As a result of the increased use of the Internet, there are a number of challenges and opportunities regarding the ability to strengthen or weaken the competitive advantage between organizations. One of the challenges is an increased need to gather and manage large amounts of data (big data) as well as the need to develop processes and strategies for customer relationship management (CRM). This study aimed to investigate how and why big data and business processes for CRM can affect the competitive advantage of B2B companies by offering a theoretical perspective and an analysis of a relevant case in the field. This was studied by applying a qualitative case study where theory and empirical data were gathered through qualitative interviews with respondents who work with CRM and data at the selected B2B company. The results of the study showed that the chosen case involving a B2B company in the technology industry can strengthen its competitive advantage as a result of including CRM in its business processes by applying strategies, value creation, multichannels, IT and data and performance assessment in its customer-related activities and processes. The results also showed that the gathering of data in customer-related processes and activities as well as analyzes of this data is a useful asset as it entails the ability to strongly impact the interaction with customers. An unforeseen discovery made was the fact that the respondents showed a reluctance to describe the circumstance of whether they work with big data, despite the fact that most respondents according to the study definition work with big data in their customer-related processes and activities. This discovery can be the basis for future research in the field of big data and B2B companies. / Som ett resultat av den ökade användningen av internet har ett flertal utmaningar och möjligheter avseende förmågan att stärka respektive försvaga organisationers konkurrenskraft uppstått. Bland annat har ett ökat behov uppstått för insamling och hantering av stora datamängder (big data), samt för att utforma processer och strategier för kundrelationshantering (CRM). Denna studie syftade därför till att undersöka hur och varför big data och verksamhetsprocesser för CRM kan påverka konkurrenskraften hos B2B-företag, genom att erbjuda ett teoretisk perspektiv och en analys av ett relevant fall inom området. Detta studerades genom att tillämpa en kvalitativ strategi i form av fallstudiedesign där dels teori och empiri samlades in genom kvalitativa intervjuer med respondenter som jobbar med CRM och data på det utvalda B2B-företaget. Studiens resultat visade att det valda fallet som avser ett B2B-företag inom teknologibranschen kan förstärka sin konkurrenskraft som ett resultat av att inkludera CRM i dess verksamhetsprocesser genom att tillämpa strategier, värdeskapande, multikanaler, IT och data samt utvärdering i sina kundrelaterade aktiviteter och processer. Resultatet visade även att respondenterna uppfattade insamlingen av data i de kundrelaterade processerna och aktiviteterna samt analyser av denna data som en användbar tillgång då det medför förmågan att starkt påverka interaktionen med kunderna på ett positivt sätt. En oförutsedd upptäckt som gjordes var det faktum att respondenterna visade en avhållsamhet avseende påståendet om huruvida de jobbar med big data, trots att flertalet respondenter enligt studiens definition jobbar med big data i sina kundrelaterade processer och aktiviteter. Denna upptäckt gav upphov till framtida forskning inom området för big data och B2B-företag.

