This thesis deals with the issue of payment cards. The current situation of payment cards on the Czech market is described and statistically verified in the practical part. The analysisis performed using a questionnaire survey of customer and retailers. The aim of this thesis is using its own research to determine to what extent the payment cards in the Czech Republic used in retail.

The aim of the bachelor thesis was to find out the current condition of consumer as-sociations towards retailer brands and based on the results to suggest the measures that lead to the situation improvement in the increasing sales field as well as in the creation of consumer associations towards these brands. These associations were examined in relation to the Tesco brands. The first part summarizes the theoretical background in the brand management, mar-keting, marketing research, and private brands. The information was drawn from the literature and websites that deal with the topic. The second part focuses on identifying information that was needed to build the questionnaire and testing its original version which was relevant to determine the clarity of the respondents. This was followed by the final version of the questionnaire. The next part first presents a basic sample of the survey and then it evaluates the re-sults and facts based on the survey. This is followed by the measurement proposals in the form of strengthening the leaflets promoting of retailer brands and making more available the discount tokens. These measurements ought to increase the knowledge of the private brands and to remove erroneous perception of some of their categories.

Previous studies have revealed that the creation of synergy among retailers’ channels can enhance customers’ satisfaction and loyalty. Nevertheless, little is known about utilising such synergy in inducing customers’ purchasing behaviour in electronic commerce. In an attempt to address this issue, few empirical studies have been conducted into the role of trust transference from brick to click channels in order to understand customers’ purchasing intentions. These empirical studies have mainly focused on interpersonal trust as a proxy of the transference process. Therefore, the present study seeks to articulate the importance of impersonal trust, and shed light on its expected role in the transference process during the introductory stage of customers’ interaction. Impersonal trust, or perceived structural assurance as labelled in this study, refers to customers’ beliefs in the legal and technological structures of retailers’ websites. However, the introductory stage describes the state of customers when they have not yet been exposed to a retailer’s website. These notions are thoroughly reviewed and synthesised to achieve a proper conceptualisation and operationalisation for the perceived structural assurance. Then, on the basis of previous theories and studies, a conceptual model is constructed to determine several drivers of the perceived structural assurance, as well as its consequences. With regard to the research methodology, a quantitative triangulation choice is adopted in the present study. This choice involves the design of a survey questionnaire, which is employed after relying on several explorative instruments. However, upon the insights of a pilot study, a total of 304 responses are used to analyse the overall research data. Then, the results are generated through an advanced stage of statistical analysis which is performed by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results indicate that the validated model is robust and can be used in generalising the findings of the current research. The novelty of this study involves several contributions to the body of knowledge and practice. This study develops a model that theoretically extends the existing knowledge on the trust transference phenomenon and posits an effective approach of triangulating methods in quantitative research. Lastly, this study contributes to the practice by presenting evidence to support the synergy among retailers’ brick and click channels.

abstract: In the past few decades, there has been a remarkable shift in the boundary between public and private information. The application of information technology and electronic communications allow service providers (businesses) to collect a large amount of data. However, this ``data collection" process can put the privacy of users at risk and also lead to user reluctance in accepting services or sharing data. This dissertation first investigates privacy sensitive consumer-retailers/service providers interactions under different scenarios, and then focuses on a unified framework for various information-theoretic privacy and privacy mechanisms that can be learned directly from data. Existing approaches such as differential privacy or information-theoretic privacy try to quantify privacy risk but do not capture the subjective experience and heterogeneous expression of privacy-sensitivity. The first part of this dissertation introduces models to study consumer-retailer interaction problems and to better understand how retailers/service providers can balance their revenue objectives while being sensitive to user privacy concerns. This dissertation considers the following three scenarios: (i) the consumer-retailer interaction via personalized advertisements; (ii) incentive mechanisms that electrical utility providers need to offer for privacy sensitive consumers with alternative energy sources; (iii) the market viability of offering privacy guaranteed free online services. We use game-theoretic models to capture the behaviors of both consumers and retailers, and provide insights for retailers to maximize their profits when interacting with privacy sensitive consumers. Preserving the utility of published datasets while simultaneously providing provable privacy guarantees is a well-known challenge. In the second part, a novel context-aware privacy framework called generative adversarial privacy (GAP) is introduced. Inspired by recent advancements in generative adversarial networks, GAP allows the data holder to learn the privatization mechanism directly from the data. Under GAP, finding the optimal privacy mechanism is formulated as a constrained minimax game between a privatizer and an adversary. For appropriately chosen adversarial loss functions, GAP provides privacy guarantees against strong information-theoretic adversaries. Both synthetic and real-world datasets are used to show that GAP can greatly reduce the adversary's capability of inferring private information at a small cost of distorting the data. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Electrical Engineering 2018

