Aim: The aim of this study is to explore small enterprises’ marketing strategy and the digital tools that can improve their odds in the market against competitors and gain competitive advantage. Method: Qualitative study was conducted using primary and secondary data for this study, where primary data was collected through ten semi-structured interviews. An inductive approach was used to complete this study. The sample taken was seven small hotels and ten respondents who own and manage the hotels. Result & Conclusion: Findings of this study show that digital marketing tools demand fewer resources such as marketing expenses, number of employees, and make marketing activities simpler for the managers of small enterprises. As a result of digitalization, small enterprises are able to implement the marketing mix (4Ps), although their primary focus is price followed by providing customized product/service that fits the customers’ needs to gain competitive advantage. Suggestion for future studies: We found in our study that one hotel did not use social media at all, and it would be interesting to know if there are more enterprises that do not use it as well. Therefore, in future studies, a larger sample would produce more data about the use of social media by small enterprises. Additionally, this study was conducted in a developed country context and further research would be beneficial to emerging-market countries if it is conducted in their context. Finally, a deeper investigation of marketing strategy between different sizes of micro and small enterprises can provide greater knowledge about how they operate. Contribution of the thesis: This study has contributed to small enterprises’ marketing strategy, which shows that they focus on customer preferences rather than what their competitors offer. It also contributes to SMEs’ digital marketing where digitalizing an enterprise’s marketing activities decreases costs and increases dynamic capabilities to gain and maintain a competitive advantage. Moreover, this study provides new thoughts about the marketing mix for SMEs, which includes that cost leadership strategy is mostly used, hence, making them the price followers. In other words, they set their prices based on their competitors.

Digital services have immeasurably transformed the world economy, and so people’s lives, over the past two decades. One industry where digitalization has been slower is the financial services. Nevertheless, this has changed in the past years with the emergence of fintech companies disrupting the traditional banks and payment solutions. Several studies have researched the internationalization process of digital born globals across different industries. However, due to how recent and emerging the fintech industry is, the area is understudied. To gain insight on the internationalization process of digital born globals within the fintech industry this study was based on an empirical multiple-case study including 4 fintech companies from Sweden and Finland. The main finding of this study is that fintech firms do not expand like other digital born globals but instead follow a more traditional, incremental internationalization process. We also observed that fintech companies used an online entry strategy initially allowing a fast entry process. In some cases, they also established offline presence. Overall, we hope to contribute to theory by giving insight on which factors that cause fintech companies to expand, how the internationalization process looks, how external partnerships might influence, and which challenges they might face.

Uppsatsen har syftat till att undersöka socialsekreterares upplevelser och erfarenheter med digitalisering inom försörjningsstöd. Sju socialsekreterare som arbetar med försörjningsstöd i sju olika kommuner har deltagit i kvalitativa intervjuer. Empirin från intervjuerna har analyserats utifrån de teoretiska perspektiven McDonalidisering, domänteori samt nyinstitutionalism. Resultatet visar att delaktighet är en viktig parameter för ett lyckat införande av digitala tjänster inom försörjningsstöd och särskilt att det finns en osäkerhet i samband med fortsatt digitalisering och att få en robot som medarbetare. Det finns även en oro att tjänster kommer minskas när arbetet förändras och det upplevs finnas en diskrepans mellan politiken och professionella gällande prioriteringar och vilka förbättringar verksamheterna behöver. Samtidigt är tillgängligheten och frigjord tid som digitaliseringen erbjuder något alla informanter lyfter som en viktig aspekt av arbetet med försörjningsstöd. Informanterna anser att frigjord tid från handläggning istället ska utveckla möten med klienter och att det sociala arbetet därmed kan förbättras. / The purpose of this study was to examine experiences social workers have within digitalization in social welfare. Seven social workers from seven different municipalities was interviewed. The empirical data from the interviews have been analyzed with McDonaldization, domain theory and new institutionalism. The result show that participation in the introduction of digital services is a key parameter for success especially since the informants expresses insecurity in having a robot as a co-worker in the future. There was also a concern that services will be reduced when the work changes and a discrepancy between the politics and professional priorities and which improvements the organisations need. Availability and released time are something all the informants think is important, and that digitalization can help implement. The informants believe that released time from administrative work instead should focus on meetings with clients and that the social work thereby can be improved.

