Colour has encountered to be a significant part in marketing, which advantageously can be used in todays competitive market. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the colours varying associations and present ideas how colours can affect the hotel business. In coherence with the purpose we deveoled the research question, which resulted in following: How can hotels affect their servicescape and identity by the help of colour? The study has a qualitative method that began in an empirical problem that has been tested against theory, which subsequently developed the research question. This implies that our study alternated between induction and deduction. The empirical data was collected using semi-structured interviews where respondents consists of color specialists and general managers in the hotel industry. During the working process we have encountered that colour holds general, cultural and traditional associations. We also discovered that hotel company's servicescape, identity and colour are strongly related to each other. This affects, creates and conveys feelings and can be competitive advantages if the choice of colour conforms with the hotel company's identity. The final discussion presents varying colour associations and ideas how colours can affect the hotel business.

Servicescape is a research area within service management which processes the effect that the environment has on the service experience. The purpose of this essay is to find out how servicescape, with focus on the “background music”, affects customer behavior in a clothing retail store. Through manipulation of the background music’s tempo the essay aim to explore to what extent this part of the servicescape a) affect the customers approach and avoidance behavior, b) is affected by customers with a hedonic or utilitarian shopping behavior, c) affects pleasure, arousal and dominance perceptions for the customer, and d) how the servicescape is perceived. Key words: Servicescape, approach-avoidance behaviour, pleasure, arousal, dominance, hedonic-utilitarian behaviour.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att beskriva vad som har betydelse för kundens upplevelse när kunden fysiskt besöker ett fastighetsmäklarkontor och hur ett servicescape kan ha betydelse för en persons uppfattning om ett fastighetsmäklarföretag. Begreppet servicescape och dess olika delar presenteras samt viktiga teoretiska modeller. Russells Model of Affect är en teori som beskrivs och som används för att indela kunders upplevelser av den fysiska miljön. Vidare nämns även påverkansfaktorer och stimuli som genom ett servicescape påverkar kunders känslor och beteenden. Den empiriska studien som ligger till grund för uppsatsen är en kvalitativ studie där två urval gjorts. Första urvalet bestod av tre fastighetsmäklarkontor där kontorsansvariga intervjuades. Dessa tillfrågades kring vilka överväganden som gjorts i utformningen av kontorets servicescape och hur detta syftar till att påverka deras kunder. Andra urvalet bestod av tio respondenter som tillfrågades om sina uppfattningar och känslor av servicescapens komponenter. De framtagna slutsatserna är att kontorsansvariga inte gjort några större överväganden gällande kontorens servicescape och att de anställdas betydelse beaktades i större utsträckning. Resultatet visade att konceptet ordning och reda var betydelsefullt samt att blommor och växter skapade ett lugn i miljön. Studiens resultat överensstämmer till stor del med tidigare forskning vilket gör att befintlig forskning inom området servicescape går att applicera på fastighetsmäklarkontor. / The purpose of this essay is to describe what is significant and notable for a customer in a real estate office servicescape when the customer physically visits a real estate office and how a servicescape can contribute to a customers perception of the company. The term servicescape and its different components are described. Also, important theoretical models are presented. A theory that has been described is Russells Model of Affect which divides customers experiences of the physical environment. Furthermore the factors in a servicescape that influences and what stimuli that impacts a customer’s emotions and behaviours are mentioned. The empirical study, which the essay is based on, is a qualitative study where two selections has been made. The first selection consisted of three different real estate offices where the office manager was interviewed. They were asked about what considerations has been made about the servicescape and how these attempts to influence their customers. The second selection consisted of ten respondents that was interviewed about their opinions and feelings regarding the servicescapes components. The empirical section presents the result from the study and the analyse chapter analyses these and links them to the theory and the empirical section. Our conclusions that follow is that the office managers haven´t made any significant considerations regarding the office servicescape and the employee influence was valued more. The result shows that the tidiness and structure was valued and flowers created a relaxing environment. The result of the study corresponds with previous research which makes available research within servicescape applicable to real estate offices.

