Problematisation: Credible information on social media affects potential tourists when chosing where they will travel. Thus, the competition for the attention of potential tourists makes the credibility aspect important to explore further. Perceived credibility in social media online could be more questioned than offline sources since user generated Websites usually do not go through a review. Additionally, the understanding of online credibility is still limited, when it comes to UGC. There has not been much research emphasising the perceived credibility on user generated content. Furthermore, there seems to be a disagreement about perceived credibility existing in social media, which makes it an interesting topic. Purpose: The aim of this paper is to investigate which dimensions are positively influencing perceived credibility online and if the information on TripAdvisor was seen as credible. The purpose is also to explore if there is a relationship between perceived credibility and the dimensions user generated content, authority, communication, updates and design. The purpose of this dissertation is also to add knowledge about how potential tourists perceive credibility when they view a Website designed for tourists. Methodology: This study used a paper-based questionnaire, answered by students at Kristianstad University. Limitations: This dissertation has two main limitations. Firstly, it only examines one social media, TripAdvisor. Secondly, participants in the sample were only chosen from Kristianstad University and under certain circumstances, which made the sample limited. Conclusion: The result showed that there was a positive relationship between user-generated content, authority, communication, updates and design and perceived credibility. However, the dimension advertisement was rejected. Thus, five of six hypotheses were not rejected and had a statistical significance (P= < 0.01). Only hypothesis four, advertisements, did not have statistical significance and was rejected. The total perceived credibility for TripAdvisor’s Website, in this dissertation, was that it was seen as fairly credible.

Denna uppsats har till syfte att redogöra för Generation Y och vad Karlstads kommun bör tänka på i kommande rekrytering av denna målgrupp. Generation Y trädde in på arbetsmarknaden runt millennieskiftet och förväntas nu ta över efter den stora andel äldre som snart lämnar sina arbeten och blir pensionärer. Till följd av att det föreligger ett stort rekryteringsbehov inom kommunal verksamhet under kommande tioårsperiod såg vi här ett problemområde som var intressant att forska vidare i. I arbetet med att klargöra attribut som är signifikativt för just Generation Y föll det sig naturligt att också se vad som kännetecknar tidigare generationer för att på så sätt reda ut vad som skiljer dessa åt. Studien är uppbyggd på en kvalitativ intervjustudie som utgörs av sju halvstrukturerade forskningsintervjuer. Den teoretiska bakgrunden bygger på tidigare forskning och redogör för relevanta begrepp inom området, däribland Employer Branding och Generation Y. Resultatet av vår studie visar vad som är attraktivt i arbetet för Generation Y och vi sammanfattar detta i de fem kategorierna; mening, möjligheter, trygghet, social interaktion och kommunikation. Det är emellertid viktigt att tänka på att det inom detta område finns begränsat med tidigare forskning. Detta betyder att det inte är helt oproblematiskt att generalisera en hel generation, vi ser också ett behov av ytterligare forskning om Generation Y.

Background For ages people have commuted to work, or to other activities, located outside their home municipality. Statements found indicate that the basic decision for commuting are based on utility maximisation and no matter what the character of the benefit is; it should be higher than what can be found closer to the home location. This thesis aims to investigate if people are also commuting with the purpose of obtaining benefits from shopping. The shopping location will in this thesis be defined as a shopping mall. In order for shopping malls to attract customers and create awareness of which benefits they offer they must engage in branding. The authors of this thesis have chosen to investigate the terms; shopping, commuting and branding separately in order to find a definition for the term commuter shopping and to create understanding for what makes people engage in commuter shopping. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to understand how the term commuter can be translated into the context of shopping. Moreover, the goal is also to identify the reasons for why people are willing to commute to a shopping destination not closest to their home location. The authors will also provide a definition for the term commuter shopping. Method In order to fulfil the purpose of this thesis, an abductive research approach was used. This includes a mixed method research, which allows both qualitative and quantitative data to be represented. The quantitative data in this research consist of a survey conducted at a shopping mall in Jönköping called A6 Center and used a sample of 402 customers as respondents. The qualitative part of the research includes an interview with A6 Center’s Centre Manager Kristoffer Krantz. The main source of information, however, is the collection of secondary data within the fields of commuting, shopping malls and branding which are combined in order to provide a definition of commuter shopping.   Conclusion The study contributes with understanding in the fields of research to the extent that means one can translate the term commuting into the context of shopping. Moreover, the thesis managed to identify the reasons for why people engage in commuter shopping and which attributes they value at a shopping location. As a result the thesis propose a definition: “Commuter shopping is when one or more people go to a shopping location, not closest to their home location, in order to obtain benefits satisfied by attributes offered.”

