A strong brand is important for all companies; however, it is imperative for the success of a luxury fashion house as the image is one of its core assets. As strategic alliances are increasing in popularity the effect they have on how customers look at the partner brands is both interesting for the general person, but also – and more importantly – vital knowledge for companies pondering such a strategic move. The major focus of this study is to answer the question of how luxury designers’ collaborations with high street retailer Hennes & Mauritz affect how consumers perceive the luxury designer brand’s image.Theories on both brand extensions and co-branding have been compared to both qualitative and quantitative research conducted for the purpose of this investigation. This comparison has been made by using a model depicting the relationships between the collaborating brands. Through both acquiring a broad scope using the survey and deeper thoughts through focus group interviews the authors were able to gain a more holistic view of how people regard the luxury designer brands. The factors mainly investigated were those of change in awareness and change in purchase behaviour or intention, as they would be indicative of how people felt toward the luxury designer brands.The result of the investigation showed that the general perception of the luxury designer brands after the collaborations was positive with consumers in all segments. The collaboration did not cause a significant backlash on the regular luxury consumers, as the majority of this consumer segment also stated that they were not bothered by the collaborations.The collaborations could be seen as successful for the luxury designer brands as they managed to garner a lot of attention from new consumer groups, whilst at the same time managing to retain their regular customers. The reason found for not having had a negative impact on the brand was the way in which the collaborations were performed. That the brands had chosen a suitable partner where the perceived fit was great; that the associations with the collaboration and the partner brand did not infringe on the associations with the luxury designer brand; and the time frame of the collaboration, all meant that the consumers generally did not lose confidence in the luxury designer brands.

Habitat associations of sea otters during resting and feeding were investigated in Simpson Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska during the summer months of 2001-2003. Sea otter locations collected during boat surveys were overlaid on bathymetry and sediment maps and water depth, sediment type, distance from shore, and position in the bay (peripheral vs. central) was determined for each. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether sea otter habitat use was non-random according to any of these habitat variables. Water depth was the most significant habitat association for feeding behavior, with the majority of feeding dives occurring in shallow water less than 20m deep. Position in the bay was the most significant habitat association for resting behavior, with more otters resting in the center of the bay. In addition, digital images taken of the sea otters during the boat surveys of 2002 and 2003 were used to examine the potential of using nose scars to photo-identify individual sea otters. Both male and female sea otters bore nose scars. Forty-five percent of all individuals encountered were considered identifiable from nose scars and a total of 114 individuals were identified. This compares favorably with the results of photo-identification studies of other marine mammals, suggesting that photo-identification may be a useful tool for the individual identification of sea otters as well.

Along with economy growth, trends of merger and acquisition (M&A) between organizations have become an important issue in both geographical and strategic terms. Through M&A, firms are able to utilize their resources, enhance their marketing channels and penetrate markets with better efficiency. However, how do products grab consumers¡¦ eyes against competitors? And how do firms maintain consumer loyalty? ¡§Brand¡¨ is a critical factor. When discussing issues relating brands, ¡§brand equity¡¨ is something one would never skip. The ¡§brand equity¡¨ means the value added of a brand, containing the overall conception and attitudes of consumers. Only through constructing and creating brand equity, firms could gather the unique value possessed by their brands. This thesis aims at discussing the relation between M&A, brand associations, the fit of target product, willingness to purchase and brand equity. This study served cellphone products as example and conducted four experiments. According to experiment result, the relationship between brand image of product and the product we want to buy is high before M&A, the brand equality and purchase intension are better than the relationship between brand image of product and the product we want to buy is low. This thesis use different fit of brand image to buy of different types of ingredient brand alliance, could affect the brand equity. Besides, different kinds of consumer could have different level of emphasising on the ingredient of integral brand alliance. When acquirers¡¦and acquirees¡¦possess high brand association and fit of brand image, brand equity of the acquirers¡¦would rise, especially in the parts of trustworthiness. Thus firms could cooperate with specialized firms in order to gain trusts from consumers. It is mention worthy that negative relations are documented in the product performance parts, thus, firms should pay attention on after-sales services and other parts instead of product alone after the M&A for the sake of brand equity and to let consumers enjoy better services.

