The Kyoto related mechanism – clean development mechanism (CDM) – can be used to generate certified emission reductions (CERs) for climate mitigating projects indeveloping countries. These credits provide an opportunity for additional project financing. This thesis has investigated the feasibility of using the CDM for off-grid solar home systems in order to electrify health centers in Uganda. The investigated scope includes two scenarios; one related to a particular project, ICT4MPOWER, and another one related to a national scenario of health center electrification. Two dimensions of feasibility have been targeted; legal prerequisites – various regulations that govern CDM projects – and value creating potential. The latter dimension has primarily focused on whether sufficient CDM-specific profit can be generated, but also looked at broader perspectives of value creation. Calculated break-even scenarios show that the expected scope of the ICT4MPOWER project is far too small to benefit from CDM. A national scenario improves the chances of generating a sufficient profit but would most likely still be too small. A project with broader national coverage would likely need to be arranged as a CDM program of activites (PoA). Such an arrangement has organizational benefits but does further worsen the financial outlook. Apart from the unfortunate value creating prospects, there are also obstacles related to legal prerequisites. To establish a baseline – the business as usual scenario which reflect the emission reduction potential of a project – may be difficult and somewhat ad-hoc. To demonstrate additionality – that the project would not have been carried out anyway – is another potential obstacle which applies to the PoA scenario. All in all, there are clear doubts that CDM would be a feasible solution for the investigated scenarios.

Waste-to-energy is currently at the forefront of clean technologies. It consists of the burning of different types of wastes (solid, liquid, gaseous) that provide heat and electricity. With high efficiency levels in energy production (80-90%) and low flue gas emissions, this type of energy production has quickly spread throughout Europe. In addition, laws created by both the EU and national governments have created new agendas regarding landfill and waste disposal.   Problem: We have identified three different problems that currently exist: (1) the lack of academic literature which explores specifically business models within the renewable energy industry and the potential that business models possess in exploiting the opportunity within the market place; (2) which methods are effective within a business model in achieving the value that a firm wishes to create, capture, and deliver; (3) current academic literature does not provide enough understanding of the influences and pressures that stakeholders place upon shaping a firm’s current/potential business model.   Purpose: The purpose of this investigation is to examine the business models used by three different waste-to-energy firms in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and to identify the methods used to create, capture and deliver value. Moreover, we aim to identify and investigate the stakeholders within the waste-to-energy industry of these three companies with the goal of explaining the influence and pressures they place upon the firm’s business model through the use of institutional theory.

AbstractTitleValue Creation of Mobile CouponsBackgroundCoupons have been around for years in traditional paper form where they have for instance been found in grocery stores located directly by the product they offer a discount on. Lately, mobile phones have come to play a greater part of our lives where they are also getting integrated into activities we conduct. This has been of interest for the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry where integration of the mobile phone has arisen to a new phenomenon: mobile coupons that can be transmitted to the mobile phone instead of using traditional paper coupons.PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine if and how mobile coupons can create value for Kuponginlösen and its partners.MethodEmpirical data has been collected through interviews, which in turn have been analyzed with a theoretical framework consisting of the Business Model by Amit and Zott (2001).ResultsMobile coupons provide value, not just for Kuponginlösen, but also to its partners consisting of FMCG manufacturers, convenience store chains, food chains, DLF, Mobilab, and GS1. Mobile coupons are an efficient way of distributing offers and complement traditional coupons. Although the popularity of mobile coupons will continue to increase significantly, as for today, they account for a small part of the total coupon market in Sweden.KeywordsMobile coupons, value creation, Kuponginlösen, FMCG industry, m-commerce / AbstraktTitelMobila kupongers värdeskapandeBakgrundKuponger har funnits i åratal i traditionellt pappersformat där de exempelvis funnits i livsmedelsbutiker vid produkter de ämnar rabattera. På senare tid har mobiltelefoner blivit en viktigare del i våra liv där de även integrerats i de aktiviteter vi utför. Detta har varit av intresse för livsmedelsbranschen där integration av mobiltelefoner har lett till ett nytt fenomen: mobila kuponger som kan skickas till mobiltelefonen istället för att använda sig av traditionella kuponger.SyfteSyftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om och hur mobila kuponger kan skapa värde för Kuponginlösen och dess partners.MetodEmpirisk data har inhämtats genom intervjuer som i sin tur har analyserats med hjälp av modellen ‘the Business Model‘ av Amit och Zott (2001).ResultatMobila kuponger skapar värde, inte bara för Kuponginlösen, utan även för dess partners som består av livsmedelstillverkare, snabbköpskedjor, livsmedelskedjor, DLF, Mobilab och GS1. Mobila kuponger är ett effektivt sätt att distribuera erbjudanden och de kompletterar traditionella kuponger. Även om populariteten av mobila kuponger kommer att öka signifikant utgör de i dagsläget en liten del av den totala kupongmarknaden i Sverige.NyckelordMobila kuponger, värdeskapande, Kuponginlösen, livsmedelsindustrin, mobil handel