This research study uses a synthesis of theoretical frameworks from sociology and geography to develop critical branding theory that guides an analysis for how urban space is branded with a narrative and identity. The project investigates how a long running Japanese Canadian culture and arts festival called the Powell Street Festival that takes place in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside acts a branding vehicle and reimages urban space with commemorative aspects. The study consisted of twelve qualitative interviews, document and archival research, and a participant observation. Findings suggest that the Powell Street Festival performed as a vehicle for reimaging space, and through subtle-commemorative branding, Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside has been rebranded, in part, with Japanese Canadian facets. The Japantown brand coupled with the high potential for urban revitalization of this space, leads to a concern over the possible social and physical displacement of current Downtown Eastside residents, many of whom are low-income persons.

Forskningen visar att det börjar bli ont om kompetenta medarbetare och att det snart är viktigare att behålla sina kompetenta medarbetare än själva kunderna. Syftet med forskningsstudien har varit att skapa förståelse för hur professionella mindre tjänsteföretag som revisions- och redovisningsbyråer arbetar med employer branding för att kunna bli attraktiva arbetsgivare. Totalt intervjuades sex personer från sex mindre revisions- och redovisningsbyråer. Intervjuernas fokus låg på två huvudområden: extern- och intern employer branding. Resultatet visade att fem utav de sex tjänsteföretagen inte arbetar med att attrahera nya talangfulla medarbetare (Extern employer branding). Men samtliga företag arbetar med att deras befintliga medarbetare skall motiveras och stanna kvar inom organisationen (Intern employer branding). Däremot var det endast en utav de undersökta företagen som medvetet arbetade med att motivera och behålla sina medarbetare som ett steg i processen för att stärka sitt employer branding. Slutsatsen är att majoriteten av de tillfrågade professionella mindre tjänsteföretagen i studien inte arbetar aktivt och medvetet med både stegen i processen för att skapa ett starkt employer branding

Uppsatsen undersöker hur attraktiva arbetsgivare integrerar sina anställda för att bygga en plattform där humankapitalet vill stanna kvar och utvecklas. Denna process sker via talent management där employer branding används som verktyg för att förstärka organisationens företagskultur. Studien är utförd hos en av Sveriges mest populära arbetsgivare hos ekonomi och juridikstudenter, och ger en beskrivande förklarning hur ett framgångsrikt företag effektivt implementerar employer branding. Fallstudien har fokuserat på kvalitativa intervjuer med högt uppsatt anställda inom organisationen. Utöver intervjuerna hos Fallföretaget har en intervju genomförts med en kunnig person inom employer branding som har yttrat sina åsikter och tankar kring ämnet och hur employer branding kan användas som verktyg och effektivt styrmedel. Resultatet från fallstudien visar att fallföretaget använder mycket av de teorier som ligger till grund för denna studie.

En av de senaste trenderna inom Employer Branding är att arbetstagare vill kunna identifierasig med sin arbetsgivare. I ett allt mer hårdnande arbetsklimat är det viktigt att arbetsgivareförstår vad potentiella arbetstagare efterfrågar, för att öka förutsättningarna att skapalångsiktigt hållbara relationer och minska risken för ohälsa. Studien syftar till att undersökahur ekonomistudenter kan ta ställning till huruvida de vill identifiera sig med en potentiellarbetsgivare. Detta genom att se vilka aspekter och vilken typ av information som är avgörande för deras ställningstagande. För att kunna göra detta har 12 ekonomistudenterintervjuats och studien bygger på socialkonstruktivismens definition av identitet och densenaste forskningen inom Employer Branding. Resultatet visar att kultur,utvecklingsmöjligheter och arbetsgivarens rykte är av stor betydelse och studenterna önskaren mer transparent och nyanserad bild av arbetsgivaren. De lägger stor vikt vid Word-of-Mouth och det personliga mötet med befintliga arbetstagare i en organisation.

