Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING / Includes bibliographical references. / by Forrest T. Buzan. / M.S.

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Business. / This thesis examines the concept of differential advantage and its relevance to the formulation of marketing strategy. It compares the model of market share determination, based on the possession of differential advantages in marketing mix variables, with one based on the concept of marketing effort. The two models are examined using data on new passenger car registrations collected from Idaps and Paxus1 respectively, media spend from Bruce Tart and Associates, and later AIM Data2, car dealerships from the Telecom Yellow Pages, and car models and new passenger car prices from Wheels Magazine, for the period 1983 to 1993. The above data was corroborated, where possible, by means of authoritative sources in the motor car industry in Australia. The theory of market share determination, based on share of marketing effort is an attractive one. This thesis finds that the relationship between market share3 and share of marketing effort is positive, consistent and statistically significant. It confirms the place of marketing effort as a model of market share determination in the marketing literature. Differential advantage is an index of competitive activity that is calculated by subtracting concurrent market share from share of marketing effort. The proposition, advanced by Cook and Rothberg (1990), is that increasing amounts of differential advantage are positively related to increasing levels of market share. This thesis does not support this proposition. At an overall level of analysis, the relationship between market share and differential advantage is a negative one. Only when a subset analysis is done, for small car makers, is there a weak but statistically significant and positive relationship between market share and differential advantage. The overall negative relationship between market share and differential advantage may be explained in part by the economic uncertainty of a boom and economic recession during the period under consideration in this thesis. A further possible explanation is that the data may not have captured fully the relationship between market share and differential advantage. The data examined the relationship between market share and differential advantage with only four independent variables. A larger number of independent variables, or different ones, may have described the relationship more effectively. Such data was not available. A more fundamental conclusion that is supported by this thesis is that successful competitive strategy simply does not require share of marketing investments to be greater than concurrent market share. The place of differential advantage in the formulation of marketing strategy is questioned. This thesis supports the value of competitive marketing effort in the formulation of marketing strategy.

Thesis (M.S. in Mechanical Engineering)--Tufts University, 2000. / Title from PDF title screen. "PB2008-110256." Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-82). Also available online.

Considerando o nível de competitividade do mercado automobilístico atual, a satisfação do cliente tem se tornado uma vantagem competitiva a ser considerada, devido ao aumento da expectativa dos clientes em relação à percepção da qualidade. Neste aspecto, uma das maiores dificuldades existentes no projeto de sistemas de freio reside no fato de transformar informações e/ou opiniões subjetivas em informações e/ou dados objetivos, tais como parâmetros de projeto. O presente trabalho investiga a análise objetiva do conforto de frenagem de automóveis de passeio, estabelecendo indicadores que auxiliem e/ou complementem as análises subjetivas normalmente utilizadas pela empresa, para um estudo de caso envolvendo a mudança de material de atrito da pastilha do freio a disco de um automóvel de passeio. Foram utilizados para a análise objetiva, programas de simulação computacional para analisar o desempenho do sistema de freio com relação aos indicadores estabelecidos. Os dados obtidos através desta simulação foram comparados, tanto com os resultados da avaliação subjetiva, quanto aos resultados de medições experimentais do veículo analisado, buscando analisar a correlação dos resultados. Ao final do trabalho, da comparação realizada entre a avaliação subjetiva e a avaliação objetiva observou-se uma melhoria no conforto de frenagem aos usuários, apesar de ser imperceptível na avaliação subjetiva. Esta ferramenta será muito importante no estabelecimento da curva de conforto de frenagem ótima para os novos desenvolvimentos de sistemas de freio eletrohidráulicos, denominados “brake-by-wire" (BBW). / Considering today’s competitive automotive market, the customer satisfaction has become a competitive advantage to be considered, due to the customer expectation increasing regarding the quality perception. In this aspect, one of biggest existing difficulties in the brake system design is to transform subjective information and/or opinions into objective information and/or data, such as design parameters. The present study investigates the objective analysis of the brake pedal feeling for passenger cars, establishing index that can support and/or complement the subjective analysis, usually used by our company, for a study case involving the friction material change of passenger car’s caliper brake pad. The computational simulation program has been used for the objective analysis, to analyze the brake system performance based on established index. The obtained data through this simulation was compared with the subjective evaluation results as much as with experimental measurements results of the analyzed vehicle, analyzing the correlation of results. To the end of this study, based on the comparison between subjective evaluation and objective evaluation, it observed a brake comfort improvement for drivers, instead of this characteristic would be imperceptive in subjective evaluation. This tool will be very important in the optimum comfort curve establishment for the new developments of electro-hydraulic brake systems, called "brake-by-wire" (BBW).

此商業企劃書是為了探討從歐洲出口二手車到非洲的可行性。 / The purpose of this business plan is to determine the feasibility of a used cars business exportation from Europe to Africa for Roufai who is a friend of my half-brother Florent. In many countries, the economic development is linked to the rise of the automotive industry, which has already started in Nigeria and still be pursued under the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan. This plan aims at increasing the implication of the manufacturing industry into the Nigerian Gross Domestic Product. However, the increase in the automotive market is mostly due to cars importations (around 100,000 new and 300,000 used from the public figures, and according the official Nigerian state, it is 50,000 new and 200,000 used). And the current production is around 100,000 units of mainly buses and trucks. Therefore there is room to fill in by providing used cars in good condition at a competitive price. The aim would be to answer the growing demand of the Nigerian market first, and then expand the operation to Nigeria’s neighbours like Cameroon. The company would be in charge of the following operations: collecting used cars, checkout and eventual repairs, exporting vehicles to Africa and importing them in the giant parking of Cotonou (and eventually Lomé) before selling the vehicles to intermediary agent for the traditional channel, and exporting the cars until the final customer for the online channel. We strongly believe we can achieve our objectives by providing the whole supply chain with very few intermediaries for the online channel and offering a global solution integrating all the services to bring the cars to the giant parking resellers, with competitive prices, good vehicles quality due to excellent supply and reliable repairs, and with a great understanding and responsiveness to the demand using the web. The aim is to gain 0.3% of the Nigerian market share by 2020 and to grow thanks to both investors and banks to reach a net income of 3%.

