As end-consumers are surrounded by a tremendous number of multi-channel retailers and their products, clothing retailers are exposed to numerous clothing samples with a variety of styles in various price ranges, offered by onshore and offshore manufacturers. Although manufacturers or vendors offer well-salable products, a retail business may not be successful in maximizing profits without a strategic retail buying planning process. The purpose of this study is to develop a retail buying model for clothing retailers. In order to test the variables that comprise the retail buying model, the objectives of the study are to: (a) investigate important assortment decision factors for clothing retail buying; (b) segment clothing retail buyers by their decision factor uses; (c) characterize the segments by buyer (i.e., age, gender, education, experience, employment) and company demographics (i.e., types of products, type of store, size of the firm); (d) examine the relationship between these demographic variables and the factor uses; (e) examine the influence of the factor uses on the success of assortment planning; (f) examine the influence of the success of assortment planning on firm performance; and, (g) examine the influence of extraneous variables (i.e., retail environment) on firm performance. After two pilot tests, adjustments were made to wording in the questionnaire. Data collection, using a pen and paper questionnaire, was conducted using convenience and snowball sampling. Through this method, 425 clothing retail buyers, merchandisers, or store owners, who are involved assortment planning and buying in South Korea, participated in the survey. A variety of statistical analyses was used to test the hypotheses. For testing Hypothesis 1, the mean and standard deviation of the assortment factor items were used to rank important decision factors for assortment planning. To test Hypothesis 2, retail buyers were segmented by their assortment decision factor use through exploratory factor analysis and K-means cluster analysis. For Hypothesis 3, Chi-square was utilized to characterize the segments of buyers and merchandisers from Hypothesis 2, using buyer and company demographics. For Hypothesis 4, Pearson and Spearman Correlations were used to test if correlations exist between buyer and company demographic variables and decision factor use. For Hypotheses 5 to 7, a Structural Equation Model (SEM) was developed to test if causal relationships exist among assortment decision factor use, the success of assortment planning, firm performance, and retail environment. All Hypotheses were fully or partially supported. Based on the results of hypotheses testing, the finalized retail buying model was developed. The finalized retail buying model based on the use of assortment decision factors will benefit retailers by helping retail buyers to analyze available information and identify the need for additional decision factors. Due to the use of convenience and snowball sampling as well as the limited geographic location of the survey, the finding of the current study cannot be generalized to the general population of clothing retail buyers. Future studies using probability sampling methods, utilizing qualitative methods, and/or examining in different countries, are suggested to verify the current findings and confirm the validity of the framework. / Ph. D.

A Internet vem transformando a maneira como as pessoas compram e buscam por informações sobre produtos. Para locais onde as ofertas físicas apresentam algum tipo de restrição, os canais online podem trazer mudanças ainda mais significativas, já que oferecem aos consumidores um sortimento virtualmente ilimitado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de analisar a influência do número de habitantes de uma cidade em relação à predisposição à seleção e compra de produtos de uma empresa que administra campanhas de divulgação pela Internet para venda por atacado. As cidades foram divididas em três grupos conforme o número de habitantes e as principais métricas de performance das campanhas online foram comparadas entre os grupos através de análises de estatísticas descritivas, ANOVA e testes post hoc. Os grupos apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre si em todas as etapas do processo de busca e compra. A principal diferença encontrada foi no momento em que os usuários preencheram cadastros no site, demonstrando interesse nos produtos. Nesta etapa, os consumidores de municípios de menor porte se cadastraram proporcionalmente mais do que o dobro dos de cidades de porte intermediário e mais de três vezes em relação ao grupo das maiores, o que impactou diretamente no custo por venda realizada e nas taxas absolutas de vendas. / The Internet has been changing the way people buy and search for new products. In places where the assortment in brick-and-mortar stores is restricted, online channels may represent a significant change in the landscape, due to the fact that they carry virtually unlimited offers. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of the number of inhabitants of a city on their likelihood of selecting and purchasing products from a company which runs online marketing campaigns for resellers. The cities were divided in three groups according to the population size. In addition, the main metrics for online campaigns were compared among groups through descriptive statistics, ANOVAs and pot hoc tests. There was a statistically significant difference among the groups in all steps of the search and purchase process. The main difference was found when the users fill in the forms in the website, demonstrating interest in the product. In this stage, customers from smaller cities showed a registering rate which was more than twice as much higher than the medium-sized cities group and more than three times the amount of the larger cities group, which led to a direct impact on the cost-per-sale and absolute sales rates.

