The submitted thesis analyses purchasing behaviour of consumers in holiday planning for the year 2016. The thesis is divided into six chapters. The first chapters focus on explanation of the purpose of the thesis, a hypothesis definition and methodological workflow, and important theoretical terms. In order to fulfil the purpose of the thesis, a questionnaire survey, interpretation of its results, data analysis, and hypothesis evaluation were carried out. Based on the questionnaire survey results, consumer segments in the holiday market were determined using following categories - gender, age, the highest level of education achieved and an average household monthly net income. For all determined segments, trends in purchasing behaviour were then identified resulting in recommendation for business entities offering holiday packages.

Due to the adverse environmental impacts today’s clothing consumption behaviour is causing, it is necessary to accelerate the awareness of sustainable fashion among consumers. Fashion companies are facing difficulties, as sustainable consumption has not yet made an impact on consumers’ fashion purchasing decision. To accelerate the sales of newly produced sustainable fashion, the willingness to purchase has to increase. This study suggests that it through different factors is possible to influence consumers’ rational behaviour. It examines the gap between Swedish fashion consumers’ willingness to purchase sustainable fashion and their actual actions from data collected through focus groups. The difficulty to recognize sustainable fashion, as well as the limitations of product options, appealing aesthetic and design explains the emerged gaps. Consumers are also requiring a modified usage of the concept as sustainability today is used without a consistent meaning. Findings indicate that fashion consumers’ demands sustainable fashion with appealing design, high quality as well as varied product options. It also showed a request for a standardized, simple and easily accessible label, representing the idea of sustainability equally without any room for interpretation. A standardized label symbolized with a consistent meaning could also be apart of the development of making sustainability a sustained trend - making sustainability the ‘new black’. / Dagens klädkonsumtion innebär en negativ miljöpåverkan som kräver nödvändiga åtgärder såsom att öka medvetenheten av hållbart mode bland konsumenter. Eftersom hållbarkonsumtion hittills inte har någon större inverkan på modekonsumenter i deras köpbeslut står modeföretagen inför en utmaning. För att öka försäljningen av nyproducerat hållbart mode måste viljan att handla hållbara plagg öka. Denna studie föreslår att det genom olika faktorer är möjligt att påverka konsumenters rationella beteende. Den undersöker vad som påverkar gapet mellan svenska modekonsumterns vilja att konsumera och deras faktiska ageranden genom två fokusgruppsintervjuer. Svårigheter att identifiera hållbart mode, likväl som begränsningen av utbudet, tilltalande estetik och design förklarar hur gapen uppstått. Konsumenter efterfrågar dessutom en förändrad användning av begreppet hållbarhet eftersom det idag används utan en konsekvent innebörd. Resultatet i studien visar på att modekonsumenter kräver hållbart mode som har en tilltalande design, god kvalité liksom ett större utbud. Den visar också på att de efterfrågar en enkel, lättillgänglig och standardiserad märkning som bör användas av alla modeföretag och som tydligt förklarar innebörden av hållbarhet utan att ge rum för tolkning av begreppet. En standardiserad märkning kan också bli en del av en ihållande trend som gör hållbarhet till det nya svarta.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate consumers’ willingness to act socially responsible in their online fashion purchasing behaviour. Three frameworks; Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Socially Responsible Consumer Behaviour (SRCB) and Consumer Social Responsibility (CNSR), constitute a foundation and have been combined in a conceptual framework. The research approach used is a qualitative research approach, and the empirical data was gathered in two semi-structured focus-groups with five and six participants. The participants were recruited by a convivence sampling method, with purposive sampling characteristics. The findings indicate that factors that influenced consumers’ willingness to act socially responsible was price, convenience, and time. Moreover, the findings show that SRCB is seen as a process, and that consumers’ stage in the process influence their willingness to act socially responsible. Lastly, it is shown that the TPB and SRCB must be considered before consumers can act socially responsible. This since consumers who have positive attitudes towards responsible actions, are susceptible to information of social and environmental issues related to their behaviour. These consumers can create enough awareness to take social- and environmental responsibility for their actions. Responsible consumers also aim to influence other consumers to take a greater responsibility. The findings of this study have contributed to further understanding within the research area of responsible consumers. Since the conceptual framework consider consumer behaviour in combination with their areas of awareness and responsibilities, this study contributes to deeper understanding of why consumers act socially responsible or not.

