There are several models that can be found describing the organizational buying process. The organizational buying process (OBP) within B2B is also more complex and more time consuming than within B2C (Dwyer & Tanner Jr., 2002). The OBP is also continuously becoming more complex as new touchpoints are created through the rise of new communication channels (Mora Cortez & Johnston, 2017). Touchpoints are essentially places where the customer encounters the supplier (Moncrief & Marshall, 2005). These new communication channels and touchpoints have made the customer experience more important, although the customer experience is not yet well integrated into the OBP (Mora Cortez & Johnston, 2017). Social media is one of the new communication channels that has grown the last decade and has become important also for the OBP (Oyza & M. Edwin, 2015) With social media, companies have less control over the information online and social media is affecting companies in all industries (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010). Despite some initial studies regarding social media, the effect they have on the OBP is still not well understood. The aim of this master thesis has therefore been to better understand how social media is affecting the OBP in terms of lead-time and win-rate. Win-rate can be used to measure sales success and is the percentage of the opportunities that the supplier won (Schultz, 2016). Through this case study, several semi-structured interviews were performed with both employees of the case study company and their customers. The data collected was thereafter analyzed through a thematic analysis resulting in various codes aligned under three main themes. The findings showed that LinkedIn was one of the main social media used. LinkedIn makes it easier to map out stakeholders and thereby also find new business opportunities through more quality leads. Within social media, targeted marketing was used toward selected organizations. With this said, social media has in different ways helped the company find more quality leads, influence the customer and also helped strengthen the brand of the company.

Esta tese descreve a visão dos supermercadistas sobre as relações comerciais com fornecedores. O objetivo é identificar os fatores determinantes desse relacionamento de modo a compreender a gestão de compras das principais redes de supermercado no que diz respeito à seleção dos fornecedores, às atividades de valor que são exercidas em conjunto e aos principais aspectos relacionados à comercialização de marcas líderes. A metodologia do estudo fundamenta-se em duas grandes etapas que se complementam. A primeira refere-se ao levantamento bibliográfico e pesquisa em dados secundários, cujo objetivo era cobrir o referencial teórico de forma abrangente e conhecer os trabalhos já realizados anteriormente. Na segunda etapa foram realizados estudos de caso junto a três principais redes supermercadistas brasileiras que detêm grande parte das vendas do setor, utilizando-se da metodologia exploratória com entrevistas em profundidade. O trabalho oferece detalhes relevantes que apontam para a possibilidade de aperfeiçoamento das relações comerciais entre os supermercadistas e seus fornecedores ao apresentar os fatores determinantes de um forte, duradouro e profícuo relacionamento. No entanto, pontos distintos trazidos pelo estudo mostram que alguns varejistas possuem um maior número de cláusulas em seus contratos de fornecimento que outros, revelando a ausência de padronização. Tal aspecto mostra a existência de condições para que os instrumentos propostos nas teorias convertam-se em novos e importantes determinantes. / This thesis describes a retailing supermarket’s view about its commercial relations with suppliers. The objective of this study is to identify determining factors of this relationship in order to understand the management of purchasing of the main supermarket chains as far as their choice of suppliers, the value activities that take place and the main aspects related to commercializing top brands. The methodology of this study is derived from two steps that are complementary. The first one is founded on bibliographic research and secondary data, whose objective is to cover the theories thoroughly and also to learn from prior studies performed about this subject. The second step comes from case studies performed on three major retailing supermarket chains in Brazil that have a great market share in their sector, which was done through an exploratory research methodology that included careful interviews. This study offers revealing details about improving the commercial relations between retailing supermarkets and their suppliers given to the determining factors that are presented of a strong and long-lasting relationship. There are, however, distinct points brought up by this study that show that some retailers have a greater number of clauses in their supply contracts than others do, and therefore proving that there is a lack of standardization. This aspect proves that it is possible for some instruments proposed by the theories to become new and important determinants.