No description available.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and understand the effect of a servicescape’s ambient and social conditions on consumers’ Approach/Avoidance behavior in a retail context. More specifically, this thesis investigates the effect of music (ambient stimuli) and employees’ self-disclosure (social stimuli) on consumers’ Approach/Avoidance behavior in a retail store. Paper I comprised two experiments. Experiment 1 investigated the influence of the independent variable No music/Music. Likewise, experiment 2 studied the influence of the independent variable No music/Slow-tempo music/Fast-tempo music. The dependent variables in both experiments were pleasure, arousal, and the resulting Approach/Avoidance behavior. Paper II investigated the influence of the independent variable self-disclosure. The dependent variables were Approach/Avoidance behavior, measured by pleasure, arousal, liking, satisfaction, and reciprocity. The conclusions of this thesis are that both ambient and social stimuli in a servicescape affect consumers’ internal responses, which in turn affect their behavior. Depending on the situation (type of purchase), retail (bank, supermarket, or electronic retail store), and stimuli (ambient or social), the internal and behavioral responses are different. / Populärvetenskaplig sammanfattning Människor påverkas hela tiden av det eller de som är närvarande runt omkring oss när vi ska fatta beslut. Så är även fallet när vi agerar som konsumenter. Speciellt något som benämns butikers upplevelserum (servicescape) har visat sig påverka konsumenter. Upplevelserummet delas in i två dimensioner, fysisk och social. Inom dessa två dimensioner finns en mängd olika påverkansstimuli. Fysiska stimuli är den fysiska miljön så som doft, möblering, skyltar eller musik som spelas i butik.  De sociala stimuli är den sociala miljön så som antal kunder i butiken och deras agerande, antal butikspersonal och deras agerande. Miljöpsykologer har studerat sambandet mellan fysisk miljö och mänskligt beteende under flera decennier. Mehrabian och Russell (1974) presenterade en värdefull teoretisk modell för att visa effekterna av fysisk miljö på människors beteende. Genom en stimuli-organism-respons (S-O-R) paradigm, förklarar modellen att externa miljöstimuli (S) kan generera känslomässiga reaktioner i en individ (O). Dessa känslomässiga reaktioner påverkar i sin tur individens närmande eller undvikande beteende gentemot miljön (R). Även om M-R-modellen inte ursprungligen utvecklats för att studera butikers upplevelserum, har det konstaterats vara lämplig för att förklara effekten av upplevelserummets dimensioner på konsumenternas beteende. Syftet med licentiatuppsatsen är att undersöka och förstå effekterna av stimuli i butikers upplevelserum på konsumenters känslor och beteende. I licentiatuppsatsen undersöks därför två stimuli i upplevelserummet, nämligen fysiska (musik) och sociala (butikpersonalens verbala beteende). Ett flertal vetenskapliga studier angående musiks påverkan på konsumenters känslor och köpbeteende har bevisat att musik påverkar våra känslor gällande framför allt upprymdhet och aktivering, vilket i sin tur påverkar vårt köpbeteende. Dock har flertalet av dessa studier utförts i laboratoriemiljö där försökspersonerna ofta varit studenter. Detta stärker den interna validiteten men försvagar den ekologiska validiteten. För att komma tillrätta med detta problem undersöks i den första studien (Paper I) musiks påverkan på kunders känslor och beteende genom två kvasiexperiment. Första experimentet genomfördes i en elektronikbutik där musik och ingen musik varierades under fyra dagar. Experiment två genomfördes i en dagligvaruhandelsbutik där ingen musik och tempo (lågt, högt) på musiken varierades under tre dagar.  I båda experimenten så tillfrågades kunderna, direkt efter de betalat sina varor, om de kunde fylla i en enkät angående sin butiksupplevelse Resultatet från dessa två experiment visar att musik påverkar vissa delar av kundbeteendet positivt, nämligen köp, kunder köper mer när musik spelas i butik. Dock visar resultatet även på negativa effekter så som lägre grad av glädje, interaktion med andra och upplevelse av köptillfället blir mer negativ när musik spelas i butik. Resultat visar också på att effekterna av musik modereras av kön där kvinnor och män påverkas olika av musik. Det blir allt mer vanligt att butikspersonal interagerar med kunder så som om det var en interaktion mellan vänner och ett generellt säljtips är att säljaren bör agera som en kompis och hitta något gemensamt med kunden för att på så sätt kunna påverka hans eller hennes köpbeteende i önskvärd riktning. I den andra studien (Paper II) undersöks, med hjälp av text baserade scenarier, hur bankpersonals verbala beteende, i form av att delge personlig information, påverkar kundens känslor och beteende. En konceptuell modell med tillhörande hypoteser testades. Modellen beskriver hur kundbeteendet (i detta fall grad av reciprocitet) påverkas av att bankpersonalen delger personlig information och hur detta medieras av dimensionerna gillande, glädje och tillfredställelse. Resultatet av modellen visar att effekten av att ge personlig information för reciprocitet medieras till fullo av dimensionerna gillande, glädje och tillfredställelse. Resultatet från denna studie visar också att det inte är fördelaktigt att delge personlig information om sig själv för att vinna fördelar, då effekten av detta är negativt för graden av gillande, glädje, tillfredställelse och reciprocitet. Slutsatserna av denna licentiatuppsats är dels att både fysiska stimuli (musik) och sociala stimuli (verbal interaktion) i butikens upplevelserum påverkar kunders känslor och beteende. Dock är det viktigt att uppmärksamma att påverkan av olika stimuli genererar olika effekter, som i sin tur påverkas av kön och vilken sorts butik/tjänst som konsumeras.

