Tanzania is amongst other things known for its ethnic diversity. In 1987 it was established that Tanzania had 130 different African ethnic groups. Despite the ethnic diversity Tanzania is successful in acceptance and famous for being a country in peace. Peoples identity creation is a constantly evolving process and is therefore difficult to define and categorize. Despite that this essay aims to get an understanding of Tanzanians cultural integration. How do people define themselves in terms of their own identity? What matter the most, is it religion, the local or national community? How important is the ethnic inheritance in the urban society? Is it one or more of these categorizations that people have a stronger connection to. How important is the language and the ability to communicate with each other to maintain a peaceful stability? These questions where asked to inhabitants of the town Babati which is situated in the northern parts of Tanzania. The interviews took place during a three week long field study February – March 2010.

This paper os about how is it relevant for companies to create or extend a brand, and what limits they should respect.

Purpose – During the past decades, implementing reforms becomes a popular topic for most manufacturers. With the aim to cope with the environment changes, there are urgent needs for these manufacturing companies to carry on reforms on the existing businesses. At the same time, value creation under a new service dominant logic for manufacturers are cited by many scholars. The aim of this paper is to analyze the new dominant logic, with the comparison of traditional goods dominant logic, recognize the advanced value creation model. To go a step further, this paper also discusses about the way of implementing reforms and new business logic for manufacturers. Methodology – This paper mainly takes the methodology of literature review. The literatures reviewed here include academic papers, books, and website information. The main field of literatures include: service definition and service characteristics; goods-dominant logic versus service dominant logic; and value creation (co-creation). On the other hand, some small case studies can also be found in this paper. Findings – After the comparing between goods dominant logic and service dominant logic, this paper suggests the service-dominant logic as a preferred business logic. Because it provides a more interactive way of consumption, presents a value-in-use view rather than value-in-exchange, and requires manufacturers playing a role of assisting customers in value creating process. For those manufacturers wish to implement the service dominant logic, this paper suggests them to take innovations on their business, which including the innovations on products/services, business processes, and business models. Research limitations/implications – As a relative new field of study, the research is mostly taken by literature review. However, the research on the implementing of new business logic and reforms requires more voice from the real industry.   Practical implications – Manufacturers may position themselves to new roles by involving in the customers’ value creating process. Taking innovations from a integrated view may help manufacturers to achieve the higher value under service dominant logic. Originality/value – This paper concluded the ongoing service dominant logic development, after which, offers a discussion on the implementing of which for the manufacturing companies.

The management consulting industry is growing. The industryis also described as being exposed to increased pressure fromthe environment. An interesting question is then how resourcesare managed in management consulting firms in order tosustain competitive advantage. The purpose with this thesis isto investigate how firms in the management consulting industrymanage their resources through the lens of the resourcemanagement framework and if there are any signs of change.Through a multiple case study of the processes in two largemanagement consulting firms, the activity (i.e. the use ofresources) perceived as important for the leveraging ofcompetitive advantage is studied. The findings suggest thatcustomers have a much more central part in the resourcemanagement process than depicted in the resourcemanagement framework. The clearest signs of change refer tothe development of new career paths and an increased globalintegration of competencies.

This paper reports the initial investigation of the possibility of identifying an entrepreneurial orientation among subjects who have undergone a venture identification and creation experience. The basis for the development of the measurement model were characteristics identified from the literature as forming the emerging entrepreneur paradigm. The purpose of the longitudinal research is to establish a methodology for the identification of people possessing entrepreneurial potential and whose further development could then be encouraged. Variables in the model which proved to be predictors of entrepreneurial orientation included Locus of Control which is a very strong entrepreneurial orientation. Attitude Towards Risk proved to be a predictor of a general interest in entrepreneurial activities, supporting findings in the literature. Significantly, a new variable was identified out of scales measuring Personal Objectives (PO). A strong link was found between the nature of personal skill advantages, objectives and interests fulfilled during the experimental project and entrepreneurial orientation. SOMMAIRE Cet article rend compte de travaux initiaux sur la determination de l'esprit d'entreprise de sujets qui ont fait une experience supposant la prise de risques et un recours à la création. Le modèle de mesure a été élaboré à partir de caractéristiques trouvées dans les livres pertinents sur ce qui constitue l'archetype de l'entrepreneur en puissance. La recherche longitudinale vise a trouver des méthodes pour déterminer les personnes douées d'un esprit d'entreprise dont on peut favoriser le développement. Parmi les variables du modèle qui se sont révélées être des indices d'esprit d'entreprise, figure le "lieu géométrique d'autorité", un critère très important. II s'est avéré que l'attitude face au risque était un indice d'intérêt général pour les activités reliées à l'esprit d'entreprise, ce qui corrobore les constatations des écrits sur la question. Une nouvelle variable a été dégagée des échelles qui mesurent les objectifs personnels(OP). On a, en effet, découvert un lien étroit entre les aptitudes, les objectifs et les intérêts personnels concrétisés au cours du projet expérimental, d'une part, et l'esprit d'entreprise, d'autre part. / This research was funded in part by a Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada block grant.

