Examensarbete beskriver hur ett analysverktyg har skapats för materialförbrukningen på Motorunderhållsavdelningen på Volvo Aero Corporation. Analysverktyget tar fram snittlistor och inköpslistor till motorn PW100. Dokumentering vid skapandet av analysverktyget sker i sju delar. Genom att skapa ett analysverktyg kan de strategiska materialplanerarna på Volvo Aero lätt generera en snittlista eller en inköpslista som baseras på historisk data. Tidigare var de strategiska materialplanerana tvungna att beräkna snittlistor manuellt och mycket handpåläggning gjorde att resultatet inte alltid var pålitligt. En förstudie gjordes för att få en bättre inblick i den nuvarande organisationen och hur arbetet styrs på motorunderhållsavdelningen på Volvo Aero. Intervjuer utfördes löpande samtidigt som en litteraturstudie inom området logistik gjordes. Detta för att få tillräckligt med kunskap till att skapa ett analysverktyg utifrån behov. En kravspecifikation togs fram för att bestämma vad analysverktyget skall innehålla för funktioner. Eftersom en stor mängd data hanterades användes Microsoft Access. Data hämtades från databasen SAP. Analysverktyget är uppbygd i tre delar: 1. Snittlista: Visar den genomsnittliga förbrukningen av material för vald motortyp och underhållstyp. 2. Lagersaldo: Kontrollerar vad som finns i lager utifrån vald motortyp och underhållstyp. Nya och begagnade delar är valbara. 3. Inkommande material: Visar material som inte har levererats in utifrån vald motortyp och underhållstyp. Utifrån dessa tre delar skapades en inköpslista. Inköpslistan innehåller motortyp, materialnummer, materialbeskrivning, kvantitet, pris och ABC-klassifikation. Noggrannare listor kan tas fram vilket leder till minskad kapitalbindning och en förbättrad leveransservice. Resultatet blir mer faktabaserat eftersom tidigare historik uttnyttjas. / The thesis report describes the way of creating an analysis tool for material consumption at the department of engine service at Volvo Aero Corporation. The analysis tool generates average lists and purchase lists for PW100 engine. The documentation of the analysis tool is described in seven parts. By using the tool the structural material planner can in an easy manner generate lists that are based on earlier historical data. Instead of creating lists manually the material planner can gain more accurate lists much faster. Previously there were no fact based results in comparison with today. Pre studies were made to gain a better insight of the current organization and processes at the engine service department. Interviews with staff as well literature studies in the field of storage and spare parts manage has given possibilities to create an analysis tool. Plan of requirements were created to specify the features of the analysis tool. The program Microsoft Access was chosen due to the amout of data to construct the analysis tool. All information was brought from the database SAP. The analysis tool was built in three integrated parts: 1. Average list: shows the average consumption of material for selected engine and maintenance type. 2. Stock status: checks the stock for material for selected engine and maintenance type. New and used material is selectable. 3. Incoming material: shows incoming material that is undelivered for selected engine and maintenance type. By these three integrated parts the analysis tool generates a purchase list. The list contains engine type, material number, material description, quantity, price and ABC-classification. By implementing the analysis tool in the daily work purchases will be more accurate. Capital binding will decrease as well.

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The customer equity framework was created by Rust et al. in 2000 after studying severalspecific industries. We use this framework as the theoretical basis for this study to examine the relative impact of the three customer equity drivers- value equity, brand equity and relationship equity- across two brands in the retail clothing industry on purchase intentions of young consumers. Based on the responses of 156 female university students who are the target for the two brands studied, value equity is the most important customer equity driver for customers whereas, for H&M relationship equity was the driver which had the greatest influence on purchase intentions while for Gina tricot brand equity had the greatest impact on purchase intentions.

