Financial and industrial economists are increasingly recognising the interaction between capital structure and firms' strategies in the product market. A debate exists regarding the nature of the relationship between firms' product market power and financial leverage. Particularly, researchers have asked whether the relationship is positive, negative or non-linear. This thesis contributes to this research agenda by developing game-theoretic models, and conducting empirical tests. Specifically, the thesis examines the effects of market power on a firm's use of long-term debt.

All production machinery is designed with an inherent capability to handle slight variations in product. This is initially achieved by simply providing adjustments to allow, for example, changes that occur in pack sizes to be accommodated, through user settings or complete sets of change parts. By the appropriate use of these abilities most variations in product can be handled. However when extreme conditions of setups, major changes in product size and configuration, are considered there is no guarantee that the existing machines are able to cope. The problem is even more difficult to deal with when completely new product families are proposed to be made on an existing product line. Such changes in product range are becoming more common as producers respond to demands for ever increasing customization and product differentiation. An issue exists due to the lack of knowledge on the capabilities of the machines being employed. This often forces the producer to undertake a series of practical product trials. These however can only be undertaken once the product form has been decided and produced in sufficient numbers. There is then little opportunity to make changes that could greatly improve the potential output of the line and reduce waste. There is thus a need for a supportive modelling approach that allows the effect of variation in products to be analyzed together with an understanding of the manufacturing machine capability. Only through their analysis and interaction can the capabilities be fully understood and refined to make production possible. This thesis presents a constraint-based approach that offers a solution to the problems above. While employing this approach it has been shown that, a generic process can be formed to identify the limiting factors (constraints) of variant products to be processed. These identified constraints can be mapped to form the potential limits of performance for the machine. The limits of performance of a system (performance envelopes) can be employed to assess the design capability to cope with product variation. The approach is successfully demonstrated on three industrial case studies.

This research investigates three approaches to new product sales forecasting: statistical, judgmental and the integration of these two approaches. The aim of the research is to find a simple, easy-to-use, low cost and accurate tool which can be used by managers to forecast the sales of new products. A review of the literature suggested that the Bass diffusion model was an appropriate statistical method for new product sales forecasting. For the judgmental approach, after considering different methods and constraints, such as bias, complexity, lack of accuracy, high cost and time involvement, the Delphi method was identified from the literature as a method, which has the potential to mitigate bias and produces accurate predictions at a low cost in a relatively short time. However, the literature also revealed that neither of the methods: statistical or judgmental, can be guaranteed to give the best forecasts independently, and a combination of them is the often best approach to obtaining the most accurate predictions. The study aims to compare these three approaches by applying them to actual sales data. To forecast the sales of new products, the Bass diffusion model was fitted to the sales history of similar (analogous) products that had been launched in the past and the resulting model was used to produce forecasts for the new products at the time of their launch. These forecasts were compared with forecasts produced through the Delphi method and also through a combination of statistical and judgmental methods. All results were also compared to the benchmark levels of accuracy, based on previous research and forecasts based on various combinations of the analogous products’ historic sales data. Although no statistically significant difference was found in the accuracy of forecasts, produced by the three approaches, the results were more accurate than those obtained using parameters suggested by previous researchers. The limitations of the research are discussed at the end of the thesis, together with suggestions for future research.

The aim of this research was to determine if strategic marketing options will grow the sales of finer grade vermiculite.

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Product placement je nový fenomén marketingové komunikace. Tato práce přináší analýzu product placementu a principů, na nichž je založen. Definuje placement. Popisuje jeho historický vývoj a současnou situaci. Zkoumá, zda je tento nástroj efektivní z hlediska marketingu. Pozastavuje se také nad rozdílným přístupem k regulaci placementu v USA a v Evropě. Zkoumá etiku placementu a odhaduje jeho budoucí vývoj na globálním trhu a v ČR.

