Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Technology: Quality, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / Football boot manufacturers can have an advantage over their competitors if they gain knowledge about the purchase decision-making process of their consumers. It is significant that marketers understand the important criteria of a consumer’s purchase decision. This study aimed to investigate consumer behaviour in the football boot industry, to support football boot manufacturers with information of the purchasing behaviour of their consumers in order to establish product development and novel marketing strategies. The objective of the study was to identify expectations of survey respondents in terms of the factors which influence their purchasing behaviour of football boots in the federal state of Bavaria in Germany. In order to accomplish the objectives of the study, a quantitative study was conducted by means of self-administered questionnaires. A sample of 400 questionnaires was administered. The respondents were purposively selected. Conclusions and recommendations were thereafter drawn from the literature and the findings of the study. The results showed that quality and brand names were the major influential factors in the purchase decision. Adidas was the most popular brand, followed by Nike and Puma. Citing satisfaction with their purchases, consumers were brand loyal and repeated purchases occurred. The research recommended that football boot manufacturers need to invest constantly in its development and quality management program in order to meet consumers’ expectations and international standards.

Esta tese apresenta uma proposta de modelo genérico de sistema de produção enxuta (PE) para o segmento calçadista. Esta proposta procura atender aos novos paradigmas de atendimento a demanda, que tende a se voltar a uma alta variedade de produtos, com lotes de produção cada vez menores. Para a elaboração do modelo, foram realizadas pesquisas bibliográficas, levantamento de empresas que já adotam o sistema de PE e visitas a 10 empresas brasileiras do segmento que já vêm utilizando conceitos de PE. Nestas empresas foram realizadas entrevistas utilizando um questionário e um sistema de avaliação de maturidade no uso de 13 elementos de PE, identificados previamente na literatura técnica. O objetivo destas visitas foi verificar a factibilidade de uso destes 13 elementos, identificando-os como melhores práticas adotadas por estas empresas. Desta forma, observando a forma de utilização destes elementos, foram construídos alguns modelos de referência, que servem como sugestões iniciais para o projeto de sistemas de PE para o segmento calçadista. Estes modelos, além das melhores práticas observadas, consideram também sugestões do autor da pesquisa, em situações em que as empresas ainda não viram a viabilidade ou oportunidade de uso de alguns dos elementos considerados. As análises em relação a essa pesquisa foram feitas segundo a percepção do autor desse trabalho, treinado nesta ferramenta e de profissionais de empresas que utilizam o sistema de produção enxuta. / This thesis proposes a generic Lean Production System (LPS) model to the footwear industry. The model takes into account the new paradigm of demand fulfillment, that is, low volumes and high variety of products. The model was elaborated using a literature review and 10 case studies in the footwear industry. Data was colleted by means of interviews, questionnaire and maturity evaluation system containing 13 elements of lean production identified by the literature review. Firms were visited to ensure the feasibility of use of these 13 elements, identifying them as best practices adopted by these companies. In this manner, observing how these elements are used, some reference models were built and they serve as a inicial suggestion to the design of a LPS to the footwear industry. These models contain the observed best practices as well as suggestions of the author in situations where the companies did not use some elements yet. The attribution of grades was done by the author and professional of the firms.

The purpose of the study was to determine the affect of SkyFlex training would have on jumping ability. The SkyFlex is a shoe constructed with a forefoot platform elevating the heel. The design purports enhancement of the stretch reflex in the Gastrocnemius and Soleus muscles. The SkyFlex includes an Airlon Flexfit sock liner designed to keep the ankle warm during training, minimizing tightness and flexibility reductions. Division I varsity male volleyball players (n= 17) were tested for the following: standing vertical jump, approach jump, court sprint, shuttle run, and anthropometry. Two-way AN OVA found no statistical significance (p<0.05) on any of the variables except for the differences between sessions of reaction forces. SkyFlex test group Ankle flexibility decreased with dorsiflexion while the control group increased both dorsal and plantar flexion. Based on the results of this study, training in the SkyFlex does not provide training advantages over training in a regular athletic shoe. / School of Physical Education

