O luxo é um setor que tem cada vez mais despertado o interesse de acadêmicos e profissionais de marketing, não só pela importância econômica que representa para alguns países, mas também pela sua tendência de crescimento em mercados emergentes, favorecida pelo aumento da renda disponível e do tamanho da clientela potencial. Especificamente no Brasil, o mercado do luxo tem experimentado um incremento anual significativo e superior ao da economia como um todo. A gestão das empresas atuantes nesse mercado apresenta desafios de particular interesse para os estudiosos e praticantes do marketing, pois os produtos luxuosos possuem elevado grau de valores intangíveis, subjetivos e sociais agregados, que são determinantes para a formação de sua demanda e de uma parcela considerável do preço final. O cenário de crescente competição e internacionalização exige processos gerenciais cada vez mais orientados para o mercado, nos quais análises da concorrência e do perfil dos consumidores são formas de gerar um maior valor percebido pelo cliente. Não obstante, criar e entregar esse valor exige uma clara compreensão de sua natureza e dimensões. Nesse contexto, este trabalho teve por objetivo propor e testar um modelo conceitual integrador para o Valor Percebido pelo Cliente dos produtos de luxo, buscando ampliar o corpo teórico sobre o constructo e fundamentar o desenvolvimento de estratégias de marketing. A partir da análise crítica de modelos propostos por diferentes autores, de reflexões teóricas sobre o conceito do luxo, e com base na opinião de consumidores do setor, foram desenvolvidos o modelo teórico e seus respectivos itens de mensuração, testados e refinados pela técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais PLS-SEM em termos de sua confiabilidade e validade. Os resultados mostraram haver um impacto considerável das duas dimensões dos sacrifícios percebidos (não monetários e monetários) sobre o valor percebido total dos produtos prestigiosos, bem como efeitos menores, porém significativos, das dimensões dos benefícios psicológicos, sociais e intangíveis. Os benefícios tangíveis também demonstraram impacto sobre o valor percebido final, porém em menor grau. Tais resultados contribuem para a ampliação do corpo teórico de marketing sobre esse tema, ao propor e validar um modelo mais abrangente que integra os existentes e, ao mesmo tempo, preenche lacunas observadas. Em termos gerenciais, o conhecimento dos aspectos mais relevantes da percepção dos consumidores sobre o valor entregue pelos bens luxuosos é fundamental para gerenciar as marcas, direcionar os esforços de comunicação de marketing e desenvolver estratégias de mercado eficazes, levando em conta as diferentes dimensões de benefícios e sacrifícios propostos pelo estudo. / The luxury industry has been raising greater interest among marketing scholars and professionals, not only due to its economic relevance in some countries, but also because of its growth trend in emerging markets, spurred by increases in disposable income and a greater diversity of its target audiences. Specifically in Brazil, the luxury market has experienced significant annual growth rates, well above those of the total economy. The management of luxury companies presents challenges that are particularly interesting for marketing scholars and practitioners, as prestige products possess high levels of intangible, subjective and social added value, which are determinant for their demand and final price formation. In the present scenario, where growing competition and internationalization demand increasingly market-oriented managerial processes, competition and consumer behavior analysis is a necessary tool to create higher customer perceived value. Nevertheless, creating and delivering value demands a clear understanding of its nature and dimensions. Thus the purpose of this study: to propose and test an integrative conceptual framework for luxury products Customer Perceived Value, aiming to increase the construct\'s theoretical understanding and to serve as a basis for developing marketing strategies. Building upon a critical analysis of models proposed by various authors, the theory on the luxury concept, and luxury consumers\' opinions, the conceptual model and its measurement items were developed, tested and refined in terms of validity and reliability through the structural equation modeling technique PLS-SEM. The findings revealed a considerable impact of the two perceived sacrifice dimensions (non-monetary and monetary) on luxury products total perceived value, as well as smaller, though significant, effects of the psychological, social and intangible benefits dimensions. Tangible benefits have also shown an impact on the final perceived value, but to a lesser extent. Those findings contribute to the marketing theory on the subject by proposing and validating a more comprehensive framework that synthetizes preexisting ones and, at the same time, fills out gaps found in the literature. In terms of managerial practice, a better understanding of the most relevant aspects of luxury customer perceived value is vital for brand management, marketing communications and the development of effective marketing strategies that build upon the various benefit and sacrifice dimensions proposed in this study.

