Business has changed and developed fast and drastically through internationalization, which has drawn many scholars’ attentions. The dissertation will focus on the firm-specific advantages (FSAs) which allow firms to go to the international markets. The theoretical framework of this dissertation contains four proxies of the firm’s specific advantages, including entrepreneur, market knowledge, network, and technology. In this dissertation, this framework will guide us to collect and analyze the empirical data. The qualitative research strategy is employed in this dissertation. Utilizing the multiple case study, we choose two sample companies, both from Halmstad. The empirical data was gathered through semi-structured personal interviews. Data was also supplemented with secondary data, such as web pages and scientific articles. The finding of this dissertation is that market knowledge and experience is a crucial, firm-specific advantage, which facilitates firm’s international expansion. In addition, the entrepreneur and network variables also have an impact on the internationalization process in direct or indirect ways. However, the study does not find obvious evidence that technology does help firms go to the foreign markets a lot.

The main purpose of this study is to identify and compare classical pianists' understanding of sight-reading. Six pianists were interviewed, four professionals and two students. All of them concidered good sight-reading ability to be an advantage, especially when rehearsing, but most important is to be a good musicians performing music thoroghly gone through.

Aim: This study deals with two research questions: RQ1: What competitive advantages does DHL gain from external and internal factors? RQ2: What competitive disadvantage does DHL have? And what DHL can learn from analyzing competitive disadvantage? Method: primary data for this research has been mainly collected through interviews. Moreover, the official reports are used as secondary data to present the empirical situation of DHL. Conclusion: By concerning the external and internal factors of DHL, the SWOT analysis is conducted. The strength of DHL is customer satisfaction, green programme etc; weakness is price, liability insurance etc; opportunities are cooperation development, innovation etc; and threats are tough competitors. The strength and opportunities are regarded as DHL’ competitive advantages, while the weakness and threats are DHL’s competitive disadvantage that need to be fixed. Further study & Implication: In this thesis there is no information to indicate if DHL has any unmet needs, but it must be there. If DHL can enhance itself by providing unmet needs to customer, there is no doubt DHL would be more competitive in the 3PL industry. It is interesting to investigate more work on DHL unmet needs. This study contributes to the companies which plan to develop their competition from inside to outside in the market, especially in 3PL industry. This thesis gives authors deep insights into company success factors and suggestions for dealing with the problems which company may encounter.

ABSTRACT After Taiwan Air Cargo Terminal ¡]TACT¡^has walked through the monopoly, deregulation, privatization process, the services which they have been providing can't match the demand of modern cargo transportation, including of high-service-quality and high-speed-pass customs. The basic theory we adopted is¡§ Value Marketing Chains¡¨¡]Porter, 1985¡^and ¡§Competitive Advantages¡¨¡]Porter, 1990¡^in this study, its goals as follows: 1. To investigate the important service value factors of air cargo warehouse and difference range of service value after the privatization, 2. Discuss the correlation between service value and competitive advantages, 3. Use TACT cases to explain have an empirical on value chains and competitive advantages. This study is designed with retrospective-prospective due. By citing secondary data and in depth interviews offered from hardware etc. four key successful factors, by identifying, value delivery six step, and three stages cargo terminal organization type change, analyzed includes its value and four competitive advantages, example first-mover advantages etc. Furthermore, to design questionnaires and send 200 pieces surveying, get through depth interviews and data analysis, it show the four services value after privatization is high-degree and statistical significance expect hard-service . This study to codify a few consequence, example extend information service, quickly construct step, promote fixable service, aggrandize alliance, adjust contract and law, etc. keywords¡GPrivatization , Value chains , Value marketing chains , Competitive advantages..

­^¤åºK­n(Abstract) Since the government adopted the ¡§ Patience and Goodwill¡¨ policy to decelerate the ongoing industries¡¦ emigration, it inevitably results the deterioration on Taiwan political and economic environments and of being prone to the world factory ¡VChina. We could see that small to medium size companies are facing the dilemma- emigrating to China or stay. All industries in Taiwan have been forced to upgrade either for survive or business longevity This case study based on the competitive advantage theory and it evaluate the strategies incurred during small to medium size companies¡¦ internal upgrading; moreover, further identify its causes, directions and the condition within the whole process to find out the confronting and solution The goal is to find the way out, structure, and module. Herewith provide clear explanation and examination in order to further formulating for subject companies under circumstances of operating and business expansion. Meanwhile, the re-examination and adjustment of the formula either as being references and instruction for subject companies or fundament for future research after long-term operation. In this research analysis, (1) analyses external fastener industry environment and classify the success factors. (2) Analyses the subject company internal structure and characters to identify its key factor to success in the industry, (3) Marketing analysis. By applying the ¡§ Five forces framework and ¡§ SWOT¡¨ in order to- Firstly, realize the potential market opportunity and expanding space; Secondly, try to identify its core competency and competitive advantage. Thirdly, construct its sustainable competitive advantage to maintain its strength and finally lead to development and benefited prolong operation in the market place. The disclose of study: (1) Most of traditional industries have been on the progress of upgrading (2) Most of upgrading traditional manufacturers/suppliers have complete the basic operational upgrading. (3) Observing two tips from the smile curve, the early adopters have been benefited from upgrading changes. (4) The research subject ¡VS company, from a small size trading company to nowadays a multinational company, the continuous upgrading by adoption of positioning strategy is similarly develop toward two sides of the curve and the effects has been appealed. All above findings support there should have a model of best practice be generated for all the subject companies or similar industry reference Key words: sustainable competitive advantages, key success factors, key survival factor.

