Over the last two decades there has been a tremendous increase in collaboration among competing firms. A significant number of these collaborations are international. This thesis explores the incentives and welfare consequences of collaboration in the context of international trade. We consider two types of cross-border collaborations. The first is collaboration by sharing a part of firms' value creating activities, such as technology development, product design and distribution. This saves on production costs but reduces product distinctiveness. Firms collaborate if and only if the reduction in product distinctiveness is lower than a threshold level. We find that the threshold increases with an increase in trade costs. That is, an increase in trade costs makes collaboration more likely. Higher trade cost lowers competition, which in turn enables the firms to save on fixed costs while forgoing some product distinctiveness. Furthermore, we demonstrate that contrary to standard intuition, higher trade cost could enhance consumers' welfare by inducing competitors to collaborate. We extend our model to endogenise location choice by the firms where collaboration requires co-location (due to the benefit of local spillovers or joint investment in key infrastructures). Unlike the original model, we find that an increase in trade costs can discourage collaboration. In both circumstances, we find that an increase in trade cost can improve consumer surplus. The second type of collaboration considered in this thesis is licensing. We extend the standard licensing literature to an environment where firms compete in the domestic as well as foreign market. We examine how trade cost affects the licensing decision as well as the optimal payment mechanism. We find that an increase in trade costs reduces the possibility of licensing. Concerning the payment mechanism, we find that (i) either royalty or (ii) a two-part tariff (involving a fixed fee as well as royalty payments) is optimal. An increase in trade costs reduces the likelihood of royalty only being the optimal payment mechanism.

The aim of this study is to make a theoretical contribution vis-à-vis the main determinants of international student identification with a middle ranking business school corporate brand. The findings of this study are of foundational significance in theory building terms. A substantive theory of international postgraduate student identification in UK middle ranking business school corporate brands is introduced. This theory was found to be underpinned by five attractiveness dimensions: brand similarity, brand distinctiveness, association with a metropolitan city brand, country brand and university physical campus. The findings showed that brand similarity, brand distinctiveness, association with a metropolitan city brand, country brand and university physical campus are the main corporate brand identification dimensions of international postgraduate students – in terms of attractiveness – of a middle ranked business school (Brunel Business School). Whilst the tuition fees were a constituent part of the initial theoretical framework, this variable was not shown to have a significant effect on middle ranking business school corporate brand attractiveness. The findings also showed that brand distinctiveness and the country brand had a direct positive effect on international postgraduate student identification. Moreover, brand similarity, brand distinctiveness, metropolitan city brand, country brand and university physical campus affect international postgraduate student identification indirectly through the mediating effect of middle ranking business school corporate brand attractiveness. Whereas the effects of brand distinctiveness and country brand on international postgraduate student identification are partially mediated, and the effect of metropolitan city brand is fully mediated, tuition fees have an inverse, unmediated effect on international postgraduate student identification. A test of alternative moderating effect showed that the effects of brand similarity, brand distinctiveness, association with a metropolitan city brand, country brand, university physical campus and tuition fees on international student corporate brand identification were not moderated by the effect of middle ranking business school corporate brand attractiveness. This study – focusing on a middle ranking business school corporate brand, internationalisation/international marketing– appears to be the first of its kind. It is one of the first attempts to provide a theoretical undertaking regarding the main determinants of international student identification with a middle ranking business school corporate brand. The instrumental contributions of this study stress the efficacy of business school managers in focusing on corporate brand building and corporate brand communication activities. Whilst the statistical generalisability of the findings generated from a single case study is limited, the insights are analytically generalisable.

The Distinctive Function of Trademark Abstract The main aim of this thesis is to define the trademark, the functions it performs, and thoroughly analyse the distinctive function, especially its manifestations in law and decision- making practice. In addition to scientific literature, it is based on decisions of the Industrial Property Office, EUIPO and the Court of Justice of the European Union in particular. The introductory part is devoted to the trademark as a right to a sign, focusing on its history, definition and basic principles. In order to better understand trademark law, it also briefly defines other rights to signs. The second chapter deals with the various functions of the trademark, namely the distinctive, prohibitive, competitive, assuring and promotional functions. The third part is focused on distinctive character, especially its relation to distinctive function and the difference between inherent and acquired distinctive character. It also categorizes signs according to the degree of distinctive character and analyzes the impact of use on the distinctive character of a trademark, namely enhanced distinctiveness, good reputation and general renown, and their demonstration in opposition proceedings. The fourth chapter deals with the legal regulation of refusal to register a trademark due to...

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The use of social robots is often seen as a solution for handling future challenges such as caring for a growing population of elderly people. However, previous research has shown that robots can be perceived as threatening and for a successful implementation of robots in society we are dependent on the public’s acceptance of the technology. This thesis investigates whether transparency about robots’ lack of human-like psychological capabilities can reduce the perceived damage of robots on humans and human identity (henceforth “perceived damage”), and whether the effect of such transparency is moderated by the human-like appearance of the robot. Ninety-two study participants, randomly assigned to either a transparent or neutral condition, were presented with pictures and descriptions of four robots that varied in human-likeness. The capabilities of the robots were differently described in the two conditions, using either non-psychological (e.g., “programmed responses”) or psychological terminology (e.g., “respond in natural manner”). Participants subsequently filled in a scale measuring perceived damage. The results showed that the transparent condition was associated with lower perceived damage than the non-transparent condition for the most human-like robot. There was no significant interaction effect between transparency and human-like appearance. The findings suggest that transparency about robots' lack of human-like psychological capabilities can have a positive effect on perceived damage when the robot has a very human-like appearance. However, further research is needed to investigate whether transparency reduces perceived damage in real-world interactions with robots.