Syfte - Små och medelstora företag (SMF) möter motgångar och kämpar med sin digitala transformation. Det finns heller ingen erkänd process för digital transformation för SMF, och därmed ett gap i litteraturen för användandet av processer för digital transformation i SMF. Studiens syfte är således att öka förståelsen för hur små och medelstora företag kan arbeta med digital transformation. Metod - Studien är av explorativ karaktär med en abduktiv ansats. Primärdata samlades in genom 15 intervjuer på ett SMF i byggindustrin. Intervjuerna utfördes i tre vågor för att först säkerställa studiens relevans, sedan för att samla in min huvudsakliga primärdata och slutligen för att konfirmera och justera studiens resultat. En tematisk analys i fyra steg inspirerad av Braun och Clark (2014) har använts som analysmetod. Resultat - Studien har resulterat i en process där fyra faser visar på hur SMF kan arbeta med digital transformation. De fyra faserna är (1) Problemformulering, (2) Handlingsplan, (3) Implementering och slutligen (4) Uppföljning. Faserna består av nio steg där varje fas, steg och underliggande aktivitet motiveras, förklaras och styrks. Processen presenteras och förklaras tillsammans med rekommendationer på hur SMF kan arbeta med processen. Teoretiska implikationer - Studiens teoretiska bidrag är flera, men bidrar främst med ökad förståelse för hur SMF kan arbeta med processen för digital transformation genom (1) en fallstudie i en - för litteraturen - ny bransch, (2) ökad förståelse för uppföljningen av digital transformation i stora, små och medelstora företag, (3) hur interna och externa resurser kan användas på ett effektivt sätt i processen för digital transformation, samt (4) identifiering av möjliggörande faktorer för digital transformation i SMF i byggindustrin. Praktiska implikationer - Det praktiska bidraget är främst en process som kan användas av SMF för att arbeta med processen för digital transformation. Processen kan användas av företag och chefer för att planera för, besluta om, implementera och följa upp processen för digital transformation i SMF. Genom att använda processen kan SMF undvika typiska SMF-hinder så som brist på resurser, expertis, struktur och vägledning. / Purpose - Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are facing challenges and struggles with their digital transformation. There is no established process for digital transformation for SMEs, and therefore there is a gap in the literature for processes for digital transformation in SMEs. The study's purpose is therefore to enhance the understanding of how SMEs can work with digital transformation. Method - The study is of explorative character with an abductive approach. Primary data was gathered by 15 interviews at an SME in the construction industry. The interviews was conducted in three waves to first strengthen the relevance of the study, then to collect the primary data and finally to confirm and adjust the result of the study. A thematic analysis in four steps, inspired by Braun and Clark (2014) has been used as a method for analysis. Results - The study has resulted in a process where four phases show how SMEs can work with digital transformation. The four phases are (1) Problem definition, (2) Action plan, (3) Implementation, and finnaly (4) Follow up. The phases consist of a total of nine steps, where each phase, step and underlying activity is motivated, explained and strengthened. The process is presented and explained together with recommendations on how SMEs can work with the process. Theoretical implications - The study has multiple theoretical contributions, but foremost, the study contributes to enhanced understanding of how SMEs can work with the process for digital transformation by (1) a case-study in a - for the literature - new industry, (2) enhanced understanding for the follow up of digital transformation in large, small and medium-sized enterprises, (3) how internal and external resources can be used efficiently in the process for digital transformation, and (4) identification of factors that enable digital transformation in SMEs in the construction industry. Practical implications - The practical contribution is foremost the process that can be used by SME for the process for digital transformation. The process can be utilized by organizations and leaders to plan, decide, implement and follow up the process for digital transformation in SMEs. By utilizing the process, SME can mitigate typical challenges that SME are facing, such as the lack of resources, expertise, structure and guidance.

