Background: Due to the digital era and a constant increase in social media usage, new ways to interact with customers can be done through adopting Social Media Marketing Activities (SMMA). The concept SMMA is constituted by the five dimensions ‘Entertainment’, ‘Interaction’, ‘Trendiness’, ‘Customization’ and ‘Word-of-mouth’. By reviewing recent research, indications that SMMA has a relationship with other items in the form of Brand Image and Purchase intention becomes clear. Therefore, the authors attempt to examine this relationship even further in order to contribute to the already established scientific body. Furthermore, previous research declared a gap in terms of context which this study aimed to fulfill.  Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how Social Media Marketing Activities affect consumer purchase intention through brand image as the mediator. The authors aimed to contribute to already existing research and propose implications, especially of the electronic industry context which can be further examined in the future.  Methodology: The study was of quantitative nature with a deductive approach which enabled the authors to deduce and create four hypotheses from the basis of existing literature. The research design of the thesis was cross-sectional where the authors created an online questionnaire in order to gather primary data. The sample was gathered through a non-probability sampling technique called convenience sampling which gathered 141 responses.  Findings: Of the four hypotheses stated, all of them were accepted. Therefore, the authors of this paper could argue for the findings that SMMA was shown to have a significant impact on brand image. Secondly, brand image was evident to have a significant impact on purchase intention. Thirdly, brand image was shown to mediate the relation between SMMA and purchase intention. Lastly, SMMA also showed a significant impact on purchase intention. Another finding was that none of the control variables (gender, frequency of online purchase) was shown to have a significant impact on the results.  Conclusion: The authors of this paper concludes that SMMA affects consumer purchase intention through brand image as a mediator within the context of the Swedish electronic industry.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to gain further understanding of how social mediamarketing activities can affect a firm's brand loyalty and brand image. The study was conductedwithin the sportswear industry. Design/Methodology/approach: This study was of explanatory nature and had a quantitativeapproach where it gathered its data through questionnaires that was posted in communitygroups on Facebook for the brands Oner Active, Gymshark and Better Bodies. These chosenbrands are an active part of the chosen industry to investigate, the sportswear industry. Findings: The findings of this study showed that social media marketing activities have apositive effect on brand image as well as brand loyalty. The social media marketing activitiesthat had the overall highest impact were entertainment and word of mouth. Furthermore, thefindings of this study concluded that increased brand image has a positive effect on brandloyalty. Implications: The findings of this study contributes to the growing knowledge of social mediamarketing activities and how they effect brand image and brand loyalty of sportswear brands.The findings of this study contributes to practitioners as well, it showcases the importance of social media marketing activities but also provides insight of what activities might be of mostimportance to develop in regards to brand image and brand loyalty (based on the circumstancesand limitations to this study).