The objective of this thesis is to verify the business model of a new product introduced by a newly founded company named Lifelink s.r.o. and its product of the same name. The thesis is conceived as a recommendation for the investor whether to accept or decline an investment in the project. The paper should also serve as an estimate of the profitability of the project and its value to the investor. The thesis is based on utilization of theoretical and practical knowledge gained during my studies and its application in introduction of a new product. The thesis is divided into four parts, where the first part represents the introduction containing the description, objectives and methods of the thesis. The second part contains the methodology which is going to be used in the third part. This part represents the application of the methodoly presented earlier and its core is a feasibility study expended by the specifics of a business model evaluation. The conclusion contains the recommendation for the investor based on calculated net present value and economic value of the project which incorporate all findings from the third part of the thesis.

O presente trabalho analisa a importância da determinação de preços para a competitividade do varejo supermercadista. Após uma revisão da literatura sobre as diversas definições de preços e as formas de estabelecê-los, são analisadas as seis etapas propostas por especialistas de marketing para o apreçamento estratégico de produtos. Nessas seis etapas são discutidas a influência da demanda e a importância dos custos, os métodos de estabelecimento mais utilizados, descrevendo-se suas características e limitações, as técnicas de adequação à diversas situações, bem como a seleção do preço final. Os passos adotados pelos varejistas são também abordados, assim como outras variáveis que têm impacto na estratégia escolhida para se fixar os preços nos supermercados, além da demanda, dos custos e dos concorrentes. Por fim, as estratégias de apreçamento são estudadas empiricamente, por meio de entrevistas em profundidade com gerentes de três redes de varejo de grande porte que atuam no mercado nacional, onde é verificada a utilização das técnicas de apreçamento, como instrumento de auxílio na tomada de decisões relacionadas aos programas de preço da empresa. Em conclusão, verifica-se que à medida que os especialistas em varejo buscam mais bases científicas e confiáveis para auxiliar na tomada de decisões quanto à definição de políticas de preços, é essencial que possuam uma compreensão clara dos conceitos e das variáveis da que influenciam na determinação dos preços dos produtos que comercializam, assim como o conhecimento das diversas técnicas de apreçamento, além do mark-up. / The present paper analyses the importance of pricing for the competitiveness of the retail sector (supermarkets). After a bibliographic survey on the several definitions concerning price and how it is determinate, six steps, proposed by marketing experts, to products strategic pricing are analyzed. In these steps, the demand influence, the costs importance and the most important pricing methods are discussed, describing their characteristics and limitations, the techniques to adequate it to different situations, as so as the final price selection. The steps that are adopted by supermarket retail are also outlined, thus as the variables that have some influence on its chosen pricing strategy. Demand and competitors costs are also analyzed. Finally, pricing strategies are empirically studied through multicases study on three large retail chains. In this part, the use by these companies of pricing methods as a tool to assist decision making related to the long-run pricing programs is verified. In conclusion, it is seen that, while retail specialists seek more scientific and reliable bases for aiding the decisions regarding the price strategies, it is essential that they posses a clear comprehension of the concepts and the variables that have influence on products price determination that are commercialized by themselves, as well as the technical skills to pricing, besides the mark-up method.

