The research problem addressed in this study was an assessment of the relationship-marketing strategy that Morkels currently has in operation. This strategy focuses on membership of a club that is sold to customers when they open an account. The strategy is to keep in touch with the customer by means of the club magazine, a club card and various special events and offers that are exclusive to club members. The strategy, however, may not be entirely successful in achieving the goals and objectives as envisaged by the senior management of the company. The objective of the research was to establish what exactly relationship marketing is. Once having investigated the theory of relationship marketing, the objective of the research was to establish what the goals of the management at Morkels were and whether or not these goals were met. The methodology of the research was, firstly, to conduct a literature survey on relationship marketing. In particular the study of literature focused on the theory related to the retail market focussing essentially where similar marketing strategies had been investigated. A variety of aspects of relationship marketing and strategies that had previously been implemented were then examined. The literature survey also considered the way in which a successful strategy of relationship-marketing should be motivated, planned, implemented and followed through. Secondly the research established what the goals and objectives of the management of Morkels were by means of an investigation into the policies and manuals of the relationship-marketing department. Finally a questionnaire was disseminated to the senior management of Morkels to establish what they considered to be the needs and opinions of the customers of the Garden Route Area. A second questionnaire with similar questions was also submitted to a sample of club members. This was done to establish the opinions of both groups. The major findings of the research were that Morkels is experiencing a degree of success with its relationship-marketing strategy. The research findings also revealed that opinions of the customers and the management of Morkels do not concur on a number of issues. These differences and the most important factors were discussed and recommendations were made to management.

Conventional theories and empirical studies on global production networks (GPNs) and global value chains (GVCs) have dealt with the dynamic organization of production on global, regional, national, and local scales but have given limited attention to market dynamics. In recent years, particularly in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, a paradigmatic shift was observed in GPNs and GVCs that directed interests in market dynamics of developing country suppliers in the changing market dynamics in the Global North and the South. However, this phenomenon has not received adequate attention in the existing literature. This thesis aims to examine the firm-level market strategies of labor-intensive supplier firms in developing countries and the effects on the organization of production networks. Since the opening and reform in the late 1970s, the development of labor-intensive industries in China and the Pearl River Delta (PRD) in particular, the well-known "world factory", have been significantly driven by export to advanced Western markets, such as the United States and European Union. However, in recent years, manufacturing suppliers in the PRD have changed their market orientations, leading to the considerable industrial transformation. Taking the furniture and garment industries in the PRD as a case, this thesis attempts to systematically explore the market strategies of manufacturing suppliers in different sectors and regions/sub-regions and the subsequent effects on the transformation of manufacturing industries and reorganization of production networks through three empirical case studies. First, the study examines the market strategies of export-oriented furniture supplier firms in the eastern PRD (Dongguan and Shenzhen City) and its effects on industrial transformation and reorganization of production networks. Second, to compare the market strategies of different kinds of suppliers in different sub-regions, the study explores the domestic market-oriented furniture suppliers in the western PRD (Shunde District, Foshan City). Third, for the understanding of the interaction between spatial cross-border production relocation and market strategies, this study investigates the market strategies of relocated garment supplier firms when they relocated manufacturing operations from China to Southeast Asia and explores the subsequent reorganization of production networks Based on the field investigation and particularly in-depth interviews with furniture and garment manufacturing firms in the PRD, this study identifies three types of market strategies of suppliers in the PRD and different effects on the organization of production networks. First, in the export-oriented furniture industry in the eastern PRD, most of furniture suppliers engaged in market reorientation from exporting to Western markets (e.g., the US and EU) to selling in the domestic markets of China through in-term firm partnerships with domestic chain retailers. Strategic recoupling with domestic markets of China stimulated the emergence of domestic market-oriented production networks in which supplier firms gained functional upgrading and experienced downgrading simultaneously. Second, in the domestic market-oriented furniture industry in the western PRD, domestic market-oriented suppliers who previous served for low-end segment of domestic markets of China have turned to engage in the market diversification to target different market niches. The diversified market strategies including low-end, middle-end, and high-end market strategies made furniture production networks evolve from merely relying on the domestic markets of China to co-dependence on emerging markets of China and other developing economies. In the reorganized production networks, furniture suppliers gained functional upgrading as they integrated into higher-end segments of domestic markets. Third, different from furniture suppliers, garment supplier firms engaged in the cross-border production relocation from China to the lower-cost Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, which is driven by different market strategies. Garment firms relocated from China to Southeast Asia for maintaining their strategic coupling with global brand names from advanced Western markets. Whilst, textile firms conducted production relocation to meet the requirements and strategic needs of buyers from home markets of China and host markets in Southeast Asia. There has witnessed the emergence of Western market-oriented triangular production networks coordinated by the relocated foreign-invested and Chinese garment firms, in which relocated garment firms have gained limited upgrading prospects. This thesis argues that market strategies adopted by local suppliers to change their power relations with other actors, such as global brand names and domestic retailers, have emerged as one of the most remarkable driving forces behind the transformation of manufacturing industries in China and particularly the PRD in the changing global economy. Emerging market-driven production networks have been emerged in manufacturing industries in China, with the rise of emerging markets in developing countries. In particular, China played an important role in reshaping the spatial and structural organization of global production networks and value chains. This research contributes to the literature by exploring the changing market dynamics with focus on the firm-level strategies. It also adds the literature by exploring the implications of emerging markets in the Global South for the reorganization of global production networks and value chains. In contrast to the previous industrial development pattern in developing countries that resulted from integration into Western market-led production networks, market strategies of local suppliers in the PRD has demonstrated a bias toward emerging market-driven industrial development.

