El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / This article is about the problem and development of a fashion virtual assistant proposed by using a Kinect v2 camera and image processing, for fashion retail stores. It comes up mainly as a response to the inability of providing unique experiences during the shopping process through the use of diverse devices. Because of this, similar virtual assistant solutions, oriented to provide clothing recommendations, were analyzed to be able to provide software that could give a more personalized suggestion for the users based on their physical characteristics. / Revisión por pares

As sensory marketing is becoming a more widely used strategy in the world, the need to distinguish oneself is more important than ever. The general knowledge of sensory cues, their interplay and sensory overload among Swedish retail beauty companies is researched in this thesis. We set out to identify the baseline knowledge of the store personnel and the implications thereof in Sweden on the subjects formerly mentioned.       This investigative study aims to provide an insight into the workings and knowledge gap of retail store design from the perspective of store personnel with sensory- marketing, interplay and congruency in mind with focus on the senses vision, audio and scent. The knowledge of these are assumed to influence a stores’ ability to cater to and adapt to everyday and sensory-sensitive consumers. The study also aims to provide an insight into the subject of sensory overload, what causes it and the effects that might be had from the experience.    To achieve this, we formed the research questions: “How do beauty retail stores in Sweden keep sensorial interplay in mind when designing their retail setting?” and “How do beauty retail stores in Sweden take sensory overload into consideration?”. We performed qualitative interviews with Swedish retail beauty stores’ employees. A foundational knowledge was established in the form of a literature review followed by empirical findings, to be discussed in the analysis.   The conclusions drawn from our research, were that there is awareness among managers on sensory marketing. However, sensory cues are commonly broken down and compartmentalized into singular events. While we found that there are congruence considerations taken as to how the cues relate to the stores’ brand, there seemed to be little to none taken to how the cues interplay with each other. We could also conclude that sensory overload is not a consideration. However, that there are various reasons to this, one major being that Swedish retailers are careful about the implementation of sensory experiences and therefore consider themselves safe from the possibility.

The purpose of this paper was to explore customer racial profiling in retail stores in Sweden. To accomplish the exploration, unstructured interviews were used in the paper to contain knowledge of customers' experiences in the retail store................................................................................................ likely to experience customer racial profiling in stores as compared to female customers. / <p>This bachelor thesis was conducted during the spring semester of 2022 at Linnaeus University in Växjö by marketing students Adila Aadila, MuhammadTalha Qadri, and Shashank Shukla. While conducting this research the authors had the opportunity to implement some of the knowledge gained throughout the three years of studying the marketing program. This thesis would not have been accomplished without the help of our informative and competent professors. We would like to show our gratitude to MichaelaSandell- our supervisor who has always been easy to reach when we needed help and provided us with valuable feedback during the process. We would also like to thank Åsa Devine- our examiner for her constructive feedback during the seminars. Last but not least we would like to thank Dan Halvarsson for helping us with the method chapter and all the opponent groups for their input and feedback during the seminars. </p>

