Companies in the western world can no longer compete by using traditional means such as product and price since the commerce of services continually grows. To avoid similarity and increase competitive advantages modern companies have to be more specified. The competition between companies has increased and customers are harder to reach. Customers of today can afford luxury but trend indicates that originality, identity, and status are more important than factual needs. Products created and consumed at the same time within the service market are often very homogenous (similar). The small differences between companies make it hard to find the grounds of the consumer’s choice also making it imperative for companies to inter-pret the needs, habits, and expectancies of the consumer. A winning con-cept is hard to identify – individualism makes it harder to predict trends, product cycles becomes shorter, and the market becomes more casual, changeable, agile, lively, and impulsive. The purpose of this paper is to examine through quantitative survey which design factors create value for the consumer and how this affects the consumer choice. With prospective on the time of service the relation between consumer and company is evaluated in the moment of truth. / Företag i västvärlden kan inte längre vara med och konkurrera med traditionella medel som produkt och pris. Handeln med tjänster växer, för att undvika likriktning och öka konkurrensfördelarna ligger det i tiden för företag att nischa in sig. Konkurrensen om nya kunder hårdnar, och de blir allt svårare att nå. Kunder har idag råd med lyxvaror men trenden pekar på att originalitet, identitet och status är viktigare än faktiska behov. Inom tjänstemarknaden är produkterna som skapas och konsumeras vid samma tillfälle ofta mycket homogena. Det är svårt att veta på vilka grunder konsumenten väljer leverantör eftersom det ofta finns små skillnader mellan företagen. Det är viktigt för företag att förstå och tolka kunders behov, vanor och förväntningar. Det blir allt svårare att identifiera ett vinnande koncept – individualism bryter ner förmågan att förutse trender, produktlivscyklerna blir kortare, detta tillsammans med en mer flyktig, ombytlig, rörlig, livlig, impulsiv marknad. I uppsatsen undersöks vilka designfaktorer som skapar mervärde för kunden och påverkar valet av tjänsteföretag. Syftet med uppsatsen är att med hjälp av kvantitativ undersökning analysera vad det är som gör att kunderna väljer ett visst tjänsteföretag. Samt utvärdera om det går att uppfylla kundernas olika behov genom att addera nya faktorer till en tjänst för att skapa mervärde för kunden. Med perspektiv på servicetillfället utvärderas relationen mellan kund och företag i sanningens ögonblick.

Rapporten behandlar ämnet att göra det enklare att öppna plastpåsar och görs på uppdrag av Leif Gustavsson vid Binar Elektronik AB i Trollhättan. Arbetetet utförs i kursen Examensarbete för högskoleingenjörsexamen i innovationsteknik och design, MSGC12 vid fakulteten för hälsa, natur- och teknikvetenskap på Karlstad universitet under våren 2013. Idag sker öppnandet av påsar ofta genom att ett tumme-pekfingergrepp skjuvar isär påsens väggar. Informationssökningen visar att behovet av en lösning som gör det enklare att öppna olika typer av plastpåsar i butik och inom hushåll är mycket stort för människor både med och utan funktionsnedsättning. Dels ur ett användningsperspektiv, då operationen kräver en hög motorisk förmåga men även ur ett smittspridningsperspektiv, då fingrarna ofta måste blötas med saliv för att åstadkomma tillräckligt hög friktion mot påsen för att skjuva upp den. Eftersom individen då får i sig de bakterier hon har på handen och för sina munhålebakterier vidare när hon tar i ett annat föremål. Även om ett fåtal patent påträffas inom området finns inga lösningar tillgängliga på marknaden för föreskrivna hjälpmedel eller för produkter inom egenansvar. Utifrån uppdragsgivarens krav, egna premisser, vad som observeras i butik och framkommit från intervjuer med butiksvan säljare, hygiensköterska, arbetsterapeut, utredare vid socialtjänsten samt vid samtal med Reumatikerförbundet har en produktspecifikation gjorts. Specifikationen ställer bland annat krav på användarvänlighet, att kunna brukas i butik och inom hushåll, att minimera smittspridning, att hjälpa