Misturas de poliacetal (POM), polímero de engenharia com boas propriedades mecânicas, com poliuretano termoplástico (TPU), um polímero composto por uma fase rígida e outra flexível visam buscar alternativa de materiais a serem utilizadas em bandas externas de roldanas, visando a diminuição da emissão de ruído das roldanas quando utilizadas em sistema de movimentação de portas de armários, em contato com um trilho metálico. Neste trabalho foram avaliadas as propriedades mecânicas, físicas, térmicas e morfológica de misturas de POM/TPU nas proporções 100/0, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60 e 0/100 (m/m). As misturas foram preparadas em extrusora dupla rosca corrotante e após os corpos de prova foram injetados em injetora convencional. O aumento dos teores de TPU nas misturas promoveu o aumento da resistência ao impacto, à abrasão e diminuição na dureza do material. Houveram aumentos da temperatura de deflexão térmica das misturas com o aumento do teor de POM. Através da microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) pode ser analisada uma mistura homogênea com partículas dispersas de TPU em formato de gotículas. A avaliação de emissão de ruído mostrou que com a diminuição do módulo de elasticidade, com o aumento da quantidade TPU na mistura, ocorre a redução da emissão de ruído do mesmo, esta redução fica evidente em frequências acima de 1kHz, ocorrendo uma redução da emissão de ruído de 2-5dB. / Bolsa Desenvolvimento de Tecnologia e Inovação / Polyoxymethylene (POM), an engineering polymer with good mechanical properties, blended with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a polymer composed by a flexible and a rigid phase, are an alternative of materials to be used in external bands of pulleys, aiming to reduce the noise emission of pulleys when used in system drive cabinets doors, occurring pulleys contact with a metallic rail. In this work, the mechanical, physical, thermal and morphological properties of POM/TPU blends were evaluated in the proportions of 100/0, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60 and 0/100 (w/w). The blends were prepared in a twin screw extruder and after the samples were injected in a conventional injector. The increase in the levels of TPU on the blends promoted a rise in the impact resistance, abrasion and a decrease in the material hardness. There was an increase in the deflection heat temperature of the blends with enhanced content of POM. Through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was observed a blend with the presence of dispersed TPU particles. The noise emission showed that with the decrease in the modulus of elasticity of the polymer occurs a reduction of noise emission. This reduction is evident in frequencies above 1 kHz, causing 2-5dB reduction of noise emission.

