Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2006. / Includes bibliography.

This overview relates to a research programme conducted over some eight years. The research concerns exhibitions and trade fairs, and examines the communications issues thereof from both the exhibitors' viewpoint and the visitors' viewpoint. The research was conducted from an interpretive viewpoint, using interviews and questionnaire surveys, and has both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The results of the research were mapped against models of communication and against traditional marketing models to assess the extent to which exhibitors are being realistic in their approach to exhibiting, given the characteristics and behaviour of visitors. This does not, of course, provide a definitive answer as to the effectiveness or potential effectiveness of exhibitions as communications tools. What it does show is that exhibitors are, in many cases, setting inappropriate objectives and harbouring unrealistic expectations. The conclusion of the research outlines a model of how exhibitions work as a communications device, and provides evidence that miscommunication is occurring between exhibitors and visitors due to a failure on the part of exhibitors to understand how exhibitions can be used to best effect. The model is almost certainly relevant to other areas of marketing communication, and offers a new way of understanding the communications process, particularly in business-to business contexts. The overall finding of the research is that the majority of exhibitors are almost certainly harbouring unrealistic expectations, in particular regarding selling objectives, and that exhibitors do not always evaluate their activities as effectively as they might (particularly SMEs). These unrealistic expectations of what exhibitions can do for them are likely to lead many of them to the conclusion that exhibitions are ineffective. From the visitor research it appears that exhibitions could be extremely effective in terms of communication objectives, but probably less so in terms of selling objectives: the overwhelming conclusion is that most exhibitors are directing their efforts in the wrong direction, and should (instead of concentrating on sales) be concentrating on other elements of the marketing mix.

This paper investigates factors universities should consider when attending trade shows. The findings are based both on earlier studies, but also a research on this subject. The purpose of this study is to examine important aspects of exhibit marketing for universities which subsequently could be improved to improve the performance at a trade show. The findings of this study are that the booth staff, the layout of the booth, pre-show communication with the desired audience, among others, are important factors for universities to consider when attending trade show.

Background: Branding is a way for companies to differentiate their products and services from its competitors in the fierce competition in business today. This phenomena has up until recently mostly been used in the B2C context, but the importance of branding in the B2B context has been more and more acknowledged. Trade shows are a good way to find customers, and to display and sell products, but can it also be used to strengthen the brand of the exhibiting company? According to Nordiska Undersökningsgruppen (2001) 79 % of the participating companies in B2B trade shows claims to have strengthened their brand through the trade show. As few companies take part in organized research about their trade show performance, we were curious about how such a vast majority of companies knew that their trade show participation actually strengthens their brands. Purpose: The purpose of our thesis is to explore how trade shows are used by subcontractors to strengthen their brand names, and how these companies measure brand strength. Method: A case study has been conducted, examining four subcontractors participating at the Elmia Subcontractor trade show. In order to collect our primary data, we used questionnaires both prior to and after the trade show as well as face-to-face interaction during the trade show. We also chose to use the TSI model (Jansson, 2003) to examine what could be done in the different stages of the trade show process in order to maximize the com-panies’ results from it. Conclusions: The conclusion of this thesis is that the brand image and thereby the strength of the brand of the trade show participating company is mainly a result of the face-to-face meeting. Since we have established that the view on branding in the investigated companies differ from the theoretical view in large, we believe that the relevance of the investigation mentioned in the background can be questioned. The companies lack procedures for measuring their brand strength.

<p>Background: Branding is a way for companies to differentiate their products and services from its competitors in the fierce competition in business today. This phenomena has up until recently mostly been used in the B2C context, but the importance of branding in the B2B context has been more and more acknowledged. Trade shows are a good way to find customers, and to display and sell products, but can it also be used to strengthen the brand of the exhibiting company? According to Nordiska Undersökningsgruppen (2001) 79 % of the participating companies in B2B trade shows claims to have strengthened their brand through the trade show. As few companies take part in organized research about their trade show performance, we were curious about how such a vast majority of companies knew that their trade show participation actually strengthens their brands.</p><p>Purpose: The purpose of our thesis is to explore how trade shows are used by subcontractors to strengthen their brand names, and how these companies measure brand strength.</p><p>Method: A case study has been conducted, examining four subcontractors participating at the Elmia Subcontractor trade show. In order to collect our primary data, we used questionnaires both prior to and after the trade show as well as face-to-face interaction during the trade show. We also chose to use the TSI model (Jansson, 2003) to examine what could be done in the different stages of the trade show process in order to maximize the com-panies’ results from it.</p><p>Conclusions: The conclusion of this thesis is that the brand image and thereby the strength of the brand of the trade show participating company is mainly a result of the face-to-face meeting. Since we have established that the view on branding in the investigated companies differ from the theoretical view in large, we believe that the relevance of the investigation mentioned in the background can be questioned. The companies lack procedures for measuring their brand strength.</p>

Thesis (Master)--İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves. 87-89).