The broad objective of this study is to examine how assortment factors and category performance are related within the context of specialty retailing. This study formulates two clusters of research questions. The first cluster of research questions focuses on product assortment in general, for example assortment variety and composition. The second cluster of research questions concentrates on a specific area of product assortment, that is, private label products. An organic retailer in Australia collaborates by providing its assortment records and sales reports. The Australian organic retailing industry is an ideal candidate for this study for 1) it is specialty retailing, and 2) the supply situation allows organic retailers considerable flexibility to experiment with different assortment compositions. This study analyses store level cross sub category data and, to supplement this, it conducts a qualitative study and collects field data. Included in the cross sub category analyses are approximately 140 to 180 organic sub categories. The results show that assortment variety has a positive influence on sub category sales. The strength of this positive relationship varies across different sub category types, for example food or non-food. For the private label analyses, the results show that, within the focal store, private label SKUs are more likely to be present in sub categories with larger sales and with supermarket competition present. This study also finds that a deeper manufacturer brand assortment hurts private label performance. This study contributes to a body of cross category empirical generalisations about the complex decisions retailers face by examining the effects of assortment decisions within the context of specialty retailing. It provides some clear empirical evidence for how assortment factors and sub category performance are related through an empirical investigation in a bricks and mortar retail environment. In addition, it tests the generalisability of extant private label research beyond the much discussed conventional supermarket industry and convenience consumer goods contexts. Keywords: assortment, private label, store brand, specialty retailing, cross category, sub category, empirical investigation, organic retailing, Australia

2923 in I storey and 1995 in II storey live spruce trees from Lithuanian national forest inventory were selected using criteria formed in advance. It was assessed that the height class varies marginally in a 5 year period. The value of the spruce wood is more determined by assortment yield than by the volume. The wood volume stock increased by 17,8% and the value increased by 26,6% in a 5 year period.The biggest mean value variation was estimated in site type Lc and reaches 0,76 Lt/m3 in one year period.

Amounts of pine sawlogs, pine pulpwood as well as spruce pulpwod can be estimated rather precisely. The accuracy of the prognosis is as high as 90%. The amount of spruce sawlogs can be prognosed with less accuracy (75%). The biggest errors are obtained by prognosis of smal dimensions softwood and hardwood as well as of birch pulpwood. Prognosis of birch pulpwood differs from actuall volume 3.7 times. When prognosed income is being compared with the actual one, very small discrepancies are found, though the assorment composition is different. The difference between actual and theoretical income were 2.4% and -0.5% respectively for 2004 and 2005.

The broad objective of this study is to examine how assortment factors and category performance are related within the context of specialty retailing. This study formulates two clusters of research questions. The first cluster of research questions focuses on product assortment in general, for example assortment variety and composition. The second cluster of research questions concentrates on a specific area of product assortment, that is, private label products. An organic retailer in Australia collaborates by providing its assortment records and sales reports. The Australian organic retailing industry is an ideal candidate for this study for 1) it is specialty retailing, and 2) the supply situation allows organic retailers considerable flexibility to experiment with different assortment compositions. This study analyses store level cross sub category data and, to supplement this, it conducts a qualitative study and collects field data. Included in the cross sub category analyses are approximately 140 to 180 organic sub categories. The results show that assortment variety has a positive influence on sub category sales. The strength of this positive relationship varies across different sub category types, for example food or non-food. For the private label analyses, the results show that, within the focal store, private label SKUs are more likely to be present in sub categories with larger sales and with supermarket competition present. This study also finds that a deeper manufacturer brand assortment hurts private label performance. This study contributes to a body of cross category empirical generalisations about the complex decisions retailers face by examining the effects of assortment decisions within the context of specialty retailing. It provides some clear empirical evidence for how assortment factors and sub category performance are related through an empirical investigation in a bricks and mortar retail environment. In addition, it tests the generalisability of extant private label research beyond the much discussed conventional supermarket industry and convenience consumer goods contexts. Keywords: assortment, private label, store brand, specialty retailing, cross category, sub category, empirical investigation, organic retailing, Australia