<p>Hur resonerar potentiella kunder kring inköp av produkten som ens företag tillhandahåller? En av de främsta frågorna hos en marknadsförare, men också en fråga som är aktuell i vår marknadsekonomi i stort. Konsumentbeteende är därför ett givet fält inom företagsekonomin. Men hur går det till när konsumenten är ett företag? Vilka aspekter är viktiga och varför? Vilka marknadsföringsinsatser bör genomföras utifrån denna adderade förståelse? Det är utgångspunkten för denna uppsats. För att kunna svara på dessa frågor har en ny konsumentbeteendemodell utarbetats, vilket skett utifrån befintliga teorier inom konsumentbeteende och då särskilt den så kallade svarta lådan-modellen. Målet med modellen är att kasta ljus över relevanta aspekter och processer som beaktas och gås igenom i samband med inköp inom ett företag.</p><p>Studien avser inköp av kaffemaskiner avgränsat till potentiella kunder för kaffe- och kaffemaskinleverantören Premium Coffee och dess produkt Nespresso, med betoning på större företag i Stockholmsområdet. Informationsinsamlingen har skett med hjälp av enkäter per mail.</p><p>Utifrån vår empiri och analys av denna har vi gjort antagandet att priset är den absolut mest styrande faktorn för gruppen. Det verkar dock som om man kan tänka sig att betala mer om detta ”mer” är konkret och efterfrågat. Hit verkar inte en godare smak och möjligheter till varumärkesbyggande finnas utan snarare värden som miljövänlighet, kvalité och hållbarhet. Vidare kan vi också anta att inköp nästan alltid sker via anbud.</p><p>Utifrån detta kan man dra slutsatser kring vilka insatser som skulle kunna genomföras. Hit hör att berättiga sitt ändå högre pris, men också utforma ett bättre svar på miljöfrågorna och en uppväxling av positioneringsaktiviteterna.</p> / <p>How do potential customers reason concerning the purchase of a product supplied? This is one of the main issues for a marketer, but also an issue that is current in our market economy at large. Consumer behaviour is a given field of business economy. But how does this work when the consumer is a company? What marketing efforts should be implemented based on these new findings? This is the starting point of this essay. To answer these questions, a new consumer model, has therefore, been developed, which is based on existing theories of consumer behaviour and in particular the so-called black box model. The goal of the model is to shed light on the relevant aspects and processes that are reviewed and considered in connection to the purchase of an enterprise.</p><p>The study relates to the purchase of coffee machines to the limited prospects for the coffee and coffee machine supplier Coffee Premium, with an emphasis on large companies in the Stockholm region. Information has been collected using questionnaires by mail.</p><p>Based on our empirical data, we can assume that price is the absolutely most governing factor for the group. They are however willing to pay for more if this "more" is defined and demanded. It does not seem as a better taste and the ability to strengthen the brand are aspects considered as such but rather aspects as quality and durability. Furthermore, we can also assume that the purchase is almost always done through tenders.</p><p>Based on this we are able to draw a number of conclusions about what actions that could be implemented. These include, for example, to review the pricing, combined with the aim to justify the higher prices, but also design a better response to environmental issues and an up shift of positioning activities.</p>

Hur resonerar potentiella kunder kring inköp av produkten som ens företag tillhandahåller? En av de främsta frågorna hos en marknadsförare, men också en fråga som är aktuell i vår marknadsekonomi i stort. Konsumentbeteende är därför ett givet fält inom företagsekonomin. Men hur går det till när konsumenten är ett företag? Vilka aspekter är viktiga och varför? Vilka marknadsföringsinsatser bör genomföras utifrån denna adderade förståelse? Det är utgångspunkten för denna uppsats. För att kunna svara på dessa frågor har en ny konsumentbeteendemodell utarbetats, vilket skett utifrån befintliga teorier inom konsumentbeteende och då särskilt den så kallade svarta lådan-modellen. Målet med modellen är att kasta ljus över relevanta aspekter och processer som beaktas och gås igenom i samband med inköp inom ett företag. Studien avser inköp av kaffemaskiner avgränsat till potentiella kunder för kaffe- och kaffemaskinleverantören Premium Coffee och dess produkt Nespresso, med betoning på större företag i Stockholmsområdet. Informationsinsamlingen har skett med hjälp av enkäter per mail. Utifrån vår empiri och analys av denna har vi gjort antagandet att priset är den absolut mest styrande faktorn för gruppen. Det verkar dock som om man kan tänka sig att betala mer om detta ”mer” är konkret och efterfrågat. Hit verkar inte en godare smak och möjligheter till varumärkesbyggande finnas utan snarare värden som miljövänlighet, kvalité och hållbarhet. Vidare kan vi också anta att inköp nästan alltid sker via anbud. Utifrån detta kan man dra slutsatser kring vilka insatser som skulle kunna genomföras. Hit hör att berättiga sitt ändå högre pris, men också utforma ett bättre svar på miljöfrågorna och en uppväxling av positioneringsaktiviteterna. / How do potential customers reason concerning the purchase of a product supplied? This is one of the main issues for a marketer, but also an issue that is current in our market economy at large. Consumer behaviour is a given field of business economy. But how does this work when the consumer is a company? What marketing efforts should be implemented based on these new findings? This is the starting point of this essay. To answer these questions, a new consumer model, has therefore, been developed, which is based on existing theories of consumer behaviour and in particular the so-called black box model. The goal of the model is to shed light on the relevant aspects and processes that are reviewed and considered in connection to the purchase of an enterprise. The study relates to the purchase of coffee machines to the limited prospects for the coffee and coffee machine supplier Coffee Premium, with an emphasis on large companies in the Stockholm region. Information has been collected using questionnaires by mail. Based on our empirical data, we can assume that price is the absolutely most governing factor for the group. They are however willing to pay for more if this "more" is defined and demanded. It does not seem as a better taste and the ability to strengthen the brand are aspects considered as such but rather aspects as quality and durability. Furthermore, we can also assume that the purchase is almost always done through tenders. Based on this we are able to draw a number of conclusions about what actions that could be implemented. These include, for example, to review the pricing, combined with the aim to justify the higher prices, but also design a better response to environmental issues and an up shift of positioning activities.