Syfte – Syftet med studien är att framställa underlag för hur organisationer inom business-tobusiness (B2B) kan, genom social-medie-marknadsföring (SMM), marknadsföra sig och stärka sitt varumärke inom sin marknad. För att kunna besvara syftet har det brutits ned i tre frågeställningar. ● Vilka fördelar finns det för B2B-organisationer genom användningen av SMM? ● Vilka är några av utmaningarna som B2B-organisationer möter vid användning av SMM? ● Vilka, av dagens mest förekommande SMM-kanaler, lämpar sig bäst för varumärkesoch relationsbyggande för B2B-organisationer? Metod – En kvalitativ undersökningsmetod med ett induktivt förhållningssätt har använts i studien. Det som legat till grund för studien är forskning och semi-strukturerade intervjuer med nyckelpersoner på Arcus har utförts som har kunskap inom område som studeras.Litteraturstudier och semi-strukturerade intervjuer har legat till grund för att besvara studiens frågeställningar. Detta genom att både samla in och analysera data i interaktion. Resultat – Det har visat sig att företag till en låg kostnad kan exponera sig till en väldigt stor målgrupp på ett effektivt sätt samtidigt som varumärket stärks genom igenkänning och relationsbyggande. Det har även visats sig att företag kan stärka sitt varumärke på sociala medier genom att vara transparenta och synas där majoriteten av deras kunder finns för att bygga ett förtroende hos potentiella kunder/partners som till slut kan leda till fler affärer.Slutligen har det konstaterats att olika kanaler lämpar sig för olika företag. Företag bör veta var deras potentiella affärer finns någonstans och rikta in sig på dessa. I studiens fall så hade arbetsförmedlaren Arcus mest framgång på LinkedIn, Facebook och Instagram. Implikationer – Studien har lett till en bredare förståelse av B2B-företags möjligheter inom sociala medier. Genom analys av tidigare forskning samt empiri-insamling från ett B2B-företag så har svar tagits fram på tre forskningsfrågor som kan användas som underlag i beslutsfattande situationer för marknadsföringsavdelning på B2B-företag.Genom studien så har inte nya teorier tagits fram men en sammanställning av tidigare teorier och forskning har upplysts för att underlätta beslutsfattande inom marknadsföring på B2Bföretag. Trots att inga nya teorier har tagits fram från denna studie så har tidigare forsknings styrkts med hjälp av denna studie. Begränsningar – På grund av rådande situation med Covid-19 så har den empiriska delen blivit gles och vart tvungen att täckas upp av en alltmer bredare teoretisk bakgrund. Att få insyn på fler företag och eventuella partners till Arcus hade gett oss en bredare bild och ett djupare empiri. / Purpose – The purpose of the study is to provide a basis for how organizations in business-tobusiness (B2B) can, through social-media marketing (SMM), market themselves and strengthen their brand within their market.In order to answer the purpose of the study, it has been broken down into the three following research questions. ● What are the benefits for B2B organizations through the use of SMM? ● What are some challenges that B2B organizations face when using SMM? ● Which of today’s common SMM channels are suitable for use within B2B organizations for corporate branding and relationship building?  Method – A qualitative research method with an inductive approach has been used in the study. The basis of the study is previous research and semi-structured interviews with key people at Arcus have been conducted who have knowledge in the field being studied.Literature studies and semi-structured interviews have been the basis for answering the study's questions. This is by both collecting and analyzing data in interaction. Findings – It has been found that companies at a low cost can effectively expose themselves to a very large target group at the same time as the brand is strengthened through recognition and relationship-building.It has also been found that companies can strengthen their brand on social media by being transparent and visible where most of their customers are, in order to build trust with potential customers/partners that can eventually lead to more business.Finally, it has been found that different channels are suitable for different companies. Companies should understand where their potential business is located and target them accordingly. In the study, the employment agent Arcus had the most success on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Implications – The study has led to a broader understanding of B2B companies’ opportunities in social media. Through analysis of previous research and empirical collection from a B2B company, answers have been developed to three research questions that can be used as a basis in decision-making situations for the marketing department of B2B companies.Through the study, no new theories have been developed, but a compilation of previous theories and research has been provided to facilitate decision-making in marketing in B2B companies.Although no new theories have resulted from this study, previous research has been supported by this study.  Limitations – Due to the prevailing situation with Covid-19, the empirical part has become sparse and had to be covered by an increasingly broader theoretical background. Gaining insight into more companies and potential partners to Arcus would have given us a broader picture and a deeper empirical content.

Because of an increased Globalisation, it is no longer a question whether or not to operate on an international level. Globalisation refers to the fact that companies do not only compete with local companies; they also compete with companies that invade the domestic market. The international participation establishes a coercion to deliver a competitive international marketing. Guidelines for Internationalisation and international marketing have been done on the basis of the premise of big companies. Hence, when it comes to small and medium-sized B2B companies this thesis contributes with additional information.   The purpose is to explore how small and medium- sized B2B companies market themselves in an international context. Understanding how these companies have come as far as they have come, how these companies perform on the international market and how they act to reach new markets. This has been explored through literature revolved around major steps in internationalisation and standardisation or adaptation of the marketing mix in the context of SME and B2B.     The study is based on three case studies of three Swedish international small and medium-sized B2B companies. The research approach was abductive, and the empirical collection was of qualitative form. The empirical material was collected through in-depth semi structured interviews with knowledgeable representatives from international small and medium-sized B2B companies. The interviews were complemented with secondary data.   Findings reveal that even though the three companies are in stage three in their internationalisation, there are differences in regard to how active they are internationally. Regarding how the companies internationalises, these companies internationalised because of a demand abroad or the benefit of increase profit. These companies mainly used waterfall approach and entered countries one by one with the exception of one company who used sprinkler approach. Also, these companies entered countries that are similar and close compared to the domestic country Sweden. Furthermore, these companies entered a market through Direct Export in forms of subsidiaries and own or locally agents. Furthermore, insights in standardisation and adaptation of the marketing mix were revealed, where product and place were adapted by all companies. Price and promotion were adapted in two out of three companies and standardised in one company. Connected to the context of the study, being a small and medium-sized company was not a crucial limitation for the companies’ internationalisation. Additionally, regarding the context of B2B, quality & design, Long-term customers & Word of Mouth showed to be the most important key factors for B2B companies that operate internationally.