Personas är något som används av företag idag inom en mängd branscher och däribland modebranschen. Det används för att skapa en bild av sin kund och rikta sig mot en tydlig målgrupp. Tidigare forskning talar emot att utveckla personas internt inom företag och denna studie har genom en fallstudie, på ett klädföretag som gjort det, undersökt om det går att utveckla personas internt utan extern kundinformation. Modebranschen karaktäriseras av snabba förändringar och befinner sig därmed på en dynamisk marknad. Teorin om optimal distinctiveness menar på att företag på dynamiska marknader behöver anpassa sig till omvärlden för att vara optimalt distinkta, det vill säga att vara distinkta för att sticka ut från sina konkurrenter men uppnå konformitet för att inte bli irrelevanta för det segmentet. Idéen om dessa motstridiga krafter har undersökts för att studera om teorin optimal distinctiveness skulle kunna appliceras på personametoden för att utveckla den, detta genom modellen Optimal Distinct Persona. Fallstudien har genomförts med hjälp av intern information från Företag X, en kvantitativ enkät som genomförts i Företag Xs butiker samt två kvalitativa fokusgrupper. Resultatet från denna fallstudie visade att det går att utveckla personas internt inom företag även fast inte alla kunder stämmer in på samtliga attribut i personabeskrivningen. Resultaten visade även att teorin optimal distinctiveness skulle vara behjälplig för att utveckla personametoden då den i dagsläget kan innebära vissa problem. Modellen Optimal Distinct Persona kan minimera dessa problem genom att använda teorin optimal distinctiveness vid utvecklingen av attribut till personabeskrivningen men även genom att konstant anpassa attributen till omvärlden och kundernas ändrade preferenser. / Personas is something that is used by companies today in a number of industries, including the fashion industry. It is used to create an image of its customer and aim at a clear target group. Previous research speaks against developing personas internally within companies and this study has through a case study, at a clothing company that has done so, investigated whether it is possible to develop personas internally without external customer information. The fashion industry is characterized by rapid changes and is thus in a dynamic market. The theory of optimal distinctiveness means that companies in dynamic markets need to adapt to the outside world in order to be optimally distinct, that is to be distinct in order to stand out from their competitors but achieve conformity in order to not become irrelevant to their segment. The idea of ??these contradictory forces has been investigated to study whether the theory of optimal distinctiveness could be applied to the persona method to develop it, this through the model Optimal Distinct Persona. The case study was conducted using internal information from Company X, a quantitative survey conducted in Company X's stores and two qualitative focus groups. The results from this case study showed that it is possible to develop personas internally within companies even though not all customers match on all attributes in the person description. The results also showed that the theory of optimal distinctiveness would be helpful in developing the persona method as it currently involves certain problems. The Optimal Distinct Persona model can minimize these problems by using the theory of optimal distinctiveness in the development of attributes to the persona description but also by constantly adapting the attributes to the outside world and customers' changing preferences.

(Eng) The submitted master's thesis discusses non-conventional signs and trade marks, which have grown in significance, especially from the perspective of marketing, traders and law, as was demonstrated by the recent amendments of the European trade mark law. The main aim of this thesis is to identify the particularities of non-conventional signs and obstacles to their registration from the perspective of the selected jurisdictions and consequently, to evaluate the reasons and justifications of the countries' approach. After a historical overview of trade mark functions and the development of law in the studied jurisdictions, the thesis is concerned with outlining the theoretical legal basis of trade mark protection in the European Union, Canada, Australia and the United States of America. The main focus of the thesis lies in the specific effects of the law on the individual types of non-conventional signs and trade marks, with a particular emphasis on the decisions of offices and courts, especially the Court of Justice of the European Union. The analysis includes sounds, scents, shapes and colours, as well as motion marks, holograms, position marks and tactile signs. The main part of the thesis is subdivided into several sections in order to grasp the particularities and singularities of each type...

La thèse vise à définir le rôle de l'usage non seulement dans l'obtention du droit de marque par l'enregistrement, mais aussi, d'examiner le rôle de l'usage dans l'étendue de la protection des marques. Cet examen conduira donc à faire une distinction entre, d'une part, l’usage de la marque par le titulaire lui-même, ce qui concerne donc l’existence du droit de marque (première partie), et d'autre part, l'usage de la marque par des tiers, ce qui concerne l'exercice du droit de marque (deuxième partie). La première partie sera elle-même divisée en deux titres. Dans le premier titre, on examinera le rôle de l’usage sur l’existence du droit de marque, dans le deuxième titre, on examinera comment démontrer les effets de l’usage. La deuxième partie, sera, elle aussi, divisée en deux titres : le premier titre est consacré à l'usage qui provoque la confusion entre les signes, autrement dit la contrefaçon au sens strict, et le second titre est consacrée à l'usage qui entraîne un lien entre les signes, et constitue la contrefaçon au sens large. / The thesis aims at defining the role of the use not only in obtaining the right of mark by the registration, but also, to examine the role of the use in the scope of the protection of the marks.This examination will therefore lead to a distinction between, on the one hand, the use of the mark by the proprietor himself, which therefore concerns the existence of the trademark right (part one), and, on the other hand, the use of the mark by third parties, concerning the exercise of the trademark right (part two). The first part will be divided into two titles. In the first title, we will examine the role of the use on the existence of the right of mark, in the second title, we will examine how to demonstrate the effects of the use. The second part, will also be divided into two titles: the first title is devoted to the use that causes the confusion between the signs,in other words the infringement in the strict sense, and the second title is dedicated to the use which causes a link between signs, and constitutes infringement in the broad sense.

Work ethic has been offered as a predictor explaining key work outcomes for over a century. However, key questions remain about the antecedents and outcomes of work ethic, as well as its distinction from other variables. This symposium includes 4 empirical studies addressing these issues, advancing work ethic research in organizations.