A pesquisa apresenta o conceito da coexistência mediada comunicacionalmente e tenta identificar os \"erros\" de percepção que podem ocorrer entre as diversas formas/ambientes de mediação comunicacionais, representadas pelos fluxos e refluxos: acústicos, visuais, elétricos e digitais. O conceito de coexistência mediada comunicacionalmente é inspirado na \"Investigação sobre os Modos de Existência\", de Bruno Latour, e opera uma tradução da tensão entre essencialismo e correlacionismo visando a um deslocamento da atenção que nos ajude a perceber etnograficamente as relações entre humanos e não humanos. Assim, na primeira etapa da pesquisa foi feita uma revisão da \"investigação\" de Latour, descrevendo seus passos até a missão diplomática e colaborativa de composição de um mundo comum, representada pela AIME. Em seguida, foram mapeados os principais usos do termo mediação, buscando identificar aqueles mais próximos da AIME, como foi o caso das explorações de Marshall McLuhan. Por fim, para identificar esses fluxos e refluxos ontológicos foi realizada uma experimentação etnográfica sobre o fenômeno dos rolezinhos, partindo a princípio dos rastros das controvérsias sobre o evento. O percurso que levou a pesquisa a formular o conceito de coexistência mediada também levou a propor uma estratégia de autoconhecimento, ou autoantropologia, como prefere Marilyn Strathern, que nos ajude a lidar com a multiplicação dos ambientes de nossas ecologias cognitivas. Tendo como base indícios de que a velocidade e a intensidade do trânsito entre as diversas mediações comunicacionais instauram desvios e confusões (semelhantes a \"erros\" de percepção, aqui nomeados como efeito Flammarion), a pesquisa então propõe/constata o seguinte: para aprender a conviver com os desafios de uma atenção distribuída digitalmente e no sentido da diplomacia que nos levará a compor um novo e múltiplo mundo, talvez seja necessário reaprendermos a nos livrar da atenção. / This research presents the concept of communicatively mediated coexistence, and it attempts to identify perceptions \"errors\" likely to occur among the several communicational mediation forms/environments represented by fluxes and refluxes: acoustic, visual, electric, and digital. The concept of communicatively mediated coexistence is inspired by Bruno Latour\'s \"An Inquiry Into Modes of Existence\" and it performs a translation of the tension between essentialism and correlationism, aiming at an attention shift that helps us to perceive, ethnographically, the relations between humans and non humans. Thus, the first stage of the research was a review of Latour\'s \"inquiry\", describing his steps up to the collaborative and diplomatic mission of composing a common world, represented by AIME. Next, the main uses of the term mediation were mapped in order to identify those closer to AIME, as in the case of Marshall McLuhan\'s explorations. Finally, in order to identify these ontological fluxes and refluxes, an ethnographic experiment about the phenomenon of rolezinhos (short strolls) was carried out, starting with the trail of controversies raised by the event. The path which led to the formulation of the concept of mediated coexistence, in this research, also led to proposing a strategy of self-awareness - or self-anthropology, as preferred by Marilyn Strathern - which may help us deal with the multiplication of the environments of our cognitive ecologies. Based on the evidence that the speed and intensity of the transit among several communicational mediations establish deviations and confusions (similar to perception \"errors\", here named as Flammarion effect), the research proposes/concludes the following: in order to learn to coexist with the challenges of a digitally distributed attention, and towards the diplomacy which will allow us to compose a new and multiple world, perhaps it is necessary to relearn to free ourselves from attention.

Background – As we live in a more digitized world, technological advancements have already taken place and have reshaped many different industries. One of these industries is the audit profession, which is a profession where the digitalization can contribute immensely. The digitalization is an on- going process within the field of audit and have resulted in improved tools and more efficient auditing. However, new emerging risks, such as IT-risks, have progressed along the digitalization. Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore how the digitalization affects the auditing in Sweden, and more precise, how it affects the audit process and the risk that emerges from the digitalization. Furthermore, the study will examine if there are any perceived differences among small and big audit firms in the concept of digitalization. Method – The Delphi method has been used to gather the primary data needed for the study. Practitioners from both the Big 4-firms and the smaller firms have been selected to take part of the study as experts by participating in a brainstorming session and by answering a questionnaire. This classification of the firms will be the two panels of experts within the study. Conclusion – The results indicates that the perception of digitalization of the audit process and the audit risks within the Big 4-firms and the smaller firms are somewhat alike but not ultimately. The two panels agree that the effects of the digitalization have been substantial and that the auditing in the future will be even more efficient. Regarding the risks the panels have more differentiated opinions, where the second panel, consisting of the smaller firms, believes that the digitalization has affected the risks to a larger extent than the first panel. As this thesis aimed to investigate, there is indeed a perceived difference among the Big 4-firms and the smaller firms regarding the digitalization effect on the audit process, although not a substantial one.

