Background: Since the Go Global policy in 1999, Chinese firms have been growing and expanding exponentially in the global market. The internationalisation of Chinese firms has attracted not only business partners, policy makers but also researchers with their unconventional process and method. The problem occurs when Chinese brands are facing challenges in brand awareness and equity in foreign markets despite their strong presence domestically. One industry stands out as the most relevant example – the apparel industry – since China has been the largest exporter and importer of clothes worldwide yet Chinese brands are hardly recognised internationally. Among all, ANTA, one of the largest multinational companies (MNCs) operating in the sportswear industry, raises high interest for a case study with their rapid international expansion and their new global strategy. Purpose: This paper aims to examine the process of internationalisation and brand internationalisation of Chinese MNCs through the case of ANTA. This paper also wishes to contribute to the lack of study in the stream of literature regarding Chinese market cultivation post-entry to a new oversea markets and brand internationalisation. Method: A qualitative research was conducted through an exploratory approach. In-depth interviews were utilised for primary data collection in which 6 employees from different positions under ANTA agreed to become participants. A thematic analysis was then carried out. Secondary data about ANTA and their activities and strategies was also collected in order to use in combination with the empirical findings from the interviews. Lastly, an analysis of all the data based on the relevant literature was conducted. Conclusion: ANTA’s internationalisation process was found to be in line with past studies where acquisition is the preferable method. Several reasons were discussed for this choice of entry mode including the macro and firm factors. Following this, the choice of multi-brand strategy was fitting as it enables firms to leverage the acquired assets such as brand names, product lines, markets, capabilities and technology to diminish problems like low product range, lack R&D and technology and ownership disadvantages. However, potential challenges may also occur such as low brand equity and short-term orientated strategy that cannot be solved through rapid expansion and capital utilisation.

Titel: Celebrity endorsement är väl ingen sport – En studie om hur sportmodevarumärken använder celebriteter i varumärkesbyggande syfte Författare: Erik Hagberg & Niklas Radhammar Handledare: Thomas Helgesson Nivå: Kandidatuppsats, Marknadsföring 15 hp, VT 2012 Nyckelord: Varumärke, varumärkeskapital, celebrity endorsement, celebrity endorser, sportmodevarumärke, varumärkesbyggande Problemformulering: Hur arbetar sportmodevarumärken på den svenska marknaden med celebriteter i sina varumärkesbyggande processer? Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att med utgångspunkt i den teoretiska referensramen och en abduktiv fallstudie av fem varumärken, kartlägga hur sportmodevarumärken arbetar med celebriteter i varumärkesbyggande ändamål på den svenska marknaden. Vi vill även analysera positiva effekter och risker vid användning av celebriteter i varumärkesstrategier. Metod: En kvalitativ ansats med ett abduktivt angreppssätt har använts, där beslutsfattare från fem varumärken har intervjuats inom uppsatsens ämne. De fem företagen är adidas, Craft, Tenson, Peak Performance samt Unihoc. Alla dessa arbetar aktivt med celebrity endorsement som strategi i varumärkesbyggande och marknadskommunikation. Teoretiskt perspektiv: Avsnittet inleds med en grundläggande beskrivning av varumärkeskapital samt hur celebriteter kan addera ytterligare värde till kapitalet. Därefter behandlas fenomenet celebrity endorsement samt processen vid urval av celebritet inom samma ämne. Teoriavsnittet berör även de positiva effekter samt risker som kan uppstå vid användningen av celebrity endorsement. Avslutningsvis behandlas även return on investment gällande celebrity endorsement. Empiriskt perspektiv: I det empiriska kapitlet presenteras de intervjuer vi utfört med ansvarig för respektive varumärke. Empirin speglar deras användning av celebrity endorsement. Slutsats: Studien visar att celebrity endorsement kan användas på olika sätt för att bygga varumärkeskapital, men även för att stärka varumärket i sin helhet. Vi anser att celebrity endorsement är en långsiktig strategi och inte som många teorier hävdar, en kortsiktig. Vi kan även dra slutsatsen att den risk som tas upp i samband med de teorier som präglar uppsatsen inte överensstämmer med våra fallföretags upplevda risk. De anser att risken är liten vid användning av celebrity endorsers.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze corporate image of a selected company. The selected company is LITEX Ltd. The analysis of image of the company is based on the identification of elements,which creates corporate identity, and then finding out the image perceived by consumers on the Czech market. Another goal is to focus on brand awareness and overall evaluation of brand perception by consumers on the market. The brand LITEX is comparedwith the largest competitors within in this industry. The thesis is divided into two parts: theoretical and practical. The first part introduces the terms related to the company's image and in the second part is introduced LITEX Ltd. and analyzed its marketing and communication tools.

