Many intimate relationships do not survive the process of working through issues to do with incest. However, some relationships do well despite these upheavals. Therefore the focus of the current study was on how lasting marriages manage to construct emotional safety in order to maintain emotional intimacy. The relationship issues of marriages where one partner is a survivor of incest have not been widely researched. Yet it is in the survivor's relationship where many issues arising from the incest may be played out. Literature in the survivor area focuses on the need for safety and support. Therefore, models of couple counselling may need to include these issues in their notions of healing within the process of counselling. This study was conducted using qualitative research methods. Focus groups were a primary source of data. The study examined the construction of safety in longterm intact marriages of incest survivors. This examination looked at the three-stage model of counselling for trauma proposed by Judith Herman, and the relationship between these three stages of healing and the construction of safety. The research participants included female incest survivors and husbands of survivors of incest. Participants were asked to individually make written constructions of safety related to each of the three stages of healing. A group construction process followed these individual constructions and differences within the written materials were also highlighted. Segregated groups met three times, each time concentrating on a particular stage of healing. A single validating group of the combined women and men's groups met later to do an overall construction of the notion of safety. Results indicate that emotional safety is indeed an important issue for both partners in relationships where the wife is a survivor of incest. There are differences between survivors and partners about the significance of the three stages. A model of the retrospective construction of safety has been developed. This model includes the important elements of the experience of emotional safety that arose. These elements were knowledge, negotiated control, negotiated trust, communication, how anger is managed and directed, and managing the difficult times and issues such as the times of the disclosure of incest.

Both marketing researchers and practitioners realise that having customer relationships that enhance a firm's competitive advantage is an important strategic issue and that there is a need for relationship value measurement. But the research on relationship value measurement is limited, especially from a seller's perspective, despite numerous calls for it. The reason for the limited research might be that the nature of customer relationships is complex, largely intangible, and long-term oriented. Baxter and Matear's (2004) study directly addresses the issue of the measurement of the intangible part of the value of a business-to-business relationship from a seller's perspective. Synthesising an intellectual capital model into the relationship marketing literature, Baxter and Matear (2004) propose an intangible relationship value (IRV) model for assessing the value of the intangible part of the resources that sellers gain through their relationships with their business buyers. The IRV model has been empirically tested and supported in New Zealand's manufacturing industry. The current study replicated Baxter and Matear's (2004) study in order to further assess the validity of the IRV model and its scales. Exploratory factor analysis was used first to identify the dimensionality of the IRV. Then the four aspects of construct validity - reliability, and convergent, discriminant, and nomological validities - were examined. The exploratory factor analysis of the focal relationship value items in the questionnaire found six first-order dimensions of the IRV. As expected, these six first-order value dimensions are the same as in the Baxter and Matear (2004) study: competence, attitude, intellectual agility, relationships, organisation, and renewal and development. Further exploratory factor analysis of the summated scales of these six first-order values found two higher-order value dimensions: the human intangible value dimension and the structural intangible value dimension. Thus the dimensionality of the IRV model is supported in the current study. The exploratory factor analysis retained 36 out of the initial 42 measures developed by Baxter and Matear (2004). These 36 retained measures include 20 of the 22 measures in Baxter and Matear's (2004) final purified scales. The validity of these 36 measures was then further investigated. The reliability examination found that the measurements of the six first-order IRV constructs are reliable in the current study. Evidence was also found for the convergent and discriminant validities in the measurements of the human and structural intangible value, the convergent validity in the measurement of the IRV, and the nomological validity of the IRV construct. Thus, the 36 measures retained in the final results of the current study are valid for the respondents in the current study. The findings suggest that Baxter and Matear's (2004) intellectual capital approach to measuring IRV is appropriate. It has potentially provided a way to assess intangible value in relationships. Based on the dimensions and the measures provided by the IRV model, sellers can systematically assess the potential IRV of their current and potential customer relationships, and make their strategic decisions on how to manage these customer relationships accordingly.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