Due to rapid technological development and its increasing impact on our everyday life, the way we work, and the conditions under which we do so, organizations may lose their competitive edge if they do not participate in the digital transformation. Extant literature highlights individually researched areas on how digital transformation changes work design such as virtual teams or communication technologies but rarely examines the phenomenon in more general terms. However, because work design is vital for a range of outcomes including but not limited to employee cognitions and learning, productivity and innovation, job satisfaction and commitment, as well as employee health and well-being providing a broad view on how digital transformation affects work design in today’s organizations is beneficial. Therefore, this Master Thesis provides an overarching picture of the changes in work design owed to digital transformation in contemporary societies, combining previously researched change dimensions with new insights from empirical data in a comprehensive framework. Two different qualitative methods, an online qualitative expert survey conducted with 39 participants followed by three semi-structured expert interviews revealed that changes in work design owed to digital transformation can - in line with the literature reviewed prior to conducting the study though varingly strong discussed - be categorized into the following six domains: Performance measurements, higher job demands and increasing competency requirements, increasing technologization, increased influence, work-life setup, communication and collaboration. Next to that, results suggest performance measurements as another change dimension evolving from digital transformation. Moreover, this Master Thesis suggests a strong relation between changes in work design and changes in leadership owed to digital transformation, wherefore future research may aim to study the interrelations between changes in both subject areas in more depth.

Digitaliseringen är den faktor som präglat hela detaljhandeln framåt och utvecklat nya försäljningskanaler. Av studiens resultat har framkommit att digitaliseringen ihop med kundens roll haft den största påverkan på hur försäljningskanalerna utvecklats. Studien har även påvisat viss problematik kring hur fysiska resurser på bästa sätt optimeras då branschen i framtiden tros bli allt mer digitaliserad och robotiserad. Idag strävar livsmedelsföretag att på bästa sätt kunna tillfredsställa kunders behov, vilket tagit dem fram till utvecklingen som skett. Företag kommer även i framtiden arbeta för att tillmötesgå och uppfylla ett unikt kundvärde. Resultatet påvisar att faktorer som tidsbesparing, effektivisering, integrering av försäljningskanaler samt robotisering är nödvändiga för en utveckling som ligger i framkant. / Purpose and research question The purpose of the study is to investigate the change of various sales channels and the customer’s role in the retail sector and how representatives from companies believe that sales channels may develop in the future. With this as a starting point, four research questions have been developed with a focus on the grocery trade. 1. In what ways are sales channels considered? 2. What different types of customer values characterize the company’s work? 3. How is the customer’s role affected depending on the different sales channels? 4. How do representatives of the trade and consultants in the field consider sales channels may develop in the future? Method This thesis is based on this case study of qualitative method in the Swedish grocery trade. The foundation consists of a deductive approach with elements of induction aspects. Empirical data consists of eight semi-structured interviews, after which the respondents are representatives in both retail and grocery trade. Conclusion Digitization is the factor that has characterized the entire retail trade forward and developed new sales channels. The study's result revealed that the digitization together with the customer's role had the greatest impact on how the sales channels have developed. The study has also shown some problems with how ineffectively physical resources are utilized. Due to that the industry is believed to be increasingly digitized in the future. The grocery trade strives it’s best to satisfy the needs of the customer. This yearning has led to futher development. The results show that factors such as time optimization, increased focus on efficiency, and strengthening the integration of sales channels are necessary for the development of the industry. In the future companies will work to not only understand but meet a unique costumer need.