published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Abstract Title: Does the Country of Origin Matter for Sustainable Products? A Comparison of European Sporting Goods Producers Level: Final assignment for Master Degree in Business Administration Author: Edith Anna Voithofer Supervisor: Jonas Kågström, Ph.D. Date: January 24, 2013 Aim of study: The brand name and its country of origin is information that is used from consumers to make purchase decisions. Although existing research discusses several country of origin – aspects from other industries, literature within the sporting goods industry is still spare. Environmental pollution is an important topic nowadays, and the sporting goods industry is trying to include more “green” aspects within their business strategy, or is already quite successful in doing so. To fill the research gap, this thesis focuses on sustainable producers with a very good sustainable reputation in order to analyze the importance of the country of origin effect within the sustainable outdoor industry. Methodology: For this paper a conclusive research design was taken, as it is more formal, and used to test specific relationships. The quantitative research included respondents from two sustainable outdoor brands (originally from Sweden and Germany) who answered an online survey. Basis for the selection process was the independent bluesign® standard, a strong and global sustainability standard. The survey included five constructs to quantify the dimensions of brand equity and overall brand equity. Results: Both respondent groups are similar regarding their demographic data characteristics and their opinion when it comes to the quality of outdoor goods and its brand association. In particular, they seem to feel strongly connected towards the brands; they were proud and very loyal. Nevertheless, differences were identified. Sustainable products seem to be valued higher from Swedish respondents, whereas loyalty seems to be more important for German participants. Contribution of the study: Although existing research discusses several country of origin related aspects from other industries, relevant literature within the sporting goods industry, and here specifically the sustainable outdoor industry is still sparse. These topics are covered in this study. Keywords: Country of origin, Sustainability, Sporting Goods Industry, Outdoor Industry

by Li Yuk Fung. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-64). / ABSTRACT --- p.i / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.ii / LIST OF EXHIBITS --- p.iv / PREFACE --- p.v / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Objectives --- p.1 / Scope of Study --- p.1 / Methodology --- p.2 / Secondary Data Collection --- p.2 / Observations --- p.3 / Primary Data Collection --- p.3 / Literature Review --- p.4 / Limitations --- p.4 / Chapter II. --- THE COMPANY --- p.5 / History and Background --- p.5 / Organizational Structure --- p.6 / Business Strategies --- p.8 / Marketing Mix --- p.8 / Market Segmentation --- p.14 / Competitiveness --- p.17 / Chapter III. --- INDUSTRIAL ANALYSIS --- p.21 / Environmental Analysis --- p.21 / Economic Environment --- p.22 / Socio/Cultural Factors --- p.23 / Demographic Factors --- p.23 / Technological Environment --- p.24 / Legal Environment --- p.24 / Customers --- p.25 / Government Sector --- p.25 / Private Sector --- p.27 / Institutional Sector --- p.28 / Suppliers --- p.30 / Competitors --- p.33 / Entry Barriers --- p.34 / Critical Success Factors for the Industry --- p.34 / Chapter IV. --- SWOT ANALYSIS --- p.35 / Internal Strengths --- p.35 / Internal Weaknesses --- p.37 / Future Opportunities --- p.41 / Environmental Threats --- p.44 / Problem Identifications --- p.45 / Chapter V. --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.48 / Recommendations --- p.48 / Implications and Evaluations --- p.53 / Conclusions --- p.57 / APPENDIX --- p.58 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.63

