Purpose: This study investigates the hedonic shopping values of Generation Z in the context of online second-hand fashion shopping, focusing on how environmental concerns, ethical reverence, and cost considerations influence their behaviors. This study delves into the existing research gaps by examining the complex interplay between hedonic values and pro-environmental behaviors, especially among younger consumers. Theoretical background: Background and theory highlight the increasing consumer awareness regarding the environmental impacts of fast fashion, leading to a shift towards sustainable alternatives such as second-hand shopping with low costs as a priority. The sections note that this trend is particularly pronounced among Generation Z, a demographic known for their digital nativity and strong ethical consciousness. Theoretical foundations address the high consumption of textiles and the corresponding environmental impact, underscoring the importance of promoting a circular economy in Sweden. Method: The quantitative data was collected through online surveys, which yielded 388 responses and was analyzed using SPSS. The results of all four hypotheses were accepted through Cronbach’s Alpha and Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and further analyzed through a regressionanalysis. Result & Conclusion: The results showed that all four hypotheses were accepted, with Hypothesis 3 having the weakest connection regarding the hedonic shopping value in the context of online second-hand purchases. Generation Z demonstrates an ability to prioritize ethical reasons over personal reasons and pleasure in their purchases, creating a complex paradox that influenced the conclusion and led to an updated conceptual framework where ethical reverence is no longer linked to Hypothesis 1, despite the general presence of hedonic shopping value among Generation Z. Future research is recommended to compare Generation Z with other demographic groups and conduct in-depth studies to observe how behavior changes over time within the same context.

Climate change and climate protection are issues that society must urgently address. It istherefore even more important to promote and advocate for a sustainable lifestyle. In thisscientific paper, I aim to explore approaches to make social media advertising moreeffective in reaching the sustainable values of Gen Z. Since Generation Z is particularlyopen to sustainable lifestyles, this work will reflect their perspective.To answer the research question, a qualitative methodology was employed, involvinginterviews with 13 participants born between 1995 and 2010. The analysis of the collectedempirical data shows that Gen Z places great value on sustainability, but the issue lies inthe reachability of advertising.Social media marketing strategies such as Paid Media and Content Marketing seem tohave a positive effect on the participants. A balance between content with informationand entertainment also shows potential for success, considering their short attention span.Furthermore, the analysis highlights the importance of incorporating both strong (creativeand adventurous) and weak characteristics (impatient, FOMO1, and short attention span)as well as the values they share (equality, diversity, LGBTQ+2, tolerance, andacceptance).These empirical findings should provide options and serve as inspiration for companiesthat already act sustainably and want to promote and advertise a sustainable lifestyle moreeffectively in relation to Gen Z to raise sustainable awareness.

This qualitative study explores how viral skincare content on TikTok shapes consumption among female Generation Z. In-depth interviews were conducted with females aged 18-24 to understand their engagement with skincare trends on TikTok. The study highlights TikTok’s role as a search engine for Generation Z females seeking product recommendations, particularly in skincare. It examines how TikTok influences buying behavior and purchasing decisions through algorithms, which curate personalized content that directs users towards specific categories. Influencer promotions and user-generated content on the For You page (FYP) significantly shape viewers' preferences and skincare routines. The respondents indicated a tendency to adopt and trust trends seen on TikTok, leading to increased consumption and higher demand for viral products. However, there was also concern about the platform’s addictive nature and the difficulty in distinguishing genuine recommendations from paid promotions. This research concludes that TikTok’s algorithms, together with user-generated content, have a powerful impact on Generation Z females. These insights can be strategically used by marketers to target Generation Z, emphasizing the need for authentic and genuine content to gain consumer trust. Overall, this study highlights TikTok's significant role in contemporary consumerism and contributes to understanding digital consumption patterns among Generation Z females.