<p>Påståendet om att ju längre ett förhållande fortgår, desto bättre lär individerna i relationen känna varandra, är ett logiskt antagande. Forskning visar att vissa personlighetsegenskaper är mer önskvärda än andra hos en potentiell partner och att dessa egenskaper och attribut skiljer sig beroende på om ett par känt varandra lång eller kort tid. En enkätstudie genomfördes bland trettiotre par. Deltagarna uppmanades att skatta självbild, jagideal, partnerbild samt partnerideal genom att rangordna 15 personlighetsegenskaper. Resultatet visade att individer tenderar att känna sin partner sämre i förhållanden som varat i fem till nio år i jämförelse med par som varit tillsammans kortare eller längre. Egenskaperna ärlig, pålitlig och omtänksam tenderar att vara de tre viktigaste personlighetsegenskaperna beträffande självbilder och ideal i relationer.</p>

<p><!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --><p>Människan har en tydlig tendens att begå det fundamentala attributionsfelet, det vill säga överskatta personlighetsbundna faktorer vid förklarandet av andras beteende. Den aktuella undersökningen genomfördes på en högskola i Mellansverige. Deltagarna fick besvara en enkät utformad i sex olika varianter där betingelserna beteende och person manipulerades. Den aktuella studien visade att fundamentala attributionsfelet till en viss del påverkas av relationer och typ av beteende. En person som utför ett positivt beteende skattas som vänligare och snällare än en person som utför ett negativt beteende. Likaså skattas en väns personlighet som vänligare än en ej omtyckt bekants och en främlings personlighet. Dessa resultat väcker intresset för ytterligare studier om hur relationer påverkar människans uppfattning om individen i andra situationer.</p></p>

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Date</strong>:                              May 21, 2009</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Program:                                 </strong>International Marketing</p><p> </p><p><strong>Course name:</strong>                  EFO705 Master Thesis</p><p> </p><p><strong>Title:                                         </strong>Foreign Market Exploitation with E-marketing Strategy of Thaiearthtone Company</p><p> </p><p><strong>Authors:</strong>                         Nicha Chienchiranai      851212-T107</p><p>                                      Pharktanat Pattararittisak   820930-T251</p><p> </p><p><strong>Tutor:                                      </strong>Daniel Tolstoy</p><p> </p><p><strong>Problem:</strong>                        How can Thaiearthtone exploit opportunity in foreign market by using e-marketing strategy?</p><p> </p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong>                         To develop an appropriate e-marketing strategy to increase satisfaction of existing customers and simultaneously attraction of new customers.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Method:</strong>                           This research is based on qualitative research, using exploratory research method.  The theoretical framework used in the research is E-Marketing Strategy which is developed by the authors with some adaptation from E-marketing Mix Strategy.  The findings were obtained from an in-dept interview as well as second hand sources including Thaiearthtone's website and others.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Conclusion:                             </strong>With the increased number of e-commerce firm, to be stand out of the crowd is rather difficult for small company like Thaiearthtone especially that the target market are foreigners.  To successfully exploit its opportunity in overseas market, Thaiearthtone could probably take the idea from the authors' own developed E-marketing strategy into consideration, and adapt it to the current situation of the company.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Key words:</strong>                       E-marketing, E-marketing Strategy, E-commerce, Relationship Marketing and Site Usability</p>

<p>The aim of this study was to increase the knowledge of possibilities and obstacles for disabled people to meet a partner. The ambition was to know more about wishes for and needs of professional or other support. The methods have been literature studies, survey research, and interviews. A simple questionnaire was sent to administrative staff and social welfare officers who gave the information that they experienced those persons with intellectual disability or Aspergers syndrome had asked for support to meet a partner. To get a perspective from inside six semi structured interviews were made with disabled people having experience of relationships, love affairs. Two men and two women with intellectual disability and two women with Aspergers syndrome take part in the interview study. Results of this study correspond with previous research. All the participants experienced possibilities and obstacles to meet a partner. The opportunities were rather universal. The difficulties they met were on one hand the feeling of belonging to a marginalized group in society and on the other hand problems with social interaction and interplay. The conclusion was that there is a desire as well as requirement for professional support. The support should be given by someone the person has confidence in. It could be a guardian, a social welfare officer or any other staff. People with disability have wishes about love and to meet a partner and it is very important to identify needs and wishes of their own.</p>