Background: Customers find great psychological satisfaction and pleasure when shopping. Customer satisfaction is crucial for a business's success, and increasing it will strengthenfinancial performance and competitiveness. Offline shopping still dominates the customersindustry, although customers are increasingly choosing online shopping as a result offast-growing technological developments in society. However, physical experiences shouldnot be left behind due to customer’s satisfaction from the instant gratification they desire. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explain how customer perceived value, customerexpectations, and touch experience have an impact on customer satisfaction in an offlineshopping context. Methodology: This research is conducted through a deductive and quantitative approach,which has an explanatory aim. Three hypotheses have been deducted from theoreticalconcepts found from previous research. The data collection method was collected through aninternet-based, self-completion questionnaire, to see if the hypotheses were supported or not.A total of 105 respondents participated in the study. Findings: The findings indicate that customer perceived value H1, which explains a positiveimpact on customer satisfaction in the context of offline shopping, cannot be supported due tostatistical insignificance. Customer expectation, as presented through H2, and touchexperience, as presented through H3, were found to have a statistically significant andpositive impact on customer satisfaction. The conceptual model was revised in this studybased on the new findings, retaining the acceptable assumptions as the new model. Conclusion: In offline shopping, the positive impact of customer expectation on customersatisfaction is the most obvious, followed by the touch experience. Customer perceived valuehas no positive impact on customer satisfaction, and the reason for this situation may be thatthe perceived value of customers differs among different consumption levels.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to do a brand survey of Metro in Karlstad. The study will originate from the terms ”brand identity” and ”brand associations”, where the brand identity is the organization’s desired view of the brand, and the brand associations define the associations held by the consumers. Issues: What is Metro’s brand identity? What are the brand associsations of Metro in Karlstad? How well do the brand identity and the brand associations correspond? Theoretical framework: The study is done from the perspective of media and communication studies, where the theoretical terms are defined from literature regarding brands. Method: The study is carried out using a qualitative document analysis, interviews, and a quantitative survey. The document analysis was made on Metro’s own documents regarding values and target audience. The interviews were carried out with three interviewees from the organization of Metro. The survey was made as a group survey with 200 respondents where eight were removed as they did not qualify for the target audience. Results: The qualitative studies showed that the brand identity towards Metro’s readers is simple. Metro’s desire is that the the newspaper is seen as free, accessible, and that it summarizes the news. The survey showed that the readers of Metro in Karlstad choose Metro because it is free and accessible. They also gave Metro a good grade regarding summarizing of news. Conclusions: Metro keeps their brand identity towards readers simple, as the brand awareness is high and thereby don’t need a complex brand identity. The readers choose Metro because it’s free and accessible, and also think that Metro summarizes the news well. This is exactly what Metro wants to accomplish, and do so by keeping the brand identity simple. The correspondence between brand identity and brand associations is strong, and thereby contributes to a strong brand for Metro. Keywords: Metro, free newspaper, brand survey, brand identity, brand associations, brand, customer perceived value, brand positioning, brand equity, brand awareness. / Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att göra en varumärkesundersökning på gratistidningen Metro i Karlstad. Undersökningen sker utifrån profil och image, där profilen är ledningens syn på hur varumärket ska se ut och imagen hur publiken uppfattar varumärket. Frågeställningar: Hur ser profilen ut för Metro? Hur ser imagen ut för Metro i Karlstad? Hur väl stämmer profil och image överens? Teoretiskt ramverk: Undersökningen genomförs ur ett medie- och kommunikationsvetenskapligt perspektiv, där begreppen profil och image definieras utifrån litteratur om varumärken. Metod: Undersökningen har genomförts genom en kvalitativ dokumentanalys, samtalsintervjuer samt en kvantitativ enkätundersökning. Dokumentanalysen gjordes på Metros egna dokument rörande värderingar och målgrupp. Intervjuerna skedde med tre respondenter från Metros organisation. Enkätundersökningen genomfördes som en typ av gruppenkät med 200 respondenter där åtta plockades bort på grund av att de inte tillhörde målgruppen. Resultat: De kvalitativa undersökningarna visade att Metro har en enkel profil mot sina läsare. De vill att tidningen ska ses som gratis, lättillgänglig och nyhetssammanfattande. Enkätundersökningen visade att Metros läsare i Karlstad väljer tidningen för att den är gratis och lättillgänglig. Läsarna gav också ett bra betyg gällande nyhetssammanfattandet. Slutsatser: Metro håller profilen mot läsare enkel, då de har en hög varumärkeskännedom och inte behöver någon komplex profil. Läsarna väljer Metro för att den är just gratis och lättillgänglig och tycker även att tidningen sammanfattar nyheter bra. Detta är just det Metro vill åstadkomma och gör det genom att hålla profilen enkel. Överensstämmelsen mellan profil och image är därför stark och bidrar till ett starkt varumärke för Metro. Nyckelord: Metro, gratistidning, varumärkesundersökning, profil, image, varumärke, customer perceived value, positionering, brand equity, varumärkeskännedom.