funktionsnedsatta samt att tillåta storserietillverkning till låg kostnad. Konceptgenerering sker tillsammans med kurskamrater som är bekanta med den kreativa processens metodik och med reumatiker som är väl bekanta med behovet. Det leder till att ett trettiotal konceptuella lösningar tas fram som sedan utvärderas med hjälp av eliminerings-, relativ besluts- och kriterieviktsmatriser samt spindelvävsdiagram som bygger på den kravspecifikation som tidigare definierats. Den valda lösningen konfigureras och testas vid prototyptillverkning med återkoppling till den slutliga användaren, för att sedan få sin slutkonstruktion och mönsterskyddas. Lösningen är en produkt som orsakar skjuvning med sin osymmetriska u-form genom att armarna i sträcks i olika riktningar vid kompression samtidigt som dess gap är försett med friktionsmaterial som gör att påsens väggar skjuvas isär. Produktens enkla form gör det enklare att öppna plastpåsar samtidigt som den minimerar smittspridning och tillåter storserietillverkning till låg kostnad. Enkelheten gör det även möjligt att ge indirekt skydd av den tekniska funktionen genom mönsterskydd av form. Produktens material, tillverkning och dimension behöver dock specificeras noggrannare genom produkttest så att konstruktionen tillåter lämplig skjuvning för att kunna öppna en plastpåse. / The report deals with the subject of making it easier to open plastic bags and is commissioned by Leif Gustavsson at Binar Elektronik AB in Trollhättan. The work is performed within the course Degree project for Degree of Bachelor of Science in Innovation and Design Engineering, MSGC12 at the Faculty of Health, Nature and Engineering Science at Karlstad University in the spring of 2013. Today the opening of the plastic bags often is performed by a thumb-index finger grip that shears apart the walls of the bag. The research shows that the need for a solution that makes it easier to open different types of plastic bags in stores and within households is very high for people with and without disabilities. Both from a usage perspective when the operation requires a high motor performance but also from a contamination perspective when fingers often have to be soaked with saliva to provide sufficient friction against the bag to shear it up. The individual then ingests the bacteria she has on her hand and passing her oral cavity further on when she touches another object. Although a few patents were found within the area there are no solutions available in the market. Based on the requirements from the employer, the author’s own terms, what is observed in the store and emerged from interviews with experienced seller, health nurse, occupational therapist, researcher at the social services and in conversation with the Swedish Rheumatism Association a product specification was made. The specification includes requirements on ease of use, to be managed in-store and in households, to minimize the spread of infection, to help the disabled and to allow large series manufacturing at a low cost. Concept generation was performed together with fellow students who are familiar with the methodology of the creative process and with rheumatics who are well acquainted with the need of making it easier to open plastic bags. Approximately thirty conceptual solutions are developed, which is being evaluated by means of elimination, relative decision-making and criterion-weight matrixes and web charts based on the product specification previously defined. The final choice of solution is configured and prototypes constructed. Feedback from the user leads to the final product design and the design was protected. The product causes shearing with its asymmetrical U shape by stretching its arms in different directions during compression while its mouth is provided with friction material that allows the walls of the bag to be sheared apart. The product's simple design makes it easier to open plastic bags while at the same time minimizing the spread of infection and allowing large series manufacturing at a low cost. The simplicity also makes it possible to provide indirect protection of the technical function through design. Although the product’s materials, manufacturing and dimension needs to be specified more accurately by tests to confirm that the design allows adequate shear to open a plastic bag.