Background: Global services, particularly professional services, have become one of the world economy’s fastest growing sectors and professionals are becoming increasingly important as a result of this shift. Inherent differences, characterizing professional services, result in a scarcity of empirical evidence on how marketing communications are perceived and executed. Additionally, clients play a big role in the co-creation of the service, making relationships and communication between clients and PSF critical. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate how PSFs communicate their services to clients. As an example of a PSF, the researchers chose to investigate the digital marketing agency, GA Agency, and their clients. This research aims to contribute to the academic field of services marketing and, more specifically, the stream of literature on PSFs and their communication and propose a theoretical model that represents their findings. Method: This research combines the interpretivism paradigm with qualitative research and an inductive approach, utilizing GA Agency as a single case study, to address the purpose of this research. The researchers designed open-ended, semi-structured research questions that were then posed to 11 employees of GA Agency and 2 of their clients. Conclusion: The findings of this research demonstrated the need for communication that is understandable for the clients, for example, in terms of resources. Additionally, educating the clients is important, to tackle the knowledge gap between agency and client, known as information asymmetry, and therefore build trust. Building a relationship between agency and client can help to enable communication and develop interactions and relationships simultaneously. This is represented in the conceptual model, showing the stages of relationship and according communication.

Det är inte bara lagkrav som blir striktare gällande företags hållbarhetsarbete utan även intressenters förväntningar. Business-to-business och business-to-consumer företag har skilda intressenter och således förväntningar som påverkar deras hållbarhetsarbete. Denna kvalitativa fallstudie ämnar till att undersöka hur hållbarhetsarbete kan generera konkurrensfördelar i en jämförande kontext mellan business-to-business och business-to-consumer företag inom bygg- och fastighetsbranschen. Med hjälp av Carrolls CSR-pyramid och Porter och Kramer ́s ramverk för ett strategiskt CSR-arbete har företagens hållbarhetsarbeten analyserats och granskats utifrån ett konkurrensperspektiv. För att belysa företagens differentieringsstrategier har tre differentieringspunkter grundat studien vilka är produkt- och processinnovation, kundlojalitet och långsiktig lönsamhet. Resultatet visar att företagen i likhet med varandra utformar sitt hållbarhetsarbete utifrån ett socialt, ekonomiskt och miljömässigt perspektiv samt att företagen konstruerar sitt hållbarhetsarbete olika utifrån deras skilda intressenters förväntningar. Detta resulterar i att företagen har olika differentieringsstrategier inom hållbarhetsarbetet som hjälper dem generera konkurrensfördelar. Vidare framkommer det i studien att kommersiella kunder ställer högre krav på företagens hållbarhetsarbete i jämförelse med privatkunder, vilket skiljer studiens resultat från den tidigare forskningen.

Im unternehmerischen Geschäftsverkehr ist die Verwendung von AGB üblich. Laut einer empirischen Untersuchung werden bei jedem fünften Vertrag im unternehmerischen Rechtsverkehr von beiden Vertragsparteien Allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen (AGB) verwendet. Dabei kommt es häufig vor, dass die AGB kollidieren, denn die Vertragsbedingungen werden nur in den seltensten Fällen miteinander abgestimmt sein. Kommt es sodann in der Vertragsabwicklung zu Schwierigkeiten, gewinnen die AGB erheblich an Bedeutung. Dies Arbeit befasst sich mit den Fragen, ob trotz Kollision ein Vertrag wirksam zustande gekommen ist und welche AGB Vertragsinhalt geworden sind. Hierzu werden die bisherigen Rechtsansichten dargestellt, ein Vergleich mit anderen Rechtsordnungen vorgenommen und ein Ansatz erarbeitet, der sowohl rechtssicher als auch darstellbar ist. Abschließend wird geprüft, inwieweit sich die erarbeitete Lösung auf Sonderprobleme, wie das kaufmännische Bestätigungsschreiben und den Eigentumsvorbehalt, anwenden lässt und zu einer Lösung beiträgt.

Background: To remain competitive in Industry 4.0, B2B suppliers must develop new and increasingly advanced digital services by incorporating AI. However, although being of interest to practitioners, academic research on successful AI implementation in B2B functional domains is lacking. Consequently, academics have stressed the importance of developing comprehensive frameworks within B2B marketing to accelerate the creation of strategic roadmaps for AI implementation. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how AI can be utilized to enhance digital servitization, according to the perspectives of one supplier and several of its customers. The aim is to provide a framework that can assist practitioners in implementing value-adding AI services. Method: To fulfill the exploratory purpose of this study, a qualitative single-case research design was applied. The empirical data was collected through twelve in-depth semi-structured interviews.  Utilizing an inductive approach, the data has been analyzed and interpreted through a thematic analysis. Conclusion: Incorporating a complete S-D logic mindset by implementing the AI solution based on all five axioms was found to enhance digital servitization. A model displaying various servitization activities connected to these axioms arose, emphasizing their collective impact. Additionally, suppliers may enhance digital servitization through the implementation of AI by engaging in three transformational mechanisms, namely customization, automation, and agile co-development.