Recently, many studies have detailed how consumer perceptions and experiences affect attitudes and behaviours towards web service quality and e-satisfaction. Controversy arises when it comes to luxury brands. Luxury brands associate themselves with the concept of exclusivity and they position themselves in the market as such. But in online placement, how do they remain exclusive when information is accessible to everyone? Consumers of luxury products and services have varying opinions on the subject. Not all consumers are susceptible to online marketing and retailing. The perception of consumers is highly relevant when assigning the term ‘luxury’ to a brand. Therefore, a luxury brand has a certain personality and has an emotional and a creative appeal for the consumer. The aim of this research is to understand consumer attitude towards online luxury shopping websites before the purchase, during the purchase, and after the purchase. This study investigates the external factors that impact on consumer attitude toward purchasing online luxury shopping as a first step in the consumer online luxury shopping model. Further, it examines consumer attitude towards purchase life cycle, and the mediation role of consumer attitude between external factors and purchase intention. Moreover, this study investigates the relationships between different stages inside the purchase life cycle. This work is the first study focusing on the above aspects in a luxury context, the importance of which has been widely recognised in marketing literature but never explored empirically. Taking an exploratory approach, the study shows that in the case of brands in the premium luxury segment, external factors may have a positive influence on luxury perceptions, and more specifically on consumer attitude, which in turn may affect their intention to proceed to the online buying process. This study uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical grounding to study the adoption and evolution of a consumer online luxury shopping (COLS) model. A questionnaire was deployed online as a research instrument to collect the data from 313 online luxury consumers in the United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US). The data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with PLS software. Further analysis using multi group analysis (MGA) was conducted after the main analysis for comparison between country (UK and US), gender (Male and Female), and level of internet experience (Intermediate and Advanced). The empirical results from this study show that, among seven external factors that affect consumer attitude (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived brand value, e-WOM, e-service quality, social network site usage and social media marketing activities), e-service quality has the strongest impact on consumer attitude toward purchasing online. However, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and e-word of mouth were non-significant, while e-service quality, social network site usage, social media marketing activities, and perceived brand value were all significant, and positively impact on consumer attitude. Moreover, the rest of the relationships from the COLS findings were significantly positive. Finally, the findings of this study provide noteworthy theoretical insights in terms of development of the COLS from the theory of extended TAM, and the COLS highlights the importance of the external factors, consumer attitude, and purchase lifecycle as the key elements of online luxury shopping. Moreover, the COLS model has been tested using multi-group analysis in three sets (country, gender, and internet level of experience). Furthermore, these findings bring valuable marketing implications highlighted by this study, and covers before purchase, during purchase, and after purchase, which shows what is happening inside the entire buying process for online luxury shopping. Marketers might also note that adopting an online luxury shopping website and recognising what factors can affect buying externally or internally can improve business efficiency.

The study of consumer behaviour is a dynamic and longstanding challenge to continuously understand the factors which influence consumers’ buying behaviour. Though internal (for example attitude, motivation and learning) and external factors (marketing stimuli) are equally important, the focus of this study is on external influences and market trends. Consumer markets around the world have recently seen the increase of ethical products. Those products that are differentiated by their moral or sustainable values and attributes, for example environmentally friendly products or body lotions not tested on animals. The provision of these products is a result of organisations’ realisation that in order to increase their customer base, their values must be centred on doing good for the community as well as the environment and should be visible to consumers. For a number of organisations this means marketing the ethical values and attributes of the products they provide so that consumers will ultimately choose their products. However, in order to understand consumers’ willingness to pay for these products, marketers need to understand the price perceptions consumers have towards these products. The purpose of this study relates to this and aims to determine the influence that the marketing of ethically framed personal care products, as an external influence, has on consumers’ willingness to pay for these products. More specifically, this study aims to determine whether South African females are willing to pay more for ethically framed personal care products than for ordinary personal care products. This will be done by specifically assessing their reference, fair and reservation price perceptions. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Marketing Management / unrestricted