Insulin and glucagon are released in pulses from pancreatic β- and α-cells, respectively. Both cell types are electrically excitable, and elevation of the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) due to depolarization with voltage-dependent entry of the cation is the main trigger of hormone secretion. Store-operated Ca2+ entry  (SOCE) also contributes to the [Ca2+]i elevation and this process has been suggested to be particularly important for glucagon secretion. cAMP is another important messenger that amplifies Ca2+-triggered secretion of both hormones, but little is known about cAMP dynamics in islet cells. In type-2 diabetes, there is deteriorated β-cell function associated with elevated concentrations of fatty acids, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. To clarify the processes that regulate insulin and glucagon secretion, cAMP signalling and the store-operated pathway were investigated in β- and α-cells, primarily within their natural environment in intact mouse and human islets of Langerhans. Fluorescent biosensors and total internal reflection microscopy were used to investigate signalling specifically at the plasma membrane (PM). Adrenaline increased and decreased the sub-PM cAMP concentration ([cAMP]pm) in immuno-identified α-cells and β-cells, respectively, which facilitated cell identification. Glucagon elicited [cAMP]pm oscillations in α- and β-cells, demonstrating both auto- and paracrine effects of the hormone. Whereas glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) consistently elevated [cAMP]pm in β-cells, only few α-cells responded, indicating that GLP-1 regulates glucagon secretion without changes of α-cell [cAMP]pm. Both α- and β-cells responded to glucose with pronounced oscillations of [cAMP]pm that were partially Ca2+-dependent and synchronized among islet β-cells. The glucose-induced cAMP formation was mediated by plasma membrane-bound adenylyl cyclases. Several phosphodiesterases (PDEs), including the PDE1, -3, -4, and -8 families, were required for shaping the [cAMP]pm signals and pulsatile insulin secretion. Prolonged exposure of islets to the fatty acid palmitate deteriorated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion with loss of pulsatility. This defect was associated with impaired cAMP generation, while [Ca2+]i signalling was essentially unaffected. Stromal interacting molecule 1 (STIM1) is critical for activation of SOCE by sensing the Ca2+ concentration in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). ER Ca2+ depletion caused STIM1 aggregation, co-clustering with the PM Ca2+ channel protein Orai1 and SOCE activation. Glucose, which inhibits SOCE by filling the ER with Ca2+, reversed the PM association of STIM1. Consistent with a role of the store-operated pathway in glucagon secretion, this effect was maximal at the low glucose concentrations that inhibit glucagon release, whereas considerably higher concentrations were required in β-cells. Adrenaline induced STIM1 translocation to the PM in α-cells and the reverse process in β-cells, partially reflecting the opposite effects of adrenaline on cAMP in the two cell types. However, cAMP-induced STIM1 aggregates did not co-cluster with Orai1 or activate SOCE, indicating that STIM1 translocation can occur independently of Orai1 clustering and SOCE.

External stores mounted on aircraft generate loads which need to be estimated before first takeoff. These loads can be measured in a wind tunnel but since the possible store configurations are basically endless, testing them all is neither economically feasible nor time efficient. Thus, scaling based on geometrical similarity is used. This can, however, be a crude method. Stores with similar geometrical properties can still behave in different ways due to aerodynamic interference caused by adjacent surfaces. To improve the scaling performance, this work focuses on investigating two CFD codes, ADAPDT and Edge. The CFD simulations are used to derive the difference in aerodynamic coefficients, or the Δ-effect, between a reference store and the new untested store. The Δ-effect is then applied to an existing wind tunnel measurement of the reference store, yielding an estimation of the aerodynamic properties for the new store. The results show that ADAPDT, using a coarse geometry representation, has large difficulties predicting the new store properties, even for a very simple store configuration on the aircraft. Therefore it is not suited to use as a scaling tool in its present condition. Edge on the other hand uses a more precise geometry representation and proves to deliver good estimations of the new store load behavior. Results are well balanced and mainly conservative. Some further work is needed to verify the performance but Edge is the recommended tool for scaling.