The net present value (NPV) approach has been widely accepted by corporate practitioners and academics as the principle tool for evaluating the feasibility of corporate financial investment opportunities. It conceptually provides an estimate in present value terms of a proposed investment's incremental contribution to the firm, enabling the company to pursue its goal of value maximization with more assurance. NPV uses a discount rate that in theory captures market risks. In the stable growth or mature industries, NPV works well. However, in high investment/high risk-return (HI/HRR) industries, where the investment environment is often profiled as highly uncertain with high returns, NPV is insufficient to reflect the multidimensional risks, hence unable to capture the extensive investment returns that may consist of non-financial values. This dissertation applies the real option (RO) valuation methodology, supplementing the NPV method to evaluate the return of the sports retail industry (SRI) flagship stores investments. This study further demonstrates that there are strategic values captured by the RO valuation method, complementing the financial values attained by the NPV. To test this assertion, we use case methodology to analyze four flagship investment activities (proprietary business data are concealed). These investments represent various investment options, including growth, expansion, staging, and delay. The cases include projections made prior to the investment, the retrospective application of RO to estimate strategic value, and the actual returns from these investments. Findings demonstrate convincingly RO methodology can and should be usefully applied to supplement the NPV method in HI/HRR industries, and SRI in particular.

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Submitted by Adriana Alves Rodrigues (aalves@espm.br) on 2018-10-09T16:25:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MPCC - GIOVANNA ARAGÃO ANTONINI.pdf: 1888963 bytes, checksum: 1d8ecd33db3c9d86ada1ccf7e82104dc (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Alves Rodrigues (aalves@espm.br) on 2018-10-09T16:26:11Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 MPCC - GIOVANNA ARAGÃO ANTONINI.pdf: 1888963 bytes, checksum: 1d8ecd33db3c9d86ada1ccf7e82104dc (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Debora Cristina Bonfim Aquarone (deborabonfim@espm.br) on 2018-10-09T18:21:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 MPCC - GIOVANNA ARAGÃO ANTONINI.pdf: 1888963 bytes, checksum: 1d8ecd33db3c9d86ada1ccf7e82104dc (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-09T18:21:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MPCC - GIOVANNA ARAGÃO ANTONINI.pdf: 1888963 bytes, checksum: 1d8ecd33db3c9d86ada1ccf7e82104dc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-23 / The number of amateur runners and the value of sportswear market is growing in Brazil, making the study of these market and community even more important. The purpose of this work is to understand how this group establish long-term relationships with sportswear brands considering their brand attachment styles. To address this objective, a bibliographic research was made. It focused on the relationship marketing concepts evolution until the appropriation of attachment concept, originally born in psychology studies. This research also covers the definition of brand attachment and its differences versus other marketing constructs and an explanation regarding brand attachment characteristics and brand attachment styles. Scales used in other studies were adapted to be applied in a quantitative research with amateur runners (340 valid answers). The results show that, in the same way as the overall population, inside the amateur runners community, the persons have different brand attachment styles. The style has a significant influence in individuals’ brand preference for closeness and in their characteristics of attachment. A segmentation per brand attachment style of amateur runners and the description of each segment according to their preference for closeness and attachment characteristics is the main contribution of this work. The segments names are: loyal, anxious, distrustful and fearful. Anxious runners get attached more intensively, while the distrustful group does not get that much attached. Overall, all segments seek for closeness to the brand, but the distrustful group is the exception. Hedonism and nostalgia are attachment characteristics appreciated by all segments. It is important to highlight that demographic and sports routine characteristics are not discriminants among the segments. It is expected that this work enriches brand attachment styles theory and provides insights for companies to evolve on their relationship marketing strategies. / O crescimento da prática de corrida de rua e do mercado de artigos esportivos no Brasil torna o estudo desse público e mercado cada vez mais relevante. Diante disto, o propósito desta dissertação é entender como este grupo estabelece relacionamentos de longo prazo com marcas esportivas considerando seus estilos de apego a marcas. Para isso, foi feita uma revisão bibliográfica que abordou a evolução de conceitos dentro de marketing de relacionamento até a apropriação por marketing do conceito de apego a marca que teve origem na psicologia. São abordados também a definição de apego a marca e sua diferença em relação a outros constructos de marketing de relacionamento e uma explanação sobre características do apego a marca e também sobre estilos de apego a marca. Escalas utilizadas em outros estudos foram adaptadas para uma pesquisa exploratória com corredores amadores (amostra: 340 respondentes válidos). Com os resultados obtidos, pode-se dizer que, assim como na população geral, dentro do grupo corredores amadores existem indivíduos com diferentes estilos de apego a marca. O estilo de cada um possui relação significativa na preferência por aproximação de marcas e nas características de formação do apego. Este trabalho traz como contribuição uma segmentação de corredores amadores por estilo de apego a marca e a descrição de cada segmento de acordo com preferência por aproximação e características de apego. Os segmentos foram nomeados como leais, ansiosos, desconfiados e medrosos. Corredores ansiosos se apegam com maior intensidade à marca, enquanto desconfiados se apegam menos. No geral, todos buscam aproximação à marca, menos os desconfiados. Hedonismo e nostalgia são características de apego que todos possuem. É importante ressaltar também que características demográficas e de prática esportiva não são discriminantes nesses segmentos. Espera-se que esta dissertação enriqueça os estudos sobre estilos de apego a marcas e forneça insumos para empresas melhorarem suas estratégias de marketing de relacionamento.

