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Use value and exchange value, concepts explored by Aristotle, are terms dealing with the natural function of an object and the object's worth in an exchange, respectively. In this work, Aristotle's concepts are applied to contemporary marketing practices and other aspects of culture in order to evaluate the way in which meaning is ascribed to objects. The role of the brand, for example, is to alter the exchange value of an object, while the use value can be left unchanged. Brands are indicative of exchange value because they have no substance to speak of, and they are a matter of convention; what they are and what they stand for is in no way fixed. Marketing practitioners develop brands largely by fusing objects with culture, and culture as well as cultural perceptions can change. As a reflection of culture, marketing practitioners use stories and identities in much the same way that culture independent of marketing would ascribe meaning. While branding and other marketing practices rely extensively on culture to form their bases, they are not the only source of cultural meaning because factors such as family and tradition also have influence. When factors such as these imbue objects with meaning, they, too, can affect exchange value, but they have origins outside the marketplace. I use the term narrative value to differentiate this source of meaning from marketing practices. Narrative value has to do with tradition and collective understandings of community, whereas brands are constructed by external means, as works of fiction. When culture is placed in objects as a reflection of the marketplace, the culture lacks the structure and durability of more traditional culture, and such ascribed meaning can be easily altered or eradicated. Narrative value, then, is an idea separate from marketing yet with the ability to impact worth in exchange. / McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts; / Communication and Rhetorical Studies / PhD / Dissertation

Thesis (Ph. D.)--New School for Social Research, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 272-282).

The goal of this diploma thesis is setting value of Agrostroj Pelhřimov a.s., machinery company. This thesis consist theoretic and practical part. The first part contains the analysis of valuations methods included detailed analysis of income method, which is applied. Next follow financial plan, which result from strategic, financial and macroeconomics analysis. In practical part are used entering data which are evaluated by applied calculations support. Subsequently is a company analyzed complexly and planed its own development. In last part is set the total value of the company.

The thesis is aiming to analyze the method of value creation in mergers and acquisitions. The introductory chapter includes a general classification and framework for terms like value; synergies; and basic valuation models. The following chapter introduces valuation models which are more oriented towards shareholder value, generally speaking, frameworks introduced by Value Based Management: Economic Value Added, Economic Profit or Cash Value Added. Economic Value Added is described through three adjusted EVA models in the next chapter: (1) The impact of MVA on the negotiation position of parties in M&A, (2) EVA Style of Investing model, which is applied as a screening tool for value creators, (3) EVA Momentum model. In the closing chapter all three models are applied and conclusions and recommendations are drawn. The three models enable us for example to identify industries worth investing in or to understand how specific companies create value and how to set up an optimal price negotiation strategy.

The main objective of this thesis is to examine the theory of capitalism and its ontological foundations through the major works of Marx and Deleuze&amp / Guattari. In his monumental book called Capital, Karl Marx develops an account of capitalism based on his understanding of philosophy of which takes its roots from Hegel and Feuerbach. Additionally, English political economy and French socialism serve as reliable grounds for Marx&amp / #8217 / s analysis. In light of the writings of these historical precursors, Marx constitutes a profound critique of capitalist mode of production. On the other hand, Deleuze and Guattari, as the representatives of contemporary French philosophy, develop a different account of capitalism in their influential book called Anti-Oedipus. By relying upon Nietzsche, in Anti-Oedipus, Deleuze and Guattari examine capitalism in a non-dialectical manner. Despite the fact that they reject the major aspects of Marxian mode of thinking, they concentrate on the similar questions shared by Marx. The question of capitalism and its conception as an immanent system which reproduces itself by means of capital appears as the common problem that directs them to think analogously. In this respect, this thesis is an attempt to discover the points of ruptures and the points of continuities in two different account of capitalism.