Purpose - The purpose of this thesis was to develop a method for how practitioners can utilize value-based pricing of smart services. In order to fulfill this purpose, the following research questions were addressed: RQ1) How can firms identify value drivers for their smart services in order to understand customer perceived value? RQ2) How can firms match the perceived value of their smart service and what type of revenue model to use (i.e., how to price and how much to price)? RQ3) How can firms use value-based pricing for calculating the optimal price of their smart service? Method - This thesis adopts a mixed method. This is done by collecting data through interviews and surveys. This data is then analyzed and utilized to develop a method for value-based pricing of smart services.  Findings - Based on the insights gathered through the explored methods for identifying and measuring value drivers, concluding customers’ willingness to pay, matching it with revenue and pricing mechanisms and finally deriving an optimal price a holistic and structured process that connected these different activities has been proposed (see Appendix S). Theoretical contribution - The major theoretical contribution is the synthesis of three different literature streams (i.e., VBP, revenue model design and smart service commercialization). These areas have, to our knowledge, previously never been integrated in one study. In addition, the developed method successfully addresses identification of value drivers, which previously has been labeled as the biggest barrier for B2B firms wanting to transition towards VBP (Liozu et al., 2012).  Practical implications - This thesis supports management in commercialization of smart services by providing a holistic and systematic process for identifying and measuring value drivers, concluding customers’ WTP, matching it with revenue and pricing mechanisms and finally deriving an optimal price based on VBP. The final developed method is presented in Appendix S. / Syfte - Syftet med detta examensarbete var att utveckla en metod för hur praktiker kan utnyttja värdebaserad prissättning av smarta tjänster. För att uppfylla detta syfte togs följande forskningsfrågor upp: RQ1) Hur kan företag identifiera värdedrivare för sina smarta tjänster för att förstå kundens upplevda värde? RQ2) Hur kan företag matcha det upplevda värdet av sin smarta tjänst och vilken typ av intäktsmodell de ska använda (dvs hur man prissätter och hur mycket prissätter man)? RQ3) Hur kan företag använda värdebaserad prissättning för att beräkna det optimala priset för sin smarta tjänst? Metod - Detta exjobb använder en blandad metod. Detta görs genom att samla in data genom intervjuer och enkäter. Denna data analyseras sedan och används för att utveckla en metod för värdebaserad prissättning av smarta tjänster. Resultat - Baserat på de insikter som samlats in genom de utforskade metoderna för att identifiera och mäta värdedrivande faktorer, utnytja kundernas betalningsvilja, matcha den med intäkts- och prissättningsmekanismer och slutligen härleda ett optimalt pris har en holistisk och strukturerad process som kopplar samman dessa olika aktiviteter presenterats (se Bilaga S). Teoretiskt bidrag - Det största teoretiska bidraget är syntesen av tre olika litteraturströmmar (dvs VBP, intäktsmodelldesign och kommersialisering av smarta tjänster). Dessa områden har, såvitt vi vet, tidigare aldrig integrerats i en studie. Dessutom tar den utvecklade metoden framgångsrikt in på identifiering av värdedrivare, som tidigare har stämplats som den största barriären för B2B-företag som vill gå över till VBP (Liozu et al., 2012). Praktiska implikationer - Det här examensarbetet stöder ledning i kommersialisering av smarta tjänster genom att tillhandahålla en holistisk och systematisk process för att identifiera och mäta värdedrivare, avsluta kundernas WTP, matcha den med intäkts- och prissättningsmekanismer och slutligen härleda ett optimalt pris baserat på VBP. Den slutligen utvecklade metoden presenteras i Bilaga S

