Nesta pesquisa, o principal objetivo foi analisar como são conduzidas as negociações entre compradores e vendedores que acontecem em um ambiente relacional, buscando não só entender os impactos do relacionamento das partes no processo de negociação, mas também verificar se as negociações o favorecem, notadamente em situações nas quais as partes pretendem manter ou aumentar as interações no futuro. Para responder esse objetivo foi escolhido o setor de distribuição de insumos agrícolas, com foco em defensivos, considerando as transações que ocorrem entre os distribuidores e os produtores rurais. Para ampliar as discussões desta pesquisa, optou-se por analisar as negociações entre as partes em dois países: Brasil e Estados Unidos. Assim, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter exploratório/descritivo, utilizando o método de estudos de casos múltiplos. Os dados foram coletados a partir do estudo de 13 casos - situações de negociação (seis no Brasil e sete nos Estados Unidos), considerando a visão do vendedor e do comprador (díades) para que se pudesse ter uma perspectiva de ambos os lados. Para isso, contou-se com o auxílio de seis distribuidores de insumos, sendo três no Brasil e três nos Estados Unidos. Os gerentes de vendas dos distribuidores foram entrevistados para que o entendimento do processo de negociação pudesse ser ampliado. Assim, em conjunto com observações, foram realizadas 13 entrevistas com vendedores, 13 com produtores e seis com gerentes de vendas, totalizando 32. Como principais resultados e contribuições, destaca-se: (1) foi proposta uma estrutura conceitual, baseada no modelo adaptado do IMP Group, para o estudo das negociações entre compradores e vendedores, considerando os elementos sistêmicos da negociação. Pôde-se perceber os impactos do ambiente da negociação (concorrentes e variáveis macroambientais), da atmosfera (poder, tempo e informação), do planejamento, do processo de negociação, dos resultados e da implementação dos acordos da negociação. Além disso, notou-se que os resultados substanciais (econômicos) podem ser superados pelos resultados psicológico-sociais da negociação, uma vez que vendedores e compradores podem abrir mão dos ganhos pensando na continuidade do relacionamento entre as partes; (2) a aplicação da estrutura para a análise das díades mostrouse aderente, o que resulta em outra contribuição. A estrutura conceitual poderá ser utilizada em outros contextos para o entendimento das negociações entre compradores e vendedores; (3) a partir da análise dos contextos Brasil e Estados Unidos, notou-se o impacto que o modelo de negócios dos distribuidores pode ter nas negociações. De um lado os distribuidores brasileiros têm sua oferta mais baseada em produtos, resultando em uma maior discussão de preços nas negociações. Já do lado norte-americano, a oferta é baseada em serviços e troca de informações, o que aumenta a dependência, os custos de mudança dos produtores e afeta os processos de negociação, diminuído em alguns casos a negociação de preços; (4) por fim, nota-se que o relacionamento entre as partes pode ter um impacto positivo nas negociações entre compradores e vendedores, diminuindo o uso de alternativas, aumentando a possibilidade de ampliação do valor das negociações e tirando o foco do preço. Além disso, percebe-se que a forma como as negociações são conduzidas pode ter um impacto positivo no relacionamento entre as partes. Assim, com a evolução do relacionamento, o conteúdo das negociações pode mudar da barganha de preços e evoluir para a discussão das adaptações necessárias para ampliação dos ganhos mútuos e maximização do valor das partes. / The main goal of this research was to analyze how the negotiations between buyers and sellers take place in a relational environment, seeking not only to understand the impacts of the relationship of the parties in the negotiation process, but also whether the negotiations favor the relationship, specifically in situations in which the parties aim to maintain or increase future interactions. To meet this goal, the distribution sector of agricultural inputs was chosen, focusing on defensive, and considering transactions that took place between distributors and farmers. The choice of this sector was due to its strong relational characteristic. To broaden the discussion of this research, the negotiations in two countries was analyzed: Brazil and the United States. Thus, a qualitative survey was conducted with an exploratory / descriptive perspective and using a multiple case studies method for data collection. The data was collected from the study of 13 negotiation situations (six in Brazil and seven in the United States), considering the view of the seller and the buyer (dyads) so that it was possible to have the perspective from both sides. Accordingly, interviews were conducted with six distributors, three in Brazil and three in the United States. The distributors\' sales managers were interviewed to develop a better understanding of the negotiation process. Thus, for the development of this research, 13 interviews were conducted with vendors, with 13 producers and six with sales managers, totaling 32. The main results and contributions are: (1) a conceptual framework was proposed based on the adapted model of the IMP Group for the study of negotiations between buyers and sellers, considering the systemic elements of the negotiation. The framework considers the various stages of negotiation and was the basis for the analysis of 13 dyads. From the analysis, the impact of the trading environment was observed (competitors and macroenvironmental variables), the atmosphere (power, time and information), planning, the negotiation process, the negotiation results, and the negotiation results implementation. Considering the importance of the relationship between the parties, the substantial results (economic) could be overcome by psychological and social results of the negotiation, as buyers and sellers can give up gains in exchange of maintaining and continuing with a good relationship with the other part; (2) the use of the framework to analyze the dyads proved to be effective, therefore the possible use of the framework in other contexts for the understanding of negotiations between buyers and sellers is another contribution of this thesis; (3) from the analysis of Brazilian and US contexts, it was noted the impact that the business model can have on negotiations. In one hand the Brazilian distributors have most of their supply based on products, resulting in more price discussion. In the other hand, in the US, the focus was on services and information exchange, which increases the dependency of producers decreasing, in some cases, the price negotiations; (4) finally, the relationship between the parties can have a positive impact on negotiations between buyers and sellers, reducing the use of alternatives, increasing the possibility of expanding the value of negotiations and taking the price out of focus. Moreover, it is clear that the way the negotiations are conducted can have a positive impact on the relationship between the parties. Therefore, with the relationship evolution, the negotiations content can evolve from prices negotiation to a discussion on necessary adaptation with a focus on value maximization for all parties.