<p><strong>Syfte: </strong>Syftet med denna uppsats är att illustrera vilka faktorer som påverkar kundrelationer och hur ett företag bör gå tillväga för att förbättra dessa samt för att bevara sina kunder. Vi vill ge en illustration på hur en välorganiserad kundrelation kan framkallas. Uppsatsen är även en undersökning som kommer att framhäva Länsförsäkringarnas varianter av strategier och metoder inom kundrelation, detta kommer även att baseras ur kundens perspektiv. Det vitalaste kommer att handla om hur Länsförsäkringarna kan förbättra och utveckla detta.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Metod: </strong>Vi valde att använda oss av primärdata för att öka trovärdigheten genom enkätundersökning och intervjuer, våra sekundärdata användes för att ge stöd till den primäradatan med författares och forskares teorier. Sedan jämförde vi resultatet från intervjuerna och enkätundersökningen med vad teoretikerna anser för att se om det överensstämmer med resultatet.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Resultat & slutsats: </strong>Vi tycker att det har varit ett intresseväckande arbete att följa Länsförsäkringarnas tillvägagånssätt om hur de bemöter kunderna och relationen till dem. Verksamheten är ledande inom försäkringar men befinner sig i en konkurrenskraftig marknad. Därför är det viktigt att omhänderta sina kunder, särskilt de kunder som idag är missnöjda och som troligtvis inte har orkat byta försäkringsbolag. Det är dessa kunder som kan föra vidare det dåliga ryktet om företaget till nya potentiella kunder. Vi anser att företaget har en bristande kundrelation, detta har bekräftats med empiriska studier och med den sekundäradata.</p><p><strong>Förslag till fortsatt forskning: </strong>Det finns många aspekter att analysera, som exempelvis; en djupgående studie om hur CRM implementeras och används av konkurrenterna (IF, Trygghansa och Folksam) samt i jämförelse med Länsförsäkringarna.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Uppsatsens bidrag:</strong> Detta arbete ger en verklighetssyn av Länsförsäkringarnas relationer till sina kunder och hur företaget skall förbättra detta samt utveckla personalens kompetens inom det berörda området.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Nyckelord och förkortningar: </strong>Lf = Länsförsäkringarna, Rm= Relationsmarknadsföring, Crm= Customer relationship management, Rm-tåget= Relationsmarknadsföringståget,</p><p>E-CRM= Electronic customer relationship management, Kundnöjdhet, Kundrelationer, Kundlojalitet</p> / <p><strong>Aim:</strong> The purpose of this essay is to ilustrate factors which influence customer relationship and how companies should improve and retain their customers.We want to show how an organized customer relationship can evoke. This essay is also an investigation which will bring out different variations of strategies and methods of customer relationship. This will also base on the customer experience. The most important thing is that the essay will give the readers answers on how the company Länsförsäkringarna can develop these strategies.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Method:</strong> We have chosen to use Primary data to increase the reliability threw interviews and questionnaire examination.We also used secondary data to provide support to the primary data.We compered the results from the interviews and questionnaire examination with professors and authors teories</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Result and Conclusions</strong></p><p>We think that it has been an intresting work to follow Länsförsäkringarna strategies on how they aproach the customers and their relationship with them. Länsförsäkringarna are leaders in their business in insurance but their position in the market is very competitive. Therefore it is very important to take a good care of the cutomers, especially the customers who are not satisfied and don’t care to change to another incuranse company. They will surtenly spread a bad reputation about Länsförsäkringarna threw word of mouth to the new potential customers. In our opinion we think that Länsförsäkringarna have a bad relation to their customers and that have been confirmed by our empirical studies and with the help of secondary data.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Sugestion of future research </strong></p><p>There are many aspects to analyze, for example a deep going study about how to implement CRM and how it is used by competetors of Länsförsäkringarna, and also to compare the study with Länsförsäkringarna.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Contribution of the thesis</strong></p><p>This work gives a realitypicture of Länförsäkringarna:s relations to their customers and how the company shall develop their staff competence in customer relationship management.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Key words</strong></p><p>Lf = Länsförsäkringarna, Rm= Relationship marketing, Crm= Customer relationship management, Rm-tåget= Relationshipmarketing train,</p><p>E-CRM= Electronic customer relationship management, Customer satisfaction, Customer relationship, Customer loyalty</p>