Capitalising on the power of nostalgic branding, requires understanding a consumer’s past experience with a brand. Nostalgia is a powerful influential factor that marketers should look at utilising correctly in order for them to successfully leverage off nostalgia and existing relationships between the consumer and the brand. This research has been conducted in order to gain a richer understanding of the nostalgic connections that consumers form with brands. Eight credible female respondents between the ages of 45 - 60, born and raised in Soweto, and who have attained tertiary qualification, were selected for the study. A selective criterion was designed to derive quality and depth in the research findings. The semi-structured interview technique was used for the qualitative research study. The findings revealed that brand nostalgia is rooted at different stages within the consumer’s decision process, depending on the brand and product category. The relationship between nostalgia and the derived benefits from the brands are not always as clear-cut as most marketers think. These benefits can be attained during the use of the brand or at the end of the consumption process. If the benefit does not fit the consumer’s current lifestyle, then the relationship will remain as a memory and the brand will not be purchased no matter how strong the nostalgic connection is between the consumer and brand.The research study was carried out to give marketers a guideline on optimising and capitalising on brand nostalgia. Further recommendations were made to assist future research on this topic, and to help marketers find ways of effectively leveraging off nostalgic connections that consumers form with brands. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This thesis is consisting of theoretical and practical part. In theoretical part few terms are elaborated like: distribution and logistics chain. In other chapters there are topics like: manipulation units and its use, transportation systems, Incoterms (norms of international business) and chapter which includes electronic identification of goods. In practical part there are descriptions of several business activities of small company doing international trade. There is detailed example of doing international business with the help of buying agent in China. In second case is mentioned direct business with producers in China (without cooperation with agent). Following analysis contains advantages and disadvantages of both the cases. In one of the chapters of practical part is written about type of warehousing used by companies (having own or rented warehouse) and about sea transportation. At the end of the thesis there are descriptions about selling logistics of the company.

This diploma thesis demonstrates the importance of the internet sales in today's world, using an example of the real world company, Triola, which specializes in lingerie manufacturing. Objective of this thesis is behavioral analysis of the company's customers, followed by evaluation of this knowledge which results into recommendations on how to optimize internet sales and how to enhance the design and functionality to achieve this. Analysis and its evaluation are both based on the latest research in this field, which describes the customer's motivation for the internet shopping and the correlation between web design and impulsive shopping. Part of the analysis is also the comparison of trends in behavior of customers all across the world with customers from Czech Republic and with customers of Triola company, trying to identify trends that will likely affect the Triola company in the future. The thesis also comes up with important information about the customers of the Triola company and possible evolution of the internet sales and shows the different approaches for the Triola to take, in order to make internet shopping a pleasant experience for its customers and to raise the internet sales rates as a result.

The purpose of this study is to scrutinize consumers attachment in fashion and clothing in relation to impulse buying behaviour. The study further investigates how attachment and detachment correspondent in late modern consumerism. Design/ Methodology/ Approach – This study adopted a mixed-method approach. Initially previous research on the chosen field has been reviewed to know what research has been done. Following that, an online quantitative survey has been conducted to distinguish whether any relationship endures between consumers attachment to existing clothing and their compulsive buying tendencies. Based on the results of the quantitative study a qualitative investigation has also been conducted with the intention of gaining in-depth knowledge of the chosen area of research. Findings – The data reveals that survey and interview respondents show different conception regarding attachment requiring different motivational stimuli. Moreover, this study identifies the triangle of fashion attachment, detachment and impulse consumerism that emerges as relevant to existing consumer behaviour spectrum. Implications – The study delivers explorative understanding on the clothing attachment, which was an underdeveloped area of research. Further, this establishment provide progression to combine two self-contradictory area in same study which is paradoxical and therefore, provides a novel approach to continue father research. Originality/ Value – The study provides narrative insights into the field of clothing attachment In combination with impulsive buying behaviour in a fashion and clothing context. Further, through the combination of a mix methodological approach which is also a new angle to study this phenomenon

