The paper studies cultural differences in marketing communication between the West and China, as well as how marketing communication differs between different Western luxury segments, in which extend luxury brands Louis Vuitton, BMW and Rolex use standardized or localized marketing strategies when integrating on digital platforms in China. The study draws attention to China as a unique phenomenon where great interest in luxury is mixed with new technology and strict political conventions. Previous research has drawn attention to the tendency of Western luxury brands to localize when designing marketing communications in China. Cultural differences have a great impact on which communication is most effective. Unlike Western countries where luxury brands can communicate self-expression and uniqueness, luxury brands in China need to highlight social symbols that clearly convey how the luxury brand benefits Chinese consumers in important social contexts. The researcher in this study has been inspiredby the research method grounded theory where the researcher performs a qualitative analysis in the form of a self-constructed analysis model. Analysis is carried out using open coding where the researcher finds indications, patterns, similarities and differences for how marketing communication differs between different Western luxury segments in China. The results of the study show that Louis Vuitton's marketing communication is localized to the greatest extent, Rolex's marketing communication is localized the least, uses a standardized marketing strategy and BMW has a mix between standardized and localized marketing strategies.

Through four essays, this dissertation contributes to the body of marketing literature by advancing understanding of consumer interactions with digital decision aids. Different aspects of the content contained within digital decision aids are explored in several contexts. First, the drivers of consumer interactivity in an online review community are examined and it is found that violations of community norms are an important factor in stimulating consumer action. Second, a tool is developed to facilitate the normalization of online review content across languages. Next, elements of language and national culture are investigated to determine their influence on consumer reviews in an international context. It is found that cultural biases play an important role in the relative verbosity, valence, and helpfulness of online reviews across countries. Lastly, the role of images in digital decision aids is considered and it is found that image type and perspective can influence consumer product evaluation. In sum, the influence that content and context have on consumer interactions with digital decision aids is clearly demonstrated through a diverse yet intertwined set of studies. / Business Administration/Marketing