Relationships have become more essential today considering that the business environment consists of many actors competing over the same customers. Relationships imply great advantages, for both the companies and the customers, and involve knowledge exchange. This implies that the companies are able to understand and tailor their offering to suit the specific needs of the customers. To understand how the customers perceive a company’s offering it might be useful to assess the dimensions regarding service quality. A company needs to be aware of what they are promising in order to achieve this. The purpose of this thesis is to identify essential aspects that affect the customer satisfaction in the relationship between a wholesale company and a specialized retailer. In order to fulfill our purpose a case study was conducted of the wholesale company Dogman. To be able to understand Dogman’s relationships with their retailers, five service quality determinants were used. Our research indicates that four aspects; information, knowledge, salespeople and responsiveness, are essential for customer satisfaction and long-lasting relationships.

This thesis researches the value creation process in Internet based subscription services in accordance with service dominant logic. The aim of the paper is to identify the characteristics of these services and to envisage the future of Internet based subscription services. The authors have utilized a qualitative method in their research which consists of personal interviews as well as a focus group. The main theoretical subjects that are discussed are value creation, customer participation and service dominant logic. The paper analyses the empirical findings by matching them with the theoretical framework. The paper concludes with a discussion and possible implications of this analysis. / Examensarbete, Företagsekonomi III, 2FE60E, Ekonomihögskolan vid Linnéuniversitetet VT2012. Författare: Carl Mårtensson, Mikael Omberg & Gabriella Sandberg Handledare: Leif Rytting Examinator: Richard Owuso Titel: Internetbaserade abonnemangstjänster – Tillgänglighet, delaktighet och kontroll Bakgrund: Den nya tekniken, Internet och kundernas allt mer ökade önskan och krav på kundanpassning möjliggör för nya tjänsteerbjudanden att utvecklas. Företagen försöker hela tiden att vara innovativa i sättet de utvecklar sina tjänsteerbjudanden för att på så sätt vara konkurrenskraftiga. Samtidigt lägger de också över allt mer ansvar på kunden. Den nya utvecklingen har lett till att kundernas beteende förändrats och att de gått från att vilja äga, exempelvis sin egen musik, till att vilja abonnera. Vi ser i och med detta en ökning av tjänster där kunderna abonnerar för att få tillgång till hela utbudet eller delar av det, till skillnad från att köpa styckevis. Det som intresserat oss i uppsatsen är just sådana tjänster som kunden kan abonnera på över Internet. Forskningsfråga: Vad karaktäriserar värdeskapande inom Internetbaserade abonnemangstjänster och vilken utveckling kan vi förvänta oss av dessa tjänster? Syfte: Vårt syfte med denna uppsats är att skapa förståelse för servicelogik och kundmedverkan inom Internetbaserade abonnemangstjänster samt analysera styrkor och svagheter för dess framtid. Metod: Vi har arbetat med en kvalitativ forskningsmetod. Primära källor består av fem personliga intervjuer med personer som har expertis inom IT, samt även en fokusgrupp bestående av sex studenter. Uppsatsen kännetecknas av en abduktiv natur, då ett växelspel mellan induktion och deduktion har genomsyrat hela arbetsprocessen. Resultat och slutsatser: Uppsatsen uppfyller sitt syfte och besvarar forskningsfrågan genom att kartlägga de värdeskapande processer som förekommer vid Internetbaserade abonnemangstjänster. Rapporten identifierar att konsumenter finner värde i den utökade kontroll som dessa tjänster kan erbjuda. Internetbaserade abonnemangstjänster har en högre tillgänglighet och konsumenter tillika företag vinner på att veta vad de får och ger på en fast periodbasis. Det servicelogiska perspektivet på uppsatsen fastställer även att kommunikation, anpassningsmöjligheter och kundmedverkan är centrala begrepp i de värdeskapande processerna för dessa tjänster. De Internetbaserade abonnemangstjänsterna produceras och konsumeras även i ett virtuellt servicelandskap, vilkets påverkan och särdrag behandlas. I rapporten efterfrågas fortsatt forskning för abonnemangstjänsters kundnytta.