Structure-activity relationships (SARs) in the disorazole family have been revealed through the biological testing of natural disorazoles and their synthetic analogues, but little is known about the contribution of the oxazole to the anti-tubulin activity of disorazole C1 I. The development of a novel Evans-Tishchenko/alkyne metathesis (ET-AM) route towards the synthesis of disorazole C1 will provide straightforward access to disorazole C1 and its heterocyclic analogues, thus allowing the contribution of the oxazole to the natural product's bioactivity to be elucidated. Our ET-AM approach offers a highly diastereoselective and convergent means of constructing heterocyclic analogues of the disorazole C1 scaffold Het-II. It is envisaged that ET coupling of C(1)-C(9) aldehydes Het-IV to the C(10)-C(19) β-hydroxyketone V will give the key, requisite, 1,3-anti diol monoester bis-alkynes Het-III for dimerisation via an alkyne cross-metathesis/ring-closing alkyne metathesis (ACM-RCAM) reaction. Further diversification may be achieved through the synthesis of C(6)-heteroatom analogues of the C(1)-C(9) fragment Het-IV. Chapter 2 outlines efforts towards the synthesis of C(6)-amino analogues Het-VI of the C(1)-C(9) fragment IV. Elaboration of Garner's aldehyde VIII allowed the synthesis of the N-protected C(5)-C(9) mesylate VII; an analogue of an advanced C(1)-C(9) fragment intermediate. A scalable route towards the synthesis of the C(10)-C(19) fragment V and investigations into its reactivity under ET coupling conditions are critical to the success of our ET-AM approach. Chapter 3 details convergent approaches towards the synthesis of the C(10)-C(19) β-hydroxyketone V, which centred around: (i) an olefin cross-metathesis reaction [C(11)-C(12) disconnection]; (ii) an epoxide ringopening reaction [C(12)-C(13) disconnection]; and (iii) a Mukaiyama aldol reaction [C(14)-C(15) disconnection]. Chapter 4 describes our successful linear synthesis of the β-hydroxyketone V. Gram-scale preparation of the C(10)-C(19) fragment V permitted investigation into the viability of the ET reaction as a fragment coupling strategy, the results of which are reported in Chapter 5. Although many (hetero)aryl aldehydes failed to react, the successful coupling of electron-deficient substrates allowed a contingency strategy to be explored through preparation of the mono-protected diol IX. Esterification of IX with the carboxylic acid derivative of the C(1)-C(9) oxazole has allowed generation of the C(1)-C(9)/C(10')-C(19') bis-alkyne X required for future AM investigations.