Utvecklingen av sociala medieplattformar bidrar till att företag behöver bli allt mera medvetna om sina marknadsföringsstrategier i dessa kanaler. Detta för att ta vara på sina resurser för att uppnå sina marknadsföringsmål. För företag utgör hanteringen av flera sociala medieplattformar en betydande utmaning. Det inkluderar anpassning av innehåll och strategier för olika plattformar. Det behövs kunskap om hur företag ska utföra detta i praktiken samt hur de ska navigera sina marknadsföringsaktiviteter på de olika plattformarna. Tidigare studier inom området fokuserar på värdet av sociala medier i marknadsföringsarbete ur ett konsumentperspektiv. Studiens syfte är att förklara hur modeföretag arbetar med marknadsföringsaktiviteter för att navigera mellan sociala medieplattformar. Målet är att bidra med förståelse för hur marknadsföringsaktiviteter kan kombineras i olika kanaler. Studien utgår ifrån det teoretiska perspektivet Social Media Marketing Strategy, som beskriver processen att utveckla marknadsföringsstrategier på sociala medier. Datainsamlingen har skett genom observationer på sju modeföretag och intervjuer på sex av dessa, som använder sociala medier i marknadsföringen. Detta för att få en förståelse av deras marknadsföringsaktiviteter samt varför de använder sig av dessa aktiviteter. Materialet har analyserats genom en tematisk analys, som sedan kodats med hjälp av modellen “nivåer av strategisk mognad” inom SMMS, samt applicerats på de fyra sammanhängande delarna inom processen att utveckla marknadsföringsstrategier, som är: drivkrafter, engagemang, genomströmningar och utgångar. Resultatet visar att marknadsföringsaktiviteter som modeföretag tillämpar på sociala medier och hur de främjar varumärket, dessa aktiviteter tillhör fem teman som är: produkttillgänglighet, produktframställning, interaktion, samarbetspartners och inkludering. Resultatet visar även att modeföretags resurser är en avgörande faktor för att lyckas med navigeringen mellan olika plattformar och att det är av stor betydelse hur företagen utnyttjar de olika funktionerna och användarbaser som plattformarna erbjuder. Denna studies största begränsning är att vi endast har studerat två sociala medieplattformar, medan det finns många fler att anpassa sitt innehåll efter. Denna begränsning kan leda till en ofullständig förståelse av de strategier som krävs för en framgångsrik närvaro på flera sociala medieplattformar. Förslag till fortsatta studier är att undersöka andra faktorer, såsom konkurrens och marknadsföringsbudget, hur det påverkar företagens strategiska anpassning till sociala medier. / The development of social media platforms means that businesses need to be increasingly aware of their marketing strategies on these channels. This is to make the most of their resources to achieve their marketing objectives. For businesses, managing multiple social media platforms poses a significant challenge. This includes adapting content and strategies for different platforms. Knowledge is needed on how companies should carry this out in practice, as well as how to navigate their marketing activities on the different platforms. Previous studies in the field focus on the value of social media in marketing efforts from a consumer perspective. The purpose of the study is to explain how fashion companies work with marketing activities to navigate between social media platforms. The aim is to contribute with an understanding of how marketing activities can be combined in different channels. The study is based on the theoretical perspective of Social Media Marketing Strategy, which describes the process of developing marketing strategies on social media. Data was collected through observations at seven fashion companies and interviews at six of these, which use social media in marketing. This was done to gain an understanding of their marketing activities and why they use these activities. The material has been analyzed through a thematic analysis, which was then coded using the SMMS “levels of strategic maturity” model, and applied to the four interrelated elements within the process of developing marketing strategies, which are: drivers, engagement, throughputs and outputs. The results show that marketing activities applied by fashion companies on social media and how they promote the brand. These activities belong to five themes which are: product availability, product creation, interaction, partners and inclusion. The results also show that fashion companies' resources are a crucial factor in successfully navigating between different platforms and that it is of great importance how companies utilize the different features and user bases that the platforms offer. The main limitation of this study is that we have only studied two social media platforms, while there are many more to adapt their content to. This limitation may lead to an incomplete understanding of the strategies required for a successful presence on multiple social media platforms. Suggestions for further studies are to investigate other factors, such as competition and marketing budget, and how it affects companies' strategic alignment with social media.

Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-07-17T21:59:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 29c.pdf: 2619429 bytes, checksum: 1df895b107800b37743665559ceec3ba (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-17T21:59:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 29c.pdf: 2619429 bytes, checksum: 1df895b107800b37743665559ceec3ba (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-26 / Nenhuma / A transição da produção em massa para a produção flexível é considerada a primeira e mais abrangente tendência de evolução organizacional. As estruturas hierárquicas e burocráticas dissiparam-se, sendo substituídas por novas formas, passando a abarcar, também, relações entre departamentos e interfirmas. Este fenômeno é considerado uma resposta estratégica das organizações às pressões e turbulências ambientais, que as impulsionaram a delegar e a desagregar suas funções a outros especialistas, por meio do estabelecimento de relações interfirmas. Além disso, estudos teóricos sugeriram a obtenção de desempenho de marketing e organizacional superior a partir do estabelecimento dessas relações. Nesse contexto, este estudo investigou o impacto das relações interfirmas no desempenho de marketing e organizacional, por meio de uma survey realizada junto a uma amostra de 464 organizações. Uma escala para a mensuração da frequência do estabelecimento de relações interfirmas foi criada e validada. A mensuração desse construto foi posteriormente comparada ao desempenho de marketing e organizacional, os quais também foram medidos a partir de escalas existentes em estudos prévios, as quais foram traduzidas e validadas. Como principais achados da pesquisa, destaca-se a sustentação aos pressupostos teóricos mencionados na literatura do campo acerca do desempenho de marketing e organizacional, a identificação das atividades de marketing que interferem na relação da estrutura de marketing com o desempenho de marketing e organizacional e as atividades de marketing mais frequentemente realizadas a partir de relações interfirmas. / The transition from mass production to flexible production is considered the first and most widespread trend of organizational evolution. Hierarchical and bureaucratic structures dissipated, being replaced by new organizational forms, encompassing interfirm and interfunctional relationships. This phenomenon is considered a organizational strategic response to the environmental pressures and turbulence, which were incited to delegate its functions to other experts, through the establishment of interfirm relations. Moreover, theoretical studies suggested these relations could provoke higher marketing and organizational performance. In this context, this study investigated the interfirm relations impact over marketing and organizational performance, through a survey conducted with a sample of 464 organization. A scale to measure the frequency of establishment of interfirm relations was created and validated. The measurement of this construct was subsequently compared to marketing and organizational performance, which were also measured from existing scales in previous studies, which have been translated and validated. As main findings of the research, there is support to theoretical assumptions mentioned in the literature about marketing and organizational performance, the identification of marketing activities that interfere on marketing and organizational performance and the marketing activities more often performed from interfirm relationships.