Sammanfattning Titel: Hur influencer marknadsföring på TikTok påverkar gymnasieelevers köpbeteende - En kvalitativ studie Nivå: Examensarbete på grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare: Johanna Nylander Backolars och Mimmi Östergren Handledare: Alice Schmuck Datum: 2024 - Maj Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur gymnasieelevers köpbeteende påverkas av influencer marknadsföring på TikTok. Metod: I denna studie har en kvalitativ forskningsmetod använts, där det genomförts semistrukturerade intervjuer med 16 respondenter. Respondenterna är användare av TikTok och inom åldersspannet för studiens avgränsning. För att tolka den insamlade datan har en tematisk analys genomförts. Resultat och slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att gymnasieelevers köpbeteende påverkas av influencer marknadsföring på TikTok. Rekommendationer från andra konsumenter, även kallat elektronisk word-of-mouth, har visat sig ha en väsentlig inverkan på köpbeteendet. Dessutom påverkas gymnasieelevers köpbeteende undermedvetet av olika trender i sin omgivning. Trovärdighet, expertis och upplevd likhet hos influencers identifieras som viktiga faktorer i en influencers förmåga att övertyga konsumenter till att genomföra ett köp. Resultatet visar även att större influencers, makro- och meso- influencers, är mer trovärdiga informationskällor samt att de har en större övertalningsförmåga. Examensarbetets bidrag: Denna studie bidrar till en djupare förståelse för hur unga konsumenter i Generation Z på TikTok upplever influencer marknadsföring och hur det påverkar deras köpbeslut, samt hur trovärdigheten kan skilja sig mellan olika stora influencers. Förslag till vidare forskning: För att få en djupare förståelse för hur influencer marknadsföring påverkar unga konsumenter skulle ett förslag till framtida forskning vara att undersöka personer som är ännu yngre, då TikTok-användare utgörs av mycket barn och ungdomar. Det skulle även vara intressant att studera trovärdighet utifrån ett genusperspektiv, eller om influencer marknadsföringens påverkan skiljer sig mellan olika plattformar. Nyckelord: Influencer marketing, TikTok, Purchase behavior, E-word of mouth, Generation Z / Abstract Title: How influencer marketing on TikTok affects high school students' purchase behavior - A qualitative study Level: Bachelor’s degree thesis in business administration Author: Johanna Nylander Backolars and Mimmi Östergren Supervisor: Alice Schmuck Date: 2024 - May Aim: The purpose of the study is to investigate how high school students' purchasing behavior is affected by influencer marketing on TikTok. Method: In this study, a qualitative research approach was used, where semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 respondents. The respondents are users of TikTok and within the age range for the study's delineation. In order to interpret the collected data, a thematic analysis has been carried out. Results and conclusions: The study's results show that high school students' purchasing behavior is influenced by influencer marketing on TikTok. Recommendations from other consumers, also called electronic word-of-mouth, have been shown to have a significant impact on purchasing behavior. In addition, high school students' purchasing behavior is subconsciously influenced by various trends in their environment. Credibility, expertise and perceived similarity of influencers are identified as important factors in an influencer's ability to convince consumers to make a purchase. The result also shows that larger influencers, macro- and meso-influencers, are more credible sources of information and that they have a greater power of persuasion. Contribution of the thesis: This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how young consumers in Generation Z on TikTok experience influencer marketing and how it affects purchase decisions, as well as how the credibility can differ between different major influencers. Suggestions for further research: In order to gain a deeper understanding of how influencer marketing affects young consumers, a suggestion for future research would therefore be to examine people who are even younger, as TikTok users are made up of a lot of children and young people. It would also be interesting to study credibility from a gender perspective, or whether the impact of influencer marketing differs between different platforms. Keywords: Influencer marketing, TikTok, Purchase behavior, E-word of mouth, Generation Z

Today, the number of female executives in companies globally is growing, whilst in Sweden the number has decreased over the past five years. During these years, a new generation has started to establish themselves on the labor market, a generation told to have different opinions on what they are looking for in a leader. For that reason, this study aims to examine how different generations of Swedish employees within the private sector value and discuss different leadership styles and leadership behaviors. This study concluded that a stereotypical male leadership style was rated higher by both generations when shown by a male leader than a female leader. The older generation promoted a stereotypical female leadership when shown in a male leader while the younger generation thought that this showed unprofessionalism. Both generations spoke in high regard of the stereotypical female leadership when shown in a female leader. In summary this study contributes with an increased understanding on how the gender of a leader plays a great part in the assessment of their behavior.

