Brands’ engagement in activism is increasing as consumers expect more of brands, especially the younger generations. However, brands have different intentions behind their engagement in activism. The purpose of this thesis is to explore female Gen Z consumers’ perception of global brands’ engagement in activism, and how this perception influences their brand loyalty. Female Gen Z consumers’ mind is explored since previous research indicates that there are gender differences within perception and loyalty. A qualitative method in the form of four online focus groups were conducted to collect empirical data. Three findings were discovered, which contributed to understanding of the existing gap in research. Firstly, female Gen Z consumers positively perceived global brands’ engagement in activism. Secondly, they perceived and responded to brand activism based on the campaigns’ message, its connection to the brand and its offerings. Thirdly, female Gen Z consumers’ perception influenced their brand loyalty. The study contributes with an additional understanding of young female consumers’ perspective which can be useful for marketers when creating activist campaigns. Future research could study the perspective of male Gen Z consumers or Gen Z consumers to get additional understanding.

Abstract  Background: The evolution of technology has transformed the way we shop, with BNPL services like Klarna and Qliro gaining popularity among consumers. This form of short-term financing offers flexibility by allowing customers to either pay later or divide their costs into interest-free installments. While BNPL is initially associated with online shopping, BNPL has expanded to physical stores, enabling customers to choose from even more payment options. The fashion industry has especially benefited from the evolving BNPL, as it facilitates easier exploration of new styles and product comparison from the comfort of one’s home. Furthermore, BNPL users are more likely to make purchases, spend more, and exhibit higher customer loyalty.  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the factors affecting the intention to use BNPL technology and how they differ in an online and in-store context.  Method: For the researchers to accomplish the purpose of this study, a qualitative research strategy was applied. The empirical data was obtained through semi-structured interviews held with Gen Z participants residing in Jönköping, who had previous experience using BNPL either in-store, online, or both. The data was later analyzed and interpreted using an abductive approach, using thematic analysis.   Conclusion: The research findings indicate that multiple factors influence purchase intention when using BNPL in both online and in-store contexts. A theoretical model, previous research, and empirical findings was incorporated for the study’s revised research framework including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, trust and security pain of payment and attitudes. For the online context, gen Z perceived all factors included in the revised research framework were found to have a noteworthy influence on purchase intentions using BNPL in the fashion industry. Moreover, the study identified both differences and similarities between the online and in-store context. For the in-store context, five out of the six factors in the revised research framework were perceived to be important for gen Z when purchasing fashion. Further the study suggests that there may be relational patterns between the factors, however the study did not examine relationships or degrees of associations between the factors, leaving room for future investigation.

The widespread use of social media platforms and the emergence of influencer marketing have revolutionized brand-consumer interactions, particularly among the younger demographic. In line with this trend, the influence of e-cigarette influencers on Generation Z (Gen Z) has become a prominent area of research. As influencer marketing continues to thrive and the e-cigarette industry experiences significant growth, it is imperative to comprehend how these influencers shape Gen Z's perception of influencers endorsing e-cigarette brands. Therefore, this study aims to examine the perception of Gen Z towards Instagram influencers in the United States who endorse e-cigarette brands. By exploring the perspectives of Gen Z, this research seeks to gain insights into the potential impact of these influencers on Gen Z's attitudes and behaviours regarding e-cigarettes. The study was based on the theory of source credibility and celebrity endorsement. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and employed in-depth interviews and netnography as methodology. A total of eleven in-depth interviews were conducted with participants from Gen Z who possessed knowledge and familiarity with e- cigarettes. Additionally, through netnography, comments from publicly available Instagram posts of the selected e-cigarette influencers were collected and examined over a period of three years. The findings highlight that Gen Z generally holds a positive perception of e-cigarette influencers on Instagram, perceiving them as credible sources of information and inspiration, thereby influencing their attitudes and behaviours concerning e-cigarettes. These insights have practical implications for e-cigarette brands aiming to engage Gen Z through influencer marketing, emphasizing the importance of trust and expertise in influencer-generated content. However, the study also highlights potential societal implications, including the potential for i increased e-cigarette consumption and ethical concerns surrounding the influence of trustworthy influencers on underage users. In conclusion, the study proposes avenues for future research, such as conducting surveys with larger sample sizes and exploring perceptions of e- cigarette influencers on alternative social media platforms like TikTok.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the relationship between CSR initiatives and the job preferences of educated Gen Z members. This study also aims to provide insights into how organisations can attract and retain top Gen Z talent by implementing CSR initiatives and thus maintain their competitive advantage in the job market.  Method: To address the research question, this study uses a qualitative approach involving semi-structured interviews with Gen Z members and employers with expertise in recruitment and human resources (HR) positions. Additionally, the authors conducted an analysis of the collected data using a thematic approach. Conclusion: This study explores and expands the understanding of the preferences and priorities of Generation Z employees, emphasising the significance of factors beyond CSR initiatives. The authors conclude that while Gen Z is supportive of CSR initiatives, it is not the most significant factor in Gen Z's employer preferences. Gen Z employees consider salary, benefits, career advancement opportunities, and workplace flexibility as important factors when choosing an employer. Insights from this study can assist organisations and human resources professionals in cultivating positive relationships with Generation Z employees and make their organisation more attractive to these emerging talented candidates of employees.

