Cieľom diplomovej práce je stanoviť aké je postavenie typického poskytovateľa služieb 4PL na príklade spoločnosti Allyn International Services Inc. vo vzťahu k jej klientom a k ostatným poskytovateľom logistických služieb, a to predovšetkým v prostredí Európskej Únie.

<p><strong> </strong><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>ABSTRACT</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><em>Aim:</em> Despite the domestic and international importance of services the research about the internationalization of services it is limited. Compared to products, services differ in nature. They are intangible and heterogeneous, meaning they are usually consumed at the point of purchase and are performed, as well as perceived differently. When a service provider wants to market its offerings in culturally distant country, the local country's culture is an important factor during the process of adaptation/standardization of the service. What is acceptable in one country might not be acceptable in another. Thus, this study aims to identify how adaptation/standardization of a service in a foreign country takes place, how the problems of intangibility and heterogeneity are handled.</p><p><em> </em></p><p><em>Method: </em>This study presents the single case of the Swedish medical systems company Elekta and its efforts to market its Gamma Knife Technology, a neurosurgical method, to Brazil. It is based on secondary data, in form of topic related books, scientific articles and internet sources, only. For gathering primary data, an exploratory research design was chosen to conduct a qualitative research. Structured interviews were chosen to acquire data since they are particularly helpful when dealing with complex issues. The interviews were sent in form of email questionnaires to a contact person at Elekta's head quarter in Sweden, as well as the Swedish/Brazilian co-operation. However, both interviewees did not respond contrary to prior agreements.</p><p><em> </em></p><p><em>Result & conclusion:</em> The analysis of the findings revealed that, according to Hofstede's  Five Cultural Dimensions both countries differ greatly in culture. Whilst some service characteristics are likely to be fully or mainly standardized, others will have to be adapted in order to fit the local culture. The service itself, as well as the service's process, its people involved and its physical evidence offer great potential for standardization, whereas pricing and promotion tend to be affected strongly by income and language and thus, is likely to require adaptation. Clearly, the local culture plays an important role during the process of adaptation/standardization. Cultural adaption can make service offering more tangible by reducing the gap of misunderstanding. Service providers should standardise service offerings, ideas, values and beliefs connected to the quality of a service and adapt factors related to the market. Standardisation and adaptation can both be implemented successfully in the market. A balanced combination makes services more homogenous and tangible.</p><p><em>Suggestion for further research: </em>There is limited research available concerning the internationalization of services, with special regards to the process of adaptation /standardization. This study is based only on a single case, without primary research. Further research in Trust and Networking is required to complete the model. Furthermore, lacking primary sources from both companies, further research regarding of how both companies are providing services are required.</p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Contribution of the thesis:</em> This work seeks to make a contribution towards a clearer understanding of international services marketing and the process of adaptation/standardization of services. It emphasizes on the importance of culture during the process of adaptation/standardization with regards to the intangibility and heterogeneity of services. It is based on previous research conduct by Hyder & Fregidou-Malama (2007) focusing on the adaptation/standardization of Elekta's services in Egypt.</p><p><em>Key words:</em> International services marketing, service, adaptation, standardization, culture, intangibility and heterogeneity</p><p> </p>