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T17:55:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 13 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A materialidade da convergência de mídias decorrente da digitalização dos suportes de produção e dos meios de distribuição de conteúdos vem configurando novas dinâmicas, tanto nas relações entre produtores e receptores quanto nos textos que desta resultam. Nosso trabalho de pesquisa e reflexão postula que essas dinâmicas configuram uma ambiência onde as lógicas dos sistemas aberto e fechado operam em interdependência e na qual se constitui o espaço que denominamos de midiosfera. Entende-se esse lugar como uma esfera de produção, publicação e consumo em que os sujeitos da comunicação compartilham textos, constroem discursos, portanto produzem sentidos que articulam bens simbólicos. Um lugar diverso do espaço público real, mas que, pela sua dinâmica e pelas interações que experimenta, mostra-se capaz de configurar realidades e mundos discursivos que lhe são interiores e, por outro lado, ganham a dimensão de espaço público virtual. Verificamos tal postulado à luz das experiências interativas vivenciadas no progr / The materiality of the convergence of media due to digitalization processes of the production and content distribution means stands have configured new dynamics, both in the relationship between producers and receptors and in the texts which result from it. Our research study claims that these dynamics configure an ambience in which the logics of the open and closed systems operate interdependently and in which the space we define as „mediasphere‟ is constituted. This space is understood as a production, publication and consumer place in which the subjects of communication share texts and construct discourses, thus producing meanings which articulate symbolic goods. Despite being distinct from the real audience, this space proves to be able to configure realities and discursive worlds which are intrinsic to it and which, on the other hand, are characterized as a virtual public space, due to its dynamic and to the interactions it experiences. We verified our claim in the light of the interactive experien

Digitalization is a fast-paced phenomenon that is recognized to be of importance for the auditing profession. Research whether digitalization affects the auditor’s work process and what further impacts it has on the audit risk, is in a national context explored within a limited area. That contributed to identify the study's research question: How does digitalization affect the auditor's work process during the audit process and how does it impact the audit risk? In order to answer the research question, a qualitative study consisting of interviews with auditors at audit firms within the Big Four, was conducted. The findings of this study show that the digital progress has a positive impact on the work process due to increased efficiency where accessibility to information has increased and the need for the physical meeting with the client while gathering information has decreased. The audit process can also be carried out with safer samples by using various digital tools, which can reduce the audit risk due improved priority systems. Furthermore, the result shows that the ongoing digitalization has increased the requirements of auditor’s IT knowledge. It also enables a more automated process, which leads to a reduction of certain tasks. Automatized processes tend on the one hand lead to reduced understanding of the work, which may affect the audit risk negative if significant deviations may not be detected and on the other hand, an easier identification of deviations by using automated systems which can contribute to a reduced risk. / Revisionsyrket har under de senaste åren genomgått stora förändringar vilket har inneburit en omstrukturering av revisorns arbete. En av de betydande faktorer som bidragit till denna förändring, är den digitala utveckling som har tagit fart och i framtiden förutspås accelerera ytterligare. Forskning om huruvida digitaliseringen påverkar revision och vilka vidare effekter detta får för revisionsrisken, är nationellt sett utforskat inom ett begränsat område. Med detta som utgångspunkt, formulerades studiens forskningsfråga enligt följande: Hur påverkar digitaliseringen revisorns arbetsmetodik vid revisionsprocessen och vilka effekter får det för revisionsrisken? För att besvara studiens frågeställning, genomfördes en kvalitativ studie bestående av intervjuer med dels auktoriserade revisorer och dels revisorsassistenter på revisionsbyråer inom Big Four. Studiens slutsatser visar att den digitala utvecklingen har bidragit till en mer effektiviserad arbetsmetodik där tillgängligheten till information har ökat och behovet av det fysiska mötet mellan revisor och klient vid informationsinhämtning har minskat. Revisorns granskningsarbete kan enligt studien, med hjälp av olika digitala verktyg, genomföras med säkrare stickprov vilket kan ge en minskad revisionsrisk där väsentliga avvikelser enklare upptäcks till följd av förbättrade prioriteringssystem. Studien visar även att det i takt med digitaliseringen ställs högre krav på revisorernas IT-kompetens vid utförandet av arbetet och att revisorns arbetsmetodik blir alltmer automatiserad. En mer automatiserad arbetsmetodik tenderar däremot att leda till en minskad förståelse för arbetet vilket kan få effekter för revisionsrisken då väsentliga felaktigheter riskerar att inte upptäckas.