För att förbättra servicekvaliteten är kartläggning och mätning av kundupplevelse en viktig del av förbättringsarbetet. Detta är mestadels studerat ur den externa kundens perspektiv, och inte lika ofta ur den interna kundens. Syftet med denna studie var att utforska förekomsten av olika dimensioner av intern kundupplevelse inom en organisation och undersöka deras relation till andra mått på kundupplevelse. Dessutom syftade studien till att utforska de interna kundernas perspektiv på kvaliteten på den levererade servicen. Fokus för studien var eftermarknadsavdelningen i den svenska delen av ett globalt företag inom tillverkande industri. En kvalitativ metod användes och data samlades in med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer och analyserades med en induktiv tematisk ansats. Resultatet visar sex dimensioner som påverkar den interna kundupplevelsen: Kommunikation, Beteende, Systemstöd, Personlig kontakt, Teknisk kompetens och Fungerande processer. Denna studie ger insikt i viktiga faktorer för att möta interna kunders behov och förväntningar. Även om det finns vissa skillnader, kan dessa dimensioner jämföras med andra dimensioner av kundupplevelse och servicekvalitet. Resultaten indikerar att befintliga mätverktyg utformade för extern kundupplevelse också bör kunna tillämpas i interna sammanhang. Denna studie bidrar till att utöka den begränsade kunskapen om intern kundupplevelse. / In order to improve service quality, mapping and measuring customer experience is a vital part of improvement efforts. This is however mostly studied from the external customers point of view, and studies on internal customer experience are scarce. The aim of this study was to explore the existence of different dimensions of internal customer experience within an organisation and examine their relationship to other measures of customer experience. In addition, the study aimed to explore the internal customers’ perspectives on the quality of the service delivered. The focus of the study was the after sales department in the Swedish branch of a global manufacturing company. A qualitative method was used and the data was collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed by an inductive thematic approach. The result shows six dimensions that affect the internal customer experience: Communication, Behavior, System support, Personal contact, Technical competence and Functional processes. This study provides insight into significant factors in meeting internal customer needs and expectations. Although there are some differences, these dimensions compares with those found in other studies on customer experience and service quality. The results indicate that existing measurements of external customer experience should also be applicable to internal settings. This study contributes to expanding the limited knowledge of internal customer experience.

Šiandieniniame pasaulyje prekės ženklų gausa yra begalinė, ir norint išlikti privalu išsiskirti. Užtikrinti vartotojo suvokiamą vertę yra vienas pagrindinių kiekvienos organizacijos tikslų. Baigiamojo darbo tikslas – sukurti vartotojo suvokiamos prekės ženklo vertės didinimo modelį, remiantis prekės ženklo įvaizdžiu, bei atskleisti kaip tą įvaizdį įtakoja antropomorfizmas. Teorinėje darbo dalyje analizuojama, kaip žmogiškųjų savybių integravimas į prekės ženklą veikia prekės ženklo įvaizdį, ir kaip šis įvaizdis veikia vartotojo suvokiamą vertę. Analitinėje baigiamojo darbo dalyje pateikiami ir analizuojami atlikto kiekybinių duomenų tyrimo rezultatai, kurie buvo gauti atliekant anketinę apklausą Vytauto didžiojo universitete ir UAB „Jumana“ konferencijų salėje. Projektinėje darbo dalyje suformuotas vartotojo suvokiamos vertės didinimo modelis. Atliktos baigiamojo darbo dalys atskleidžia pagrindinius vartotojo suvokiamos prekės ženklo vertės sudedamuosius elementus, bei išanalizuoja kaip antropomorfinis prekės ženklo įvaizdis juos veikia. / In today’s world, there are abundance of brands, and in order to survive – you must stand out. To guarantee customer - based value is one of main goal to every organization. The main purpose of this paper – prepare customers perceived value improvement model, based on brands image, also to reveal how anthropomorphism affect that brand image. The theoretical part of this paper analyzes how integration of human characteristics affect brand, and how that brand influences customers perceived brand value. The analytical part of this paper presents and analyzes the research results, from the questionnaire, which was made in Vytautas Magnus University and Jumana company. In project part of this paper, the customer perceived value enhancement model is made. All parts of this masters thesis reveal the main elements of customers perceived brands value, and how anthropomorphic brand’s image influence those elements.