During the years, research has been conducted both regarding employer attractiveness, extended self, and Generation Z. The theories and the concept have sometimes been examined alone and sometimes some of them together. Furthermore, the commonly used EmpAt scale has been used quantitatively several times, but the qualitative use of it is more rare. Additionally, the extended self focus has previously been on consumer brands instead of employer brands. It was found that the theories and the concept have not been brought together in the particular qualitative way the authors intended to do. The aim of this thesis was to bring the three concepts together and fill the gap in the literature. More precisely, the aim was to find a connection between employer attractiveness and extended self, and apply the connection to Gen Z.  By bringing them together, the purpose was to examine newly graduates or soon to graduate Gen Z’s perceptions on what actually makes an employer attractive and create a more nuanced understanding. Something that was examined with the help of the extended self and employer attractiveness. The literature review presents the theories and the concept that later lays the foundation for the conceptual framework. The study was deductive, and the approach was qualitative. The conceptual framework was used in order to develop the interview guide that was used for the semi structured interviews. The individuals participating in the interviews were Gen Z that had or currently were studying a degree in Business Administration or Industrial Engineering and Management.  The findingings showcased that the participants' descriptions of what an attractive employer is correlated with characteristics and traits they themselves have. Which the EmpAt dimensions does not consider. However, EA acknowledges this to an extent. Furthermore, the findings showed that there were two factors that were not considered by the EmpAt dimensions that the participants found important. These were transparency and communication. Additionally, two dimensions were found to be more important than the rest for the collective. The two most important ones were social value as well as development value. This was important since the individuals found it crucial to have a good social environment and be able to develop within the employer. The other four dimensions were not of as great importance for the collective, but some individual participants found one or another more important. Therefore, illustrating that the importance of the dimensions are based on personal preference. The findings also showed that the participants related the employer brand and social environment to their extended self. This by discussing the same or similar traits and attributes when talking about themselves and a potential employer.

Loyalty programs are something that have made an appearance in the retail industry, where the retail industries have rewards that can give loyalty for consumers to engage and create long term relationships. With the loyalty programs there is an uncertainty on how Gen Z consumers will engage and keep using these rewards. With this thesis the authors want to investigate how the Gen Z consumers can be more engaged in the loyalty rewards in the fast fashion retailers in Sweden. Where the authors will examine various aspects that will improve the engagement mechanics and rewards for the Gen Z consumers. There will also be a look at how social media influenced the Gen Z consumers on their decision making. Gen Z is targeted in this thesis because they are one of the segmentation groups that are most active in the loyalty programs and fast fashion. The empirical data was collected through individual semi structured consumer interviews, where the data was collected on how Gen Z understands and uses loyalty programs. With the data collected it will be analysed through a thematic approach where themes have been identified to understand perspectives and experiences. The collected empirical data will be analysed using theory where differences and similarities are discussed throughout the thesis.  The conclusion of this thesis has shown that in order to improve loyalty rewards and engage Gen Z consumers, fast-fashion retailers should focus more on four different factors. According to the findings, Gen Z consumers value convenience, personalization, saving money and quality when it comes to loyalty rewards. Although, while the thesis does give insights to Gen Z behaviour and factors influencing it, it does not give a complete solution to how fast-fashion retailers in Sweden should respond to this behaviour. However, this thesis does provide valuable insights for retailers in the fast-fashion sector in Sweden and how they can increase loyalty reward engagement among Gen Z consumers.

Over the last decade, loyalty programs have been emerging more and more and the demand for better offers in exchange for loyalty has been increasing given the rising prices throughout the society. With this, an evolution is required in how brands should design their loyalty programs to retain their customers as well as to attract new customers in fast fashion retailing. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate how loyalty programs can be strategically designed to strengthen brand loyalty with Gen Z by examining various aspects such as program structure, rewards and engagement mechanisms. This is because Gen Z is one of the demographic groups most active in the use of loyalty programs and fast fashion. Empirical data was obtained through individual semi-structured consumer interviews, to collect data on how Gen Z perceives and uses loyalty programs. The collected data was analyzed through a thematic approach where different themes were identified to explore experiences and perspectives. Furthermore, the collected empirical data is analyzed using theory where similarities and differences are discussed. The conclusion of this thesis showed that in order to develop brand loyalty among Gen Z using loyalty programs, developers should put a strong focus on the financial benefits included in the programs. However, many of the interviewees preferred personalized offers and rewards shaped by their personal data. The thesis did not provide specific answers on how loyalty programs should be designed, however that they should be tailored to the customer using them and that brands should make use of the customer data they collect.