El objetivo de esta tesis es explorar el concepto de interactiveness en el campo de marketing, entender las actitudes y las percepciones de los directivos hacia la interactiveness y evaluar empíricamente el efecto de la interactiveness en la generación de activos de marketing y los resultados empresariales. La motivación detrás de esta tesis doctoral es la preocupación creciente entre los directivos de marketing, derivada de una mayor dificultad para conectarse con los clientes y para demostrar la contribución del marketing en el resultado de la empresa.En primer lugar, se examinan las raíces y los impulsores de la utilización de los términos de la interacción e interactividad, que han visto una creciente popularidad en el marketing. Interactiveness se propone como un concepto unificador que se refiere a la interacción continua y el diálogo entre la empresa y los consumidores tanto a través del uso de tecnologías de información y comunicación, como a través de métodos tradicionales. La revisión de la literatura reveló que mientras la interactiveness puede aportar ventajas competitivas a las empresas comprometidas con el diálogo continuo con los consumidores, también requerirá cambios organizativos y planteará retos de gestión. Así, a continuación se desarrolló una investigación cualitativa basada en entrevistas con directivos a fin de proporcionar la comprensión en profundidad sobre cómo los mismos perciben interactiveness. En el proceso de recopilación y análisis de datos se utilizaron las técnicas y procedimientos de la Grounded Theory. A partir del análisis de las entrevistas y una revisión de la bibliografía pertinente, se conceptualizó y se ancló teóricamente la interactiveness como una capacidad dinámica y se sugirieron modelos de análisis e hipótesis que unen la interactiveness con los activos de marketing, innovación, participación de los interesados y el rendimiento empresarial, así como una modelo que relaciona la interactiveness con la eficiencia de innovación y, en consecuencia con la rentabilidad. Para probar las hipótesis, se aplicó una encuesta y se utilizaron los datos que se obtuvieron de la misma. Se utilizaron diferentes métodos de análisis de datos, tales como el análisis factorial confirmatorio, ecuaciones estructurales, análisis envolvente de datos, análisis FDH (Free Disposal Hull), regresiones truncada y Tobit. Los resultados revelaron que la interactiveness influye positivamente en los activos de marca y clientes, así como en la participación de los interesados y la innovación. De esta manera, la interactiveness ayuda a lograr una ventaja competitiva, que se traduce en consecuencia, a mejorar el rendimiento empresarial. Además, la interactiveness contribuye a mejorar la eficiencia con que las innovaciones se convierten en mayor satisfacción del cliente y mejor valor percibido de marca (eficiencia de innovación), lo cual influye indirectamente en la rentabilidad. Una consecuencia importante es que la interactiveness no se refleja directa e inmediatamente en los resultados empresariales, ya que la interactiveness primero genera y mejora los activos intangibles específicos de la empresa, y luego influye en los resultados empresariales. La interactiveness permite a las empresas gozar de una cultura más flexible y participativa, y hace posible la co-creación de valor con los consumidores, y por tanto les ayuda a estar mejor conectadas con sus clientes y a mejorar su rendimiento. Palabras clave: interactiveness, co-creación de valor, activos de marketing, participación de los interesados, eficiencia de innovación, rendimiento empresarial / The aim of this dissertation is to explore the concept of interactiveness in marketing, to understand managers' attitudes and perceptions about interactiveness and to assess empirically the effect of interactiveness on the generation of marketing assets and firm performance. The motivation behind this dissertation is the growing concern among marketers stemming from an increased difficulty to connect with customers and to prove the contribution of marketing to firm's financial performance. We first review the roots and the drivers behind the use of the terms interaction and interactivity, which have seen growing popularity in marketing. Interactiveness is suggested as a unifying concept that refers to continuous interaction and dialogue between marketers and consumers in both online and offline marketplace.The review of the literature revealed that while interactiveness is likely to bring competitive advantages to firms committed to continuous dialogue with consumers, it will also require organisational changes and will pose managerial challenges. Thus, we further focus on a qualitative research approach based on interviews with managers in order to provide in-depth understanding on how managers perceive interactiveness. We used the techniques and procedures of Grounded Theory in the process of gathering and analysing data.Based on the analysis of the interviews and a review of the relevant literature, we conceptualise and theoretically anchor interactiveness as a dynamic capability and we suggest models of analysis and hypotheses linking interactiveness with marketing assets, innovation, stakeholder involvement and performance, as well as a model linking interactiveness with innovation efficiency and consequently to profitability. To test the hypotheses, we used survey data. We ran several different analyses, employing Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Structural Equation Modelling, Data Envelopment Analysis, Free Disposal Hull analysis, Tobit and Truncated regressions. The results revealed that interactiveness influences positively customer and brand assets, as well as stakeholder involvement and innovation. This way, interactiveness helps achieve competitive advantage, which is translated consequently into improved performance. In addition, interactiveness helps improve the efficiency with which innovations are converted into higher customer satisfaction and perceived brand value (innovation efficiency), thus influencing indirectly profitability. A major implication is that the results of interactiveness at the performance level are not seen directly and immediately, since interactiveness works through building and leveraging intangible firm-specific assets. Interactiveness drives firms toward more flexible, participative culture and co-creation of value with consumers, thus helping firms to re-connect with customers and to enhance performance.Keywords: interactiveness, value co-creation, marketing assets, stakeholder involvement, innovation efficiency, performance.

