Much previous research concerning the effects of the in-store experience on customers’ decision-making has been laboratory-based. There is a need for empirical research in a real store context to determine the impact of product, service and in-store environment perceptions on customer satisfaction and behaviour. This study is based on a literature review (Project 1) and a large scale empirical study (Projects 2/3) combining two sources of secondary data from the largest retailer in the UK, Tesco, and their loyalty ‘Clubcard’ provider, Dunnhumby. Data includes customer responses to an online self-completion survey of the customers’ shopping experience combined with customer demographic and behavioural data from a loyalty card programme for the same individual. The total sample comprised n=30,696 Tesco shoppers. The online survey measured aspects of the in-store experience. These items were subjected to factor analysis to identify the influences on the in-store experience with four factors emerging: assortment, retail atmosphere, personalised customer service and checkout customer service. These factors were then matched for each individual with behavioural and demographic data collected via the Tesco Clubcard loyalty program. Regression and sensitivity analyses were then conducted to determine the relative impact of the in-store customer experience dimensions on customer behaviour. Findings include that perceptions of customer service have a strong positive impact on customers’ overall shopping satisfaction and spending behaviour. Perceptions of the in-store environment and product quality/ availability positively influence customer satisfaction but negatively influence the amount of money spent during their shopping trip. Furthermore, personalised customer service has a strong positive impact on spend and overall shopping satisfaction, which also positively influences the number of store visits the week after. However, an increase in shopping satisfaction coming from positive perceptions of the in-store environment and product quality/ availability factors helps to reduce their negative impact on spend week after. A key contribution of this study is to suggest a priority order for investment; retailers should prioritise personalised customer service and checkout customer service, followed by the in-store environment together with product quality and availability. These findings are very important in the context of the many initiatives the majority of retail operators undertake. Many retailers focus on cost-optimisation plans like implementing self-service check outs or easy to operate and clinical in-store environment. This research clearly and solidly shows which approach should be followed and what really matters for customers. That is why the findings are important for both retailers and academics, contributing to and expanding knowledge and practice on the impact of the in-store environment on the customer experience.

Background: The Swedish retail pharmacy industry is a dynamic industry that has undergone many changes throughout the past decades. Presently, the pharmacy industry in Sweden consists of five nationwide pharmacy chains (Apoteket AB, Apotek Hjärtat, Kronans Apotek, Apoteksgruppen, and LloydsApotek), three strictly e-commerce pharmacy companies (Apotea, Meds, and Apohem), and 40 private players.    Problem: Due to digitalization, retail industries are nowadays dealing with customers that have different expectations and exhibit changed shopping behaviours. The retail pharmacy industry in Sweden has not been an exception to the trend of having to go through a digital transformation based on society changes and changed customer behaviour.    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to research how the Swedish retail pharmacy companies have adapted to meet customer expectations and created value for the customer, as a result of digitalization.   Method: A qualitative approach with seven semi-structured interviews have been conducted on company representatives from the Swedish retail pharmacy industry.     Results: Despite the Swedish retail pharmacy industry being controlled by regulations put in place by the state, they have successfully managed to restructure their operations through their digitalization process. This has been done with the customer primarily in mind, through meeting their expectations and continuing to create value.

Little is known about how sustainable entrepreneurs balance sustainability aspects with growth. The aim of this study is to investigate how growth and sustainability are balanced, and what role customers play in this balance. To answer this question we used a case study design and interviewed 8 executives representing 5 sustainable new ventures based in Sweden. The theory of the three pillars of sustainability was used to categorise and probe the data. Our research draws on two types of sustainability companies (sustainability-at-its-core and product-at-its-core) that balance sustainability and growth in a different way. Customers play an essential role in the balance, as they both impact growth and the sustainability level. Our research shows that within balancing growth and sustainability, sustainability can be seen as a company trait rather than a choice as sustainability is a part of the core of the new ventures’ business and will therefore always have an important position, even if growth is limited. It is recommended to explore the distinction in sustainable company type more in depth or other stakeholders’ influence towards new ventures in balancing growth and sustainability in the future.