Background: It has been shown that companies that lived under protected conditions for a long time have had difficulties to adapt to major changes. With that in mind an even more extensive low-cost competition in the Swedish grocery market will make a threat for the traditional grocery stores' long-term survival. The question then becomes, which strategies will be successful and lead to higher customer loyalty. Problem: Are the traditional grocery stores using strategies that can compete in addition to pricing and will those strategies lead to long-term survival? Objective: Is to analyse and evaluate two traditional grocery stores' strategies and to examine whether these are consistent with customer demand. Approach: First we have created a more fundamental understanding of the situation in the Swedish grocery market. Then we have implemented two interviews in each grocery store. The first one is done with the store manager and the second one is done whit one of the staff members. Finally, we have also performed a survey directed to the stores' customers. Basic perspective: The study is based on a Relationship perspective and a Transactional perspective. Theories: “Theory of Value Star and Value Chain”, “Service Profit Chain”, “Value Theory”, “Value creation processes”,” Brand Theory” and “Involvement Theory”. Empiricism: Is based on the information gathered by interviews done in the two grocery stores and customers' responses to the survey. Analysis: Is based on the empirical data. Results: The study shows that both stores have customers that are relatively highinvolved and that both of these stores work with high involvement values. Conclusion: Both stores have strategies that extend beyond pricing. However, there are major shortcomings in terms of involving the customers in the process of creating value, which also affects customer loyalty. The stores' different structure of ownership also affects how they are organized and make decisions. Currently, Coop has a bigger problem than ICA because of low customer loyalty and limited adaptability.

This thesis aims to examine the class experiences of workers who work in food retail stores in Ankara. In this respect, it focuses on the structure of food retailing as interactive service work, working conditions of workers, stratification, fragmentation and unionization of workers in stores. In addition, it examines how workers experience class as a matter of self-esteem in their workplaces, how they cope with discourtesy of costumers, how they classify costumers and whether they develop a sense of deprivation if it is taken into consideration that they work in a consumption area. It is also analyzed gender and family relations of store workers, and their future hopes and unfulfilled dreams. The study argues that stores with their workers, their managers and their diverse costumers profiles are significant places so as to observe how class differences are continuously reconstructed in everyday life through work and consumption practices. In regard to these issues, the field research of the thesis was employed through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 37 store workers who deal directly with customers and works in various food retail stores in Ankara.

Universiẗat, Diss.--Regensburg, 2006.

På senare tid har en ny trend inom multikanalförsäljning uppmärksammats, där renodlade e-handlare inser vikten av att finnas tillgängliga för kunden i flera försäljningskanaler och därför adderar en fysisk butik som försäljningskanal. Den nya trenden benämns i studien för Clicks to Bricks. När flera försäljningskanaler opererar under samma varumärke kan svårigheter uppstå i att förmedla en enhetlig bild av varumärket, vilket lyfts fram i befintlig litteratur kring multikanalförsäljning. Det finns dock inga tidigare studier som undersöker utmaningar i att förmedla en enhetlig bild av varumärket specifikt för företag som går från Clicks to Bricks. Baserat på att Clicks to Bricks är ett relativt nytt fenomen som växt fram är forskningen inom området bristfällig och ytterligare studier krävs därför för att ge en ökad förståelse för fenomenet. / Background: Recently, a new trend in multichannel retailing has been growing where pure eretailersare realizing the importance of being available to the customer in several sales channelsand therefore adds a physical store to its existing e-commerce. The new trend is further referredto as Clicks to Bricks. When multiple sales channels operate under the same brand difficultiesmay arise in conveying a consistent image of the brand, which is highlighted in the existingliterature on multi-channel retailing. However, there are no previous studies that examinechallenges in conveying a consistent image of the brand specifically for companies going fromClicks to Bricks. Based on the fact that Clicks to Bricks is a relatively new phenomenon thearea is fairly unexplored in the academic world, which means that further studies are needed toprovide a greater understanding of the phenomenon. Purpose: The study aims to provide a greater understanding of the phenomenon Clicks toBricks, by examining the reasons for pure e-tailers to add a physical store as a sales channel andhow they work to convey a consistent brand image. Completion: The study has the design of a multiple case study and has been conducted with aqualitative approach. The study's empirical data is collected from interviews with people onnine different companies that have gone from Clicks to Bricks. Conclusion: This study observes the fact that companies going from Clicks to Bricks haverecognized the importance of communicating a consistent brand across their sales channels.Companies have, however, started its work towards communicating a consistent image of thebrand at a late stage in the establishment process. The study identifies opportunities forimprovement in terms of conveying a consistent brand when it comes to companies going fromClicks to Bricks.