Actualmente, las marcas de ropa deportiva están presentando un incremento en la participación de contenidos en las redes sociales para generar un mejor engagement con sus consumidores en el mercado peruano. Por ello, en este trabajo analizaremos cómo estas actividades que realizan las marcas en sus redes sociales, tales como: Facebook, Instagram y Twitter, se relacionan con la variable de engagement. Investigaciones previas en la categoría han demostrado que estas marcas no generan muchas acciones de marketing de contenidos, sin embargo, tienen aceptación y compromiso por parte del consumidor peruano. Por lo tanto, mediante un estudio cuantitativo con un modelo de encuesta al público objetivo de la investigación; millennials de NSE A y B. Se comprobará si la variable de acciones de marketing de contenidos presenta una fuerte relación con el engagement. / Currently, sportswear brands are having an increase in participation of content on social networks to generate better engagement with their consumers in the Peruvian market. So, in this paper we will analyze how these activities carried out by brands in their social platforms, such as: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, are related to the engagement variable. Previous research into the category has shown that these brands do not generate many content marketing actions, however, they have acceptance and engagement on the part of the Peruvian consumer. Therefore, through a quantitative study with a survey model to the target audience of the research; millennials from NSE A and B. It will be checked whether the content marketing actions variable has a strong relationship with engagement. / Trabajo de investigación

M. Tech. (Department of Marketing, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Counterfeiting is a global phenomenon in developed and developing countries, causing a threat to national economies and societies. It negatively harms new investment and progressively endangers public health and safety as well. Known and famous brands are often targeted for counterfeiting. This phenomenon is primarily driven by consumers’ aspiring attitudes, social media pressures and the need to differentiate oneself. The aim of the study is to examine the influence of materialism, hedonic consumption motive, utilitarian consumption motive, personal gratification and novelty-seeking on attitudes and the influence of attitudes on willingness to purchase counterfeit sportswear products at a selected HEI. The study is grounded within the positivist philosophy, in which a quantitative research approach was followed, since positivists prefer an analytic and factual interpretation of quantitative data. An online structured questionnaire was used to collect data through an online survey. The study sample was conveniently selected from a population of registered students at a selected HEI in Southern Gauteng in the 2020 academic year. Data were collected on demographic variables, materialism (MAT), hedonic motivation (HED), utilitarian motive (UTL), personal gratification (PGT), novelty-seeking (NOS), attitude towards counterfeits (ATC) and willingness to purchase (WTP) counterfeit sportswear. A total of 327 questionnaires were completed and used in the final data analysis. Descriptive statistics techniques, correlations and regression analysis were used to evaluate perceptions and relationships between the study constructs. The research results revealed the existence of significant positive associations amongst the study constructs. Of the five antecedents, two of the five predictor variables, namely, UTL and NOS showed significant predictive relationships with attitudes towards counterfeit sportswear purchases. Attitudes towards counterfeits (ATC) also emerged as a significant predictor of students’ WTP counterfeit sportswear. Since NOS and UTL seem to predict a positive attitude towards counterfeit sportswear, the study recommends that brand owners develop awareness about ethical purchasing behaviour. They should also educate consumers on the social and economic downside of buying counterfeit products and that seeking novelty when purchasing counterfeit products may soon wane and wear off, leading to regret and cognitive dissonance. Further, brand marketers should also emphasise the utility value inherent in the purchase of authentic branded products instead of buying counterfeits. Since consumers cannot often readily distinguish between genuine and fake sportswear, it is therefore critical for marketers of branded products to promote the contrast of originals and fakes and to underline the quality, longevity, and dependability of their authentic products in the market. These results make a valuable contribution to academics, brand managers and marketers, as the results reveal that consumer buying can be influenced by personality and social interests of different individuals. The study notes that laws only cannot prohibit the sale and purchase of counterfeit products. It requires the stricter implementation thereof. Further, there is a need for behavioural change strategies to counter the effects of counterfeiting. Nudges such as promotions and loyalty programmes may encourage the purchase of authentic products as opposed to the purchase of counterfeits.

