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M.A. / The discipline of political risk analysis has often been criticised as a ‘soft science’. As the title of this study suggest, the major challenge of this study is set out to provide an empirical analysis of political risk and to prove that political risk can indeed be measured. The aim of this study is to provide an empirical analysis of political risk by testing the reliability of current risk assessment approaches to accurately forecast political risk. There have not been many attempts to test the reliability of political risk assessment models. However, Howell & Chaddick (1994) tested the reliability of three (EIU, PRS and BERI) political risk assessment models to accurately forecast risk projections in the period 1982-1994. This study will revisit the test done by Howell & Chaddick (1994) in order to determine the reliability of three forecast models. In order for forecasts to be reliable, forecasts must be justified and defended by applying practical logic. Practical logic implies that theory be tested against real world experience. Hence, a reliable analysis will require that actual losses be tested against theory. Therefore, in addressing the connection between theory and actual losses, this study will correlate losses incurred in the period 1994- 2004 with theory. Due to the nominal nature of the concept political risk, there has been a lack of consensus in the field on what constitute political risk. This study will provide a conceptual clarification of political risk. A brief discussion of the underlying theoretical background in political risk is required in order to understand the concept of political risk and terms thereof. Hence, this study will establish a theoretical base of political risk analysis. This study argue that low political risk encourage foreign direct investment. The relationship between political risk and foreign direct investment will be analysed in this study. It is hoped that in light of this study’s findings, a case can be putt III forth that multi-national corporations can use political risk analysis to minimise exposure to losses and as an extension of political risk analysis, multi-national corporations can use political risk insurance to hedge against political risks. The outcomes of this study aim to prove that political risk can be empirically tested and measured and that the analysis of political risk is essential to successfully manage political risks.

The kinematic characteristics of 17 elite male cross-country skiers competing in the 50 km race of the 1992 Winter Olympic Games were determined. Each skier used the open field skating technique, one of four skating techniques used in free technique cross-country ski races. Skiers were filmed by the use of three video cameras, placed at a filming site on a flat portion of the racing course. Digitized data from the video were used to determine selected kinematic parameters which included: cycle velocity; cycle length; cycle rate; center of mass (CM) velocity vector angle; CM lateral displacement; CM lateral velocity; CM horizontal velocity; ski angles; ski edging angles; several types of pole angles; and hip, knee, and trunk angles. Temporal characteristics including strong side and weak side ski and pole phase times were also calculated. Cycle velocity and cycle length were found to be significantly related as were cycle velocity and the maximum strong side knee angle (r > .48, p < .05). Cycle velocity and the CM velocity vector angle were found to have only a moderate non-significant relationship as did cycle velocity and the strong and weak side ski angles. For those skiers using the open field skating technique, CM lateral motion (as measured by the CM velocity vector angle and the ski angles) did not seem to be a distinguishing factor between faster and slower skiers, as hypothesized. However, cycle length and the maximum strong side knee angle did seem to distinguish faster from slower skiers. Skiers who covered more distance throughout a cyde tended to have faster cycle velocities. Contributing to this increased distance could have been the thrust of the strong side ski. Skiers with the most strong side knee extension tended to ski the fastest. Thus, it seems that greater leg extension results in greater propulsive forces and greater velocity. / Graduation date: 1993

The internationalization of SMEs can be expected to gain further momentum because the world economy is becoming increasingly integrated with continuing declines in government-imposed barriers and continuing advances in technology. Meanwhile, more and more SMEs from developing countries start to increase their overseas business. The purpose of this thesis is to study or investigate how SMEs develop and implement their internationalization strategies. To be able to illuminate this question in more detail, essential factors will be looked upon in this paper. We choose the export business as a main entry mode due to SMEs general lack of resources. Generic strategies and marketing mix analysis will also be discussed in the paper in order to obtain essential factors which influence performance of SMEs from developing countries which internationalize their business.Only a qualitative study was carried out to help determine the purpose of the paper, where data was collected through a real case study which was an Exporting Company from a developing country. The primary data was collected through interviews via email with the company founder, accounting manager, manufacturing manager and sales managers, complemented with secondary data collected from internet sources.The empirical findings and analysis has brought to light some interesting conclusions. Export can be a smart choice for SMEs, because they lack of resources at the initial period. Whether the choice is direct export or indirect export, the driving force of SMEs from developing countries are their natural dispositions. Mixed generic strategy can help SMEs conquer disadvantages. While marketing mix theory can also help SMEs aim at niche markets more clearly.Thus, exporting as the most suitable entry mode for SMEs, while mixed generic strategies and marketing mix theory also should be taken into consideration. Therefore the success of internationalization process will be increased for SMEs from developing countries.

Background: Some brands have reached popularity much because of their origin and the "made-in" label can possibly generate a positive differentiating effect to the brand. Adequate examples are the British Burberry or the Italian Gucci, the French Chanel or the American Apple. All these brands strategically communicate their origin as part of their brand and the inspiration for this thesis arose form the Country-of-Origin phenomenon in international marketing (COO). This refers to that brands use cues related to their origin as a component of their brand message. Even the Swedish origin can be a competitive advantage and more companies could perhaps benefit from turning to a COO strategy, as there is a current trend of being local in a global context. This would promote the using of firms' Swedishness to succeed in establishments on foreign markets. The authors of this thesis believe that if more Swedish companies would clearly distinguish as Swedish this could perhaps also enhance the positive image of Sweden. Therefore, this thesis is exploring to what extent some Swedish fashion apparel brands work with their origin as part of their international marketing. Research Question: How do companies exploit their Country-of-Origin as part of their brand in their international marketing communication? Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to explore the exploitation of a Country-of-Origin effect in Swedish fashion apparel brands' international marketing. Methodology: The study ha taken a primarily qualitative research design, which has included two research techniques. A pre-study was conducted, that consisted of a focus group interview where the following issues were discussed: the general view of Sweden, Swedish brands and companies, and their examination with the Country-of-Origin label. The pre-study gave important insights that were used in the main study - semi structured interviews with Swedish companies working in the fashion apparel industry. From the whole population of companies in the Swedish fashion industry, a first sample of 57 companies was made. From this sample a second sample of 11 companies was drawn, that represented approximately 20 percent that was argued to be a fair number of respondents to be able to see some patterns. The data from the interviews were analyzed and interpreted in a qualitative analysis procedure that focused on the finding of keywords and patterns. Results: The results showed that a clear majority of the random interviewed companies, 9 of 11 use their COO in their brand and 8 companies said it is a more or less explicit strategy. The exploitation of their COO was made by using country-related cues in their marketing. The reason why these companies have turned to a COO strategy was that it could give them competitive advantages, since there was a positive match between associations of their brand and Sweden. The general conclusion that could be made was that the benefits from using a COO strategy differ with the product and the country. It can also be assumed that more Swedish companies could benefit from realizing  the potential in using a COO strategy.

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Programm--University Bern. (Index lect. Sem. aest.).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 402-441). Also available on the Internet (access restricted).