Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf [88]).

This overview relates to a research programme conducted over some eight years. The research concerns exhibitions and trade fairs, and examines the communications issues thereof from both the exhibitors' viewpoint and the visitors' viewpoint. The research was conducted from an interpretive viewpoint, using interviews and questionnaire surveys, and has both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The results of the research were mapped against models of communication and against traditional marketing models to assess the extent to which exhibitors are being realistic in their approach to exhibiting, given the characteristics and behaviour of visitors. This does not, of course, provide a definitive answer as to the effectiveness or potential effectiveness of exhibitions as communications tools. What it does show is that exhibitors are, in many cases, setting inappropriate objectives and harbouring unrealistic expectations. The conclusion of the research outlines a model of how exhibitions work as a communications device, and provides evidence that miscommunication is occurring between exhibitors and visitors due to a failure on the part of exhibitors to understand how exhibitions can be used to best effect. The model is almost certainly relevant to other areas of marketing communication, and offers a new way of understanding the communications process, particularly in business-to business contexts. The overall finding of the research is that the majority of exhibitors are almost certainly harbouring unrealistic expectations, in particular regarding selling objectives, and that exhibitors do not always evaluate their activities as effectively as they might (particularly SMEs). These unrealistic expectations of what exhibitions can do for them are likely to lead many of them to the conclusion that exhibitions are ineffective. From the visitor research it appears that exhibitions could be extremely effective in terms of communication objectives, but probably less so in terms of selling objectives: the overwhelming conclusion is that most exhibitors are directing their efforts in the wrong direction, and should (instead of concentrating on sales) be concentrating on other elements of the marketing mix.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Thesis (Master)--İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves. 87-89).

Store image research has attempted to identify factors contributing to formation of positive or negative perceptions of stores by consumers. These factors include tangible and intangible elements. Of the tangible factors, store atmosphere (including store layout and congestion level) is often identified as contributing to store image. Intangible factors influencing store image include emotional or psychological reactions that consumers have in response to various tangible store factors. One of these emotional responses is retail crowding. Retail crowding is a state of psychological stress occurring in consumers in response to perceived high density levels in stores. Crowding literature suggests that environmental cues, including layout and density level, contribute to this stress level. The overall purpose of this study was to expand on current research by incorporating the concept of retail crowding with store image research.

Wong, Mei Ting. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-120). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Our Contributions --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Framework of Shelf Space Allocation Problem --- p.4 / Chapter 1.4 --- Organization --- p.6 / Chapter 2. --- Literature Review --- p.7 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2 --- Commercial Approaches --- p.7 / Chapter 2.3 --- Experimental Approaches --- p.8 / Chapter 2.4 --- Optimization Approaches --- p.11 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Exact Approaches --- p.11 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Heuristics Approaches --- p.16 / Chapter 2.5 --- Summary --- p.19 / Chapter 3. --- Overview of Shelf Space Allocation Problem --- p.21 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2 --- Problem description --- p.22 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Mathematical Model --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.1.1 --- Notations --- p.25 / Chapter 3.2.1.2 --- Model --- p.25 / Chapter 3.2.1.3 --- Assumption --- p.26 / Chapter 3.2.1.4 --- Notations of final model --- p.27 / Chapter 3.2.1.5 --- Final model --- p.27 / Chapter 3.3 --- Original Heuristic --- p.28 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Yang (2001) Method --- p.28 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Remarks on Original Heuristic --- p.29 / Chapter 3.4 --- Original Heuristic with Yang's Adjustment --- p.30 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Remarks on Yang's Adjustment --- p.32 / Chapter 3.5 --- New Neighborhood Movements --- p.33 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- New Adjustment Phase --- p.33 / Chapter 3.6 --- Network Flow Model --- p.35 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- ULSSAP --- p.35 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Transforming shelf space allocation problem (SSAP) --- p.38 / Chapter 3.7 --- Tabu Search --- p.41 / Chapter 3.7.1 --- Tabu Search Algorithm --- p.42 / Chapter 3.7.1.1 --- Neighborhood search moves --- p.42 / Chapter 3.7.1.2 --- Candidate list strategy --- p.45 / Chapter 3.7.1.3 --- Tabu list --- p.46 / Chapter 3.7.1.4 --- Aspiration criteria.........................................: --- p.47 / Chapter 3.7.1.5 --- Intensification and Diversification --- p.48 / Chapter 3.7.1.6 --- Stopping criterion --- p.49 / Chapter 3.7.1.7 --- Probabilistic choice --- p.50 / Chapter 3.7.2 --- General Process of Tabu Search --- p.51 / Chapter 3.7.3 --- Application of Tabu Search to SSAP --- p.54 / Chapter 3.7.4 --- Analysis of Tabu Search --- p.58 / Chapter 4. --- Tabu Search with Path Relinking --- p.60 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.60 / Chapter 4.2 --- Foundations of path relinking --- p.62 / Chapter 4.3 --- Path Relinking Template --- p.65 / Chapter 4.4 --- Identification of Reference set --- p.69 / Chapter 4.5 --- Choosing initial and guiding solution --- p.73 / Chapter 4.6 --- Neighborhood structure --- p.74 / Chapter 4.7 --- Moving along paths --- p.81 / Chapter 4.8 --- Application of Tabu Search with Path Relinking --- p.87 / Chapter 4.9 --- Conclusion --- p.90 / Chapter 5. --- Computational Studies --- p.92 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.92 / Chapter 5.2 --- General Parameter Setting --- p.92 / Chapter 5.3 --- Parameter values for Tabu search --- p.94 / Chapter 5.4 --- Sensitivity test for Tabu search with Path Relinking --- p.95 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Reference Set Strategies and Initial and Guiding Solution Criteria --- p.96 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Frequency of Path Relinking --- p.99 / Chapter 5.4.3 --- Size of reference set --- p.101 / Chapter 5.4.4 --- Comparison with Tabu Search --- p.102 / Chapter 5.5 --- Comparison with other heuristics --- p.105 / Chapter 5.6 --- Conclusion --- p.109 / Chapter 6. --- Conclusion --- p.111 / Chapter 6.1 --- Summary of achievements --- p.112 / Chapter 6.2 --- Future Works --- p.113 / Bibliography --- p.115

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-89). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, March, 1995. / Title from PDF t.p.

The problem of this investigation is to prepare a merchandise display manual that can be used by the teacher-coordinator, students of distributive education, other trainees, training sponsors, and salespeople.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Fashion Design, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of creating shop window displays focussing on a South African identity in the Durban region. The impetus for the study stemmed from the design of the Constitutional Court which features elements of South African culture. This study challenges the contemporary notion of presenting window displays using primarily Western influences and proposes the use of fashion imagery and cultural identity currently dominating South Africa. The study argues against corporate fashion stereotypes and champions a representation of an eclectic multi-cultural South African society. In this respect key theories of identity, culture, and design were explored. A qualitative methodology was conducted utilising interview and observation approaches to obtain data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve local professionals specialising in the fields of art, design, fashion and architecture to obtain their expert opinions. The data was analysed by clustering information into themes to establish the findings. Interview findings revealed that shop window displays should accommodate local imagery appropriate to the South African context. Observing two local production houses, namely Hirt & Carter and Barrows in Durban provided insights for a backdrop creation for the practical component of the study. The practical comprised of producing retail shop installations and a visual catalogue representing findings drawn from the study. The catalogue was used to illustrate the results of investigating a national image and identity that could be intrinsic to window display creation in South African fashion retail shop fronts. / National Research Foundation