Considerando el viraje cada vez más intensivo hacia lo fitness y el comercio electrónico, el presente trabajo de investigación se centra en los principales factores que influyen en la decisión de compra de ropa deportiva mediante plataformas virtuales. El grupo seleccionado fue el de mujeres de 15 a 45 años de edad de Lima Moderna. Partiendo de modelos de toma de decisiones como el Modelo de Comportamiento Orientado a Objetivos, la investigación se realizó bajo una metodología cuantitativa descriptiva, empleando como herramienta principal un cuestionario de nueve áreas: innovación electrónica, innovación en moda, confianza, seguridad percibida, calidad de la información, valor percibido, ahorro de tiempo, ahorro de dinero e intención de compra. Los principales resultados encontrados fueron que las variables ahorro de tiempo y ahorro de dinero juegan un papel fundamental en la configuración del valor percibido y este a su vez presenta una correlación alta en la intención de compra de ropa deportiva a través del canal online. / Considering the increasingly shift towards a fitness lifestyle and e-commerce, the current research focuses on the main factors that can influence the decision to purchase sportswear through virtual platforms. The sample was composed by women between the ages of 15 and 40 that live in the districts of Modern Lima. Based on decision-making models such as the Objective-Oriented Behavior Model, the study was carried out under a descriptive quantitative methodology, using as the main tool a survey of nine areas: electronic innovation, fashion innovation, trust, perceived security, quality of information, perceived value, time saving, money saving and purchase intention. The main results found were that the variables time saving and money saving play a fundamental role in the configuration of perceived value and the latter presents a high correlation in the intention to buy sportswear online. / Tesis

Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur TencelTM och merinoull bäst kombineras i en stickad frottéstruktur ämnad för en lager-2 produkt. Den stickade strukturen har funktionella krav gällande god fukttransport, nötningsbeständighet och antipilling. Funktionskraven kommer att prövas med standardiserade tester. Ytterligare kommer studien undersöka om hållbarheten för lager-2-tyg skulle kunna förbättras. En design research method används för att skapa tre frottéstickade trikåstrukturer, alla med olika kombinationer av lyocell och merinoull. Resultaten visade att alla strukturer hade relativt goda förmåga att transportera fukt, dock stod S-M-T ut som bäst, tätt följt av T-M. Bra nötningsbeständighet utmärktes i M-T och T-M, medan S-M-T presterade sämst. Slutligen visade ett pillingstest ett jämnt resultat mellan alla stickade strukturer, T-M fick dock ett något högre snitt än de andra två. Resultaten i relation till hållbarhet visade att ingen av de stickade strukturerna var ensamt signifikant bättre än de andra. Däremot ger studien ett förslag för framtida forskning när det gäller att samspunna garnet placeras på ena sidan, medan merinoull på den andra. / This study aims to investigate how TencelTM and merino wool are best combined in a knitted terry structure modified for layer-2. The knitted structure has functional requirements, which are in regards to good moisture transport (wicking) capacity, abrasion resistances and anti-pilling. The functional requirements will be tested and with the help of the result the study will further investigate if the sustainability of layer-2 fabric could improve. A design research method is applied to create three terry knitted fabric structures, all with different combinations of lyocell and merino wool. The three fabric structures are then assets for the functional requirements through ISO Standards and AATCC tests. The results showed that all structures had relatively good wicking properties, however S-M-T stood out as the best, closely followed by T-M. Good abrasion resistance was noticeable mostly in M-T and T-M, whereas S-M-T performed worst. Lastly, a pilling test showed an even result between all knitted structures, T-M received however a slightly higher average than the other two. The results in relation to sustainability showed that none of the knitted structures were significantly better than the others alone. However, a suggestion for future research is made in regards to the co-spun yarn being placed on one side, while merino wool on the other.