The recent emphasis in describing buyer behavior has dealt almost exclusively with the consumer sector while its counterpart, industrial purchasing behavior, has received much less attention. Of those studies dealing with the industrial sector, most have centered around the purchase of industrial services. Marketing discussions pertaining to the service industries are limited, and those available are widely scattered through the literature. This comparative paucity of published research and the fact that the dollar volume involved in industrial purchases far exceeds that of the consumer market, seem to suggest the need for descriptive studies leading to a better understanding of industrial buyer behavior. The present research study was designed to aid in this understanding. The specific industrial buying process chosen for analysis was the purchase of an industrial service - temporary clerical help. The major purpose of this study was to investigate one segment of the industrial buying process - the buying center. The subordinate purposes were to gain a better understanding of the various roles played by positions which make up the buying center, and of the purchase process for temporary clerical help in an industrial setting. The study identified and analyzed the organizational buying centers for the purchase of temporary clerical services and examined for differences among these buying centers based on firm size variables. Members within these buying centers were identified on a total organizational basis, not just within the purchasing department. This approach was felt to represent more accurately the actual purchasing process. A mail survey of industrial firms which had previously used temporary clerical help was used to obtain data. A draft of the questionnaire was tested using the field interview technique and through a second pretest conducted by mail. A total of 262 usable responses were received. The results of the analysis showed that respondents were able to identify members of their firms' buying centers for the purchase of temporary clerical help. Those positions seen as part of the buying center at one time or another include: personnel director, industrial relations manager, department heads, financial service manager, office manager, purchasing manager, president, plant manager, and secretaries. The data indicate that those individuals most involved were the personnel director and the department head. The personnel director was recorded as being the decider, buyer, and gatekeeper most often, while the department head was most often listed as being the influencer and user. This indicates that the decision making process for the buying of temporary clerical help is more an administrative function than a function of the purchasing department. The results of the investigation to determine differences in the characteristics of each buying center showed that there was a relationship between firm size (i.e., annual dollar volume of sales and the number of people it employed), and the identification of the decider, influencer, user, and gatekeeper. This same relationship was not found to be as strong in the identification of the buyer. The findings also indicated that the personnel director was most often the key buying influence, while the department head was an influencing factor, to some degree. A relationship was found between the identification of the key buying influence and the user firm's annual dollar volume of sales, and the number of people it employed. In the analysis of procedures used by firms in buying temporary clerical help, it was found that the decision to buy temporary clerical help was clearly an informal process. While most firms were not likely to have formal policies dealing with the subject of buying temporary clerical help, they were likely to have some budget allocation for this purpose and to have made advanced plans for its purchase. / Ph. D.

This study investigates the purchase and consumption of a house. An interpretive methodology was used, which resulted in multiple indepth interviews with fourteen informants and ten months of participant observation with Appalachian Mountain Housing building two houses for needy consumers. Chapters two to four describe the major emergent themes from the study. Specifically, chapter two looks at the house as a constraint on consumption. The purchase of a house channels a large portion of the consumers’ resources into payment of the mortgage and purchase of complementary items, and constrains future consumption. Chapter three examines the transformation of a house into a home, and describes four ways by which the informants for this study made this transformation. Chapter four provides an interpretation of the emergent themes discussed in chapters two and three, and suggests the home is a continuously evolving entity. The home changes both physically and symbolically to reflect changes in the lives of the informants. Chapters five and six connect the findings of this study to the existing literature on consumer acquisitiveness. Specifically, chapter five discusses materialism in the context of the purchase of a house, and concludes that the experiences of the informants for this study are substantially different from the existing theories of materialism. This may be due to nonmaterialistic informants, but it may also reflect inadequate theories of materialism. The ideological assumptions of current theories of materialism are examined, and the study concludes an ideological bias exists. Some of the results are then reinterpreted using political ideology as a guide. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the impact of children on materialistic consumption. Chapter six expands on McCracken’s (1988a) theory of Diderot unities and the Diderot effect to better understand the findings of this study. McCracken’‘s theory is expanded by integrating 1) sources of the correspondence between possessions and certain cultural categories; 2) meaning extraction and creation; 3) the extended self; and 4) materialism. The results of previous chapters of this study are then reinterpreted in light of the integrated model. The study concludes with a summary of the findings, and a discussion of the contribution of the study, as well as limitations and future directions for subsequent research. / Ph. D.