Bakgrund: QR-koder är ett nytt marknadsföringsverktyg som möjliggör för företag att förmedla ett länkat innehåll direkt till konsumenten. Den största utmaningen för marknadsförare idag är att konsumenter inte vet vad QR-koder är och vad det innebär att använda tekniken. Forskningsfråga: Hur kan företag få kunder att använda QR-koder för att förmedla ett högre kundvärde? Syfte: Genom att beskriva QR-koder i marknadsföring, värdeskapande och kundbeteende samt analysera dessa faktorer är syftet med denna studie att skapa bättre förståelse för hur företag kan påverka kunder att använda QR-koder som ny teknik i avsikt att öka kundvärdet. Metod: I denna studie har QR-koder behandlats som ett fall där vi valt att utgå från en abduktiv ansats då det valda uppsatsämnet sedan tidigare är relativt outforskat. Det empiriska materialet har samlats in genom kvalitativa intervjuer med såväl företag som kunder. Slutsats: Genom analys av insamlat material har studien visat att företag bör kommunicera tydliga instruktioner om hur konsumenten ska gå tillväga för att ta del av QR-koden. Kodens innehåll måste vara av intresse och förmedla ett värde för mottagaren för att ge motivation till fortsatt användning. Vidare kan intresset öka genom att inkludera tekniken i mer kreativa sammanhang och i stimulerade miljöer. / Background: QR-codes are a new marketing tool which enables companies to communicate a linked content directly to the consumer. The biggest challenge for marketers today is the fact that consumers do not know what QR-codes are and aware of what they can benefit from using them. Research question: How can companies influence customers to use QR-codes in order to create a higher customer value? Purpose: By describing QR-codes in marketing, value creation and consumer behaviour and then analyse these factors is the purpose with this study to create a better understanding of how companies can influence customers to use QR-codes as a new technology in order to create higher customer value. Methodology: QR-codes have in this study been considered as a case where we have chosen to use an abductive approach since the subject studied in this thesis is relatively unexplored. The empirical material has been gathered through qualitative interviews with both companies and customers. Conclusion: This study has through analysis of gathered material shown that companies should communicate clear instructions of how the consumer should use QR-codes. The content of the code has to be of interest and create value for the user in order to motivate further usage. Interest can also increase by using the technology in more creative contexts and in stimulated environments.

The Swedish beauty industry face challenges with product samples as a promotion technique. The lack of a defined strategy results in a random distribution, which leads to weak ROI. However, product samples could be used proactively as a strategic marketing tool creating long-term brand value. This thesis provides a framework for L’Oréal to fulfill their objectives of using product samples – from strategy formation to tactical practice. Davies’s (1992) model “Using promotions as part of a strategic plan” is used as a sorting mechanism. We created a three-step process based on the model as a structure for this thesis: strategy preparation, strategy implementation, and strategy follow-up. Qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey proved that different product sample types require different strategies depending on the aim of the promotion. As a complement, targeted product samples via GlossyBox enabled L’Oréal to gain market insight and use product samples more strategically.

Purpose: The analytical purpose of this thesis is to link theory on how business processes should be designed to strenghten customer relationships, with empirical data on what these processes presently look like. The empirical purpose is to formulate a CRM strategy for Volvo Penta. This will be done by analyzing how the current processes of the company are designed and what limitations and possibilities the market characteristics offer. Method: A triangulated research method with focus on qualitative interviews is used in the form of in-depth, face-to-face interviews. Thirteen such interviews have been conducted with representatives of different departments within Volvo Penta. Findings: The empirical data has brought several findings on what needs to be done and thought through in order to optimize a CRM-strategy. One such finding is that Volvo Penta does not have thorough directions on how their processes and customers should be approached. Another important finding is that the level of cross-functionality within the processes is too low.