A Internet vem transformando a maneira como as pessoas compram e buscam por informações sobre produtos. Para locais onde as ofertas físicas apresentam algum tipo de restrição, os canais online podem trazer mudanças ainda mais significativas, já que oferecem aos consumidores um sortimento virtualmente ilimitado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de analisar a influência do número de habitantes de uma cidade em relação à predisposição à seleção e compra de produtos de uma empresa que administra campanhas de divulgação pela Internet para venda por atacado. As cidades foram divididas em três grupos conforme o número de habitantes e as principais métricas de performance das campanhas online foram comparadas entre os grupos através de análises de estatísticas descritivas, ANOVA e testes post hoc. Os grupos apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre si em todas as etapas do processo de busca e compra. A principal diferença encontrada foi no momento em que os usuários preencheram cadastros no site, demonstrando interesse nos produtos. Nesta etapa, os consumidores de municípios de menor porte se cadastraram proporcionalmente mais do que o dobro dos de cidades de porte intermediário e mais de três vezes em relação ao grupo das maiores, o que impactou diretamente no custo por venda realizada e nas taxas absolutas de vendas. / The Internet has been changing the way people buy and search for new products. In places where the assortment in brick-and-mortar stores is restricted, online channels may represent a significant change in the landscape, due to the fact that they carry virtually unlimited offers. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of the number of inhabitants of a city on their likelihood of selecting and purchasing products from a company which runs online marketing campaigns for resellers. The cities were divided in three groups according to the population size. In addition, the main metrics for online campaigns were compared among groups through descriptive statistics, ANOVAs and pot hoc tests. There was a statistically significant difference among the groups in all steps of the search and purchase process. The main difference was found when the users fill in the forms in the website, demonstrating interest in the product. In this stage, customers from smaller cities showed a registering rate which was more than twice as much higher than the medium-sized cities group and more than three times the amount of the larger cities group, which led to a direct impact on the cost-per-sale and absolute sales rates.

A Internet vem transformando a maneira como as pessoas compram e buscam por informações sobre produtos. Para locais onde as ofertas físicas apresentam algum tipo de restrição, os canais online podem trazer mudanças ainda mais significativas, já que oferecem aos consumidores um sortimento virtualmente ilimitado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de analisar a influência do número de habitantes de uma cidade em relação à predisposição à seleção e compra de produtos de uma empresa que administra campanhas de divulgação pela Internet para venda por atacado. As cidades foram divididas em três grupos conforme o número de habitantes e as principais métricas de performance das campanhas online foram comparadas entre os grupos através de análises de estatísticas descritivas, ANOVA e testes post hoc. Os grupos apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre si em todas as etapas do processo de busca e compra. A principal diferença encontrada foi no momento em que os usuários preencheram cadastros no site, demonstrando interesse nos produtos. Nesta etapa, os consumidores de municípios de menor porte se cadastraram proporcionalmente mais do que o dobro dos de cidades de porte intermediário e mais de três vezes em relação ao grupo das maiores, o que impactou diretamente no custo por venda realizada e nas taxas absolutas de vendas. / The Internet has been changing the way people buy and search for new products. In places where the assortment in brick-and-mortar stores is restricted, online channels may represent a significant change in the landscape, due to the fact that they carry virtually unlimited offers. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of the number of inhabitants of a city on their likelihood of selecting and purchasing products from a company which runs online marketing campaigns for resellers. The cities were divided in three groups according to the population size. In addition, the main metrics for online campaigns were compared among groups through descriptive statistics, ANOVAs and pot hoc tests. There was a statistically significant difference among the groups in all steps of the search and purchase process. The main difference was found when the users fill in the forms in the website, demonstrating interest in the product. In this stage, customers from smaller cities showed a registering rate which was more than twice as much higher than the medium-sized cities group and more than three times the amount of the larger cities group, which led to a direct impact on the cost-per-sale and absolute sales rates.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The goal of this study is to develop Density Management Diagrams for Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill, which will serve as auxiliary models to establish the variation of appropriate density, and the management group, to conduct settlements with the economic evaluation of management employees schemes. To study area were used stands in full density in reduced spacing, located in Rio-grandense Eastern center and Porto Alegre metropolitan in Rio Grande do Su states mesoregions. Of the density models tested, Tang showed good accuracy, with adjusted coefficient of determination of 0,74 and 3,17% coefficient of variation, which served as the base model for determining the population density rates, competition areas, construction of Management Density Diagrams and the size of the average diameter at the time that starts self-thinning for trees planted per hectare density. It was shown that the value of the slope calculated for the model of Tang, was different from that proposed by the author, worth -3/2 of self-thinning law. It was observed that the average diameter size at the time of the start self-thinning occurs with the removal of the population individuals varies considerably with the tree planting density. Preferably, you should lead the development trajectory of the density of trees per hectare below the line of maximum density, where the line of imminent mortality occurs. With reference to the standard diameter of 25 cm was obtained 5 Settlement density index curves describing curves between them proportional exponentially decreasing trends of frequency individuals per hectare with the diameter increment. Management density diagrams with the variables mean diameter, basal area, volume stand density index provided good volumetric estimates per hectare in relation to actual volumes with efficiency of 0,95, indicating good precision. The tested probability distributions, the Weibull function 2 parameters described accurately the frequency of diameters in time, and the re-estimation of its parameters, allowed frequency distributions by diameter class and therefore real development of the stand. The selected trunk shape function was to Hradetzky with determination coefficient of 0,98 and 8.43% coefficient of variation, generating through its integration the estimated volume of the whole stem and parts of it. The Net Present Value of R$ 12.372,35 ha-1 was determined for the management regime with three thinning, at 52,8; 85,4; 121,8 months and last cut at 185,1, higher than the other simulated systems. The Equivalent Annual Value was good and viable economically for all tested systems, the most attractive was the regime where there were two thinnings to 52,8; 85,4 months and last cut at 121,8 months with Equivalent Annual Value of R$1.550,78 ha-1. The internal rate of return was attractive in any of the simulated management regimes, ranging from 6,48% by year in stands without thinning and final cut at 52,8 months at 25,31% by year in stands managed with thinnings at 52,8; 85,4 months and last cut at 121,8 months. The biggest reason benefit on costs was 3.15, obtained in the management regime with two thinning, at 52,8; 85,4 months and last cut at 121,8 confirming the Equivalent Annual Value and Internal rate or return criteria. / O objetivo do presente estudo é elaborar Diagramas de Manejo da Densidade para Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill, que servirão de modelos auxiliares para estabelecer a variação de densidade adequada, e a faixa de manejo, para condução de povoamentos juntamente com a avaliação econômica dos regimes de manejo empregados. Para área de estudo foram utilizados povoamentos em densidade completa em espaçamentos reduzidos, localizados nas mesorregiões Centro Oriental Rio-grandense e Metropolitana de Porto Alegre do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Dos modelos de densidade testados, o de Tang apresentou boa precisão, com coeficiente de determinação ajustado de 0,74 e coeficiente de variação de 3,17%, que serviu de modelo base para determinação dos índices de densidade do povoamento, zonas de concorrência, construção dos Diagramas de Manejo da Densidade e a dimensão do diâmetro médio no momento que inicia o autodesbaste para uma densidade de árvores implantadas por hectare. Comprovou-se que o valor do coeficiente angular calculado para o modelo de Tang, foi diferente do proposto por este autor, com valor de -3/2 da lei de autodesbaste. Observou-se que a dimensão de diâmetro médio no momento em que ocorre o início do autodesbaste, com a supressão de indivíduos da população, varia, consideravelmente com a densidade de árvores de