Digitalization is an important aspect for future growth of all organizations, and especially in times like the past year where most of the world has been faced with covid-restrictions and lockdown. Dermarome is a leading skincare and beauty distributor and are currently in the process of launching a new B2B website and web-shop. The aim of this research is to provide an answer to the following interrelated research questions:   1. How do the management of Dermarome decide on their investments in the business- to- business IT infrastructure?    2. How will the launch of the business- to- business website affect the purchasing behaviour of the business- to- business customers?    To answer these research questions a qualitative study has been made and the top management at Dermarome has been interviewed for this purpose. 5 interviewees were selected based on their knowledge and experience. All interviews that participated in this research were anonymous.    The result of this thesis is divided up into two parts, firstly, it describes how Dermarome has used the Payback rule and SWOT in order to make a decision regarding the investment in the B2B website. Secondly, it describes how Dermarome believes the saloon and spa customers purchasing behaviour will change due to this website, as it will lead to an increase in Dermarome’s sales.

The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual integrated online visual merchandising framework containing online visual merchandising themes that South African apparel e-tailers could use when developing an effective apparel e-store, with the main aim of possibly influencing consumer purchasing behaviour. The study adopted a consumer-centred response approach to online visual merchandising in an attempt to holistically consider this area of the South African e-tail industry from the consumer’s perspective. The study followed a pragmatic paradigm that implemented a mixed-method approach. The qualitative section of the mixed-method approach primarily comprised four focus group interviews as the main data-collection instrument. The data obtained during the qualitative section was analysed by Tesch’s inductive descriptive coding technique, better known as thematic analysis. The findings obtained during the qualitative section were used as the basis for the quantitative section of the mixed-method approach, which implemented a self-administered web-based questionnaire as the data-collection instrument. The data was analysed by means of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23. The findings of the study delivered a conceptual integrated online visual merchandising framework that consists of 13 themes and 82 items. This conceptual integrated online visual merchandising framework will contribute to the South African apparel retail and e-tail industry, as both apparel brick-and-mortar retailers and apparel e-tailers in South Africa can benefit from using the conceptual integrated framework as a guideline. The value of the conceptual integrated framework lies in the fact that it includes consumers’ views regarding the online visual merchandising themes. Therefore, apparel e-tailers, as well as brick-and-mortar retailers that want to develop an e-store, or update an existing e-store, can use this conceptual integrated framework as a guideline to make their online offering as attractive as possible. This way involves the least possible online risks to ensure that online trust is created, and ultimately, that consumer purchasing behaviour has been influenced. / Business Management / D. Phil. (Management Studies)

Consumer culture of social classes in terms of food purchasing and consumption habits Monika Novotná Abstract This work deals with historical and sociological view on the issue of grocery obtaining and consumption between the end of World War II to the present. Grocery obtaining and consumption is understood as a symbolic expression of social status in society. The work is divided into two parts. Theoretical-historical part examines how food consumption is linked to changes of social stratification. Research part of thesis builds on the theme of food consumption by examining the shopping habits in relation to social class. The main question of theoretical-historical part is whether and how food consumption, relates to social differentiation. Trend of convergence of differences in consumption and rate of consumption stratification of social classes are monitored in time series in two eras - the communist period and the period after 1989. For both periods, a secondary analysis of historical data on the consumption of specific types of food that aims to detect differences or similar trends between social classes. While in the period of communism different social strata tend to convergence their consumption, with the exception of the cooperative farmers, whose consumption is influenced by self-supplying, after...