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 122-134). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: China are one the fastest growing major markets in the world. Since joining the World Trade Organisation in 2002 China is officially open for business to the rest of the world. China is both a very lucrative market and a dangerous market to enter for various reasons. Trade fairs are an age old tradition in China and are still a very effective and widely used medium of trade in China. To the new entrant to the market, the trade fair offers a very effective and relatively inexpensive way for promoting your product to a wide and interested audience. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: China is een van die snel groeiende ekonomieë in die wêreld. Sedert sy aansluiting by die Wêreld Handelsorganisasie in 2002 is China amptelik oop vir besigheid vir die res van die wêreld. Om verskeie redes is China 'n baie winsgewende sowel as 'n gevaarlike mark om te betree. Handelskoue is 'n eeue ou tradisie in China en is steeds 'n algemene en baie effektiewe vorm van handel dryf. Vir die nuwe toetreder tot die mark bied die handelskou 'n relatiewe goedkoop manier om sy produk aan 'n wye gehoor bekend te stel.

<p>This thesis is an effort to analyze the importance of business network partners for successful participation in trade shows for small firms to grow more in international markets. This study would be helpful to demonstrate the value of trade shows. Trade shows provide the opportunities to introduce new products, expand network connection, and enhancing firm’s corporate image. To participate in any trade show may be a very lucrative process, but there are many challenges and tasks which are to be met to get the maximum share of international market. </p><p>To analyse the effectiveness of business network for successful participation in trade shows, I have included one case study of trade shows, named Beauty World 2009, held at Frankfurt Germany. In this show, among the firms from all over the world, 16 small companies manufacturing beauty instruments, companies from my home city, namely Sialkot, Pakistan, also participated. Their experiences, participation, views and observation will also be used to analyze the importance of trade show for creating new business networks through this show.</p><p>This research indicates the effectiveness of network member providing support to small and growing firms for successful participation in trade shows. With the help of these network members, trade shows can be used as exclusive platforms to introduce new firms, as well as products, to potential consumers. In general, we can indicate that existing network partners, if mobilized accordingly, have the ability to reduce the overall cost incurred at trade shows.</p>

Background: Family Businesses’ way of doing marketing has similarities with B2B marketing. Usuallyfamily firms focus on what they have traditionally done well and diversify in related areas using their knowledge of how to perform in certain markets with certain customers and by offering certain productsand services. In order to do this, it is important for family firms, as for firms operating in B2Bmarkets, to create and keep good relationships with their stakeholders, so that at the end their customersare satisfied in the best possible manner. The process towards establishing long-term relationships between stakeholders and businesses requires certain characteristics and acts aimed at developingcommitment and trust. Since many of the most successful firms that have survived the longest arefamily businesses as well as B2B marketing is mainly about building and maintaining business relationships,we have decided to focus our study on the similarities between family firms’ marketing and B2Bmarketing within a specific context. B2B firms and Family firms make use of trade shows as an importantmarketing tool for improving relationships in networks. Trade shows are considered as the primary marketing tool to gain and sustain relationships with key stakeholders. Therefore, we chose the tradeshow context to execute our empirical survey. Purpose: The overall purpose of this thesis consists in testing and comparing practices and principleswithin two apparently separate fields of study - B2B marketing and Family Business Development -with the aim of finding and developing associations that can complement and contribute to both fields of study on a marketing level. Method: A quantitative method study has been conducted testing 50 companies participating at theBilsport Performance &amp; Custom Motor show 2009 at Elmia – Jonkoping, Sweden. The primary data was gathered through a survey and a semi-structured interview, which constitutes our case study. The sample was chosen out of a population of 223 firms exhibing at the trade show, using a disproportionate stratified random method. Most secondary data involves research articles, books, reports, bachelorand master theses, and journals in order to determine marketing practices similarities between business-to-business firms and family business. Conclusions: Our empirical findings confirmed most of the hypotheses derived from theory. Hence,we found that most exhibiting firms at the trade show are family-controlled and operate in B2C markets;B2B firms in our sample have a tendency to use more relationship marketing than transactional marketing; family firms in our sample are more likely to use long-term oriented than short-termoriented marketing; and the overlap between B2B marketing and Family firms’ marketing in the tradeshow context is characterized by the common marketing principles and practices of family and B2Bfirms that aim at gaining and sustaining long-term business relationships.