Abstract Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration. Bachelor of Science with Specialization in Marketing – Main Field of Study: Business Administration. School of Business and Economics at Linnaeus University, Course Code 2FE21E, 2018 Title: From Bags to Boxes: A Study of the Consumers Perception of Value in Online Fashion Retail Sales Authors: Nadine Bolm, Betty Hartigan Supervisor: Michaela Sandell Examiner: Åsa Devine Background: Online retail sales has been growing steadily since the late twentieth century. Fashion, as a segment of the online marketplace, is the largest market in cyberspace and as new companies are combined with old ones who want to establish a presence online, competition is stifling. As more companies offer fashion in the online world consumers behavior evolves with this new reality and customer-perceived value shifts as the consumers values in their transactions shifts. In order to gain and maintain a strong consumer base companies need to know what the variables are that make up customer-perceived value in hopes of affecting it. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explain the relationship between values of utilitarian nature, those being; monetary savings, convenience, product variety, product information, and customer-perceived value in online fashion retail and to explain the relationship between values of hedonic nature, those being; adventure, gratification, best deal, idea, and customer-perceived value in online fashion retail. Methodology: The research conducted here was an explanatory study to determine how different independent variables related to a single dependent variable. The study was deductive in nature and used a quantitative approach. Independent variables were studied with the use of a convenience sample and self-reporting survey posted online. Statistical analysis was conducted with data collected from 142 valid responses and through the use of validity and reliability methods the data was determined statistically meaningful and valid to test the hypothesis as accepted or rejected.   Findings: The findings of this study show that a new theoretical model was needed to better demonstrate the direct connection between variables that consumers identified as valuable to them in online fashion shopping, had with consumer-perceived value. By examining data collected through online survey it was determined that of the 8 variables, seen as valuable by research into consumer perceived value, 4 would be accepted as such. These 4 variables would become the basis for a new model that explained how consumers develop customer-perceived value. Conclusion: The research explains the relationship the 8 variables selected by previous research for their effect on customer-perceived value. It also provides a model for future research activities or for development of marketing plans with exceptional efficiency and effectiveness in mind. In directly relating each variable to customer-perceived value on its own merit it was found that the variables respondents valued most were of the more practical or utilitarian in nature aside from one, adventure, which possessed the highest level of value of the 8 variables.     Keywords: Customer-perceived value; Utilitarian value; Hedonic value; Online retail; Online fashion retail; Ecommerce; Monetary savings; Convenience; Product variety; Product information; Adventure; Gratification; Best deal; Idea

This thesis empirically investigates how well the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) ensures value for money (VfM) in its exploitation of Nigeria’s oil resources. This focus on VfM distinguishes the study from other researches carried out on the performance of national oil companies (NOCs) where the common approach in the literature has been to assess performance using the metrics applicable to private oil companies. The rationale for the new approach is that the NNPC is a quasi-public sector organisation and thus its performance should be measured in the same way as that of public sector bodies and state owned enterprises (SOEs). Informed opinions on NNPC’s management roles in Nigeria’s oil and gas upstream sector were sought from a range of relevant experts in twelve stakeholder groups involved in oil and gas upstream operations. Data were collected through the use of questionnaire and interview surveys, and further subjected to statistical analysis to determine and assess significant differences in views between respondent groups. The empirical results obtained from the questionnaires were used to draw a conclusion on the hypotheses formulated for the study. Furthermore, the findings of the interview survey were used to validate the conclusions drawn. The study revealed that the NNPC was perceived to be deficient in keeping its mandate of adding value to Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources. In specific terms, the respondents were of the view that NNPC has not been able to ensure VfM in its operations because of defects in its organisational structure, administrative system, and accountability. External factors such as political interference, instability and an inappropriate legal framework against which NNPC operates have also been perceived to impede the corporation’s performance. The main conclusions were: firstly, it is argued that the use of conventional private sector metrics to evaluate the performance of NOCs makes it difficult to form an appropriate view on their performance. Secondly, NOCs with numerous conflicting roles as is the case with NNPC are unlikely to achieve satisfactory performance. Thirdly, the NNPC lacks the capability required to ensure multinational oil companies’ (MOC) conformity with operational provisions and best practice. Finally, the thesis concludes that establishing a standardised performance/benchmarking framework is an essential requirement to ensure value addition, VfM and accountability in Nigeria’s oil and gas operations.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to estimate the value of the Brisk, a.s. company operating in the automotive industry (analysis is valid for the date of 30st June 2012). The yield method used for the analysis is DFC in the entity variant. The value of the company is to be stated for the aim of a potential purchase. The thesis is devided into two main parts. The theoretical part determines basic estimation criteria, the practical part includes strategic and financial analysis and a financial plan.

The objectives of the present study were (1) to examine the relationship between culture and value concepts, (2) to compare Post-communist Turkic students studying in Turkish universities and Turkish university students based on their value structures, and (3) to attempt to integrate Triandis&rsquo / and Schwartz&rsquo / s conceptualizations of culture. The sample of this study consisted of Turkish university students (N=292) and Post-communist Turkic students studying in Turkish universities (N=299). Individualism-Collectivism (INDCOL) Scale measuring individualism-collectivism and vertical-horizontal dimensions of culture and Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ) measuring the main value types and dimensions were employed to all participants together with some demographic measures. Partial correlation analysis (gender and age were controlled) revealed systematic relationships between culture and value types in expected direction. Horizontal-collectivists appeared to give priority to value of benevolence, vertical-individualists to achievement, and vertical-collectivists to power. The comparison of two samples indicated that Post-communist Turkic sample reported higher levels of embeddedness and lower levels of intellectual autonomy, affective autonomy and egalitarianism than Turkish students. The findings concerning the integration of different culture and value conceptualizations demonstrated that Post-communist Turkic sample reported higher levels of vertical-collectivism and lower levels of horizontal-individualism than Turkish sample supporting acclimation-compensation hypothesis. Findings were discussed in the light of relevant literature and characteristics of the samples, recent developments in Central Asia, and acculturation issues. The study has contributed to the existing literature on the cross-cultural validation of relationship between culture and value conceptualizations using student samples from rarely examined cultures.