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The process of value creation is rapidly shifting from a product- and firm-centric view to personalized consumer experience today. Informed, networked, empowered and active consumers are increasingly co-creating value with the firm. The interaction between the firm and the consumer as well as the experience factor plays an increasingly important role in determining the success of a company’s offering. In this study, a special type of co-creating experience is investigated - “omstartspex” - where the audience is interacting with actors during the play. Drawing from results of three focus group interviews, this study attempts to understand the effect of co-creation on customer experience and its three dimensions - emotional, cognitive and relational. The co-creation process, demanding for both firm and consumers, raises important questions for managers in terms of operational efficiency and control over product quality, etc. Apart from it, the empirical results show that co-creation indeed has positive effect on customer experience. It creates unique customer experiences, strengthens the relationship between consumer (audience) and firm (actors). This, in turn, leads to an increasing level of customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Tjänstekonsumtionen har numera gått om produktkonsumtionen och svarar därför nu för en större del av Sveriges BNP. Om tjänstekonsumtionen ökar bör rimligtvis även antalet tjänsteföretag öka och ett sätt för dessa företag att öka sin konkurrenskraft är att ändra kundens roll i processen. I branscher som definieras av att varje kund och varje uppdrag ser olika ut (om än med vissa återkommande inslag) är det svårt att som företag använda sig av standardisering och utformning av styrdokument för kvalitetssäkring. Det är därför av stor vikt att företagen vet hur kunden upplever samarbetet, då det är kunden som värderar kvaliteten på en tjänst. Vår problemformulering lyder således Hur kan små kompetensbaserade företag arbeta med co-creation i en kompetensstyrd bransch för att förbättra kundens upplevelse av samarbetet? Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka om det finns några skillnader och likheter i upplevelsen av samarbetet mellan tjänsteleverantören och kunden där fokus ligger på själva processen mellan företag och kund. Om vi upptäcker några sådana skillnader vill vi ge förslag på hur dessa kan överbryggas genom användandet av co-creation för att förbättra kundens upplevelse av samarbetet.  Som resultat av den valda problemformuleringen genomfördes studien tillsammans med ett studieobjekt. Studien skedde i två delar för att komma åt både de anställdas och kundernas del i processen. Vi valde det hermeneutiska perspektivet med dess fokus på tolkningar och människans subjektiva bild av verkligheten som paradigm (Johansson Lindfors, 1993, s. 41-42, 44). Angreppssättet för uppsatsen var abduktivt, som innebär en växelverkan mellan teori och empiri. En kvalitativ datainsamlings- och analysmetod användes för att försöka besvara problemformuleringen där det empiriska materialet kodades med hjälp av Grundad teori. Vår teoretiska referensram är grundad på teorier som är kopplade till ämnet co-creation. Andra inslag är sådant som framkommit under de två intervjuomgångarna eftersom vi kunnat återgå till teorin efter datainsamlingen på grund av det abduktiva angreppssättet. Våra slutsatser av studien är att begreppen kvalitet och värde är subjektiva och att kvalitetssäkring inte kan ske på ett standardiserat sätt inom undersökt område. Vi ser dock några gemensamma nämnare mellan studieobjektet och dess kunder och lämnar slutligen rekommendationer till hur det fortsätta arbetet med kunden bör utvecklas. För att lyckas utveckla ett samarbete med hjälp av co-creation krävs en bra dialog både internt och externt.

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