Esta tese apresenta uma proposta de modelo genérico de sistema de produção enxuta (PE) para o segmento calçadista. Esta proposta procura atender aos novos paradigmas de atendimento a demanda, que tende a se voltar a uma alta variedade de produtos, com lotes de produção cada vez menores. Para a elaboração do modelo, foram realizadas pesquisas bibliográficas, levantamento de empresas que já adotam o sistema de PE e visitas a 10 empresas brasileiras do segmento que já vêm utilizando conceitos de PE. Nestas empresas foram realizadas entrevistas utilizando um questionário e um sistema de avaliação de maturidade no uso de 13 elementos de PE, identificados previamente na literatura técnica. O objetivo destas visitas foi verificar a factibilidade de uso destes 13 elementos, identificando-os como melhores práticas adotadas por estas empresas. Desta forma, observando a forma de utilização destes elementos, foram construídos alguns modelos de referência, que servem como sugestões iniciais para o projeto de sistemas de PE para o segmento calçadista. Estes modelos, além das melhores práticas observadas, consideram também sugestões do autor da pesquisa, em situações em que as empresas ainda não viram a viabilidade ou oportunidade de uso de alguns dos elementos considerados. As análises em relação a essa pesquisa foram feitas segundo a percepção do autor desse trabalho, treinado nesta ferramenta e de profissionais de empresas que utilizam o sistema de produção enxuta. / This thesis proposes a generic Lean Production System (LPS) model to the footwear industry. The model takes into account the new paradigm of demand fulfillment, that is, low volumes and high variety of products. The model was elaborated using a literature review and 10 case studies in the footwear industry. Data was colleted by means of interviews, questionnaire and maturity evaluation system containing 13 elements of lean production identified by the literature review. Firms were visited to ensure the feasibility of use of these 13 elements, identifying them as best practices adopted by these companies. In this manner, observing how these elements are used, some reference models were built and they serve as a inicial suggestion to the design of a LPS to the footwear industry. These models contain the observed best practices as well as suggestions of the author in situations where the companies did not use some elements yet. The attribution of grades was done by the author and professional of the firms.

No description available.

by Cheng Ka-Chung, Ho Fung-Ching. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-51). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.vii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.5 / Chapter III. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.10 / Decision Making Objectives --- p.10 / Research Objectives --- p.11 / Research Design --- p.11 / Hypothesis Testing --- p.14 / Statistical Analysis Method --- p.17 / Sampling and Data Collection --- p.18 / Chapter IV. --- RESULTS --- p.19 / Sample --- p.19 / General Brand and Country Evaluation --- p.19 / Plot of Main Effect - Brand Name --- p.19 / Plot of Main Effect - Country-of-Origin --- p.22 / Plot of Treatments --- p.23 / Hypothesis Testing using ANOVA --- p.25 / Basic Findings --- p.25 / Other Findings --- p.27 / Pairwise t-test for Country-of-Origin Effect --- p.28 / Preferential Analysis --- p.29 / Chapter V. --- LIMITATION --- p.36 / Sampling Bias --- p.36 / Reliability --- p.36 / Validity --- p.37 / Chapter VI. --- CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION --- p.38 / APPENDICES --- p.42 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.49

The professional auto body painter works in an extreme environment, where the painter faces constant movement, ever-changing working situations and pressure to deliver a flawless paint job: the paint booth. The temperature in the paint booth is high, often around 30˚ Celsius. The floor is very hard, made of metal grid or concrete, and the painter usually has to move around a lot, at least 9 km per day. For this project I chose to focus on the painter’s work footwear as a major part of the personal protective equipment. My goal is to create a new standard in working shoes, specifically made for this environment and context. A comfortable shoe that could withstand heat, paint dust and wear. A shoe that is made for its users: the FRM AIRCON.

by Lee Yuek Yu, Clara, Pong Mei Wah, Debbie. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Bibliography: leaf 40.

by Heung Yin-yuk. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Bibliography: leaf 88. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF EXHIBITS --- p.vii / ACKNOWLEDGMENT --- p.viii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Objectives --- p.1 / Adequacy-Importance Model --- p.3 / Attitude Toward a Brand --- p.4 / Chapter II. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.6 / Exploratory Research --- p.6 / Research Design --- p.6 / Questionnaire Design --- p.7 / Data Collection --- p.7 / Results --- p.8 / Descriptive Research --- p.9 / Research Design --- p.10 / Sample Design --- p.11 / Questionnaire Design --- p.11 / Data Collection --- p.16 / Data Analysis --- p.16 / Chapter III. --- LIMITATIONS --- p.17 / Chapter IV. --- RESULTS --- p.19 / Criteria/Product Attributes that are Important to Consumers in Their Evaluation of Athletic Shoes --- p.19 / The Relative Importance of Criteria/Product Attributes --- p.20 / Rank of Attributes Among All Respondents --- p.22 / Consumers' Evaluation of the Major Brands of Athletic Shoes with Respect to Each of the Product Attributes --- p.23 / Consumers' Attitudes Towards the Major Brands of Athletic Shoes --- p.27 / "Relating Preference, Attitude Score and Purchase" --- p.29 / Characteristics of Respondents --- p.38 / Characteristics of Respondents Who Preferred Each Brand the Most --- p.46 / Chapter V. --- FINDINGS THROUGH COMPARING THE RESULTS FROM MALE AND FEMALE RESPONDENTS --- p.52 / Budget for the Purchase of Athletic Shoes --- p.52 / Frequency of Wearing Athletic Shoes --- p.52 / Usage Pattern - Athletic Shoes as Sports Wear Versus As Casual Wear --- p.53 / Evaluation of Product Attributes --- p.53 / "The Ranking of Reebok, Nike and Bossini" --- p.54 / Chapter VI. --- STRATEGIES FOR ATTITUDE CHANGE --- p.55 / Framework for Attitude Change --- p.55 / Alter the Saliency of Attributes --- p.55 / Alter Beliefs about a Brand --- p.56 / Strategic Implications for Each Brand --- p.56 / Reebok --- p.60 / Nike --- p.62 / Bossini --- p.63 / Chapter VII. --- "RELATIONS BETWEEN ATTITUDE SCORE, PREFERENCE AND PURCHASE" --- p.64 / Chapter VIII. --- CONCLUSION --- p.66 / APPENDICES --- p.69 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.88