University research being adopted by, or transferred to, industry has enabled many of the things we now take for granted. The road from a breakthrough at a university to societal consequences is however a long and winding road full of dead ends and surprising turns. To guide researchers attempting to transfer their discoveries into industry applications there are many support systems, for example the Technology Transfer Offices (TTO) tied to each Swedish university. After patenting and contracting with a TTO, a first step often consists of finding a company which can utilize the new technology or, similarly, finding an application for the new technology which can benefit a collection of companies. At this stage there are frequently many ideas for applications but a lack of knowledge about how the technology will perform if implemented and how the relevant companies are evaluating investments into new technology. To solve this, market researchers often divide the intended market into segments and explore the properties of these segments as they relate to the new technology. While there is much research into how this market segmentation and segment exploration is to be done there are no clear and general guidelines. This problem is complex and the answer is contingent on the specifics of the relevant technology, prompting researchers to call for more case studies. This report reviews, comments on and adds to research on market segmentation methodology when trying to transfer new technology to complex Business to Business markets from the outside. It ends with a model suggestion derived from B2B market segmentation research as well as the start-up literature and field experience. This is done alongside a case study of a start-up based on the VIPS-technology, which is a protocol used in microprocessors. The report also provides a decision basis for VIPS on which to base a future marketing strategy. / The benefits, as well as the costs, of supporting technology transfer from universities to industry have been well studied and both have been found to be very high. One of the initial stages of many such transfers, B2B market segmentation, have seen much research but has not yet produced any comprehensive guidelines. The complexity of this problem has led some researchers to call for action or case based research. This report reviews, comments on and adds to research on market segmentation methodology for start-ups based on new technology in complex B2B markets through a case study in the microprocessor industry. It ends with a model suggestion derived from B2B market segmentation literature as well as the start-up literature and field experience. This is done alongside providing a decision basis and general advice for a start-up based on the VIPS-technology, which is a protocol created for use in microprocessors.  The main contributions of this report are considered to be: Suggestions on how a start-up based on new technology should discover, investigate and segment potential markets. Suggestions on how market segments should be evaluated, chosen and targeted. Segmentation of the VIPS market into segments that have similar drivers and would require a similar strategy of approach. Evaluation and disqualification of three of the markets that were envisioned by the inventors - HPCs using standardized CPUs, APUs and mobile. Identification of a key customer, as well as the formulation of a strategy for how to approach them. Identification of the potential for VIPS to simplify chip verification and that there is a market demand for such simplification. Highlighting the importance of developing VIPS as a product for needs specific to key markets.

The conditions in the international business market changed rapidly andunexpectedly when Covid-19 evolved into a pandemic in March of 2020. As a result of this, businesses had to adapt their operations to the new circumstances. The new circumstances implied, among other things, not being able to meet B2B customers in person. Before the pandemic, meeting customers in person was the usual way of building trust in business relationships. This is especially true for companies in the high-end segment as their customers value trust in their suppliers in their purchasing decisions. Therefore, this thesis investigates how high-end companies' trust and relationships have been affected by the pandemic. It also examined which factors have been crucial for high-end businesses when managing relationships and trust. A qualitative method has been utilized as a foundation for this thesis. Theoretical data were collected by reviewing several studies related to the topic. Empirical data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with seven case companies. With the gathered data as a foundation, three themes were formed: B2B relationships, trust, and crisis. The themes are reoccurring throughout the thesis to provide the reader with a red thread. The themes are continuously related to high-end sales. The data has been analyzed to investigate the relationships between the themes. This thesis concludes that Covid-19 positively has impacted high-end companies' trust and relationships. Crucial factors for managing trust and relationships during Covid-19 have proven to be mutual understanding, local presence on the international market, transparency, and flexibility.

Globalization and the rapid growth of online-transaction through e-commerce platforms is increasing at a fast pace, not to mention the acceleration during and after the pandemic of Covid-19. The purpose with this qualitative case study of a company operating in the fragrance industry is to give a better understanding of how a company successfully succeeded in internationalizing by utilizing a B2B e-commerce strategy, and how the same company can change strategy to utilize B2C e-commerce to enter a new market which in this case are Sweden. A key factor of the company's success turned out to be the building of the customer and supplier network, and the tight collaboration with already existing giants in the market to attract suppliers in the first place. This allowed the company to provide good customer service, and a variety of products. Further, to be able to enter the Swedish market promotional activities, a customer-centric website that provides in store-like experience, close relationships with their consumers, and cooperation with brand suppliers to build a strong strategic alliance has been shown as important factors in order to succeed in a B2C e-commerce internationalization process.