The aim of my Master thesis is to analyze consumer process of purchasing decision in the detergents market. Through this aim I am trying to confirm or deny defined hypothesis by research. In theoretical part is detailed description of consumer behavior and marketing research. Next chapter is dedicated to specifications of main producers in the detergent market which is followed by my own research. To my research were used primary and secondary researching sources. Questionnaire was used as primary source. Analysis is accomplished through excel tabs and graphs. At the end of my thesis is a summary based on analysis and recommendations for the companies, which occur in the detergent market.

<p>This study is a critical discourse analysis of Swedish newspaper articles about prostitution. The purpose of the study is to investigate which discourse/discourses about prostitution that is/are adressed in the articles and identify the power relations and meanings that are constructed by the different subject posititions in the articles. Apart from critical discourse analysis social constructionism and a discussion about gender are applied in the analysis. The results supports findings in earlier research about prostitutionin Sweden; that the debate is focused around prostitution as sexual domination or prostitution regarded as a voluntary choice which rises demands of human rights for sexworkers. No prostitutes or buyers of sex where given the opportunity to comment on the matter, only journalists, politicians, social workers and policemen. The prostitutes are represented mainly as women who are victims in relation to the buyers who foremost are represented as perpetrators and men with labours, significant others/wifes and children.</p>

<p>Although many scholars assert that portfolio approach can facilitate purchasing to live up to its strategic importance and contribute to company performance; and practitioners have applied portfolio approach in various purchasing activities, there are still limited empirical researches to confirm that portfolio can actually create the benefits. The purpose of the study is to explore the usefulness of portfolio approach as well as why companies decide to apply portfolio approach in purchasing and supply management.</p><p>Based on an international survey carried on a large number of European and North American manufacturing companies, the findings of the study provide strong evidence on the significant impact that the purchasing portfolio approach has on the business results, and also shed lights on the strategic importance of purchasing as a direct explanation to the application of the approach by companies. The empirical study confirms that the competency of the purchasing professionals plays a prominent role on the path of transforming the strategic importance of purchasing, with the help of portfolio approach, to the success of improved purchasing performance. A cross-discipline theoretical study reveals that different models share a common theoretical foundation and consist of similar basic elements in their construct.</p><p>The results of this study fill the research gap in analyzing the causes of the application of portfolio approach; provide quantitative empirical proof on the usefulness of portfolio approach in the industrial companies and thus give support to the existing theories. The study contributes to a growing research stream on how to improve purchasing business performance, reflecting the increasing strategic role that purchasing is given. The results send useful messages to company managements and provide valuable insights on an important tool for improving purchasing business performance.</p>