This dissertation presents an in depth investigation of the office furniture industry and of the factors that influence selection and purchase of office furniture. It also utilizes data obtained in a national survey of nearly 270 office furniture buyers to investigate several general conceptual marketing issues. The industry-specific investigation includes a look at the history of the office and at events during the past 2-1/2 decades that have impacted the market for office furniture. It also includes a comparative look at the relative performance of wood (SIC 2521) and metal (SIC 2522) industry sectors. The performance of the office furniture industry is also compared with the wood household furniture industry (SIC 2511). This report includes a detailed look at the industry's changing product mix and use of wood-based materials. While the total use of wood-based material inputs by the industry was at record levels for all material categories in 1987, use on a per unit of output basis declined in several material categories. Material preferences, as expressed by survey respondents, indicated that solid wood is still rated highly and is the material of choice for interior and exterior applications in conventional office furniture manufacture. Twenty-six attributes of office furniture and of dealer/manufacturer services were rated on dual 7- and 5-point Likert scales for importance and difference, respectively. The most important attribute was the ability of the dealer manufacturer to provide products free of defects. However, when differences in the performance of suppliers or products were taken into account, the top determinant attribute was the ability to deliver on schedule. Comparisons of quality and selection and purchase ratings suggested that respondents tended to rate attributes on the bases of their use in selection and purchase higher overall than they rated their use in assessing quality. However, the relative ranking of attributes within the two sets of ratings were highly correlated. Respondent ratings of the 26 attributes were utilized in a multivariate study of quality dimensions employing confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. Results of these analyses supported operationalization of most of Garvin's eight dimensions of quality. / Ph. D.

We consider the problem of scheduling production in a wood furniture plant. In particular, we consider the problem of selecting orders from various types of furniture products and determining their lot-sizes for production when there are sequence dependent setup times involved in the production of these items. This is termed the aggregate scheduling problem. In addition, we consider the problem of scheduling work at various production facilities in the presence of capacity constraints once the items for production and their quantities are selected. This is termed the detailed scheduling problem. The aggregate scheduling problem is formulated as a mixed integer program and solved using a dynamic programming procedure. The detailed scheduling program is a linear program and is solved using a canned linear programming package. In order to understand the state-of-the-art in the furniture industry, various furniture plants in Southwest Virginia were visited and a national survey was conducted. The results are summarized. The survey emphasized the problem addressed in this research. In order to understand the decision points better in the furniture manufacturing process, the IDEF (ICAM definition) procedure is used to describe the furniture manufacturing process. The methodology developed is applied to a real-life problem and the results are summarized. / Master of Science

Insufficient literature exists in the area of incremental and revolutionary change to explain and predict the convergence and reorientation phenomena happening in organizations. The process of strategic reorientation involves the internal organizational complexities of fast-paced (within two years) changes in competitive strategy as a necessary condition coupled with changes in at least two of organization structure, power distribution, and control systems. Antecedent forces believed to influence the discontinuous change process include industry sales turbulence, structural inertia/firm size, firm past financial performance, CEO turnover, top management team turnover, management team heterogeneity, management environmental awareness, and external attributions for negative financial performance. Punctuated equilibrium was the foundational theory for this study in which a strategic reorientation model published in Strategic Management Journal was reconstructed. The research question was: What seem to be the significant time-based antecedent forces or conditions that lead to strategic reorientation? The study used two hierarchical logit regression models to analyze data gathered from COMPUSTAT PC Industrial Data Base and Compact Disclosure (CD-ROM) over the years 1987-1993 from the turbulent computer software and stable furniture industries. Qualitative data were found in 10-K reports and President's Letters in Annual Reports filed with the SEC and available on Laserdisclosure. The sample, exclusive of 3 multivariate outliers, included 74 software firms and 43 furniture firms for a pooled total of 117 firms. When separate industries were analyzed using the first of the Systat logit hierarchical regressions, results showed no statistically significant effects. By contrast, when data were pooled, the second hierarchical logit regression model, which included industry turbulence and firm size, showed these one-tailed statistically significant results: strategic reorientation is positively affected by prior industry turbulence and CEO turnover, but is negatively affected by prior top management team turnover and the interaction between industry turbulence and external attributions for negative financial performance.