In terms of effective branding, several recent trends have indicated the need for greater attention within the organisation than has traditionally been the case. With increased emphasis on corporate branding, the team responsible for managing a brand is becoming larger and more diverse and <i>all</i> staff, as the corporate brand's representatives, affect consumers' perceptions of the corporate brand. Furthermore, the shift in emphasis in the literature from the externally perceived brand image to the internally created brand identity entails actively creating how an organisation wishes to be perceived. To project a consistent corporate brand successfully to consumers, all staff need to have congruent perceptions about the brand's identity. The aim of this research was to identify internal factors influencing brand team members' and consumer-facing staffs perceptions of their brand's identity and the impact of these factors and perceptions on consumers' perceptions and brand performance. A conceptual model was developed and associated hypotheses formulated. Studies were conducted using postal questionnaires with three stakeholder groups in the financial services sector: (i) brand team members, (ii) consumer-facing staff and (iii) consumers. Although failing to identify correctly all of the intervening variables, support was found for sections of the conceptual model. The research confirmed that larger corporate brand teams increased the diversity of members' functional backgrounds. While brand teams composed of members with diverse functional backgrounds potentially have a wider range of knowledge and information available to them, diversity in brand team members' characteristics was found to impair the congruency of their brand perceptions. The importance of congruent brand perceptions among different stakeholder groups and the effect of congruent brand perceptions on brand performance were demonstrated. The results emphasised the need for improved internal brand communications and highlighted the influence of consumer-facing staff on consumers' brand perceptions.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the existence of the discipline Design Thinking in a project that aims to strengthen Sweden as a brand. The study will generate knowledge about Design Thinking, with the purpose to increase the understanding of how the discipline can be used as a strategic tool in the processes of strengthening Nation Branding. The authors have used a descriptive and qualitative approach where the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 was examined. The theoretical framework contains previous research in the field, data has been analysed in relation to Lockwood's ten principles of how an organization can become more design-minded and Anholt’s hexagon, which features the parameters that creates a country's Nation Branding. The authors have used Montaña’s et al. Brand design management model to discern connections between a country's brand and the discipline of Design Thinking. The authors could determine that the organization of the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 applied Design Thinking to their mindset and that the discipline contributed to the strengthening of Sweden as a brand. However, it is clear that the discipline wasn’t only used as a strategic tool, but also unconsciously. The study has contributed to an increased understanding of the discipline Design Thinking and how it can be used in a more strategic way, in a context where the purpose is to strengthen a nation’s brand. / Perspektivet i denna studie grundar sig i disciplinen Design Thinking då tankarna bakom och nyfikenheten kring disciplinen växer sig allt starkare idag. Trots en upptrappad medvetenhet om disciplinens ökade relevans känner få till hur Design Thinking kan omsättas i praktiken och hur en organisation kan bli mer design-minded. Ytterligare har relativt lite uppmärksamhet lagts på hur design kan berika varumärkesskapande. Syftet med studien är att utreda existensen av disciplinen Design Thinking i stärkandet av ett lands Nation Branding. Studien avser att generera kunskap om Design Thinking, med avsikten att öka förståelsen för hur disciplinen kan användas som strategiskt verktyg. Författarna har använt sig av ett deskriptivt och kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt där Världsutställningen i Shanghai 2010 har använts som studiens plattform. Åtta stycken personer med anknytning till Världsutställningen eller till arbetet i stärkandet av Sveriges varumärke har intervjuats och sekundärkällor har analyserats. Data har tolkats i relation till Lockwoods tio principer för hur en organisation kan komma att bli mer design-minded, samt Anholts hexagon om vilka parametrar som skapar ett lands Nation Branding. Författarna har använt Montañas et al. Brand design management model för att kunna urskilja kopplingar mellan ett lands varumärke och disciplinen Design Thinking. Studien visade att organisationen för Världsutställningen i Shanghai 2010 tillämpade Design Thinking i sitt arbetssätt och att disciplinen har bidragit till stärkandet av Sveriges varumärke. Dock har det konstaterats att design inte enbart användes som strategiskt verktyg utan även omedvetet eller av nödvändighet. Studien har bidragit till ökad förståelse för disciplinen och genererat kunskap hur den kan komma till användning som strategiskt verktyg.

Firms frequently use brand extension strategies to enter new product categories. Another type of entry strategy is co-branding by effectively exploiting the equity of both constituent brands. Co-branding may effectively drive consumer preferences if consumers believe the combination of two brands offers a better solution than either one separately. However, there is also the risk that consumers may get confused with the combination, or have perceptions of strengths regarding one of the brands diluted, leading to the failure of this strategy. While much has been written on brand-category extension, despite its prevalence, the use of co-brands to enter a new category has attracted relatively little attention. In this study, the author models the effects on consumer perceptions and preferences of combining two brand names for a new product. The proposed model provides a mechanism to represent how consumers’ prior attribute beliefs about constituent brands, the extendibility of the brands into the extension category, the compatibility between the constituent brands, and the uncertainty associated with them can jointly determine their preferences for the co-branded product. The contribution that this model enables is a means to study co-branding and new category entry simultaneously, by assessing the drivers of consumer preference for a co-brand in a new product category. An empirical study is designed to test the model, using real brands and hypothetical extensions and co-brands. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications of this study are discussed.