This case study examines how Wal-Mart's global public relations activities have improved and are successful. Quantitative and qualitative triangulation methodology was used to create greater balance in the results. The case study illustrates Wal-Mart's success in both the use of advertising as a public relations tool, and its strong, improved media relationship building. Additionally, through the qualitative research, a list of suggested attitude and character traits was conceived. This study illuminates how the media, government and Wal-Mart are each able to control information and how each set and respond to the agenda in California. Study findings relate the use of advertising, law of least denomination, a "fair share" of product, and accessibility. Wal-Mart was unsuccessful with getting its message out through traditional media outlets, so it used advertising to enhance public relations efforts. The law of least denomination works! Wal-Mart challenges the capacity of all retailers to organize their own economic life. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Excessive shrinkage threatens the viability of retailers, especially grocery retailers because they operate on low profit margins. One possibility is for retailers to dismiss employees who are perceived to be responsible for excessive shrinkage, but South African law generally requires that the employer prove individual culpability or poor performance to justify a dismissal. In most cases, retailers are not able to identify the exact causes of shrinkage or those employees who may be responsible for the shrinkage. Pep Stores has developed a novel group dismissal model, using a poor performance process, in terms of which a store's entire staff complement is dismissed on the basis of collective responsibility for failing to avoid excessive shrinkage. The Pep model is attractive to retailers because it overcomes the retailer's inability to produce evidence relating to excessive shrinkage. This Study Project seeks to determine whether collective responsibility for shrinkage may be introduced in owner-managed grocery stores and, if not, whether adaptation of the model or new technology might facilitate its introduction. A further objective is to determine whether the applicability of the Pep model correlates to factors such as the size, activity level and complexity of retail stores. Three barriers to the application of the Pep model in grocery retail stores were identified: firstly, the determination of an "acceptable level of shrinkage" that is reasonably attainable; secondly, the conducting of sufficiently accurate stock takes to support dismissals and, thirdly, the existence or creation of circumstances allowing the implementation of collective responsibility for shrinkage. Grocery retailers have no difficulty in identifying an attainable "acceptable level of shrinkage" or in conducting highly accurate stock takes and stock counts. Circumstances allowing the imposition of collective responsibility for shrinkage were, however, clearly not present. Collective responsibility was precluded by the specialised nature of the employees' tasks and a lack of co-responsibility arising from employees' inability to directly observe each other. However, an adapted Pep model is applicable in grocery retail stores at departmental level if the departments are insulated from fraud or error by receiving clerks and cashiers. This insulation may be achieved by implementing joint receiving procedures that involve each department in receiving departmental stock and an increase in cashier monitoring. The introduction of Radio Frequency Identification Technology will ultimately facilitate the implementation of the Pep model through the enhanced insulation of departments. This enhanced insulation is achieved through the ability to track the movement of individual items in stores and the reduction of receiving and cashier error and fraud as a result of the automation of aspects of these functions. This technology, however, is unlikely to be implemented in the short term given the significant cost of RFID tags and the technical and organisational constraints to adoption. Perceptions on the applicability of the Pep model are correlated in smaller stores to total store floor areas, while the applicability of the model in larger stores is correlated to the size of staff complements. This suggests that the model may be ideally applicable in smaller stores, where the total store floor area is relatively smaller and in larger stores, where the staff complements are relatively larger. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oormatige voorraadverlies bedreig die lewensvatbaarheid van kleinhandelaars, veral kruidenierswarehandelaars, omdat hulle met klein winsmarges werk. Een moontlikheid is dat kleinhandelaars werknemers ontslaan wat gesien word as die verantwoordelikes vir oormatige voorraadverlies, maar die Suid-Afrikaanse reg vereis oor die algemeen dat die werkgewer indiwiduele skuld of swak prestasie bewys om ontslag te regverdig. In die meeste gevalle is kleinhandelaars nie in staat om die presiese oorsake van voorraadverlies, of die werknemers wat vir die voorraadverlies verantwoordelik mag wees, te identifiseer nie. Pep Stores het 'n vindingryke groep-ontslagmodel ontwikkel, met gebruik van 'n swakprestasieproses, ingevolge waarvan 'n winkel se hele personeel ontslaan word op grond van kollektiewe verantwoordelikheid weens versuim om oormatige voorraadverlies te vermy. Die Pep-model is aantreklik vir kleinhandelaars, want dit oorkom die kleinhandelaar se onvermoë om bewys te lewer in verband met oormatige voorraadverlies. Hierdie navorsingsprojek probeer vasstel of kollektiewe verantwoordelikheid vir voorraadverlies ingestel kan word in eienaarbestuurde kruidenierswinkels en, indien nie, of aanpassing van die model, of nuwe tegnologie, die invoer daarvan sou kon fasiliteer. 'n Verdere doelstelling is om vas te stel of die toepaslikheid van die Pepmodel korreleer met faktore soos die grootte, bedrywigheidsvlak en kompleksiteit van kleinhandelwinkels. Drie struikelblokke vir toepassing van die Pep-model in kleinhandelkruidenierswinkels is geidentifiseer: eerstens, die bepaal van 'n "aanvaarbare voorraadverliesvlak" wat redelik haalbaar is; tweedens, die uitvoer van voldoende akkurate voorraadopnames om ontslag te steun en derdens die bestaan of skep van omstandighede wat die implementering van kollektiewe verantwoordelikheid vir voorraadverlies moontlik sal maak. Kruidenierskleinhandelaars ondervind geen probleme met die identifisering van haalbare "aanvaarbare voorraadverliesvlakke" of met die uitvoer van hoogs akkurate voorraadopnames en - tellings nie. Omstandighede wat die oplê van kollektiewe verantwoordelikheid vir voorraadverlies moontlik maak, was egter duidelik nie aanwesig nie. Kllektiewe verantwoordelikheid is uitgesluit weens die gespesialiseerde aard van die werknemers se take en 'n gebrek aan mede-verantwoordelikheid weens werknemers se onvermoë am mekaar direk waar te neem. 'n Aangepaste Pep-model is egter toepasbaar in kruidenierskleinhandelwinkels op departementele vlak indien die departemente van bedrog of foute deur ontvangsklerke en kassiere afgeskerm word. Die afskerming kan bereik word deur die implementering van gesamentlike ontvangsprosedures wat elke departement betrek by die ontvangs van departementele voorraad en verskerpte kassiermonitering. Die invoer van Radiofrekwensie-identifikasietegnologie sal uiteindelik die implementering van die Pep-model fassiliteer deur die verhoogde afskerming van departemente. Hierdie verhoogde afskerming word bereik deur die vermoë om die beweging van indiwiduele items in winkels na te speur en die vermindering van ontvangs- en kassierfoute en -bedrog as gevolg van die outomatisering van aspekte van die funksies. Hierdie tegnologie sal egter waarskynlik nie oor die korttermyn toegepas word nie weens die aansienlike koste van RFIO-etikette en die tegniese en organisatoriese beperkings op die invoer daarvan. Persepsies oor die toepasbaarheid van die Pep-model word in kleiner winkels gekorreleer met die totale winkelvloeroppervlak, terwyl die toepasbaarheid van die model in groter winkels gekorreleer word met die grootte van die personeelkorps. Dit suggereer dat die model ideaal toepasbaar mag wees in kleiner winkels waar die totale winkelvloeroppervlak relatief kleiner is en in groter winkels waar die personeelkorps relatief groter is.