ABSTRACT   Aim: Despite the domestic and international importance of services the research about the internationalization of services it is limited. Compared to products, services differ in nature. They are intangible and heterogeneous, meaning they are usually consumed at the point of purchase and are performed, as well as perceived differently. When a service provider wants to market its offerings in culturally distant country, the local country's culture is an important factor during the process of adaptation/standardization of the service. What is acceptable in one country might not be acceptable in another. Thus, this study aims to identify how adaptation/standardization of a service in a foreign country takes place, how the problems of intangibility and heterogeneity are handled.   Method: This study presents the single case of the Swedish medical systems company Elekta and its efforts to market its Gamma Knife Technology, a neurosurgical method, to Brazil. It is based on secondary data, in form of topic related books, scientific articles and internet sources, only. For gathering primary data, an exploratory research design was chosen to conduct a qualitative research. Structured interviews were chosen to acquire data since they are particularly helpful when dealing with complex issues. The interviews were sent in form of email questionnaires to a contact person at Elekta's head quarter in Sweden, as well as the Swedish/Brazilian co-operation. However, both interviewees did not respond contrary to prior agreements.   Result &amp; conclusion: The analysis of the findings revealed that, according to Hofstede's  Five Cultural Dimensions both countries differ greatly in culture. Whilst some service characteristics are likely to be fully or mainly standardized, others will have to be adapted in order to fit the local culture. The service itself, as well as the service's process, its people involved and its physical evidence offer great potential for standardization, whereas pricing and promotion tend to be affected strongly by income and language and thus, is likely to require adaptation. Clearly, the local culture plays an important role during the process of adaptation/standardization. Cultural adaption can make service offering more tangible by reducing the gap of misunderstanding. Service providers should standardise service offerings, ideas, values and beliefs connected to the quality of a service and adapt factors related to the market. Standardisation and adaptation can both be implemented successfully in the market. A balanced combination makes services more homogenous and tangible. Suggestion for further research: There is limited research available concerning the internationalization of services, with special regards to the process of adaptation /standardization. This study is based only on a single case, without primary research. Further research in Trust and Networking is required to complete the model. Furthermore, lacking primary sources from both companies, further research regarding of how both companies are providing services are required. Contribution of the thesis: This work seeks to make a contribution towards a clearer understanding of international services marketing and the process of adaptation/standardization of services. It emphasizes on the importance of culture during the process of adaptation/standardization with regards to the intangibility and heterogeneity of services. It is based on previous research conduct by Hyder &amp; Fregidou-Malama (2007) focusing on the adaptation/standardization of Elekta's services in Egypt. Key words: International services marketing, service, adaptation, standardization, culture, intangibility and heterogeneity

Title: Trust development: a marketing strategy in the Internationalization of Healthcare Services.The case of Elekta in Spain Level: Master Thesis in Business Administration Author: Sara Arrese and Wang Liao Supervisor: Maria Fregidou-Malama Examiner: Akmal Hyder Date: 2014-10-02 Aim: The aim of this research is to examine how trust developing affects International Healthcare Services marketing while settling down into a new country. Our study is applied to Elekta in Spain. Method: In order to carry out this research, qualitative data is used, a single case study is applied, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were carried out to collect the needed primary data. Result and Conclusions: In the case of Elekta Spain, the trust development between suppliers and customer took place during the entire relationship. In addition, the trust level at company level and individual level were found to be the most significant leaving aside the country level as there were different opinions between customers (which did not find it a deciding factor) and Elekta. Hence, for the marketing strategy, standardization and adaptations can improve trust development. Suggestions for future research: Generalization cannot be made after this research as a single case study in one country has been the subject for investigation. Consequently, future research of other service industries and countries could expand this study. Contribution of the thesis: This thesis offers a new theoretical framework of trust development in the Spanish Healthcare Industry. This framework not only can be adapted to further study of other countries, but also can be adapted to further study of other service industries.

Abstract Title: Services Marketing in a Cross-Cultural Environment: Elekta in Germany Level: Master Thesis in Business Administration Author: Katrina Dietrich &amp; Giorgos Angelakis Supervisor: Maria Fregidou-Malama Examiner: Akmal Hyder Date: 2014-January   Aim: This study aims to examine how culture, trust, network and standardization/adaption are applied within the Service Marketing of Elekta in Germany and if they overcome the characteristics of Services within a culturally different environment.   Method: The research uses qualitative data, applies a single case study, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect primary data.   Result &amp; Conclusions: The applied model shows that Elekta uses a balance between adaptation and standardization as well as applies trust and network under awareness and use of the German culture. These factors are used in combination and are influencing each other in order to create a homogeneous and tangible service.   Suggestions for future research: The case study indicates that one company is subject of the study in one country, hence generalization cannot be achieved. Therefore future research of other countries and other service industries can extend this research.   Contribution of the thesis: This research stresses the importance of culture, adaptation/ standardisation and trust and networks in cross-cultural services marketing of Elekta. It shows how heterogeneity and intangibility are influenced by the variable trust, network, adaptation/ standardization and culture.