The purpose of this study has been to examine online travel magazines as an information source and as a virtual service scape. The traditional travel magazines are facing a change due to the technological development and the web has become an important platform for both customers and companies. The virtual service scape opens new opportunities for interaction and we found a great interest in examining which possibilities and limitations travel magazines are facing. This study is based on a qualitative approach because we wanted to gain a deeper understanding and a complete picture of our chosen subject. We have completed six interviews; three of them were consultants, one publishing director, one editor and a research student. The good variety of respondents contributes to a broader perspective and useful knowledge.In chapter five we present our conclusions on the basis of our empirical analysis. We have found in our paper that travel magazines are much more available than traditional magazines because of the possibilities the web provides. Some of the main conclusions are that online travel magazine as virtual service scapes enables interaction and involvement between customers, and the company, which creates new opportunities but also constraints. Since this is a qualitative study it is difficult to create a comprehensive picture of the final conclusions, thus we refer to Chapter 4 Empirical and theoretical Analysis and Chapter 5 Conclusion, to get a deeper understanding of our study.

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2017-04-11T17:06:03Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Experiência de Consumo de um Grupo Urbano em um Espaço Natural Ambientado na Praia..pdf: 1956269 bytes, checksum: 902dea2422a03eb1f30bd7d07f61c064 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-11T17:06:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Experiência de Consumo de um Grupo Urbano em um Espaço Natural Ambientado na Praia..pdf: 1956269 bytes, checksum: 902dea2422a03eb1f30bd7d07f61c064 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-30 / Capes / A presente dissertação teve como objetivo explorar a relação existente entre um espaço natural ambientado para a oferta de experiências de consumo e a identificação de uma tribo urbana formada em função desta relação. A pesquisa foi realizada em uma barraca da praia de Boa Viagem na cidade do Recife, Pernambuco escolhida pela sua diferenciação física e social das demais barracas dispostas na faixa de areia da mesma praia. Foi feita uma revisão de literatura na qual foram abordados conceitos que iam além daqueles tratados na bibliografia tradicional do Marketing, incluindo teorias advindas das Ciências Sociais e da Arquitetura e Urbanismo, como no caso das noções de Tribos Urbanas e Ambiência respectivamente. O outro construto exposto foi o de Experiências de Consumo. A metodologia utilizada foi a etnografia visto que esta é a abordagem adequada ao estudo de um grupo e à compreensão de suas concepções, práticas, experiências e comportamentos. Por meio de observação participante, entrevistas não estruturadas e uso de fotografias foram exploradas as experiências de consumo de um grupo formado em função de um espaço natural ambientado. A discussão dos dados possibilitou a conclusão de que a barraca estudada se transformou em uma ambiência socioespacial que possibilitou a identificação de pessoas com estilos de vida e objetivos de consumo em comum e que, este agrupamento, acabou por formar uma tribo urbana reunida em torno de valores de ligação sociais que se destacou dentro de uma subcultura de consumo mais ampla, a de praia. / The aim of this dissertation was to explore the relationship between a natural space acclimated to the supply of consumer experiences and the identification of an urban tribe formed as a result of this relationship. The survey was conducted in a tent at Boa Viagem beach in Recife, Pernambuco chosen for their physical and social differentiation from other tents arranged in the same stretch of sand beach. A literature review was made in which were addressed concepts that went beyond those treated in the traditional bibliography of Marketing, including theories arising from the Social Sciences and Architecture and Urbanism, as in the case of Urban Tribes notions and Ambience respectively. The other construct approached was that of consumption experiences. The methodology used was ethnography as this is the appropriate approach to the study of a group and understanding of their views, practices, experiences and behaviors of consumption. Through participant observation, unstructured interviews and use of photographs were explored the consumer experience of the urban tribe in that natural space acclimated. A discussion of the data led to the conclusion that the site studied formed a socio-spatial environment that enabled the identification of people with lifestyles and consumption objectives in common and that this grouping, eventually formed an urban tribe around social binding values that are highlighted within a subculture broader intake, beach.