<p>Mäklarbranschen har varit omskriven i media de senaste åren och förra året presenterades det nya lagförslaget på en ny fastighetsmäklarlag. I dag finns det ingen lag som reglerar mäklarens skyldighet att uppvisa budgivningslista efter avslutad budgivning. Dock säger det nya lagförslaget: ”En fastighetsmäklare ska vara skyldig att dokumentera budgivningsprocessen och att överlämna dokumentationen till köparen och säljaren när överlåtelseavtalet är slutet, den ska också syfta till att hindra mäklaren att presentera luftbud och därigenom pressa upp priset.” Syftet med uppsatsen är att ta reda på om lagförslaget kommer att resultera i tryggare budgivningar. Vi vill även ta reda på hur mäklarna ställer sig till budgivningsförfarandet i den nya lagen samt om deras förtroende kommer att stiga hos presumtiva köpare. Avslutningsvis vill vi även ta reda på om köparnas syn på budgivningar kommer att förändras med den nya lagen. Vi har arbetet med artiklar, studerat lagtext, utredningar, remissvar, mailkontakter samt genomfört djupintervjuer med fastighetsmäklare, köpare och en jurist. Mottagandet av den nya mäklarlagen är positivt från nästan alla håll. Man tror på ökat förtroende och en tryggare budgivning i samband med denna lagändring. Vår åsikt är att köparnas syn på budgivningar i framtiden kommer att förändras när de känner en ökad säkerhet med kommande lagstiftning.</p> / <p>The real estate industry have been well publicized in the media the recent years and last year a new draft law of the new real estate agent law were presented. Today there is now law governing the broker’s obligation to present the bidding list upon completion of bidding. However, the new draft law says: ”The broker should be obligated to document the bidding process and when the agreement is met, give the information to the seller and buyer, it should also aim to prevent the broker to present fake bids and thereby push up the price.” The purpose with this essay is to find out if the new law will result in safer auctions. We also want to find out how the real estate agents’ attitude to the bidding procedure in the new and if their trust will rise in potential buyers. Finally, we also want to find out whether the new law will change the buyers’ view on the bidding process. We have been working with articles, studied the text, inquiries, responses, email contacts, and conducted interviews with real estate agents, buyers and a lawyer. The reception of the new law is positive from almost all quarters. Due to the legislative change the, belief is that the trust will rise. The buyers’ view of the bidding process in the future will change when they feel greater safety in future legislation.</p>

This study is a critical discourse analysis of Swedish newspaper articles about prostitution. The purpose of the study is to investigate which discourse/discourses about prostitution that is/are adressed in the articles and identify the power relations and meanings that are constructed by the different subject posititions in the articles. Apart from critical discourse analysis social constructionism and a discussion about gender are applied in the analysis. The results supports findings in earlier research about prostitutionin Sweden; that the debate is focused around prostitution as sexual domination or prostitution regarded as a voluntary choice which rises demands of human rights for sexworkers. No prostitutes or buyers of sex where given the opportunity to comment on the matter, only journalists, politicians, social workers and policemen. The prostitutes are represented mainly as women who are victims in relation to the buyers who foremost are represented as perpetrators and men with labours, significant others/wifes and children.

Procurement of sawlogs to purchasing sawmills represents a basic strategic business process. The properties of inbound sawlogs are decisive for the output of sawn products and the cost of raw material contributes substantially to the cost of the final product. Increasing customer orientation and new demands from powerful customers in the building and retail sectors entail new or accentuated demands on management of procurement. Managing raw material procurement and communicating needs to suppliers and logging machine operators are vital issues for sawmills in order to be competitive. The purpose of the thesis is to explore how purchasing sawmills manage procurement of sawlogs. The results are based on 46 in-depth interviews with people involved in the procurement process at seven softwood sawmills in Denmark, Finland and Sweden. The thesis identifies various types of supply uncertainties as well as process improvement and buffer activities that reduce uncertainties. However, the major obstacle in the procurement process is the power/dependence balance in the relationships with suppliers. Beyond doubt, it restricts the manageability of procurement and particularly bucking. The results suggest that there are a number of ways to improve management of procurement, which are currently not fully employed. The thesis provides four key strategic dimensions of the procurement process and suggests a general conceptual model of wood procurement to purchasing sawmills. Further research within the subject can usefully explore the link between procurement management and procurement strategy as well as the relation to other functions' strategies and the corporate strategy. The importance of the identified strategic dimensions of the procurement process needs to be quantified in order to provide normative suggestions.