Place branding refers to the strategical act of attaching a positive reputation to a geographical place. This concept is argued important due to its ability to boost places with advantageous lead when globally competing over financial, cultural and human resources. In 2015, the Nordic Council of Ministers accordingly adopted an official strategy for how to internationally brand the Nordic Region. The strategy includes illustrations of the Region, along with detailed goals on how the Nordics – natively called ‘Norden’ – should be associated and perceived.  Nevertheless, when dissecting the elements of which place-brands are made up by, it is found that residents ‘sense of place’ form an essential component to the quality and success of the place-brand. At the same time, it is recognized that people belonging to different generational groups typically carry different social and cultural frames of references, eventually influencing their perception of the world and potentially even their experienced sense of place.  This study has therefore aimed to examine the convergence between the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Place Branding strategy and the ‘sense of place’ experienced by residents of the Region. Additionally, by comparing results between two generational groups; the ‘Gen-z’s’ and the ‘Boomers’. Practically by answering up to the following research questions: (1) How is Nordic residents experienced ‘sense of place’ differing between generational groups? And (2) How are the outcomes in RQ1 standing in relation to the Nordic place branding strategy?  The study has applied a qualitative methodology using surveys and gathering data from a total of 94 respondents, of which 49 have belonged to the Gen-z group and 45 to the Boomer group.   Concludingly, it has been found that residents’ sense of place in the Nordics in fact is differing between generational groups. In broad, the differences are reflected by a strong sense of Nordic belongingness among Boomers, however, in combination with a sense of the Nordics that is further away from what the strategy is intending to communicate. On the other hand, the Gen-z’s are found to have significantly lower sense of Nordic belongingness, although, together with a more positive sense of the Nordics, that also is more in line with strategy.

Background: Brands have started paying attention to brand authenticity since consumer demand for authenticity is increasing. Especially Gen Z is constantly seeking for authentic, inclusive, and diverse brands as they are the first generation to choose brands based on authenticity. Especially the LGBTQ community’s representation in advertising is often perceived as inauthentic and superficial. Since Gen Z is not only a big consumer of fast fashion but also the first to include fast fashion as part of their everyday life, the fast fashion industry is required to be more authentic in its use of LGBTQ in advertising. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how Gen Z perceives LGBTQ images in fast fashion advertising and how this impacts brand authenticity. Method: For this study, an exploratory research design with a qualitative approach was applied. Using an abductive approach, existing literature was used as a basis to create the conceptual model of this study. Further, a fictional fast fashion brand including five advertisements were created and presented to twenty informants during semi-structured interviews to gain a more in-depth understanding of the research problem. Conclusion: The study found that Gen Z’s perceptions of LGBTQ images in fast fashion advertising can be classified into three categories: positive, neutral, and negative perceptions. Informants with a positive perception perceived the brand to be authentic whilst informants with a negative perception the opposite. Since informants with a neutral perception sometimes had similar perceptions as the informants with a positive or negative perception, no clear answer on their perception of brand authenticity can be given.