Titel: Omedveten arousal i butiksmiljön. Nyckelord: Arousal, omedveten arousal, servicescape, butiksmiljö, konsumtionsbeteende, GSR-armband, eyetracking, elektrodermal aktivitet. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka vilka faktorer som framkallar omedveten arousal i en riktig butiksmiljö. Vidare vill vi undersöka om skillnader i kundrelaterade konsumtionsvariabler påverkar omedveten arousal. Metod: Studien kombinerar en kvantitativ och kvalitativ ansats där 60 respondenter deltog i studien. Data samlades in via två enkäter, GSR-armband och ett par eyetracking-glasögon. Bidrag: Studien har bidragit med en kategorisering av omedvetna arousalutslag baserat på vad respondenter reagerat på i butiken. Skillnader i kundrelaterade konsumtionsvariabler har identifierats i förhållande till omedveten arousal. Originalitet: Med hjälp av studiedesignen har data kunnat samlas in i en riktig butiksmiljö. Respondenterna har således kunnat handla som vanligt i en miljö med andra kunder, personal och fysiska faktorer i butiken. / Title: Unconscious arousal in a store environment. Key words: Arousal, unconscious arousal, servicescape, store environment, consumer behavior, GSR-wristband, eye tracking, electrodermal activity. Purpose: The purpose with this study is to examine what factors evoke unconscious arousal in a real store environment. We will also examine if there are any differences in customer related consumption variables which affect unconscious arousal. Method: The study combines a quantitative and a qualitative approach where 60 respondents participated in the study. Data was collected by two surveys, a GSR-wristband and a pair of eyetracking-glasses. Contributions: The study has contributed with a categorization of unconscious arousal peaks based on what the respondents reacted to in the store. Differences in customer related consumption variables have been identified in relation to unconscious arousal. Originality: The study design has allowed data to be collected in a real store environment. The respondents have been able to shop as usual in an environment with other customers, staff and physical factors in the store.

Old Spice cleverly used a handsome actor to play the Old Spice Man character for a Super Bowl commercial in 2010. After the game, this Old Spice commercial was viewed more than 13 million times on YouTube, a social media video-sharing site. This viral marketing campaign, also known as electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM), propelled the Old Spice brand into the forefront of consumers’ minds, increased brand awareness, and inspired people to share the video links with their family, friends, and co-workers. The rapid growth of E-WOM is an indication of consumers’ increased willingness to convey marketing messages to others. However, despite this development, marketing academics and practitioners do not fully understand this powerful form of marketing. This dissertation enriches our understanding of E-WOM and how e-servicescape may lead to E-WOM. To that end, stimulus-organism-response theory and the network co-production model of E-WOM are applied to investigate the relationships between e-servicescape, trust, E-WOM intentions, customer loyalty, and purchase intentions. Two forms of E-WOM were examined, namely emails and social network postings. E-servicescape is defined as the online environmental factors of a marketer’s website. E-servicescape is composed of three main dimensions, including aesthetic appeal, financial security, and layout and functionality. This study used cross-sectional customer data from a single e-tailer. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the responses. Customer reviews was added as an additional sub-dimension of e-servicescape. The findings suggest e-servicescape positively impacts trust, which in turn positively influences E-WOM and customer loyalty. Moreover, two groups of customers were compared using multi-group analysis, where one group of users received emails and the other group received social network postings from the same e-tailer. Overall, the results indicated emails had a stronger impact on e-servicescape, E-WOM, and customer loyalty. Social networking site postings had slightly greater influence on trust, and two sub-dimensions of e-servicescape, i.e., interactivity and ease of payment. These findings contribute to the marketing research on E-WOM theory and electronic commerce shopping behavior. In particular, the sub-dimension of customer reviews is added to e-servicescape. This study yields practical implications for marketers in understanding consumers’ perceptions of websites and how to better design sites. In addition, these findings add to knowledge on how to engender consumers’ trust and customer loyalty online. Finally, this research provides suggestions for firms wanting to create marketing campaigns that will lead to E-WOM.

Competitive strategies are an essential tool for sustainable competitive advantage. Particularly in the service industry, strategy has its significance as it plays a vital role in achieving customer satisfaction. This study investigates alignment of four service characteristics i.e. servicescape, service quality, quality and value with the firms’ strategy and how this alignment achieves customer satisfaction. A set of hypotheses were formulated to portray the significance of each of the four service characteristics and customer satisfaction in accordance with the firms’ competitive strategy. The investigations were done particularly within the fast-food industry, comparing two well-known fast-food chain restaurants namely, McDonalds and Max. A survey questionnaire covering the four service characteristics was prepared and distributed among the possible respondents. The analysis of the results was done with the help of SPSS. The results do not show any significant difference in McDonald’s or Max’s strategy in alignment of the four service characteristics. This thesis helps to understand the strategy dynamics of the service industry firms and what is or is not significant to them when customer satisfaction is to achieved; particularly for the fast-food industry.