The master‘s thesis deals with marketing auditing of company Tungaloy Rus with a special focus on its employees’ satisfaction. The theoretical part of the thesis defines the meaning and importance of marketing audit, as well as the concept of employees’ satisfaction and modern approaches to its measurement. The analytical part of the thesis focuses on performing the marketing audit of company Tungaloy Rus and surveying the satisfaction of its employees. The proposal part of the thesis aims to making a set of recommendations based on the results of the marketing audit and the satisfaction research, which leads to improving the company's marketing activities.

The dissertation is focused on the current needs of the business effectiveness and efficiency in marketing activities. In an industrial environment is a prerequisite for the success of the strategic marketing objectives in relation to corporate strategy. In this work there is focus on individual performance systems and group of metrics that are currently applied in engineering in connection to the implemented marketing activities. The main aim of this dissertation is to propose a methodologyfor the selection of marketing metrics that are directly connected to the effectiveness of the company and its marketing activities in the field of engineering in the Czech Republic. To explore the knowledge area there was also used primary and secondary research. The primary research was conducted by structured interviews through case studies and knowledge-based questionnaire investigation, supported by evidence acquired Czech and foreign literary sources. The work includes detailed assessment of the empirical research, including the testing of hypotheses as basis on which is established the methodology for selecting marketing metrics in engineering in the Czech Republic. The benefits could be seen both in theoretical and practical as well as educational fields.

Marketing activities in a company ought to be controlled permanently. We may rate its efficiency by the analysis of the individual indexes or by the complex method. Thereby we have a problem of choosing the most effective marketing rating method, that allows us to rate the marketing quality in general and discover possible ways of its rising. In this article we consider the marketing efficiency rating methods by the Russian authors’ treatises. Finally we can draw some conclusions. Firstly, the marketing rating allows us to measure marketing efficiency in industrial company, to identify it’s optimization direction and realization consequences. Secondly, it is much more effective to use complex measuring for making marketing efficiency ratings. Thirdly, marketing has an influence on profit by the effect on sales amount and prices. So it is necessary to make an economic analysis of marketing activities results. The approach that we proposed allowed us to evaluate marketing effectiveness from different angles and to highlight the most powerful and weak points of marketing. After evaluating marketing in the enterprise in different ways, we concluded that the marketing activity of the enterprise is effective at the moment. / Маркетинговая деятельность на предприятии должна постоянно и планомерно контролироваться. Оценить ее эффективность можно посредством анализа отдельных показателей, так и комплексным методом. В связи с этим возникает проблема выбора наиболее эффективного метода оценки маркетинговой деятельности на промышленном предприятии, который позволит оценить качество службы маркетинга в целом, обнаружить возможные пути ее повышения. В статье рассмотрены методы оценки эффективности маркетинговой деятельности предприятий различными российскими авторами. Рассмотрев методы оценки эффективности маркетинговой деятельности, которые предлагают авторы, можно сделать следующие выводы. Во-первых: оценка показателей комплекса маркетинга позволяет определить эффективность службы маркетинга на предприятии, выявить направления их оптимизации и последствия реализации. Во-вторых: для более точной оценки маркетинговой эффективности на промышленном предприятии лучше всего использовать комплексную оценку показателей. В-третьих: маркетинг оказывает влияние на прибыль от реализации продукции прежде всего, через воздействие на объемы продаж и цены, поэтому требуется так же проводить экономический анализ результатов маркетинговой деятельности. Предложенный нами подход позволил оценить маркетинговую эффективность с разных сторон и выделить наиболее сильные и слабые места маркетинга. Оценив маркетинг предприятия разными способами, мы пришли к одному выводу, что маркетинговая деятельность предприятия является эффективной на данный момент.