Sales is the foundation for all commercial business and companies that have the best sales process in conjunction with efficient deliveries will do well in the long run. The author of this report was tasked by the Organisation in South Africa to study new/alternative ways of attracting Swedish companies to South Africa and sell the services of the Organisation to these same companies (defined as the sales process in this report) by analysing how similar international service companies do the same. A benchmarking process has been conducted with four similar service organizations in South Africa to examine how these companies work in comparison to the Organization. Surveys have been used for purposes of this study, as the methodology is well suited to provide the author a view on the opinions, perceptions and experiences of the respondents. The project aimed to develop new methods to attract Swedish companies to South Africa or improve and streamline the existing methods. The aim was also to develop new ways to sell the organization's services to Swedish companies. The study concludes that there is little focus on marketing of services within the Organisation. Focus seems to lie more on general customer calls. In addition there is often a lack of clarity regarding customer requirements and needs reducing the ability of the Organisation to match companies with specific opportunities on the South African market. Furthermore, the segmentation can be improved. This report concludes with a number of practical recommendations, which should be implemented immediately in order to improve the sales process short term. The Organisation is, among other things, recommended to improve marketing of opportunities to Swedish companies in order to reach a point where the Organisation has a long term focus to increase the number of potential customers that contacts the Organisation by their own initiative. The author of this report does however,  recommend that the Organisation start a long-term process of restructuring marketing within the Organisation. Furthermore, segmentation should be reconsidered to ensure that the Organisation can identify opportunities and relay these to the right type of existing customers, alternatively to new customers. / Försäljning utgör grunden i alla kommersiella företag och det företag som på bästa sätt sköter sin försäljning tillsammans med leveransen av varan eller tjänsten kommer att vinna i längden. Författaren har fått i uppdrag av Organisationen i Sydafrika att undersöka nya/alternativa sätt för att attrahera svenska företag till Sydafrika och sälja Organisationens tjänster till dessa företag (definierat som säljprocessen i denna undersökning) genom att analysera hur liknande internationella tjänsteföretag i Sydafrika gör. En processjämförelse har därför genomförts med fyra liknande tjänsteföretag i Sydafrika för att undersöka hur dessa företag arbetar i jämförelse med Organisationen. I denna undersökning har metoden surveyundersökning använts. Intervjuer lämpade sig bra då författaren får en insikt i respondentens åsikter, uppfattningar och erfarenheter. Syftet med projektet var att utveckla nya metoder för att attrahera svenska företag till Sydafrika alternativt förbättra och effektivisera den existerande metoder. Syftet var även att utveckla nya sätt att sälja Organisationens tjänster till de svenska företagen. Undersökningen konstaterade att organisationen arbetar väldigt lite med marknadsföring av sina tjänster och förlitar sig mer på generella kundsamtal. Det är dessutom ofta oklart vad det är kunderna efterfrågar vilket innebär att Organisationen har begränsad kapacitet att matcha företag med specifika möjligheter på den Sydafrikanska marknaden. Vidare kan segmenteringen inom Organisationen förbättras. Denna rapport avslutas med ett antal praktiska rekommendationer som bör implementeras med omedelbar verkan för att på kort sikt förbättra säljprocessen. Organisationen rekommenderas bl.a. att förbättra arbetet med att marknadsföra affärsmöjligheter till de svenska företagen för att komma till ett läge där Organisationen försöker arbeta långsiktigt och öka antalet potentiella kunder som själva kontaktar organisationen. Författaren rekommenderar dock att Organisationen påbörjar ett arbete med att på längre sikt omstrukturera marknadsföringen inom Organisationen. Vidare bör man även se över segmenteringen för att försäkra sig om att Organisationen kan identifiera möjligheter och förmedla dessa till rätt typ av existerande kunder, alternativt till nya kunder.