This paper is about femvertising which is used as a strategy within marketing to attract female consumers. This strategy is done by companies by pushing for gender equality and female empowerment in their ads. There is a lack of research regarding how femvertising affects consumers' purchase intentions and buying behavior. Further research also needs to be done examining female portrayals on digital platforms. The study is done with a qualitative method and inductive approach. In this paper, 20 respondents have participated in in-depth interviews and the respondents are all born between 1995 to 1998, which is called Gen Z, and are also all women. The paper is based on finding codes and converting them into categories which results in themes based on the different interviews. The conclusion of the paper is that social media are leading to purchases due to the possibility of targeting its consumers. Although, consumers easily tend to feel monitored when companies use them for targeting. Influencers can be successful for companies to use if the fit is good so it generates trust for the consumer. Another conclusion is that companies need to use different female portrayals, showing women in all of their uniqueness for them to be more relatable. Social media is an important part when it comes to if consumers will make purchases as it makes information and products easily accessible. Femvertising needs to shine through all of the company, not only the advertising. Companies should also monitor which type of WOM is out there about them as the point of view of other consumers is weighing heavily in affecting purchase intentions.

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Background: In recent years, a new generation has rapidly entered the workforce and when this happens it is assumed that some level of disruption will come along. Since Generation Z have only been in the workforce for short amount of time, there is a lack of crucial research regarding their perceived experiences. Because different generations are assumed to have different values, a prominent challenge for organizations is how to correctly lead them. In other words, leadership preferences may differ when a new generation comes into play. Problem: As of today, there is a substantial knowledge gap regarding Generation Z preferred leadership styles among entry-level jobs. This knowledge gap can cause devastating effects for future organizations. Generation Z is a force to be reckoned with and shall soon become a prevailing member of the labor market in the near future. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the Swedish Generation Z preferred leadership styles, based on lived experiences in an entry-level job and to what extent they prefer transformational, transactional or laissez-faire leadership. The findings are expected to contribute to existing and new theoretical insights regarding Gen Z leadership preferences. Method: The research was conducted through seven qualitative semi-structured, open-ended interviews, which were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Results: The findings described Generation Z ideal leader based on their thoughts and lived experiences. Gen Z prefers a leader that displays individual consideration, inspires followers and acts as a role model. These characteristics traits bare close resemblance of a transformational leader compared to transactional or laissez-fair leader. Acknowledging these results could contribute to a competitive advantage for organizations during their recruitment and development phase of Gen Z employees.

ABSTRACT  Title: Customers perception of Artificial Intelligence as Chatbots in CRM  Subject: Bachelor thesis in business administration, 15 hp  Authors: Hanna Trägårdh & Elsa Kuylenstierna  Supervisor: Klaus Solberg Söilen  Examiner: Ulf Aagerup  Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Chatbots, Customer Relationship Management, Generation Z, Generation Y  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the perception Swedish customers from Gen Z and Gen Y have of companies using chatbots in customer relationship management. Furthermore the study will analyze if the different generational groups perceive chatbots in different ways. The study also focuses on finding out what role chatbots play in terms of CRM.  Methodology: In this study a deductive research approach was used where the empirical study was collected through a survey. The survey had 212 respondents, 100 of them were between 15 and 25 years old and 112 were between 26 and 44 years old.  Conclusion: Gen Z and Gen Y have similar opinions about how they perceive chatbots. Both Gen Z and Gen Y prefer communicating with a human since chatbots are not living up to their expectations. However, they are optimistic that chatbots have the potential to improve customer services to the better. Companies need to make sure that chatbots create value for customers and not only for companies themselves. Chatbots need to keep developing and make progress to be beneficial for customers to use.  Implications: This study can contribute with new perspectives about chatbots and customer relationships that can be a big advantage for companies when implementing chatbots for their business. The study brings attention to the unexplored issue of Gen Z and Gen Y’s perception in this matter. This study can also be helpful for further research within the subject area.