<p>The aim of this paper is to define the perceived consumer values that physical record stores create in order to compete with other distribution technologies. A qualitative method has been used, based on interviews with managers of three records stores in Stockholm. Interviews with their customers have been conducted also. The content has been analyzed with passable theories and the two sources have been compared when adequate.The conclusion of the study is that the physical record stores create many different consumer values, and that many of these are hard to transfer to other distribution technologies. One of the most important values for the consumer is that the personnel have a broad knowledge about music. Other notable values are the emotional feelings of searching for something and the atmosphere the record store creates. A pattern that is visible is that the niche record stores create more consumer values then the commercial record store. The conclusions indicate that there are opportunities for niche physical record stores and that the future for the record stores is not as bleak as may be perceived.</p>

The content of customer-perceived value has in this study been explored with the aim of providing an understanding of the concept. The evolving service-centered logic for marketing puts an emphasis on value, especially the value perceived and determined by the customer. Concurrently, a development is recognized within the industrial business-to-business sector where goods and services are packaged into total service offerings – with an increasing prominence for services. This is the background of the study. The study itself was conducted in order to elucidate the concept of customer-perceived value in a context where total service offerings are provided within dyadic business-to-business relationships. The conceptual framework, guiding the empirical study, has its points of departure in the field of service research. A case study conducted in the commercial aircraft engine maintenance industry has provided a description – depicted in value maps – of context-specific attributes forming the dimensions of customer-perceived value. It is suggested that customer-perceived value is created at three levels; at a product level, at a partnership level, and at a psychological level. Furthermore, the value maps clarify the double nature of customer-perceived value, which is found to have both an origin side – how the service provider should act to deliver value – and a side illuminating the more or less monetarily quantifiable effects of value. The origin and effect of customer-perceived value are proposed to be explained by a model where the notion of “flow” is central. Flows of goods, information, risk, involvement, and money intersect the value features and provide the sources of value on the origin side of customer-perceived value. The effects can be traced to the flows of revenue benefits, cost benefits, interest effects, and costs to use. Concurrently, flows both build, and are filtrated by, “trust” during the process in which the customer’s perception of value comes into being. On the effect-side of value, the concepts stochasticity and substantiality are introduced in order to capture the uncertainties that make translations into monetary terms difficult. The outcome of the abductive reasoning in the final phase of the investigation is a conceptual model – proposed as the main contribution of the study – summarizing aspects of customer-perceived value. My definition of customer-perceived value, together with a list clarifying the many facets of the concept, concludes the study.

The aim of this paper is to define the perceived consumer values that physical record stores create in order to compete with other distribution technologies. A qualitative method has been used, based on interviews with managers of three records stores in Stockholm. Interviews with their customers have been conducted also. The content has been analyzed with passable theories and the two sources have been compared when adequate.The conclusion of the study is that the physical record stores create many different consumer values, and that many of these are hard to transfer to other distribution technologies. One of the most important values for the consumer is that the personnel have a broad knowledge about music. Other notable values are the emotional feelings of searching for something and the atmosphere the record store creates. A pattern that is visible is that the niche record stores create more consumer values then the commercial record store. The conclusions indicate that there are opportunities for niche physical record stores and that the future for the record stores is not as bleak as may be perceived.

Vi har gjort en kvalitativ undersökning av hur en bank på den svenska marknaden upprätthåller kundrelationer via en Internetbaserad distributionskanal. Vi har utfört en intervju med Danske Banks Head of Channels Daniel Wahlström för att insamla primärdata för att undersöka och analysera vilka faktorer som är essentiella för att upprätthålla kundrelationer vid en fysisk distansering från kund. Analys av primärdata har skett utifrån utvalda relevanta teorier och perspektiv som behandlar kundrelationer, tjänstekvalitet, kundlojalitet, kundupplevt värde, e-lojalitet samt Customer Relationship Management. Resultatet av studien visar att banken har ett väl fungerande arbete med kundrelationer och sitt CRM-system utifrån de teorier som studien har baserat sig på. Alltjämt försöker banken anpassa sig efter distanseringen från det fysiska bankkontoret till en Internetbaserad kanal där tjänsten också har utvecklats jämsmed kund. Dock kvarstår en del emotionella utmaningar i arbetet med en personlig relation med kund i denna kanal. / We have made a qualitative study of how a bank in the Swedish banking market, maintain customer relationships through an Internet-based distribution channel. We conducted an interview with Danske Bank's Head of Channels Daniel Wahlström to collect primary data to examine and analyze the factors that are essential to maintain customer relationships in aphysical distancing from the customer. Analysis of primary data have been selected on the basis of relevant theories and perspectives that addresses customer relations, service quality, customer loyalty, customer perceived value,e-loyalty and customer relationship management. The results of this study show that the bank works successfully with customer relationships and its CRM system based on the theories in which the study is based on. Although the bankis still trying to adapt to the distancing from the physical branch office to an Internet-based channel in which the service has also developed along the customer. However, there remain some emotional challenges in a personal relationship with the customer in this channel.