The purpose of this study is to develop a simulator which would bridge the gap between theory and reality for the student of international marketing. The simulator developed is a computerized business game entitled "The International Marketing Simulator." The International Marketing Simulator contains a description of the model, player's manual, and scenario section, Incorporated in this section is information on how to input decisions into the computer game. The International Marketing Simulator also contains information on the functioning of the International Marketing Simulator. Some of the functions discussed were the demand function, production function, and the promotion function. When the demand function was discussed it was noted that price and promotion were interrelated. The last part of the International Marketing Simulator is a detailed story of each of six foreign countries which are used in the International Marketing Simulator. This section is called the scenario section since each country has a story about it which "sets the stage" for the computer game. There were four parts to the verification process of the International Marketing Simulator. The four parts were (1) making trial program runs an an IBM 360 computer, (2) verifying the logic of the model of the International Marketing Simulator, (3) students participating in making trial runs on the International Marketing Simulator, (4) conducting a before-after study with a control group.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo compreender os modos de aquisição de informação para exportação, realizando a aplicação de um modelo desenvolvido por Souchon & Diamantopoulos (1999). O trabalho utiliza tem uma abordagem descritiva conclusiva por meio de uma amostragem não-probabilística e a seleção de sua amostra foi por conveniência. Além da aplicação do modelo que indica três modos de aquisição de informações, sendo (1) pesquisa de marketing em mercados externos; (2) serviços de apoio à exportação; e (3) inteligência de mercado para exportação, é realizada uma avaliação de como as empresas exportadoras da região de Ribeirão Preto/SP utilizam estes diferentes modos de aquisição de informação. Também é realizada uma avaliação da aplicação do modelo teórico e uma avaliação da intercambiabilidade dos modos de aquisição de informação para exportação. Os resultados obtidos indicam a predominância da inteligência de mercado para exportação como modo de aquisição de informação preferencial. São indicadas as formas que as empresas entrevistadas utilizam como lidam com os modos de aquisição e qual é a importância de cada modo de informação. Ao final, são apresentadas as conclusões dos estudos realizados, indicando que outros estudos podem ser desenvolvidos para melhor compreender a inteligência de mercado com um todo. / This work has for objective to understand export information acquisition modes, accomplishing the application of Souchon & Diamantopoulos\' model (1999). The work uses has a conclusive descriptive approach through a sampling no-probabilistic and the selection of sample was for convenience. Besides the application of the model that indicates three export information acquisition modes, being (1) export marketing research; (2) export assistance; And (3) export marketing intelligence, an evaluation is accomplished of as the companies exporters of the area Ribeirão Preto / SP they use these different export information acquisition modes. It is also accomplished an evaluation of the application of the theoretical model and an evaluation of the interexchangeable of the export information acquisition modes. The obtained results indicate the predominance of the market intelligence for export as way of acquisition of preferential information. They are suitable the forms that the companies interviewees use how they work with the acquisition manners and which is the importance in each way of information. At the end, the conclusions of the accomplished studies are presented, indicating that other studies can be developed for best to understand the market intelligence with a whole.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo compreender os modos de aquisição de informação para exportação, realizando a aplicação de um modelo desenvolvido por Souchon & Diamantopoulos (1999). O trabalho utiliza tem uma abordagem descritiva conclusiva por meio de uma amostragem não-probabilística e a seleção de sua amostra foi por conveniência. Além da aplicação do modelo que indica três modos de aquisição de informações, sendo (1) pesquisa de marketing em mercados externos; (2) serviços de apoio à exportação; e (3) inteligência de mercado para exportação, é realizada uma avaliação de como as empresas exportadoras da região de Ribeirão Preto/SP utilizam estes diferentes modos de aquisição de informação. Também é realizada uma avaliação da aplicação do modelo teórico e uma avaliação da intercambiabilidade dos modos de aquisição de informação para exportação. Os resultados obtidos indicam a predominância da inteligência de mercado para exportação como modo de aquisição de informação preferencial. São indicadas as formas que as empresas entrevistadas utilizam como lidam com os modos de aquisição e qual é a importância de cada modo de informação. Ao final, são apresentadas as conclusões dos estudos realizados, indicando que outros estudos podem ser desenvolvidos para melhor compreender a inteligência de mercado com um todo. / This work has for objective to understand export information acquisition modes, accomplishing the application of Souchon & Diamantopoulos\' model (1999). The work uses has a conclusive descriptive approach through a sampling no-probabilistic and the selection of sample was for convenience. Besides the application of the model that indicates three export information acquisition modes, being (1) export marketing research; (2) export assistance; And (3) export marketing intelligence, an evaluation is accomplished of as the companies exporters of the area Ribeirão Preto / SP they use these different export information acquisition modes. It is also accomplished an evaluation of the application of the theoretical model and an evaluation of the interexchangeable of the export information acquisition modes. The obtained results indicate the predominance of the market intelligence for export as way of acquisition of preferential information. They are suitable the forms that the companies interviewees use how they work with the acquisition manners and which is the importance in each way of information. At the end, the conclusions of the accomplished studies are presented, indicating that other studies can be developed for best to understand the market intelligence with a whole.

In the wake of globalization, an increasing amount of firms must consider internationalization strategies to remain competitive. The strategic decision of where to expand is complex by nature. This is particularly true for retailers, and despite this being generally accepted, relatively little is in fact known about retailers ́ choice of foreign markets. Hence, this study investigates international market selection (IMS) strategies of Swedish retailers with global operations. The purpose of this study is twofold; first, to explore which criteria Swedish retailers use upon making international market selection decisions and investigate the relative importance among these criteria. Second, to assess the possibilities of creating a weighted IMS model for retailers, which can be use as guidance for marketing practitioners. The research questions which will be answered are: How do Swedish international retailers select foreign markets? What are the possibilities of creating a weighted IMS model for retailers? The study embraces a qualitative strategy with an exploratory research approach and a multiple case study design. Through extensive literature review, a conceptual framework is constructed, and subsequently developed, post gaining insight in practitioners’ reasoning. The empirical data was gathered through interviews with managers of Swedish retailers with international presence, as well as strategy consultants who routinely work with strategy conformation for Swedish retailers. Our findings show that criteria which influence IMS decisions among Swedish retailers are quite similar among firms and can be arranged under three main categories; market attractiveness, psychic distance and internal factors. Moreover, as a result of the empirical findings, we suggest previous IMS research lack one important factor which influences the IMS decisions, namely “gut-feeling”/coincidence. The relative importance among factors proved to vary among firms. Consequently, four concepts aiming at explaining the variations were developed. The four concepts include firm size, firm objective, industry of the firm, and ownership structure. Finally, with support from respondents, we arrived at a conclusion suggesting that construction of a weighted IMS model for all types of retailers is unfeasible. However, if the scope is limited to only include firms of similar characteristics as proposed by the four concepts, such model could potentially yield solid validity.