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

Cieľom diplomovej práce je analýza aktuálnej situácie zákazníckych skúseností vytváraných spoločnosťou a poskytnutie sérií odporúčaní pre ich zlepšenie. Práca kriticky hodnotí praktiky ovplyvňujúce zákaznícku spokojnosť v jednotlivých predajňách spoločnosti, internetovom obchode, servisnom stredisku a zákazníckom centre. Výsledkom sú odporúčané riešenia pre poskytovanie lepších služieb na zvýšenie zákazníckej loajality, ako aj spôsoby eliminácie zistených nedostatkov.

Background: COVID-19 has brought so many changes in the business environment and in the ways of doing business. Food retail companies in Sweden have been trying to cope with the changes and challenges and have made necessary decisions to become resilient. It is in their urge to become resilient; however, the implementation is arduous at times. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is two-folded. One is to know the supply chain inefficiencies, and the other is to understand how the inefficiencies can be mitigated through the actions of the supply chain professionals. Method: Semi-structured questions have been asked in the interviews to gather in-depth insights from the industry expert. The interviews were taken from the branch managers of food retail stores in Sweden. The analysis has been done based on the content analysis. Findings: Content analysis assisted the emergence of the factors. It was done by analyzing the quotes from the branch managers. Therefore, the relationship between the characteristics and the RBV theory has been scrutinized. Conclusion: The purpose of the thesis was to find the inefficiencies of the food retail supply chain in pandemic times. Also, it was to find the solution about how the supply chain inefficiencies can be tackled to ensure supply chain resilience in the food retail stores in Sweden. For that purpose, data have been collected right from the field where the action takes place, and therefore, the data have been analyzed. Hence, the problems have been found, and the solutions have been recommended.