Quels sont les effets des émotions spécifiques sur le jugement et l'intention d'adopter des produits innovants ? L'objectif de cette thèse est double. Dans un premier temps, elle propose d'étudier dans quelle mesure les émotions spécifiques influencent le jugement et les intentions comportementales face à des produits innovants. Dans un deuxième temps, elle propose d'identifier les processus qui sous-tendent l'effet des émotions sur l'évaluation d'objets innovants. En lien avec les théories contemporaines de l'émotion (Zeelenberg & Pieters, 2006), nous proposons d'étudier les dimensions cognitives et motivationnelles des émotions afin d'expliquer et de prédire l'influence des émotions sur le jugement et l'intention d'adopter des produits innovants. Notre Etude 1 propose d'étudier les conditions de déclenchement des émotions spécifiques ainsi que l'impact de celles-ci sur l'évaluation et l'acceptation d'un objet innovant. Pour cela, le concept d'expérience utilisateur est étudié au travers des processus ascendants (caractéristiques de l'objet) et descendants (attentes affectives). Quatre-vingt-huit (88) participants de catégorie socioprofessionnelle variée ont été recrutés pour l'étude. Nous avons choisi de tester deux versions d'un dispositif de livres électroniques (moyenne qualité d'interaction versus mauvaise qualité d'interaction) et de manipuler leurs descriptions afin de faire varier les attentes affectives (positive, négative, contrôle) des participants. Les résultats suggèrent que l'expérience utilisateur ne dépend pas seulement des qualités intrinsèques de l'objet innovant mais également des attentes initiales de l'usager. Cette étude valide, par ailleurs, l'effet des émotions spécifiques sur l'évaluation de produits innovants. Les Etudes 2, 3 et 4 tentent ensuite de mettre évidence une partie des variables modératrices et médiatrices qui influencent le lien émotions spécifiques - évaluation. Pour l'Etude 2, cent quatre-vingt-neuf (189) étudiants ont été recrutés sur la base du volontariat. Pour la procédure d'induction émotionnelle, la méthode du rappel autobiographique a été sélectionnée pour induire l'amusement, la peur, la colère ou un état neutre chez les participants. Après l'induction émotionnelle, les participants devaient remplir un court questionnaire afin de donner leur avis sur un objet innovant (hédonique versus moins hédonique).Les résultats mettent, d'une part, en évidence le rôle modérateur de la nature du produit sur la relation entre émotions spécifiques et évaluation, et suggèrent, d'autre part,l'importance de la composante motivationnelle des émotions dans l'évaluation d'un produit innovant. Les Etudes 3 et 4 testent empiriquement l'importance de la composante motivationnelle des émotions dans la relation émotions spécifiques - évaluation. Pour susciter une émotion spécifique d'amusement ou de satisfaction, nous avons choisi la méthode des scénarii (Etude 3) et la méthode du rappel autobiographique (Etude 4). Deux types de produits ont été sélectionnés (catégorie loisirs versus catégorie bien-être). Pour l'Etude 3, quatre-vingt-dix-sept (97) étudiants ont été recrutés sur la base du volontariat. Cette étude s'inscrit dans la continuité des travaux de Griskevicius, Shiota, et Nowlis (2010). Les résultats montrent le rôle médiateur des dimensions motivationnelles dans la relation émotion spécifique et évaluation de produit innovant. L'Etude 4, réalisée auprès de cent douze (112) étudiants, permet de répliquer les résultats obtenus dans l'Etude 3. Elle s'appuie sur la mesure développée par Fredrickson (2004) afin d'opérationnaliser le construit de dimension motivationnelle. Cette thèse s'attache donc à répondre à deux missions : produire des contributions théoriques sur les émotions et assister designers, concepteurs et ingénieurs dans la conception de produits innovants. / How might specific emotions differentially influence consumer judgments and behavioural intentions with respect to innovations? The purpose of this dissertation is two sided. First, it examines the relationship between emotions and evaluation/behavioural intentions with respect to innovations and second it studies some moderators and mediators influencing this relationship. In contemporary emotion research, cognitive and motivational dimensions of specific emotions are recognized as central in the decision making process (Zeelenberg & Pieters, 2006). Consequently, the claim of our dissertation is that understanding and investigating the cognitive and motivational dimensions of specific emotions can be useful to predict their influence on judgments and behavioural intentions with respect to innovations. Our Study 1 investigated how specific emotions arise and explored their influence on product's evaluation and usage intention. This study addressed the concept of user experience through bottom-up (product's characteristics) and top-down (affective expectations) processes. Eighty eight (88) participants from various socio professional categories were recruited to participate to this study. Two different version of an e-book (medium quality experience versus low quality experience) were selected. The affective expectations (positive, negative, control) were manipulated through an oral presentation of the product. Our results suggested that the user's emotional experience do not only depend on the product's intrinsic characteristic but also depend on his/her prior expectations. In addition, findings confirmed the role of specific emotions on product's evaluation. Our Study 2 sought to explain how specific emotions influence products' desirability. One hundred and eighty nine (189) undergraduates volunteered to participate to this study. Depending on the experimental condition, participants were induced to feel anger, fear or amusement through an autobiographical recall method. Then, they were asked to evaluate either a hedonic product or a less hedonic product. First, results demonstrate that the nature of product moderates the relationship between incidental emotions and desirability. Second, our findings highlight the motivational implication of emotions on product desirability. Our Studies 3 & 4 examined the hypothesis that emotion-specific short-term goals (motivational dimension) might explain the impact of specific emotions on product's desirability. We addressed two specific positive emotions – amusement and satisfaction-, and used two type of product (welfare versus recreational). In study 3, ninety seven (97) undergraduate participants were induced to feel either amusement or satisfaction through scenarios. Findings show that amusement enhances the desirability of recreational product and that satisfaction enhances the desirability of welfare product. Consistent with the proposed hypothesis, results demonstrate that emotion specific-goal mediates the influence of specific positive emotions on product desirability. Study 4, conducted on one hundred and twelve (112) undergraduates, allows replicating findings of study 3 using different methods to induce emotions- autographical recall-, and to measure emotion-specific goals. Thus, on the one hand, this dissertation reveals that specific emotions come into play prior to use, when the users form expectations. On the other hand, it demonstrates that the study of the motivational functions of emotions can be helpful to predict the influence of specific emotions on consumer judgment. This dissertation offers new contributions in the research of emotion from a theoretical perspective and in product design from an applicative perspective.