<p>The hotel industry is highly competitive and the right knowledge about customer values and demands is essential to differentiate from competitors and gain sustainable competitive advantage. Implementing traditional marketing strategies is often no longer enough to achieve this goal. Relationship marketing has increasingly become more important, as this concept suggests more focus on retaining the customer and creating a win- win situation with a long- term perspective. In traditional marketing there is more focus on acquisition. Most importantly a good balance between acquisition and retention directed to the right segments is essential for future success.</p><p>This thesis is a case- study of a single business in the hospitality industry and the company of interest is the Burke & Wills, a hotel situated in Toowoomba, a regional city in Queensland, Australia. The purpose is to explore how well Burke & Wills markets itself, looking closely at the strategies used and how these are implemented. I also wanted to investigate whether the hotel’s present acquisition- and retention efforts are suitably divided between the various segments. The final objective with this thesis is to identify any opportunities for improvements.</p><p>The case- study consists of both a qualitative- and a quantitative approach. Two staff interviews were carried out and a survey in the form of a questionnaire was handed out to the customers of the hotel. The intention with this was to explore whether present marketing strategies are effective or not.</p><p>I found that the management of Burke & Wills has little knowledge about how to best market the hotel both when it comes to acquisition- and retention efforts and to direct these to suitable segments. The company seems inadequate to identify and attract potential customers during quiet periods which results in a big loss of potential revenue. The survey shows that the company’s awareness of what the customer values as quality service is fairly good but might not be enough to prevent future loss of customers. As a result of this these customers may turn to competition for better service in the future. The majority of returning customers also state that they would value a more personalised approach from Burke & Wills. I draw the conclusion that there is a lack of interest in how to improve the marketing of the company. No surveys have been conducted in the last few years to get customers´ opinions. They take their position on the market for granted and even with new competition they chose to stay inactive. Focus on improvement should be a priority but it is not. I believe it is essential to, at this stage, employ a person with marketing experience to make the company stronger and to maximise the possibilities of the hotel.</p>

Recent concern over the potential environmental impact of highway construction and repair materials on surface and ground waters has lead to extensive laboratory screening and subsequent testing of a set of new materials and waste amended mixes. As part of Phase II of a three-phase project for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, a fate and transport model for the assessment of this impact has been written. The model predicts concentrations and loads of contaminants as well as toxicities for the leachates in both surface and subsurface environments. The model addresses four specific "reference environments": an impermeable highway surface, a permeable highway surface, a vertical piling, and a filled borehole. Six materials are examined in detail: crumb rubber asphalt concrete. SEMASS asphalt concrete, foundry sand asphalt concrete, ammonical copper zinc arsenate treated wood, and methyl methacrylate deck sealer. A statistical approach to relating toxicity to the concentration of a chemical "surrogate" forms the basis for prediction of toxicity in the leachates. All fate and transport prediction methods are based on physical and mathematical descriptions of the near-highway environment. Surface runoff is calculated using kinematic wave theory coupled with leaching, photolysis and volatilization, flow through pavement cracks is based on continuity, and subsurface transport is based on a plug flow model with linear or Freundlich sorption and biodegradation. Explicit finite difference numerical methods are used for both surface leaching and subsurface transport. A search engine is provided for examination of all laboratory results. / Graduation date: 1999