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There are numerous supply chain planning processes and activities that need to take place to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in a company. For the case study retailer, these planning processes and activities contribute to the end goals and objectives of the company. In order to reach these goals and objectives, the importance and contribution of each of the planning processes and activities must be determined. Supply chain planning can provide a company with a competitive advantage, but it can also lead to catastrophic events when it is not fully utilised or poorly executed. A case study was done on a South African sports retailer to determine to what extent the different supply chain planning processes and activities contribute to the end goals and objectives of this retailer and how these goals and objectives are tracked within the company. The implementation of planning processes and -activities were also investigated and what the consequences may be when the planning processes and activities are poorly executed. Goals and objectives which were given to the retailer‟s planners were investigated and thoroughly studied. Some of these goals included achieving effective stock policies, managing gross sales margins for products and accurate forecasting. A hybrid research method was used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data. Interviews were conducted with planners in the company to explore their current planning methods as well as to highlight the shortcomings thereof. A job satisfaction questionnaire determined the motivators and hygiene factors (where hygiene factors refer to factors such as the employee‟s relationships with their supervisor, salaries and working conditions) of the employees in the company. A low level of motivators and hygiene factors may contribute to employee‟s responses at the workplace: exit, voice, loyalty and neglect. The importance of supply chain planning in the sports retail industry and the shortcomings this retailer has on supply chain planning methods were determined and the crucial role planning plays in this retailer was effectively determined and comprehended. Areas for improvement include, realistic budgeting and planning, enhanced forecasting methods and investing in employee training. Results also show that the retailer is managing effective levels of planning to reach the goals and objectives of the company. However, there are key areas for improvement where focus should be placed upon. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is talle beplanningsprosesse en beplanningsaktiwiteite wat moet plaasvind om die effektiwiteit en doeltreffendheid van n maatskappy te verseker. Vir die kleinhandelaar in die gevallestudie dra hierdie beplanningsaktiwiteite, en -prosesse by tot die doelwitte en doelstellings van die maatskappy. Om hierdie doelwitte en doelstellings te kan bereik, moet die belangrikheid en bydrae van die beplanningsprosesse en beplanningsaktiwiteite bepaal en ten volle begryp word. Voorsieningskettingbeplanning kan aan „n maatskappy „n mededingende voordeel verskaf, maar kan ook lei tot katastrofiese gebeure indien die voosieningskettingbeplanning swak uitgevoer word of nie ten volle aangewend word nie. „n Gevallestudie is gedoen op „n Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelaar in sporttoerusting om te bepaal watter tipe beplanningsprosesse en beplanningsaktiwiteite plaasvind in hierdie landswye kleinhandelaar. Die implementering van die beplanningsprosesse en beplanningsaktiwiteite is ook ondersoek en wat die nagevolge kan wees wanneer hierdie beplanningsprosesse en beplanningsaktiwiteite swak uitgevoer word. Doelwitte en doelstellings wat aan die beplanners van die besigheid deurgegee word, is deeglik bestudeer. Sommige van hierdie doelwitte sluit in die bereiking van effektiewe voorraadbeleide, handhawing van bruto verkope marges vir produkte en akkurate vooruitskattings. „n Hibriede navorsingsmetode is gebruik vir die insameling van kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe data. Onderhoude is met die beplanners van die maatskappy gevoer om die huidige beplanningsmetodes te verken en om die tekortkomings in die beplanningsmetodes uit te wys. „n Werkstevredenheid vraelys het die motiveerders en higiëne faktore (waar higiëne faktore verwys na werknemers se verhouding met die toesighouer, salarisse en werksomstandighede) van die werknemers bepaal. Lae vlakke van motiveerders en higiëne faktore kan lei tot die volgende reaksies: ontrekking, stem, lojaliteit en verwaarlosing. Die kritieke belangrikheid wat beplanningsprosesse en beplanningsaktiwiteite behels vir hierdie kleinhandelaar was vasgestel, asook die tekortkominge wat hierdie kleinhandelaar met voorsieningskettingbeplanningsmetodes het. Verbeteringsareas sluit in, realistiese beplanning en „n realistiese begroting, verbeterde vooruitskattingsmetodes en om in die werknemer se opleiding te investeer. Dit is bepaal dat hierdie kleinhandelaar handaaf effektiewe vlakke van beplanning om einddoelstellings en einddoelwitte te bereik. Daar is egter, sekere areas, waar fokus op geplaas moet word. Sleutelwoorde: Voorsieningskettingbeplanning, beplanningsprosesse, beplanningsaktiwiteite.

Developing countries and the poor within them (i.e., the other) receive scant attention in management and organization studies (MOS). The field, thus, suffers from both ethnocentric and class biases. This research effort seeks to reduce these biases, particularly in the conversation on power taking place between MOS' critical management studies and interorganizational collaboration research streams. / Articulating a case study of the Sialkot soccer ball child labour project in Pakistan (1995-2003), the thesis explores the communication constraints that are faced by weak actors in interorganizational domains (a social problem and a set of organizations having a stake or interest in that problem) located in the developing world. Relying on both written documents (private and public) and field interviews, especially with women soccer ball stitchers at the village level, a typology of communication constraints is developed. These constraints are examined from the perspectives of those at the bottom of the international supply chain and the injuries these groups suffer from them are documented in the thesis. It is found that the ability of weak actors to use communication to influence a domain is highly contingent on how space and time are configured in a domain. Domains have temporal rhythms and spatial configurations. The thesis identifies two types of temporal rhythms (technocratic and subsistence clocks) and a spatial configuration (imperial space) that severely militate against weak actors exercising agency in a domain through communication. Strategies (e.g., emergent collective struggle) that can prevent weak actors from becoming subalternalized (voiceless) in a domain are also discussed. The case study permits an investigation of contemporary transnational activism that often sires interorganizational collaboration projects in developing countries. The thesis identifies two types of transnational activism (thick and thin), delineates the various elements constituting them, and shows how thin activism can lead to interorganizational projects hurting weak and powerless groups that are intended to be assisted.

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