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Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka hur företag samlar in och utnyttjar kundinformation mellan försäljningskanalerna. Men även att utreda motiven bakom att bli en multikanalåterförsäljare samt produkttypens roll i beslutet. En kvalitativ fallstudie med semistrukturerade intervjuer har tillämpats, där fyra företag och en expert deltagit. Studien har visat att information om kunden har varit värdefull och har använts emellan handelskanaler för att anpassa butikens sortimentsmix, skapa välgrundade kampanjer och styra kunder till butik. De mindre företagen, sett till omsättning, har haft mer användning av kundinformation vid beslutet att öppna fysiska butiker än de större. Motivationen bakom att bli multikanalhandlare har varit potentialen att nå fler kunder men även bättre kundfokus. Andra faktorer än produkttyp har varit av intresse för företagen vid öppnandet av de fysiska butikerna men arbetet med returer har visat att produkttyp kan spela roll. / The study investigates how companies gather and use customer information between sales channels. But it will also investigate the motive behind expanding to multichannel retailing and the role of the product type in that decision. A qualitative case study with semi structured interviews has been applied, were four companies and one expert has participated. The study has shown that data about the customer has been valuable and has been used between sales channels to adjust the stores product mix, create well-founded campaigns as well as directing customers to the stores. The smaller companies, in terms of turnover, used a greater amount of customer information in the decision of adding stores than the larger ones. The motivation behind going multichannel has been the potential of reaching more customers but also getting better customer focus. Other factors than product type has been of interest to the companies when the stores were added, but the work around product returns has shown that the product type can matter.

[pt] O presente trabalho estudou o comportamento de rejeitos de minério de ferro e de ouro, reforçados com fibras de polipropileno, com o objetivo da aplicabilidade destes compósitos em aterros (pilhas) de rejeitos de mineração. As fibras foram distribuídas de forma aleatória nos rejeitos (matriz) em um teor de 0.5 por cento em relação ao peso seco da matriz. Os rejeitos de minério de ferro e de ouro são classificados como uma areia siltosa e uma argila siltosa, respectivamente. O programa experimental consistiu em ensaios triaxiais convencionais drenados e não drenados (tensões efetivas de confinamento de 50, 100, 200 e 400 kPa) em amostras não reforçados e reforçados com fibras. Ensaios de cisalhamento direto com superfície polida (tensões normais de 25, 50, 100, 200 e 400 kPa) foram realizados para determinar a influência do reforço na fase residual dos compósitos. Ensaios de Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura (MEV) foram realizados para visualizar a interação fibra-matriz. A análise global dos resultados permitiu mostrar que fibras de polipropileno não modificam o comportamento elastoplástico do rejeito de minério de ferro, porém no rejeito de minério de ouro o comportamento muda para elastoplástico de enrijecimento. A resistência ao cisalhamento incrementou em ambos os rejeitos reforçados, com um ganho mínimo equivalente ao dobro da tensão cisalhante dos rejeitos sem reforço. Com relação à variação volumétrica, o rejeito de minério de ferro apresenta um comportamento dilatante e a adição de fibras incrementa esse comportamento. No rejeito de minério de ouro observa-se que a tendência volumétrica inicial é de contração e depois apresenta uma leve dilatância, porém, com a adição de fibras, o comportamento dilatante é eliminado. Em conclusão, a aplicabilidade das fibras de polipropileno se mostra como alternativa de reforço e melhoria do comportamento geotécnico dos rejeitos de mineração estudados. / [en] The objective of this work is to study the behavior of iron and gold mine tailings reinforced with polypropylene fibers with the objective of the applicability of these composites in landfills (piles) of mine tailings. The fibers were randomly distributed in the mine tailings (matrix), where was used a content of 0.5 percent in relation to the dry weight of the matrix. The iron and gold mine tailings are classified as a silty sand and a silty clay, respectively. The experimental program consisted of conventional drained and undrained triaxial tests (effective confinement stresses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 kPa) in non-reinforced and reinforced samples. Direct shear tests with a polished surface (normal stresses of 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 kPa) were performed to determine the influence of reinforcement on the residual phase of the composites. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) tests were performed to visualize the fiber-matrix interaction. The global analysis of the results allowed to show that polypropylene fibers do not modify the elastoplastic behavior of the iron mine tailings, but in the gold mine tailings the behavior changes to the strain hardening elastoplastic. Shear strength increased in both reinforced tailings, with a minimum gain equivalent to twice the shear stress of non-reinforced tailings. The strength parameters in the drained, undrained and residual condition of both mine tailings were increased with the addition of fiber. Regarding the volumetric variation, the iron mine tailings exhibits a dilative behavior and the fiber addition increases this behavior. In the gold mine tailings, it is observed that the initial volumetric tendency is contractive and then presents a slight dilatancy, however, with the fiber addition, the dilative behavior is eliminated. In conclusion, the applicability of the polypropylene fibers is showed as an alternative of reinforcement and improvement of the geotechnical behavior of the studied tailings.