Esta Dissertação de mestrado tem como objetivo identificar e analisar junto ao varejo como é feita a gestão da sua marca corporativa. Tanto a gestão de marcas, quanto sua aplicação no varejo, são temas novos e em evolução, que não apresentam um modelo único e consolidado. Muitos autores se complementam e ampliam o conceito de marca. Para essa dissertação foi considerada a gestão da marca em um nível estratégico que possa até orientar as decisões corporativas. Foi realizado um estudo de caso com o varejista Magazine Luiza que tem um reconhecido trabalho em marca. O estudo mostrou que o conjunto de elementos, e o enfoque que podem ser atribuidos à gestão de marcas na empresa se equiparam as variáveis do estudo. Assim, mesmo a marca sendo tratada em alguns momentos no nível tático/operacional e em outros no estratégico, pode-se dizer que houve uma afinidade muito grande entre a prática e a teoria. Existiu concordância em muitos fatos e o caso efetivamente trouxe contribuições e confirmações. / This work has as objective to identify and to analyze to the retail as the corporate brand management is made. As much the brand management, how much its application in the retail, is new subjects and in evolution, that does not present only consolidated model. Many authors is complement and extend the brand concept. For this dissertation the brand management in a strategic level was considered that has guided the corporate decisions. A study of case with the Magazine Luiza who has a recognized brand work. The study it showed that the set of elements, and the approach that can be attributed to the brand management in the company if equalize the variable of the study. Thus, exactly the treated brand being at some moments in operational the tactical level and others in the strategical one, can be said that it had a very great affinity between the practical one and the theory. Agreement in many facts existed and the case effectively brought contributions and confirmations.

This research aims to explain the process that previous researchers have discussed concerning the consumer virtual experience, using three-dimensional (3D) product visualisations, within online retailers. In addition, this research aims to identify the main advantages of using 3D product visualisation in comparison to two-dimensional (2D) static pictures within online retailers. Moreover, using the online Stimulus-Organism-Responses (S-O-R) paradigm, this research aims to model the effect of 3D product visualisation on consumers’ perception and responses towards the online retailer environment. Given that the appearance of the notion of telepresence or presence and their implications on the online retailer, many scholars attempt to build and develop models that can suit these notions online. However, this thesis argues that the notion of 3D telepresence is not the proper terminology to be used within the online retail context and therefore, this research raises the following question “how do consumers perceive 3D product virtualisation (telepresence) compared with 3D product authenticity on online retailers’ websites?” The effects of 3D product visualisation and 2D static pictures have been raised during the past decade to determine which is better for the online consumers. Marketers and information system scholars started wondering about the best device that can generate hedonic and utilitarian values for the consumers. To investigate the main impact of 3D product visualisation and 2D static pictures on hedonic and utilitarian values, this research raises the following questions: How do consumers perceive 3D hedonic values compared with 2D hedonic values on online retailers’ website? How do consumers perceive 3D product visualisation utilitarian values compared with 2D utilitarian values on online retailers’ website? This thesis, based on the previous literature in interactivity and vividness, narrowed down the 3D authenticity antecedents to the control and animated colour constructs. Moreover, to determine the effect of the progressive levels of control and animated colour constructs on the 3D authenticity construct, it raises the following research question: How do different levels of 3D control and animated colours influence 3D authenticity? To determine the effects of the progressive levels of 3D hedonic and utilitarian values on behavioural intention construct, this thesis raises the following research question: How do different levels of 3D hedonic and utilitarian levels influence behavioural intentions? Based on the online S-O-R framework, previous studies investigate the impact of the whole website e-retail environment (many stimuli) on consumers’ responses. Yet, this is the first study that is using one stimulus, namely 3D laptop product visualisation to investigate its impacts on consumers’ perceptions and responses using the online S-OR paradigm. Therefore, this thesis raises the following research question: How do control, animated colours, 3D authenticity, hedonic and utilitarian values affect consumers’ behavioural intention? The results reveal significant differences between 3D telepresence and 3D authenticity constructs. 3D telepresence involves an illusion or a sense of being transported to another place, whereas 3D authenticity refers to the ability to imagine a virtual object as real. The 3D authenticity construct is more significant in simulating an online retailer’s products. The proposed online S-O-R conceptual model achieves acceptable fit and the hypothesised paths are all valid. This research adds to the marketing literature the notion of 3D authenticity and contributes a valid scale to measure that new variable. Moreover, it is the first study that connects and uses the antecedents of 3D authenticity (S), control and animated colours, to investigate their impact on 3D authenticity, hedonic and utilitarian values (O), and the impact of the Organism constructs (O) on behavioural intention (R). Furthermore, the final framework considers the first framework that has studied the impact of one stimulus using the online S-O-R framework on an electronic retailer website environment. Indeed, to the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this is the first study that uses a UK sample to investigate the effects of an authentic 3D product visualisation in an electronic e-retailing industry (i.e., laptops).