Выбор темы исследования обусловлен значимостью существующих проблем снабженческо-сбытовой деятельности предприятий строительной отрасли в рыночной среде, в условиях высокой конкуренции и развития инновационных технологий. Целью данной работы является создание инновационного инструментария для повышения эффективности снабженческо-сбытовой деятельности предприятия. Анализ основывался на изучении научно-периодической литературы, изучении существующих проблем строительного рынка, рынка e-commerce. В качестве источников информации использовались нормативно-правовые акты, база публикаций и статистических данных Федеральной службы государственной статистики, сервис анализа сайтов PR-CY, данные отчетности и внутренние документы исследуемых предприятий. В ходе написания магистерской диссертации была разработана бизнес-модель специализированного интернет-портала для предприятий строительной сферы, интегрирующая SRM-систему для пользователей портала и бизнес-процессы в сфере снабжения и сбыта предприятий-пользователей и апробирован расширенный набор функциональных возможностей портала на конкретных предприятиях малого, среднего и крупного бизнеса. Использование разработанного инструментария портала нацелено на повышение эффективности снабженческо-сбытовой деятельности предприятий. А разработанная бизнес-модель позволяет правильно скоординировать и использовать ценностные предложения компании-разработчика для пользователей, благодаря взаимосвязи структурных элементов, представленных в модели. В результате апробации инструментария портала были предложены практические рекомендации для менеджмента предприятий, а также определены направления повешения эффективности снабженческо-сбытовой деятельности этих предприятий. / The choice of the research topic is due to the significance of the existing problems of supply and sales activities of enterprises of the construction industry in the market environment, in conditions of high competition and the development of innovative technologies. The purpose of this work is to create innovative tools to improve the efficiency of supply and sales activities of the enterprise. The analysis was based on the study of scientific periodical literature, the study of the existing problems of the construction market, the e-commerce market. Regulatory acts, a database of publications and statistical data of the Federal State Statistics Service, a PR-CY site analysis service, reporting data and internal documents of the studied enterprises were used as sources of information. During the writing of the master's thesis, a business model of a specialized Internet portal for construction enterprises was developed, integrating the SRM system for portal users and business processes in the supply and marketing of user enterprises and tested an expanded set of portal functionality for specific small businesses. medium and large business. The use of the developed portal toolkit is aimed at improving the efficiency of supply and sales activities of enterprises. A developed business model allows you to properly coordinate and use the value propositions of the company-developer for users, due to the interconnection of structural elements presented in the model. As a result of approbation of the portal toolkit, practical recommendations for the management of enterprises were proposed, as well as directions for hanging the efficiency of supply and sales activities of these enterprises.

В существующей ситуации высокой непредсказуемости и динамичности рыночного окружения эффективная организация производственного и сбытового процесса становится ключевым фактором успешного функционирования и поддержания долгосрочной конкурентоспособности угольных предприятий на внутреннем и международном рынках. Основой повышения эффективности деятельности угольных компаний может стать применение современного экономико-математического инструментария оптимизации планирования производственной и сбытовой деятельности. Основной целью исследования является совершенствование методического инструментария планирования производственно-сбытовой деятельности угольных предприятий для повышения ее эффективности. В работе представлены результаты исследования особенностей производственно-сбытовой деятельности российских угольных предприятий в современных рыночных условиях: выявлены внешние факторы и внутренние ограничения, оказывающие существенное влияние на эффективность их деятельности, проанализированы существующие методы планирования производственно-сбытовой деятельности, а также обозначены возможные пути повышения эффективности. В магистерской диссертации разработан методический поход к оптимизации планирования производственно-сбытовой деятельности угольных предприятий с применением экономико-математических методов и методов оптимизации плановых решений. / In the current situation of high unpredictability and dynamism of the market environment, the effective organization of the production and marketing process becomes a key factor in the successful functioning and maintenance of long-term competitiveness of coal companies in the domestic and international markets. The basis for improving the efficiency of coal companies can be the use of modern economic and mathematical tools for optimizing the planning of production and marketing activities. The main purpose of the study is to improve the methodical tools for planning the production and marketing activities of coal companies in order to increase its efficiency. The paper presents the results of a study of the features of the production and marketing activities of Russian coal companies in modern market conditions: external factors and internal constraints that have a significant impact on the efficiency of their activities are identified, existing methods of planning production and marketing activities are analyzed, and possible ways to improve efficiency are identified. In the master's thesis, a methodical approach to optimizing the planning of production and marketing activities of coal companies was developed using economic and mathematical methods and methods for optimizing planned decisions.

The development of non-traditional communication channels in recent years has progressively created a world more digital, networked and interlaced by a myriad of communication tools than ever before. With Facebook being the most prevalent social network, this study aims to guide local organisations to use Facebook optimally to communicate with their customers. The study strives to incorporate the latest ideas about social media marketing in the relevant literature with the opinions of local social media marketing experts. The generally ineffective use of Facebook as a communication channel by small, inexperienced organisations is seen as a justification for identifying a set of criteria to guide organisations in using Facebook pages as a driver of communication. The empirical phase of the research produced a list of seven guidelines on the optimal use of Facebook pages for marketing purposes, which might assist South African companies in developing their marketing strategies. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)