L’objectif de la thèse est de comprendre le comportement géochimique de l’arsenic dans les remblais miniers en pâte cimentés. Cette technique est employée depuis plusieurs années pour remblayer les galeries de mine exploitées à l’aide des rejets de concentrateurs. Pour cette étude, deux types de remblais sont élaborés en laboratoire : des échantillons de remblai minier en pâte synthétiques, fabriqués à partir de silice et enrichis artificiellement en arsenic, et des remblais miniers en pâte élaborés à partir de rejets miniers arséniés. Dans les deux cas, différents liants cimentaires sont testés. Plusieurs types d’investigations sont menés sur les échantillons de remblai en pâte cimentés. Une caractérisation minéralogique est effectuée à l’aide de divers outils. En parallèle, les échantillons de remblais sont soumis à différents tests de lixiviation complémentaires, afin d’évaluer la mobilité/rétention de l’arsenic dans ces matrices. Enfin, une modélisation géochimique est mise en œuvre à partir des résultats issus des deux études précédentes, afin d’affiner les connaissances sur la nature et la stabilité des composés arséniés dans les remblais étudiés. Les résultats obtenus indiquent que l’arsenic est mieux stabilisé dans les matrices à base de ciment Portland et de laitier de haut-fourneau que dans les remblais à base de cendres volantes. Le comportement à la lixiviation variable d’une matrice à l’autre s’explique par des spéciations et des mécanismes de piégeage de l’arsenic variés. L’arsenic peut précipiter sous forme de minéraux arséniés, principalement sous forme d’arséniates de calcium, mais aussi de divers autres composés secondaires variables d’une matrice à l’autre. Un piégeage physique des grains de rejets miniers arséniés par les hydrates cimentaires peut aussi avoir lieu, par formation d’un revêtement limitant l’oxydation des sulfures porteurs d’arsenic. Tous ces mécanismes interviennent dans la stabilisation/solidification de l’arsenic. / The objective of this study is to understand the geochemical behaviour of arsenic in cemented paste backfills. This technique consists in transporting the tailings in the mine openings. Two types of backfills are prepared in the laboratory for this study. First, synthetic cemented paste backfills artificially spiked with arsenic are synthesized, using silica in replacement of the tailings. In parallel, other cemented paste backfill specimens are prepared with arsenic-rich tailings. In the two cases, various types of hydraulic binders are tested. Several types of investigations are conducted on the cemented paste backfill specimens. A mineralogical characterization is carried out with the help of specific tools. At the same time, cemented paste backfill samples are submitted to several complementary leaching tests, to assess the mobility/immobilization potential of arsenic in these matrices. Finally, geochemical modeling is implemented, based on the results of the two previous studies, in order to refine the understanding of the nature and stability of the arsenic compounds. The results show that arsenic is better immobilized in Portland cement and slag-based matrices, rather than in fly ash-based matrices. The variable leaching behaviour from a given matrix to another is due to different arsenic trapping mechanisms. Arsenic can precipitate and form several arsenic minerals, mainly calcium arsenates, but also various other secondary compounds, which are different from a matrix to another. Physical entrapment of the tailings grains by the cementitious minerals can also occur, by formation of a coating around the grains, limiting the oxidation and dissolution of arsenic-bearing sulfides (passivation). These mechanisms are involved in the stabilization/solidification of arsenic by cemented paste backfills.

The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual integrated online visual merchandising framework containing online visual merchandising themes that South African apparel e-tailers could use when developing an effective apparel e-store, with the main aim of possibly influencing consumer purchasing behaviour. The study adopted a consumer-centred response approach to online visual merchandising in an attempt to holistically consider this area of the South African e-tail industry from the consumer’s perspective. The study followed a pragmatic paradigm that implemented a mixed-method approach. The qualitative section of the mixed-method approach primarily comprised four focus group interviews as the main data-collection instrument. The data obtained during the qualitative section was analysed by Tesch’s inductive descriptive coding technique, better known as thematic analysis. The findings obtained during the qualitative section were used as the basis for the quantitative section of the mixed-method approach, which implemented a self-administered web-based questionnaire as the data-collection instrument. The data was analysed by means of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23. The findings of the study delivered a conceptual integrated online visual merchandising framework that consists of 13 themes and 82 items. This conceptual integrated online visual merchandising framework will contribute to the South African apparel retail and e-tail industry, as both apparel brick-and-mortar retailers and apparel e-tailers in South Africa can benefit from using the conceptual integrated framework as a guideline. The value of the conceptual integrated framework lies in the fact that it includes consumers’ views regarding the online visual merchandising themes. Therefore, apparel e-tailers, as well as brick-and-mortar retailers that want to develop an e-store, or update an existing e-store, can use this conceptual integrated framework as a guideline to make their online offering as attractive as possible. This way involves the least possible online risks to ensure that online trust is created, and ultimately, that consumer purchasing behaviour has been influenced. / Business Management / D. Phil. (Management Studies)

Department of Ecology and Resource Management / MENVSC