Title: Purchasing Intentions of Young Thai Male towards Men's Skin Care Products Problem: Men concern more about their image than ever before. This behavior is becoming a new trend in cosmetic market. Moreover, Thailand is one of the fast growing cosmetics industry, particularly male skin care market within countries in Asia-Pacific region. However, most of the literatures have just studied on women cosmetic products. There are a few studies within male cosmetic market, despite the demands of cosmetic products are increasing among men as well as women. Purpose: This study aims to discuss the relationships between dimension of brand equity, overall brand equity, brand preference and purchase intention of men‟s skin care products among young Thai male in Bangkok. The study measures the equity of brand and identifies the impact of brand equity on brand preference and purchase intentions. Research Question: How does brand equity associate with purchasing intention of young Thai male towards skin care products? Method: Quantitative research method interpreted by the authors is applied in this research. A questionnaire-based survey is used as a tool to collect the data and the specific variables used in this paper: the dimension of brand equity, overall brand equity, brand preference, and purchase intention. Both primary and secondary types of data collection were used for this research. Conclusion: The results reveal that each dimension of brand equity, which consists of brand loyalty, brand awareness, brand association, and perceive quality have a significant impact on overall brand equity. However, brand loyalty and perceive quality have a bigger impact on brand equity than brand association and brand awareness. The impact of brand equity in itsIIconsequences supported the direct positive impact on brand preference and purchase intention. This predicate that brands with higher levels of brand equity would generate higher levels of customer brand preference. Moreover, the customers, who have high level of brand preference indicated that they have more willingness to continually purchase the specific men‟s skin care brand and this can build higher purchase intention. Last but not least, this current research also figure out that using celebrity may not be the most effective strategy to stimulate consumer purchasing intentions toward men‟s skin care product among young Thai males in Bangkok.

Background In the context of the deregulation in the pharmaceutical industry in Sweden, many new business chances have been created. The rising numbers of players in the market started up the race for gaining market shares and attracting customers with new products and services. One of the new players, GreenCross AB, introduced MiniApotek, a vending machine of non-prescription medicine, to the Swedish market. The business concept is to provide a new, secured and convenient way of buying non-prescription medicine to the Swedish society. However, there is a gap between the retailer’s business expectation and the customers’ perception of this new service. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to investigation the different factors that affect potential customers’ trial behavior of self-service technology. Specifically, the researchers explore and examine the main factors that directly manipulate customers’ trial at MiniApotek. Method A quantitative approach is applied in this thesis to identify the key factors and explain their strong influence to trial. The empirical data collected from conducting a survey at Stockholm University, was combined with e-mail communication with GreenCross AB. These materials were analyzed in accordance with the three applied theories, the product concept, pre-purchase stage in consumers’ decision making process and model of customers’ trial of self-service technologies. Conclusion The researchers conclude that there is a strong influence of inertia, need for personal interaction, technology anxiety and perceived risk on the trial of potential customers at MiniApotek. It is found that these factors have a negative effect on the adoption process of MiniApotek in Swedish market. Consequently, the authors think GreenCross AB needs to get a better understanding of the real market need and take these factors into great consideration, as well as find a better strategy to improve the company’s business situation.

Recently, many high-end fashion designers have established their own e-commerce site. However, due to the difficulties of replicating the brick and mortar environment and the increase of competition, it has become more difficult to convert visitors into buyers. In order to attract buyers, some retailers add a lot of multimedia content. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate attitude towards multimedia and whether it influences one’s online purchasing intentions for high-end fashion.