På dagens arbetsmarknad står arbetsgivare inför en utmaning att anpassa sina strategier för employer branding för att attrahera unga talanger. Forskning visar på att närmare 40% av generation Z planerar att sluta på sitt jobb inom de två närmaste åren. Detta är på grund av en missnöjdhet med arbetet och arbetsplatsen där det finns en koppling till utbrändhet. På grund av en uppväxt i ett digitaliserat klimat som ständigt förändras har generation Z format nya krav på sina arbetsgivare. Generationen har en ökad efterfrågan på bland annat flexibilitet, hybridarbete, digitaliserade processer och mentorskap. Kopplat till detta har tidigare studier undersökt generationsskillnader på arbetsplatser. Dessa visar att det ofta uppstår en problematik på grund av att olika generationer inte har en grundförståelse för varandra. Eftersom generation Z är den generation som framöver kommer ta över stora delar av arbetsmarknaden, behöver affärsmodeller justeras för att möta de nya krav och förväntningar de har på sina arbetsgivare. Detta behöver arbetsgivare anpassa sig efter genom extern employer branding att attrahera generation Z till arbetsplatsen, samt med intern employer branding få dem att stanna kvar. Det blir alltså viktigt att skapa en förståelse för vad arbetsgivare idag har för tankar och strategier när det kommer till att arbeta med employer branding för generation Z. På så sätt får arbetsgivare en konkurrensfördel i kriget om nya talanger på arbetsmarknaden. Baserat på problematiken har ett forskningsgap identifierats utifrån tidigare forskning kring arbetsgivares perspektiv på vad som är ett attraktivt employer brand för generation Z. Författarna ämnar bidra med en studie som fyller detta gap, samt komma fram till vilka faktorer arbetsgivare anser generation Z finna attraktivt. Utefter detta utformades en forskningsfråga som lyder:  “Vad är ett attraktivt employer brand för generation Z enligt arbetsgivare?” Syftet med denna studie är således att undersöka vilka faktorer arbetsgivare anser behövas för att skapa ett attraktivt employer brand för att attrahera generation Z. Forskningsfrågan har besvarats genom en kvalitativ studie med ett induktivt angreppssätt. Där det har genomförts åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer av respondenter som har en chefsposition på medel till större företag i Sverige. Den insamlade datan från intervjuerna transkriberades och analyserades därefter utifrån en tematisk analys. Avslutningsvis har författarna för studien utifrån insamlad empiri konceptualiserat en sammanställd modell som beskriver vilka faktorer arbetsgivare anser vara attraktivt att jobba med gällande employer branding för generation Z. Dessa faktorer är ett flexibelt arbetssätt, ett aktivt hållbarhetsfokus, gemensamma aktiviteter kopplat till hälsa och till sist en modern och innovativ kontorsmiljö. Studien identifierar i slutsatsen vad det finns för utmaningar med respektive faktor samt vad arbetsgivare bör ta med sig från studiens resultat. Dessa fynd utvecklas då till förslag för arbetsgivare att applicera på sitt eget arbete med employer branding och därmed öka sina möjligheter för att skapa ett konkurrenskraftigt varumärke som attraherar nya talanger.

This study addresses the imperative challenge encountered by Scapa, a Swedish textile company transitioning into sustainable fashion, regarding the differentiation of sustainable fashion from fast fashion. By synthesizing data analysis, literature discussion, and theoretical underpinnings, the study develops a comprehensive strategy tailored to Scapa's needs while benefiting consumers and the sustainable fashion industry. The research questions investigate the factors contributing to differentiation and propose effective communication strategies to facilitate consumer understanding. Recommendations encompass enhancing digital presence, transparent communication, educational initiatives, and collaborative partnerships. Focused on Swedish consumers, particularly Generation Z, the study provides targeted insights into future consumption patterns and sustainability efforts. While constrained by its focus on a specific demographic and nationality, the study offers valuable contributions to promoting environmental sustainability in the textile ecosystem.