Considerando o nível de competitividade do mercado automobilístico atual, a satisfação do cliente tem se tornado uma vantagem competitiva a ser considerada, devido ao aumento da expectativa dos clientes em relação à percepção da qualidade. Neste aspecto, uma das maiores dificuldades existentes no projeto de sistemas de freio reside no fato de transformar informações e/ou opiniões subjetivas em informações e/ou dados objetivos, tais como parâmetros de projeto. O presente trabalho investiga a análise objetiva do conforto de frenagem de automóveis de passeio, estabelecendo indicadores que auxiliem e/ou complementem as análises subjetivas normalmente utilizadas pela empresa, para um estudo de caso envolvendo a mudança de material de atrito da pastilha do freio a disco de um automóvel de passeio. Foram utilizados para a análise objetiva, programas de simulação computacional para analisar o desempenho do sistema de freio com relação aos indicadores estabelecidos. Os dados obtidos através desta simulação foram comparados, tanto com os resultados da avaliação subjetiva, quanto aos resultados de medições experimentais do veículo analisado, buscando analisar a correlação dos resultados. Ao final do trabalho, da comparação realizada entre a avaliação subjetiva e a avaliação objetiva observou-se uma melhoria no conforto de frenagem aos usuários, apesar de ser imperceptível na avaliação subjetiva. Esta ferramenta será muito importante no estabelecimento da curva de conforto de frenagem ótima para os novos desenvolvimentos de sistemas de freio eletrohidráulicos, denominados “brake-by-wire” (BBW). / Considering today’s competitive automotive market, the customer satisfaction has become a competitive advantage to be considered, due to the customer expectation increasing regarding the quality perception. In this aspect, one of biggest existing difficulties in the brake system design is to transform subjective information and/or opinions into objective information and/or data, such as design parameters. The present study investigates the objective analysis of the brake pedal feeling for passenger cars, establishing index that can support and/or complement the subjective analysis, usually used by our company, for a study case involving the friction material change of passenger car’s caliper brake pad. The computational simulation program has been used for the objective analysis, to analyze the brake system performance based on established index. The obtained data through this simulation was compared with the subjective evaluation results as much as with experimental measurements results of the analyzed vehicle, analyzing the correlation of results. To the end of this study, based on the comparison between subjective evaluation and objective evaluation, it observed a brake comfort improvement for drivers, instead of this characteristic would be imperceptive in subjective evaluation. This tool will be very important in the optimum comfort curve establishment for the new developments of electro-hydraulic brake systems, called "brake-by-wire" (BBW).

The thesis Brand audit of Mercedes-Benz in the category of premium passenger cars is concerned with the evaluation of the position of the brand Mercedes-Benz on the Czech market in comparison with its biggest competitors - BMW and Audi. This is also the main goal of the thesis. The first part of the thesis is focused on defining brand and terms that are connected with brand. Furthermore there is an explanation of brand management, more precisely positioning, marketing programs and secondary associations that are the basic tools of brand building and also introduction and explanation of brand audit. In the second part profiles of brands are assembled and brand audit of Mercedes-Benz based on results of qualitative and qualitative research is made. The conclusion consists of current brand positioning and brand management of Mercedes-Benz. This is also a secondary goal of the thesis.

No / Braking system characteristics, brake system performance and brake system component design parameters that influence brake pedal ‘feel’ in a passenger car have been studied using the simulation modelling package AMESim, in particular to model the linear and nonlinear characteristics of internal components. A passenger car hydraulic brake system simulation model incorporating the brake pedal, booster, master cylinder, brake lines and calipers has been developed to predict brake system response to assist in the design of braking systems with the desired brake pedal force / travel characteristic characteristics to create good brake pedal ‘feel’. This has highlighted the importance of system components, in particular the master cylinder and caliper seal deformation, and the operating characteristics of the booster in determining the brake pedal force / travel characteristic. The potential contribution of these 3 components to brake pedal ‘feel’ improvement has been investigated, and the results of the AMESim model have been verified using experimental measurement data. The model can be used in the future to provide an accurate prediction of brake system response at the design stage thereby saving time and cost.

FACTS - Founded in July 2008 - Meanwhile about to 250 employees. The team structure is characterized by a big number of very experienced engineers - AVL Software and Functions GmbH creates prototyping and serial solutions (software and hardware) for different applications in the fields of for example passenger cars, racing, two wheelers, light and heavy duty vehicles - AVL Software and Functions is the globally responsible competence center for software development inside theAVL group. - 100% integrated into the worldwide AVL network

The theme of the thesis is scrapping scheme, which was in the Czech Republic during years 2009 and 2010 very discussed and that was despite government meetings stretching over a year finally unloaded. The work collect a large amount of information about scrapping schemes, a state contribution on the disposal of car wrecks, mainly about its implementation in several countries, the subsequent tract and analysis of resulting impacts. Based on experience from other countries with an already undertaken scrapping programs are identified potential impacts that could have a scrapping scheme in the case of implementation in the Czech Republic in the future. The work is also examining the effectiveness of Czech government finance earmarked for scrapping scheme. The main goal of the thesis is to answer the question whether the implementation of scrapping scheme in the Czech Republic would be an appropriate anti-crisis tool.