O objetivo geral do estudo consiste em investigar os aspectos da linguagem da propaganda, das marcas escolhidas para o estudo de casos (Sândalo; Carmen Steffens e Democrata) utilizando como referencial a propaganda comercial (anúncios da mídia impressa) dos calçados da moda. Existe a necessidade de verificar dois aspectos fundamentais no processo de comunicação: o emissor e o receptor, respectivamente o profissional da área de marketing e o grupo de clientes. Sob o ponto de vista do profissional de marketing, o objetivo da ação, o posicionamento e a estratégia de comunicação; e sob o ponto de vista do consumidor, a percepção, a imagem, em relação às propostas teóricas e práticas das empresas. Adaptarem às mudanças solicitadas pelo mercado consumidor brasileiro, constitui o desafio das organizações. A metodologia empregada utiliza a divisão da pesquisa em três partes: a primeira trata de um levantamento bibliográfico constituído do conjunto de pensamentos de vários autores sobre os assuntos relacionados ao tema em estudo; a segunda parte apresenta uma pesquisa documental (mídia impressa) que resultou na coleta de um banco de dados composto por peças publicitárias de calçados das marcas veiculados em outdoors e revistas de moda no período de 2002 a 2006; e a terceira parte aborda a pesquisa qualitativa através de discussões nos grupos de foco (ou Focus Group) que tem o propósito de descobrir o olhar e a percepção do consumidor em relação aos aspectos da linguagem da propaganda. O estudo apresenta como conclusão que não há moda sem sujeitos. Esta idéia significa que na mensagem publicitária deverá existir uma prática lingüística referente ao exercício de uma subjetividade: um conjunto de exercícios de linguagem, baseados em palavras e em imagens, que remetam para a afirmação da existência de sujeitos na mensagem ou, à personalização das entidades comerciais. Pretende-se contribuir, com esse estudo, para um melhor entendimento das estratégias de comunicação utilizadas pelas marcas em estudo, da forma de participação social e cultural, e da influência sobre o comportamento dos jovens, assim como a discussão da relação dos conceitos: moda; propaganda; gestão da marca e branding. / The general objective of the study is to investigate the aspects of the advertising language of the chosen brands for the study of cases (Sândalo; Carmen Steffens and Democrata) taking as a reference the commercial advertising (print media advertising) of the trendy shoes. It is necessary to consider two essential aspects in the communication process: the emitter and the receiver, respectively the marketing area professional and the clients group. According to the marketing professional, the action objective, the positioning and the communication strategy; and according to the customer, the perception, the image in relation to the theoretical and practical proposals of the companies. The organizations aim at adapting to changes required by the Brazilian consuming market. The methodology applied uses the research division in three parts: the first considers a bibliographic raising made of the set of thoughts coming from different authors about the subjects related to the theme under study; the second part shows a documental research (print media) which resulted in the assessment of data bank made of shoe marketing campaigns displayed in billboards and fashion magazines from 2002 to 2006; the third part considers the qualitative research through the discussions in the focus groups which intend to discover the look and perception of the customer in relation to the aspects of the advertising language. The study concludes that there is no fashion without subjects. This idea indicates that in the advertising message there should be a linguistic practice related to the exercise of subjectivity: a set of language exercises based on words and images, which remit to the assertion of the existence of subjects in the message or to the personalization of the commercial groups. It is also the objective of this study to contribute to a better understanding of the communication strategies used by the studied brands, the cultural and social participation form, and the influence upon youngsters behavior as well as the discussion of the concepts relation: fashion; advertising; brand management and branding.