The aim of my master's thesis is komplex analysis of tea market in Czech Republic in terms of market size and development, market segmentation by types of tea, main manufacturers, brands and their market shares, importance of channels, regions and retailers to analyse especially their differences and specifics.

This diploma thesis inquiries into business activities of the electricity market retailer. Thesis starts with an explanation of retailers role and its relations with other market participants in the Czech Republic. In application part there are two solved examples of tasks hidden behind retailers profitable operations.

Supply chain visibility has become a crucial factor for companies in times of globalization and customer satisfaction. Track-and-trace technologies are important tools in order to enhance supply chain visibility. This thesis was written in cooperation with a Swedish retailer and evaluates potential track-and-trace technologies in order to develop a solution to close their current track-and-trace gap in their outbound logistics. Currently the handover point between the retailer and the postal service provider is not clearly defined, so that shipments get lost during the transition. Therefore, a literature review about currently used track-and-trace technologies was carried out. Several technologies with a wide price and applicability range are currently used and have been analysed regarding their strength and weaknesses. A qualitative study in form of interviews was conducted within the Swedish market about how this gap could possibly be closed. Empirical findings show that the existing track-and-trace technologies do not provide a best practice solution. Especially in the field of outbound logistics, several factors and the individual process requirements of a company have to be considered in order to develop an efficient solution, so that the existing track-and-trace gap can be closed. Each company has its unique set of challenges, which have to be solved in order to successfully implement a long- lasting tracking solution. A high dependence from the postal service provider is additionally given since all process steps need to be aligned to guarantee reliability of the data afterwards. In the case of the Swedish retailer, an automatized scanning bow with a separated area for outbound parcels is expected to improve transparency of the handover and lower the total amount of lost shipments. The breakeven point would be reached within the next years, so that operational saving could soon be achieved. Due to the global outbreak of COVID-19, as well as significant problems of the retailer, the practical application could not be tested. It should therefore be part of further academic studies.

Electricity retailers have difficulties to differentiate themselves from each other, dueto increased competition and political regulations. The electric energy tradingmarket is facing a paradigm shift.The purpose of this study has been to investigate how a modern electricity retailercan avoid current and forthcoming difficulties within the market and what directionsthey should choose in order to improve their profitability.The study has been conducted using a quantitative and qualitative approach. Thequantitative approached was used to systematically describe all electricity retailersthat exist today in Sweden and collect data for analyzing how profitable they are.Structured interviews were later conducted in order to gather qualitative data fromthe most interesting companies from the quantitative data collection.From the quantitative approach it was found that selling electricity from guaranteeof origin was approximately two to four times more profitable than selling nuclearand fossil produced electricity. The total profits from electricity trading alone issurprisingly low. From the quantitative data sample, it was shown that 50 per centof the electricity retailers earn less than one million SEK and their averageprofitability is approximately 0.28 million SEK.In the qualitative study it was concluded that those who had succeeded with higherprofits were working with services along with the electricity trading. Examples ofsuch services are charity and loyalty programs. It was stated in the interviews thatthe profits are still low and will remain low if solely rely on electricity trading. Ittakes at least four years for a customer to be profitable. The most promisingsolution to avoid getting stuck in the middle is to expand their business withproducts together with services, servitization. If the electricity retailers shouldexpand their businesses with selling products together with services related toelectricity, servitization, they should also position themselves with a certaincompetitive strategy (cost leadership, differentiation, focus) and target a specificgroup. Groups that have been identified together with these competitive strategiesare those who wants to save money (cost leadership), environmentally friendly /technology enthusiasts (focus) and inbetweeners (differentiation)