The thesis´ aim is to deepen the understanding about what shapes and characterises the purchase process for management advice services. Such externally, acquired services have increased substantially, and in relation to the services´ impact on management decisions the theoretical and practical understanding of the purchase process is lagging behind. The thesis´ analyses, interpretations and conclusions are founded on empirical data collected by use of focus groups, and based on activity theory. The findings show that the purchase process is influenced by many actors who see themselves as subject in the process. They have similar but also conflicting objects that they want to fulfil. The outcome of the purchase process is influenced by contradictory opinions among the actors about how to organize and supervise the process. The main contradictions are influenced by the actors´ different objects and how they interpret the context of the purchase process. The context is shaped by such as leadership style, social rules regarding management of change and opinions about division of labour in the purchase process. The impression of the purchase process´s character is that commonly used supply chain models do not work as a characterization. The purchase process´s phases do not follow on each other and the glue that links the phases is not a rational procedure following one, firm route. The findings show that procurement, integration and follow-up phases overlap, are concurrent and integrated in each other. The purchase process reproduces the execution of polyphonic music in which different voices, each with its own melody, create a rich texture of sounds. In a similar way the purchase process is coined by actors who bring their own objects and competence into the process. It produces dissonance, as in polyphonic music. It mirrors the services character of competence development and shapes the purchase process as polyphonic rather than a rational, step by step process.

Mäklarbranschen har varit omskriven i media de senaste åren och förra året presenterades det nya lagförslaget på en ny fastighetsmäklarlag. I dag finns det ingen lag som reglerar mäklarens skyldighet att uppvisa budgivningslista efter avslutad budgivning. Dock säger det nya lagförslaget: ”En fastighetsmäklare ska vara skyldig att dokumentera budgivningsprocessen och att överlämna dokumentationen till köparen och säljaren när överlåtelseavtalet är slutet, den ska också syfta till att hindra mäklaren att presentera luftbud och därigenom pressa upp priset.” Syftet med uppsatsen är att ta reda på om lagförslaget kommer att resultera i tryggare budgivningar. Vi vill även ta reda på hur mäklarna ställer sig till budgivningsförfarandet i den nya lagen samt om deras förtroende kommer att stiga hos presumtiva köpare. Avslutningsvis vill vi även ta reda på om köparnas syn på budgivningar kommer att förändras med den nya lagen. Vi har arbetet med artiklar, studerat lagtext, utredningar, remissvar, mailkontakter samt genomfört djupintervjuer med fastighetsmäklare, köpare och en jurist. Mottagandet av den nya mäklarlagen är positivt från nästan alla håll. Man tror på ökat förtroende och en tryggare budgivning i samband med denna lagändring. Vår åsikt är att köparnas syn på budgivningar i framtiden kommer att förändras när de känner en ökad säkerhet med kommande lagstiftning. / The real estate industry have been well publicized in the media the recent years and last year a new draft law of the new real estate agent law were presented. Today there is now law governing the broker’s obligation to present the bidding list upon completion of bidding. However, the new draft law says: ”The broker should be obligated to document the bidding process and when the agreement is met, give the information to the seller and buyer, it should also aim to prevent the broker to present fake bids and thereby push up the price.” The purpose with this essay is to find out if the new law will result in safer auctions. We also want to find out how the real estate agents’ attitude to the bidding procedure in the new and if their trust will rise in potential buyers. Finally, we also want to find out whether the new law will change the buyers’ view on the bidding process. We have been working with articles, studied the text, inquiries, responses, email contacts, and conducted interviews with real estate agents, buyers and a lawyer. The reception of the new law is positive from almost all quarters. Due to the legislative change the, belief is that the trust will rise. The buyers’ view of the bidding process in the future will change when they feel greater safety in future legislation.

Although many scholars assert that portfolio approach can facilitate purchasing to live up to its strategic importance and contribute to company performance; and practitioners have applied portfolio approach in various purchasing activities, there are still limited empirical researches to confirm that portfolio can actually create the benefits. The purpose of the study is to explore the usefulness of portfolio approach as well as why companies decide to apply portfolio approach in purchasing and supply management. Based on an international survey carried on a large number of European and North American manufacturing companies, the findings of the study provide strong evidence on the significant impact that the purchasing portfolio approach has on the business results, and also shed lights on the strategic importance of purchasing as a direct explanation to the application of the approach by companies. The empirical study confirms that the competency of the purchasing professionals plays a prominent role on the path of transforming the strategic importance of purchasing, with the help of portfolio approach, to the success of improved purchasing performance. A cross-discipline theoretical study reveals that different models share a common theoretical foundation and consist of similar basic elements in their construct. The results of this study fill the research gap in analyzing the causes of the application of portfolio approach; provide quantitative empirical proof on the usefulness of portfolio approach in the industrial companies and thus give support to the existing theories. The study contributes to a growing research stream on how to improve purchasing business performance, reflecting the increasing strategic role that purchasing is given. The results send useful messages to company managements and provide valuable insights on an important tool for improving purchasing business performance.