plantio. Preferencialmente, deve-se conduzir a trajetória de desenvolvimento da densidade de árvores por hectare logo abaixo a linha de máxima densidade, onde ocorre a linha de iminente mortalidade. Tendo como referência o diâmetro padrão de 25 cm obtiveram-se 5 curvas de Índices de Densidade do Povoamento que descreveram curvas proporcionais entre si com tendências de decréscimo exponencial das frequências de indivíduos por hectare com o incremento diamétrico. Os diagramas de manejo da densidade com as variáveis diâmetro médio, área basal, volume por índice de densidade do povoamento permitiram boas estimativas volumétricas por hectare em relação aos volumes reais com eficiência de 0,95, indicando boa precisão. Das distribuições de probabilidade testadas, a função de Weibull 2 parâmetros descreveu com acurácia a frequência dos diâmetros no tempo, e a reestimativa dos seus parâmetros, permitiu as distribuições de frequência por classe diamétrica e por conseguinte desenvolvimento real do povoamento. A função de forma de tronco selecionada foi a de Hradetzky com coeficiente de determinação ajustado de 0,98 e coeficiente de variação de 8,43%, gerando por meio de sua integração os volume estimados de todo o fuste e de partes dele. O Valor Presente Líquido de R$ 12.372,35 ha-1 foi determinado para o regime de manejo com três desbastes, aos 52,8; 85,4 e 121,8 meses e corte raso aos 185,1 meses, superior aos demais regimes simulados. O Valor Anual Equivalente foi positivo e viável economicamente para todos os regimes testados, o mais atrativo foi o regime onde ocorreram dois desbastes aos 52,8; 85,4 meses e corte raso aos 121,8 meses com Valor Anual Equivalente de R$1.550,78 ha-1. A taxa interna de retorno foi atrativa em qualquer dos regimes de manejo simulados, variando de 6,48 % a.a. em povoamentos sem desbaste e corte raso aos 52,8 meses a 25,31 % a.a. em povoamentos manejados com desbastes aos 52,8; 85,4 meses e corte raso aos 121,8 meses. A maior razão benefício sobre os custos foi de 3,15, obtida no regime de manejo com dois desbastes, aos 52,8; 85,4 meses e corte final aos 121,8 corroborando com os critérios Valor Anual Equivalente e Taxa Interna de Retorno.

InledningSvenskarna överkonsumerar jordens resurser i snabb takt. Konsumtionen måste bli mer hållbar om framtida generationer ska ha möjlighet till en bra framtid. Livsmedel har stor påverkan på miljön därför är livsmedelskonsumtionen en viktig del i arbetet med hållbar konsumtion. Här har livsmedelskedjor tillsammans med deras kunder potential att bidra till hållbar konsumtion. Om kunden ska ha möjlighet att agera hållbart måste förutsättningar erbjudas på en marknad. Här saknas studier kring kundens förutsättningar för hållbara val på olika konsumentmarknader.SyfteSyftet med studien är att redogöra för kundens förutsättningar för att göra hållbara val i livsme-delsbutiker.MetodStudien bygger på en kvalitativ metod för insamling av data. I studien har en undersökning genomförts i samtliga livsmedelsbutiker i Falun för att samla in data om kundens förutsättningar för att välja hållbart. De faktorer som undersökts är kommunikation, sortiment och pris i utvalda produktkategorier. Empirin har sorterats och kategoriserats och sedan diskuterats i relation till teorin.SlutsatsDen slutsats vi kommit fram till genom vår undersökning visar att det finns möjligheter för kunden att göra hållbara val i livsmedelsbutiker. Eftersom jordens resurser inte räcker till på det sätt människor lever och konsumerar i dag, är en viktig fråga att kommunicera värdet i att välja hållbara produkter i så stor utsträckning som möjligt och det här är ett hållbarhetsarbete som måste ske kollektivt. / Introduction The Swedes overuse the resources of the world in a rapid pace. Consumption must be more sustainable if future generations are to have a good future. Victuals have a major impact on the environment, therefore food consumption is an important part of the work on sustainable con-sumption. Here, food chains together with customers have the potential to contribute to sustain-able consumption. If the customer is to be able to act sustainably, the conditions must be offered in a market. There are no studies about the customer's prerequisites for sustainable choices in different consumer markets.Purpose The purpose of the study is to account for the customer's ability to make sustainable choices in grocery stores.Method The study is based on a qualitative method for data collection. In this study, an investigation has been conducted in all food stores in Falun to collect data about the customer's conditions for making sustainable choices. The factors investigated are communication, product range and price in selected product categories. The empiric has been sorted and categorized and then dis-cussed in relation to the theory.Conclusion The conclusion we reached through our study shows that there are opportunities for the cus-tomer to make sustainable choices in grocery stores. Since the world's resources are insufficient in the way people live and consume today, an important issue is to communicate the value of choosing sustainable products as widely as possible and this is a sustainability work that must be done collectively.