When it comes to the entertainment industry and the live performers these artists are in need of valuable communication strategies in order for them to reach the consumers they would like to reach and gain the success that they want. Although this is a known fact, it is difficult for the artists to know which marketing communication strategies to use and how to use them.  The purpose is to identify international marketing communication strategies for live performers within the entertainment industry. The objective is to demonstrate how the strategies can be used to reach international success. The focus is to look at marketing communication strategies from an artist/company’s point of view and therefore feedback from the consumers will not be covered in this thesis. We have found two alternative strategies for development of international marketing communication for a live performer in the entertainment industry. In both of these strategies it is important to start with creating a valuable network in order to set up clear goals for the marketing communication. The difference between the two strategies is based on whether the live performer is adapted to the target group or if the target group is adapted to the live performer

The purpose of this study is to examine post-purchase evaluation factors influencing repurchase intention of credence products, and develop a model of consumer’s post-purchase evaluation for the repurchase intentions. The credence products in this case are dietary supplements, with a focus on consumers in Thailand. The study classifies a conceptual model and hypothesised relationships into two consumer perspectives: product; and brand. This research assumes that trust, expectations, satisfaction factors may relate to repurchase intention for the consumer product perspective. Also, brand trust, brand experience, expectation, and satisfaction factors are correlated with repurchase intention from the consumer brand perspective. The research adopts a hypothetico-deductive method to enable the testing of hypotheses and also a structural equation modelling (SEM) to measure the constructive relationship and regression analysis that evaluates the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Both simple regression and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used to examine the effect of post-purchase evaluation factors on repurchase intention. These analyses are based on a sample of 504 dietary supplement users of vitamins, minerals, and herbs or other botanical products in four regions of Thailand through face-to-face structured interviews. Findings indicate that from consumers’ product perspective, consumer trust has no significant direct effect on consumer repurchase intentions whereas the relationship between consumer trust and consumer repurchase intentions of credence products are related, when it is mediated by consumer expectation and consumer satisfaction. In terms of consumers’ brand perspective, the study leads to a better understanding of consumer brand trust and consumer expectation, both of which have no significant direct effect on consumer repurchase intentions. Consumer brand trust, consumer brand experience and consumer repurchase intentions are not correlated when mediated by consumer expectation. Other findings reveal that brand experience has a direct impact on repurchase intentions whereas consumer satisfaction is a significant mediating factor when connected with: (1) the relationship between consumer brand trust and repurchase intention; (2) the relationship between consumer brand experience and repurchase intention. The study makes a contribution to a post-purchase evaluation for repurchase intentions of credence products from both consumers’ product and brand perspectives in Thailand. This study also suggests that consumer brand experience is the strongest factor and consumer satisfaction is the strongest mediator for consumers’ P-PE for the repurchase intention of credence products. From a managerial perspective, the findings of this study provide evidence for both the public and private sector in Thailand in terms of devising marketing strategies in accordance with this model.

This investigation attempts to improve understanding of the behaviour of internet consumers from an empirical basis. It reports on the results of studies into decision-making processes of consumers on the internet in the context of apparel retailing. Consumers consisting of a profile sample of working female consumers, aged between 18 and 45, in the ABC1 social group, are considered in terms of their decision making processes online. These observations are contrasted with the assumptions underlying a key reference model of traditional consumer behaviour, the Consumer Decision Process (CDP) model (Blackwell, Engel & Miniard, 2001). The research arrives at several key findings. A primary finding is that there are substantive differences between internet-based and traditional decision making purchases - especially when considering consumers’ behaviour in relation to so-called sensory products. A related finding is that many of the assumptions underlying the CDP model fail to explain many aspects of observed internet consumers’ behaviours in this respect. The observed incongruence is addressed by the thesis through fundamental revisions and extensions of the CDP model. Three key changes proposed include: the introduction of the concept of overlapping stages (where two decision-making stages can occur together); the notion of varying modalities of behaviour depending on a consumer's intentions, and the possibility of a shift in modality during the purchasing process. These notions are incorporated in a proposed model referred to as the Electronic Consumer Decision Process model (eCDP).

The first part of the thesis describes the theories of international marketing. The second part deals with analysis of the company and brand Kofola at the Czech market, and summarizes the basic specifics of the company's expansion to Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Russia. The final part is devoted to analysis of Austrian soft-drinks market and drafts a strategy for Kofola there.