Syfte och forskningsfråga: Vi ställer oss frågan hur festivalarrangörer kan stödja kundens upplevda värde genom utformningen av servicelandskapet. Fortsatt är syftet med denna uppsats följande: Att klargöra servicelandskapets betydelse för kundens festivalupplevelse Att tydliggöra kundens värdeskapande medverkan i festivalsammanhang   Metod: I denna uppsats har vi valt att göra en kvalitativ studie som är av en abduktiv karaktär. Studien avser musikfestivalbranschen som är en del av musikindustrin. Den empiriska studien bygger på åtta intervjuer med personer som har eller haft en stark anknytning till den svenska festivalbranschen varav sex stycken genomfördes ansikte mot ansikte, en via telefon och slutligen en via mail.   Slutsatser: Servicelandskapets miljömässiga utformning påverkar den enskilde besökaren via dess sinnen, vilket arrangörer har möjlighet att utnyttja till kundens fördel. Andra aktörer som vakter, volontärer, artister samt andra besökare påverkar kundens upplevelse genom interaktioner i festivalområdet. Festivalarrangören bidrar med arenan för upplevelsen samt verktyg för kundens värdeskapande. Kunden förverkligar individuellt värde av upplevelsen då den är närvarande och interagerar med inslag i servicelandskapet. / In this study the purpose has been to examine how organizers of music festivals can support the customer's perceived value through the design of the servicescape. Further, the purpose of this paper is as follows: To clarify the importance of the servicescape for the customer's festival experience. To clarify the customer's value-participation in the festival context. This study covers the festival industry which is a part of the music business, where we have chosen to do a qualitative study that is of an abductive nature. The empirical study is based on eight interviews with people who are or has been involved in the Swedish music festival industry, six of whom were made face to face, one by phone and one by e-mail. The conclusions from this study are that the servicescape’s environmental design affects the individual visitor through its senses, which organizers are able to use for the customers advantage. Other stakeholders as guards, volunteers, artist and other visitors affect the customer experience through interactions in the festival area. Finally, the festival organizers provide the platform where the experience takes place and tools for customer value creation. The customer creates individual value of the experience when it is present and interacts with elements in the servicescape.

Cross-border Merger and Acquisitions (M&As) are an increasingly important strategy adopted by firms in order to create value in fiercely competitive global markets. Cross-border M&A value creation, that is, wealth creation for shareholders from cross-border M&As, is therefore of considerable theoretical and practical importance. However, our understanding of the sources of cross-border M&A value creation remains limited. Researchers have found that the most commonly researched variables have little effect on cross-border M&A value creation. We therefore still do not understand the processes behind cross-border M&As. In this is dissertation I examine the main effects of host country regulatory, economic and physical infrastructure institutions on cross-border M&A value creation. I further examine the moderating effects of host country political institutions on the relationship between host country regulatory institutions and cross-border M&A value creation. Moreover, I investigate the effects of institutional distance between host and home country on cross-border M&A value creation. I argue that the effects of institutional distance (regulatory and economic distance) on cross-border M&A value creation are not symmetric, but rather the effects are contingent upon the direction of the distance. My hypotheses are tested on a sample of 6141 cross-border M&As between 1995 and 2003. Results of this analysis show that acquirers are more likely to create value by acquiring targets in countries with less advanced regulatory institutions. Further, my results indicate that host country political institutions positively moderate the relationship between host country regulatory institutions and cross-border M&A value creation. Host country economic institutions have an inverted U-shaped relationship with cross-border M&A value creation, and host country physical infrastructure institutions have a positive relationship with cross-border M&A value creation. Additionally, results show that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between institutional distance and cross-border M&A value creation. The findings suggest that the effects of regulatory and economic institutional distance on cross-border M&A value creation are not symmetric. The effects are contingent upon the direction of the distance. That is whether the level of host country institutions is higher or lower than that of home country institutions. Implications for management and public policy are discussed.