixth stage corresponded to a design workshop. The results obtained through data collection identified a pattern of practices in companies. It was found that the companies studied show a predisposition towards the use and investment in design for the development of their products. However, it was found that design has not been effectively exploited by companies. One of the main factors identified as an inhibitor of design practices corresponds to a lack of knowledge on the potential role of the designer within companies. It is noteworthy that the research sample is not representative of the entire brazilian industry and therefore, the evidence cannot be generalized. However, with the patterns identified among the objects of study, it is believed that most of the practices identified can be found in other of consumer goods developing companies.

The aim of this study was to find a connection between changes in societies and changes in semantic prototypes by examining the prototypes of ‘fruit’ and ‘car’ among Slovenes that reached adulthood in Yugoslavia and Slovenes that that reached adulthood in the Republic of Slovenia and to compare those results with a control group of native English speakers. The results of the study suggests that in some aspects, the prototypes of ‘fruit’ and ‘car’ amongyounger Slovenes have moved closer to what they are in cultures that have a long history of capitalism and consumerism. The opinions about how good an example of a ‘fruit’ a banana is, is the best example of this. Younger Slovenes and the control group see it as a very good example, while older Slovenes rated it lower. The older Slovenes were also slightly more accepting of a very small car model being a good example of a ‘car’, than both younger Slovenes and the control group were.

Thesis examines FMCG-specific private labels sector, analyses four main factors influencing its development and relates them to the actual evolution as nowadays seen on the markets.

The thesis engages in the subject of brand management. The objective of the thesis was to conceive the subject of brand management and to apply the knowledge gained to a particular brand, i. e. to analyze and critically evaluate current brand management of the brand selected and to suggest recommendations for leading the brand in the future. The theoretical part of the thesis focuses on brand, brand elements and functions and engages in particular phases of the brand management process. The practical part of the thesis introduces the market of the chosen brand, the brand producer and the brand itself. The practical part also includes evaluation of survey concluded. The final part of the thesis engages in describing and evaluating the current management of the brand selected and in composing recommendations for leading the brand in the future.