<p> <strong>Abstract</strong><p>This thesis is based on two questions: What are the differences in the outcome of a sport event depending on the choice of method to be used for evaluation? And what method is the most appropriate one in terms of evaluation of the economic effects of sport events? There are two methods used: and the first one is the traditional multiplier analysis and the second method used is introduced by Braunerhielm and Andersson (2007). The economic results of the two different methods used in this thesis have been applied on a real life event, The European Championships in Figure Skating in Malmo City 2003. The two methods is of great importance and they provide us with two suggested results that are of interest, but what method to be used depends on who is making the evaluation and for what purpose. The suggested method by Braunerhielm and Andersson (2007) results in an outcome representing the economic effects of the event concerning all areas in the municipality involved both the private sector and the public sector. This method is of best use for athlete organizations that wants to keep a continuous record of their contribution towards the municipality through events and the positive result will help them promote their importance of existence to the municipality so that they can get public funding for arranging future events and gain more profit by increasing the interest of their association. Whereas,the multiplier analysis is appropriate to use for the municipality, as the results is the tax revenue gained from the event that is to be reinvested in e.g. new schools or roads the result will then help promoting the public funding of sport events to the public. The appropriate method to use is the multiplier analysis as it generates results that is of interest for the public as it calculates the effect for the municipality as a whole and not only the effects for the once directly involved in the sport event.</p></p><p> </p>

<p>The aim of this study is to investigate how non-profit engagement influence voting in school election, but also how the school has influenced the pupils to vote and if there are any differences between a big and a small town.</p><p>The methods which have been used for this study are quantitative and qualitative, both questionnaires and interviews. To be able to see differences between a big and a small town the study was carried out in one school from each category of town.</p><p>By examine the empirical material and analyse it with theories which are used for this study we have come to the conclusion that there are no obvious differences between pupils in the big town and the small town. Pupils in both schools were pretty engaged in associations, though had the pupils from the small town some higher level of engagement. Moreover, both schools had a high participation for the election. The result of the study showed that there were no noticeable tendencies on if the pupils choose to vote depending on engagement in associations.</p><p>Furthermore, both schools were very engaged in the school election indeed. The small town school did not give a connection between the school’s engagement and the pupils’ willingness to vote. However the big town school had a greater connection between the school’s engagement and the pupils’ willingness to vote.</p>

<p>Abstract</p><p>Title: Den mångtydiga svenskheten: En studie av det svensk-amerikanska föreningslivet i Kalifornien utifrån en etnisk aspekt 1910 & 1915. (The multiplicity of Swedishness: A study of the Swedish-American society’s associations in California from an ethnic point of wiew 1910 & 1915.</p><p>Author: Joakim Fransson</p><p>Master Thesis in History (10p)</p><p>Växjö University</p><p>The purpose of this thesis is to examine the Swedish-American associations in San Francisco and Los Angeles and how they withheld or/and formed a Swedish or American ethnic identity. The primary source for obtaining that objective is the newspapers Vestkusten and California Veckoblad were the announcements from the associations are analysed. The thesis main questions are as following: Which ethnic aspects appears in the announcements from the Swedish-American associations in the newspapers Vestkusten and California Veckoblad 1910 and 1915? And What similarities and differences in the ethnic expressions appears in the primary sources during these periods?</p><p>The conclusions can be briefed as there was a great variety of Swedish-American associations during the examined periods, there was a frequent occurrence in both religious and secular movements. The activities arranged by the societies can in general be divided into groups, for example dance masquerades and theatre or literature and lectures. The purpose of these gatherings were mainly ethnic, the Swedish population were often gathered at these activates to take part of for example lectures of Swedish heroes, kings like Gustav II Adolf or when Sweden was a great power. Thus, there is evidence in the material that indicates that the Swedish associations also get hold of American influences which indicates that the formation of a Swedish-American identity was an integration of partly Swedish and partly American cultural heritage.</p><p>There is also debated in the empirical study that an ethnic identity not necessarily have to be the main reason for attending to the Swedish-American association activates, there is argued for that the individual or the group in the first hand identify themselves on gender, working, age or class basis. There is also of importance that the primary sources, the Swedish newspapers was an ethnic institution in the Swedish-American society and had a great influence on the Swedish population.</p>

Texte remanié de: Th. doct.--Sci. économ. et soc.--Genève--Faculté des sciences économiques et sociales, 2004. / Bibliogr. p. 197-211.

Texte remanié de: Th. doct.--Droit--Paris 1, 2001. / Bibliogr. p. 479-504. Index.

Texte remanié de: Thesis Ph. D.--University of Cambridge. Titre de soutenance : Social service and the culture of association in North India, 1900-1920. / Bibliogr. p. 224-242.

Reproduction de : Thèse de doctorat : Histoire : Lyon 2 : 2006. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr. Index des sources.