Detaljhandeln är en marknad som är under ständig utveckling och möts av nya utmaningar. Den hårda konkurrensen driver de verksamma till att arbeta med butiken och dess miljö som en konkurrensfördel. Det satsas och investeras årligen i stora ombyggnationer av butiker där detaljister planerar, bygger, förändrar och kontrollerar organisationens fysiska miljö utan att i många fall fullt förstå hur det påverkar ”användare” av miljön. Baserat på vad som skapar värde för konsumenter vid köptillfället kommer de ställa olika krav på butiksmiljön och således påverka hur de upplever det totala shoppingvärdet. Det blir därför viktigt att definiera konsumentens värdedimension för att också förstå butiksmiljöns betydelse och påverkan.Den hedonistiska värdedimensionen som syftar till emotionella värden så som underhållande och trevlig shopping har fått större utrymme inom detaljhandeln. Detaljisternas ökade strävan av en hedonistisk butiksmiljö som fokuserar på inspiration och upplevelse i butik har medfört att det utilitaristiska värdet fått mindre utrymme, en inriktning mer fokuserad på en behovsstyrd och funktionell konsumtion. Lite forskning har gjorts kring den utilitaristiska värdedimensionen samtidigt som många människor lever utifrån en alltmer hektisk livsstil vilket tycks innebära ett ökat behov av bekvämlighet och effektivitet i de sammanhang där de kan erhålla eftersökta varor.Studiens syfte är att undersöka och analysera betydelsen av butiksmiljön och dess faktorer för konsumenter vid utilitaristisk konsumtion. Studien ämnar också besvara hur detaljister genom butiksmiljön kan skapa värde för konsumenter vid utilitaristisk konsumtion. Då det krävs ens djupare förståelse för den utilitaristiska värdedimensionen och hur den påverkar konsumenternas uppfattning om vad som skapar värde för dem i butiksmiljö har studiens empir samlats in genom fokusgrupper. För att skapa förståelse för mönster och beteenden samt för att förebygga en spretig datainsamling har fokus riktats mot en typ av produkt. Då underkläder betraktas som en utilitaristisk produkt och som oftast exponeras i en hedonistisk miljö föreföll det vara en lämplig och intressant produkt att använda som undersökningsfall. Då underklädesavdelningen för kvinnor har större variation av produkter och modeller än den manliga avdelning, samtidigt som de oftast har större utrymme i butik styrdes urvalet mot underkläder för kvinnor. Fyra fokusgrupper genomfördes med kvinnor i åldrarna 23-59 år.Studiens resultat visar att butiksmiljön blev mindre viktig för konsumenter vid utilitaristisk konsumtion. Konsumenter lägger större fokus på att uppnå sitt köpmål och hitta efterfrågad produkt än upplevelsen i butik. Butikens förmåga att tillhandahålla och erbjuda rätt utbud av produkter var av störst betydelse för konsumenter vid utilitaristisk konsumtion. Det var också av stor betydelse att faktorerna i butiksmiljön underlättar och effektiviserar köpprocessen genom en tydlig layout och varuvisning, tillgänglig personal samt genom en lugn och behaglig miljö. Vid utilitaristisk konsumtion kan detaljister således skapa värde för konsumenter genom att främst erbjuda rätt produkter men också genom att skapa en tydlig layout, struktur, ha tillräcklig bemanning samt sträva efter en butiksmiljö som satsar på funktion framför inspiration. / The retail industry is a market experiencing constant change and new challenges. Tough competition pushes companies to work on their store environment in order to attain competitive advantage. Retailers annually make significant investments to plan, build, change, and control the organizations’ physical environment, and in many cases, without understanding how it truly affects the actual “users” of the environment. Based on the consumers’ preferences and value at the time of purchase they will generally have different requirements of the store environment and how they experience and evaluate it. As a result, it becomes important to define the consumers value dimension in order to understand the importance and effect that the physical environment has on the consumer.Whereas the hedonic store environment has gained more recognition, where inspiration and experience is in focus, few studies have been done on the utilitarian value which focuses on the needs-driven and functional consumption. At the same time people tend to have an increasingly busy lifestyle where an increased need of convenience and efficiency where they make their purchase is sought after. This study aims to increase understanding of the importance of the store environment and its factors in