Taiwan¡¦s feed Industry contributes remarkably to the food supply chain in terms of animal protein production. However, after FMD breakout in 1997 and join WTO, feedmill companies with past glories start to erode their advantages in the industry ending up termination of business or struggling the competition. Competitive strategies of¡ucost leadership¡vand ¡udifferentiation¡v proposed by Michael Porter, the strategist, clearly pinpoint out the sustainability in competitive advantages. Those outstanding feedmill companies in different regions that can survive through the tough industry challenges and keep expanding their businesses in a successful manner coincide with these two criteria to compete in the industry. By analyzing the competitive advantage in theory and demonstrations, we also apply these ¡§cost leadership¡¨ and ¡§differentiation¡¨ criteria to the case study Greatwall Group as the suggestive sustainable competitive advantages strategies for the coming challenges in the feed industry. Competitive advantage rigidity could be lessened by meeting the ¡§cost leadership¡¨ criteria by reforming the purchasing model using e-commerce, and ¡§differentiation¡¨ strategy by 1) upgrading the nutrition formulation concept to modeling operation considering the integration advantages; 2) re-allocating the resources in service including research, quality control and vet diagnosis. In the mean times, management restructuring to reinforce the leadership and implementation performance will also be the inevitable requirements. Hopefully through the study of this case, it also sheds lights on other feedmill companies as a learning model.

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Franchising is emerging as a highly effective strategy for business growth, local employment and regional economic development. It is the most realistic and promising formula to emerge yet for the development of business skills and a thriving entrepreneurial culture in South Africa. Many prospective franchisees believe that when they pay their franchise fee, they are buying a business. Very frequently, the franchisor has not made the franchise relationship clear to the franchisee, which results inadvertently in deciding to run things their own way, break the franchise rules and ultimately fail in the endeavor. Thus the aim of this study was to establish whether franchisors have a direct impact towards the success or failure of the franchisee's business. The causes of success and failure are central to entrepreneurial research. Thus one need to understand whether franchisors are in any way involved in franchisees' success or failure. The first chapter of this dissertation is an explanation of the franchise concept. It is in its own a brief summary of what is discussed throughout the study. Objectives of the study, scope of the study and the method of research are all discussed in this chapter. Chapter 2 discusses many definitions of franchising: the franchise agreement, what the potential franchisees need to familiarise themselves with upon entering this contractual obligation. Advantages and disadvantages for both the franchisor and franchisee are also discussed. The relationship between these two parties is discussed as it serves as a cornerstone towards success or failure of a franchise business. This chapter thus provides a blueprint of what needs to be done in order to make a success of the franchise business. Chapter 3 entails an empirical study by way of questionnaires, designed to ascertain whether franchisors are in any way responsible for the success or failure of the franchisee’s business. Franchisee businesses were selected in the Vaal region and 25 outlets responded to the study. The results of the questionnaire were analysed and discussed in this chapter Chapter 4 summarises the research with conclusions and recommendations from the empirical study covered in Chapter 3. The aim was to ascertain whether research objectives were reached by the study, as stated in the literature and empirical studies. Conclusions were reached with regard to the study and one of the most important facets identified was the franchise relationship. The relationship was identified as the glue that holds the franchise partnership together; the existence and maintenance thereof, is what will make or break the franchise business. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

Franchising is emerging as a highly effective strategy for business growth, local employment and regional economic development. It is the most realistic and promising formula to emerge yet for the development of business skills and a thriving entrepreneurial culture in South Africa. Many prospective franchisees believe that when they pay their franchise fee, they are buying a business. Very frequently, the franchisor has not made the franchise relationship clear to the franchisee, which results inadvertently in deciding to run things their own way, break the franchise rules and ultimately fail in the endeavor. Thus the aim of this study was to establish whether franchisors have a direct impact towards the success or failure of the franchisee's business. The causes of success and failure are central to entrepreneurial research. Thus one need to understand whether franchisors are in any way involved in franchisees' success or failure. The first chapter of this dissertation is an explanation of the franchise concept. It is in its own a brief summary of what is discussed throughout the study. Objectives of the study, scope of the study and the method of research are all discussed in this chapter. Chapter 2 discusses many definitions of franchising: the franchise agreement, what the potential franchisees need to familiarise themselves with upon entering this contractual obligation. Advantages and disadvantages for both the franchisor and franchisee are also discussed. The relationship between these two parties is discussed as it serves as a cornerstone towards success or failure of a franchise business. This chapter thus provides a blueprint of what needs to be done in order to make a success of the franchise business. Chapter 3 entails an empirical study by way of questionnaires, designed to ascertain whether franchisors are in any way responsible for the success or failure of the franchisee’s business. Franchisee businesses were selected in the Vaal region and 25 outlets responded to the study. The results of the questionnaire were analysed and discussed in this chapter Chapter 4 summarises the research with conclusions and recommendations from the empirical study covered in Chapter 3. The aim was to ascertain whether research objectives were reached by the study, as stated in the literature and empirical studies. Conclusions were reached with regard to the study and one of the most important facets identified was the franchise relationship. The relationship was identified as the glue that holds the franchise partnership together; the existence and maintenance thereof, is what will make or break the franchise business. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

Using the data from World Business Environment Survey (WBES) on over 10,000 firms across eighty one countries, this paper finds preliminary evidence that foreign firms enjoy significant regulatory advantages - as perceived by the firms themselves - over domestic firms. The findings on regulatory advantages of foreign firms hold with a variety of alternative measures of regulations and with or without firm- and country-level attributes and industry and country controls. There is also evidence that foreign firms' regulatory advantages are especially substantial vis-a-vis the politically weak domestic firms. Furthermore, the regulatory advantages of foreign firms appear stronger in corrupt countries than in non-corrupt countries.