Bakgrund: COVID-19 pandemin har förändrat samhället och påverkat olika företags förhållningssätt. Konsumentbeteendet har förändrats på grund av isoleringar, statliga rekommendationer och riktlinjer i försök att minska smittspridningen. Detta har påverkat livsmedelsbutiker, de har infört olika åtgärder och förändringar för att möta nya efterfrågan och krav från samhället. Det är därför intressant att studera ifall konsumentbeteenden och åtgärder orsakad av COVID-19 pandemin är bestående när rekommendationer och riktlinjer har avskaffats. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka olika konsumentbeteenden och åtgärder inom livsmedelsbranschen som har uppstått till följd av COVID-19 pandemin. Studien identifierar på vilket sätt dessa nyligen antagna beteenden och åtgärder är bestående efter pandemin.  Metod: Studien utgår från en kvalitativ forskningsmetod där semistrukturerade intervjuer medtre olika bolag har sammanställts utifrån resultatet från fem olika livsmedelsföretag. Studien har antagit en abduktiv forskningsansats med fokus på att skapa en tematisk analys.  Slutsats: Studien visar att konsumentbeteendet har förändrats som ett resultat av pandemin. Samtliga livsmedelsföretag ser numera att konsumenter köper mer produkter med längre hållbarhet. Konsumenter är numera mer strategiska i sin handling av matvaruprodukter. Ehandel har ökat som ett resultat tack vare pandemin och används mer frekvent av konsumenter. Bestående åtgärder är allt ifrån plexiglas i kassor, handdesinfektion runt om i butiker för personal och kunder. / Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed society and impacted how businesses operate regularly. Consumer behaviour has altered due to isolations and government recommendations and guidelines with the goal at reducing the spread of the virus. This has influenced how grocery stores conduct their businesses, as they have implemented various measures and changes to be able to meet the new demands and social requirements. Hence it is interesting to study whether consumer behaviours and measures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are enduring when recommendations and guidelines have been repealed. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate various consumer behaviours and measures within grocery stores that have emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to identify the extent to which these recently adopted behaviours and measures have persevered after the pandemic. Method: This study has utilised a qualitative research methodology, where semi-structured interviews with three different companies have been compiled based on the findings from five distinct grocery stores. The study has adopted an abductive research approach relying on a thematic analysis. Conclusion: Key findings present that consumer behaviour has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each grocery store now observes that consumers are purchasing more products with a longer sustainability. Consumers are now more strategic while shopping for groceries. E-commerce has increased as a result of the pandemic and is now being used more frequently by consumers. Enduring implemented measures range from plexiglass at checkouts to hand sanitizing stations for both staff and customers throughout the stores.

Fashion retail stores are one of the settings where technology innovation is implemented to make the in-store experience more efficient than before. One of the innovations that are becoming increasingly common is self-service checkouts. Generation Z is the upcoming and new buying force for the retailers to target and this is what has been the foundation for the orientation of this thesis. The purpose of the research has been to examine factors that influence Generation Z usage of self-service checkouts in fashion retail stores in Sweden. In order to investigate this, the authors developed six hypotheses from previous research about convenience, time efficiency, attitude towards technology, subjective norms, interaction avoidance and fear of failure. The primary data presented in the chapter for empirical findings were gained through a questionnaire where 384 respondents participated. The data was analyzed in the statistical software program SPSS in order to test the hypotheses. The findings were presented in the analysis chapter where it also was discussed with the literature to be able to identify if there were any similarities or differences. The conclusion of this thesis shows that there are different factors that are influencing Generation Z to use self-service checkouts in fashion retail stores. Convenience emerges as the strongest influencing factor, while fear of failure holds the least influence on Generation Z's intention to utilize self-service checkouts. These findings aim to assist fashion retail companies in understanding the critical considerations when implementing self-service checkouts in-store.