utilitarian consumption. The study intends to examine how retailers, through their store environment, can create value for consumers with a utilitarian value dimension.To be able to answer the research questions it requires a deeper understanding of the utilitarian value dimension and how it affects consumers’ view of what creates value for them in the store environment; the study is therefore conducted through focus groups. To understand consumers’ patterns and behaviors and to prevent a too wide data collection the study focuses on only one product. As underwear is considered a utilitarian product that people use on an everyday basis and mostly is exposed in a hedonistic environment; it appeared to be an appropriate and interesting product to use. In general, the women’s lingerie department will show a wider assortment of products than the respective department for men; as a result, the sample of the study was tilted towards underwear for women. Four focus groups were conducted with women in an age range of 23-59.The result of the study revealed that the store environment became less important to consumers with a utilitarian value dimension. Consumers put more focus in achieving their goal of a purchase and finding the requested product than what they experience in store. A store’s ability to provide and offer the right range of products was of the greatest importance for consumers when it comes to utilitarian consumption. It was also of great importance that the store environment provided possibilities for the consumers to make the purchase process efficient by providing a clear layout, simple exposure of the products, service and creating a calm and comfortable environment. In utilitarian consumption retailers can create value for consumers by offering the right products, creating a clear layout and structure, have sufficient staffing and aim for store environments that focus on function rather than inspiration.This thesis is hereinafter written in Swedish.

Under det senaste decenniet har den svenska elektronikhandeln präglats av en allt hårdare konkurrenssituation och lägre lönsamhet. Det har lett till att stora butikskedjor gått i konkurs. För att vända trenden måste företagen hanterar sina butiksverksamheter effektivt. Det blir därmed avgörande hur butikschefen sköter butiken. Av den anledningen är det intressant att undersöka butikschefers arbetssätt för att se vad som leder till hög lönsamhet. Vår genomgång av tidigare forskning visar på att det finns en kunskapslucka gällande hur en butikschef bör arbeta för att öka lönsamheten. Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur butikschefer arbetar och utifrån det identifiera faktorer i butikschefers arbetssätt som påverkar resultat och leder till skillnader i butikers prestationer. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats och bygger på intervjuer med 10 butikschefer. Respondenterna har delats in i en högpresterande fokusgrupp och en jämförelsegrupp för att tydliggöra skillnader i arbetssättet. Studien visar på flertalet skillnader i hur butikschefer i fokusgruppen hanterar de vardagliga arbetsuppgifterna. Den största skillnaden består i ledarfilosofin butikscheferna utövar, vilket genomsyrar alla beslut butikscheferna i fokusgruppen tar. / Background During the latest decade the Swedish electronic industry has been exposed to intensified competition and lower profitability. The consequences have been that major retail chains have gone out of business. In order to survive, the companies need to handle their stores as efficiently as possible. As a result it’s crucial how the store manager operates the store. Therefore it is interesting to study how store managers practice their work in order to see what leads to high profitability. Our review of research reveals that there’s a knowledge gap of qualitative studies regarding how store managers should work. Aim The aim of the study is to investigate how store managers works and from that identify factors in the store managers way of work that affects the result and leads to differences in store performance. Methodology The study is made with a qualitative approach and is built on data from interviews with 10 store managers. The respondents have been divided in to a high-performance focus group and a comparison group in order to clarify the differences in their approach of work. Conclusion The study shows a number of differences in how high-performance store managers handle their work. However, the biggest difference is the leadership philosophy they choose to practice, which affect everything they do.