Det huvudsakliga syftet är att förstå hur fastighetsmäklare resonerar vid värderingar av privatbostäder. För att kunna undersöka detta har det varit nödvändigt att förstå hur en fastighetsmäklares värderingsprocess går till samt hur de ser och bedömer värdepåverkande faktorer vid värdering av privatbostäder. Det har även varit väsentligt att identifiera om det föreligger bias hos fastighetsmäklare vid värdering av privatbostäder samt vad det kan bero på. Detta ska sedan sättas i relation till fastighetsmäklares oberoende ställning gentemot köpare och säljare. För att undersöka detta ska frågan om vad som påverkar fastighetsmäklares arbete vid bedömningen av marknadsvärdet besvaras.  Studien har genomförts med en kvalitativ metod och en deduktiv ansats. Sex stycken fastighetsmäklare som är verksamma inom Malmö och Lund Kommun har intervjuats för det empiriska materialet. För att uppnå en variation och bredd på urvalet intervjuades fastighetsmäklare i olika åldrar, kön och arbetserfarenheter.  Resultatet i denna studie visar att i grunden utförs värderingsprocessen på motsvarande vis av samtliga respondenter. I en värderingsprocess där det saknas tillräcklig med statistisk visade studien att fastighetsmäklare med längre erfarenhet har större möjlighet att bestämma marknadsvärdet i jämförelse med nyare fastighetsmäklare. Vidare visar studien att den mest betydande värdepåverkande faktorn enligt respondenterna är hur väl privatbostadens egenskaper möter efterfrågan från olika målgrupper på marknaden. Kundinflytande kan ske både medvetet och omedvetet, något som innebär att bias kan föreligga vid värdering av privatbostäder. Det är fastighetsmäklares mottaglighet för kundinflytande som är avgörande för hur objektiv värderingen slutligen blir. Det finns ett tydligt samband mellan fastighetsmäklarnas arbetserfarenhet och deras prissättningsstrategi av utgångspriset. Erfarna fastighetsmäklare med längre arbetserfarenhet är benägna att sätta högre utgångspris medan fastighetsmäklare med kortare arbetserfarenhet är mer försiktiga i sin prissättningsstrategi. Slutligen kan det konstateras att det existerar en risk för opportunistiskt beteende hos fastighetsmäklare i värderingsprocessen. Vid värdering inför försäljning finns kontrollerade faktorer eftersom bostadens läggs ut till försäljning på marknaden. Däremot är det en annan situation vid värdering inför refinansiering av bolån där risk för kundpåverkan är större. / The main aim of the study is to understand how realtors reason when valuing private dwellings. In order to conduct the research it has been necessary to understand how the valuation process is constructed as well as how realtors view and assess value affecting factors when valuing private dwellings. It has been crucial to identify whether their valuations are subject to bias and to find out what might cause it. This has in turn been examined in context with the realtors objective stance in relation to the buyers and sellers of private dwellings. In order to fulfill the purpose, the issue to be answered concerns factors which affect market valuations performed by realtors.  The study has been conducted using a qualitative research method and a deductive approach. Six realtors active in the municipalities of Malmö and Lund have been interviewed and their answers used as empirical material. The respondents have been chosen to consist of a variation in age, gender and work experience.  The result of this study shows that the valuations are performed mostly the same way by all interviewees. A valuation process which lacks statistical data backing up the valuation, realtors with more experience have a greater ability to determine the market value compared to realtors with lesser experience. Moreover, the study shows that the most influential value affecting factor is how well the value affecting factors correspond to the demands of various target groups in the private dwellings market. Customer influence can affect the realtor both consciously and unconsciously, which implies that bias may be a factor when they value private dwellings. It is the realtors’ receptiveness to customer influence that is detrimental to the degree of objectivity that a valuation is performed with. There is a clear correlation between the realtor's experience and their starting price strategy. Experienced realtors are more inclined to set higher starting prices while realtors with lesser experience are more careful. Lastly it can be concluded that there exists a risk for opportunistic behavior among realtors in a valuation process. When a valuation is performed in advance of an upcoming sale there is a possibility of comparing it to the actual outcome when the final sales price is determined and the dwelling sold on the market. The situation differs when the valuation is done with the aim of refinancing housing loans as the risk for customer influence is greater.