I denna rapport redovisas för förmedlingsprocessen för småhus med typkod 220 och samtliga moment som ingår från början till genomfört uppdrag. Fokus har riktats på att identifiera förbättringsområden och därigenom hitta åtgärdsförslag. Rapporten skall syfta till att fungera som ett stöd och vara ett vägledande hjälpmedel för såväl fastighetsmäklare som privatpersoner i sin roll som säljare och köpare. Litteraturstudier och handledning har legat till grund för den processkarta som upprättats och illustrerats. Utifrån denna har en förstudie gjorts genom intervjuer med fem verksamma fastighetsmäklare på Fastighetsbyrån i Alingsås. Därefter genomfördes djupintervjuer med tre slumpvis utvalda fastighetsmäklare på olika orter och kontor, för att identifiera problemområden. Varje moment i processen har beskrivits i text för att ge en bättre förståelse för kartans innebörd. Vidare diskussion och analys har resulterat till förslag på förbättringsåtgärder inom förmedlingsprocessen. Resultatet redovisar att majoriteten av de intervjuade fastighetsmäklarna har upplevt att moment och arbetssätt inom förmedlingsprocessen till viss grad går att förbättra. Därtill kan det konstateras att förmedlingsprocessen skiljer sig i både utförande och tid beroende på om försäljningen görs i en storstad eller på en mindre ort. Majoriteten av de intervjuade fastighetsmäklarna pekar särskilt på vikten av att skapa och upprätthålla goda relationer med samarbetspartners och kollegor i branschen. Detta anses vara av väsentlig betydelse för att affärer som är beroende av en tredje part ska fortgå med så få hinder som möjligt. Det kan även konstateras att flera av de problemställningar som framkommit beror på externa makrofaktorer som fastighetsmäklaren själv inte kan påverka. Omständigheter som berör världsekonomin, ränteläget, ställningen på fastighetsmarknaden, medias spekulationer, lagar och förordningar utgör faktorer utom fastighetsmäklarens kontroll. Vidare kan det fastställas att den nya fastighetsmäklarlag som trädde i kraft den 1 juli 2011 har bidragit till att flera tidigare problem redan bearbetats och ändrats. Detta projekt har verkat för att lyfta fram ytterligare några moment där åtgärder skulle kunna underlätta arbetsgången för fastighetsmäklare, bland annat genom ett informationsblad till spekulant. / This report describes the sales process of type code 220 single-family homes, including necessary procedural steps. The focus of the report is to identify key areas needing improvement in order to ascertain potential solutions. The report is intended to act as both a support mechanism and a guide for real estate agents and private individuals in their roles as buyers and sellers. A process-map was developed based on research and guidance, and is described within the report. Problem areas were identified using the process-map during comprehensive interviews, and every step in the process is explained in detail in order to illustrate the process-map’s purpose. Further discussion and analysis has led to suggestions for improvement of the sales process. The results shows that the majority of interviewed real estate agents believe the sales process to some extent can be improved. The majority of the interviewed real estate agents points out the importance of creating and maintain good relations with partners and colleagues in the same economic area. This is considered to be essential for businesses that rely on a third person should proceed with as few obstacles as possible. It is also clear that many of the problems that emerged due to external factors that the real estate agents themselves can´t influence. Factors affecting the world economy, interest rates, situation of the property market, speculations among media, laws and regulations are factors beyond the real estate agent´s control. However, after further discussion it became evident that active real estate agents already considered the process inadequate or excessively time consuming. It is also evident that many of the problem areas were due to external factors not influenced by real estate agents. Furthermore, the new real estate law which was implemented July 1, 2011 contributed to several problem areas already identified being addressed and resolved. This report has led to the identification of a process which would make the work easier.

Family business research is a rapidly growing topic of interest. Nevertheless there has been little research explicitly dedicated to the connection between consumers’ and family businesses. This paper gives insight about the influence of the family business brand image and consumers’ purchase intentions. Hereby it was taken into consideration  that  low-involvement and product knowledge can influence this path. This was done by a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The findings showed that consumers associate family business with high quality, passion, heritage, traditions, small companies and craftsmanship. In general these associations do not influence consumers buying behavior. However, specific target groups showed different results. Implications focus on using the family business as a secondary brand image and family businesses should deal with caution when using their origin as a primary brand image.

Problem Discussion: The rapid development of the smartphone market led formerly well-established brands to subdue to new entrants. Understanding what drives brand preferences within the dynamic smartphone market is key to formulating marketing efforts that influence purchase intentions. Research Objective: To qualitatively explore how a brand's equity drives Uppsala University students brand preferences within the Swedish smartphone market. Furthermore, to suggest how to increase the level of brand preference that may lead to increased purchase intentions for smartphones. Research Question: a) What are the drivers of brand preferences for Uppsala University students within the Swedish smartphone market? b) How do these brand preferences influence purchase intentions? Method: A qualitative approach is adopted through conducting semi- structured interviews with Uppsala University students. The empirical findings are set against a theoretical framework in order to identify drivers of brand preferences and how they influence purchase intentions. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the Swedish smartphone market appears to be functionally oriented. Perceived quality emerges as the main driver of brand preferences.

The purpose of this thesis is to understand how small scale farmers navigate the market to access and participate in the formal maize market to improve their revenue, utilising the case of the P4P program inKenya. The empirical material was collected during fieldwork in Kenya. Qualitative methods were found to be the most suitable for this thesis. The methods that was utilised were a case study strategy, semi structured interviews, focus groups, observations and analysis of secondary sources. In this study different approaches about farmers’ organisations (FO) and small scale farmers’ access to and participation in markets have been utilised to create an analytical context. The study found that food markets in developing countries are lacking in infrastructure, market information and bank credit. The dynamics of the Kenyan market are even more complicated due to its two different marketing channels. Using collective action has the farmers overcome many of these limitations. One change is in the farmers’ mind set from viewing agriculture as a hobby to a business. The farmers have been criticised for defaulting on their contracts, whereas WFP has been criticised delays in payments. Some FO:s have been more successful than others which are a reflection of the barriers within the P4P program itself.