Two analysis techniques were demonstrated for use in new product development by the wood products industry. A new molded wood structural product developed by the U.S. Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory known as FPL Spaceboard II was used to illustrate the techniques. Determinant attribute analysis was first employed to identify the product attributes most important to purchase decisions regarding substrate materials for the office furniture industry - the most likely target for introduction of Spaceboard II. A matrix-type decision model was then developed and illustrated which assists in selecting the most attractive product-market opportunity for a new product still in the development stages based on market attractiveness and relative competitive advantage of the product. Surveys were directed to manufacturers of office furniture and to producers of industrial particleboard and medium-density fiberboard which currently are the most common materials utilized as substrates in the office furniture industry. The furniture survey collected information regarding the perceived importance and variability of an array of physical product characteristics in the selection of a substrate material for office furniture. The survey of industrial particleboard and medium-density fiberboard producers acquired information regarding the importance of factors affecting decisions to enter and compete in a given market and ratings of the office furniture substrate market on those factors. The results of the determinant attribute analysis indicated that fastener withdrawal strength, surface smoothness, flatness, stiffness (MOE), and edgebanding capability were the product attributes which would most affect the decision to purchase substrate material for office furniture, and consequently are the attributes to focus on in developing a new product for that market. Use of the decision model was illustrated with Spaceboard II and resulted in a hypothetical matrix with the product positioned based on the attractiveness of the office furniture substrate market and Spaceboard II’s relative competitive advantage over existing materials in that market versus its competitive position in other market scenarios. / Master of Science

The study had the dual objective of characterizing the present role of Virginia's wood furniture industry within Virginia's overall economy and evaluating the possible economic implications of changes in the major production factors influencing the future development of the industry. Supporting the hypothesis that the furniture industry is a major contributor to the economy of Virginia, the following factors were considered: size and number of plants, labor force, wages, and productivity of firms in Virginia. The industry 1n Virginia employed in excess of 21,000 employees in 1964. / Master of Science

Syfte: Studien syftar till att undersöka om CSR är en differentieringsfaktor för konsumenter inom möbelindustrin, samt öka förståelsen för hur CSR-kommunikation i fysiska möbelbutiker uppfattas av konsumenterna. Teoretisk bakgrund: I takt med att samhället digitaliseras ställs företagen inför krav att differentiera sig på marknaden. Miljömedvetna konsumenter ger företagens sociala ansvar, CSR, ett nytt liv på en differentierad marknad. En balansgång av risker och möjligheter med CSR-kommunikation möbelindustrin står inför framkommer i bakgrunden leder till frågan huruvida CSR-kommunikation kan användas som differentieringsfaktor bland möbelindustrins konsumenter.  Metod: Denna studie använder en interpretivistisk filosofi med en induktiv forskningsansats och kvalitativ metod. Genom djupgående intervjuer undersöks hur CSR-kommunikation kan fungera som differentieringsfaktior inom möbelindustrin och hur konsumenter uppfattar CSR-kommunikation i fysiska möbelbutiker. Valet av en induktiv ansats och kvalitativ metod möjliggör en djup förståelse för ämnet samt konsumenternas perspektiv och beteende. Resultat och analys: Resultaten visar att CSR-kommunikation i fysiska möbelbutiker är positivt hos konsumenter och det fastställs att CSR kan användas som en differentieringsfaktor inom möbelinudstrin. Konsumenternas begränsade kunskap kring CSR  minskar dock CSR-kommunikationens effektivitet, men ökad kunskap kan förbättra effekten. CSR-kommunikation upplevs positivt, och genom storytelling kan ökad medvetenhet och engagemang uppstå. Dock måste företag vara försiktiga för att undvika greenwashing och att uppfattas som icke genuina.

Adoption of manufacturing technologies have been cited as an important competitive strategy for successful firms. This study assessed the wood household furniture industry for its current level of technology adoption, examined the impact of competitive variables on technology adoption and strategy formation, as well as, characteristics of innovators or early adopters within the industry. The results provide both insight into the technological direction of this industry and factors influencing the adoption of innovations by industrial organizations. The U.S. wood household furniture industry was surveyed concerning their recent equipment purchases, future purchase plans, and adoption of a list of 21 innovative technologies. Respondents listed recent equipment purchases within the finish machining area of the mill, particularly with automatic controls, as providing them with the most important benefits of increased efficiency and product quality. Respondents indicated that the functional areas of finish machining and the rough mill will receive the majority of new equipment over the next five years with automatic controls increasing in importance over time. A competitive-policy contingent model of technology adoption was developed and empirically tested. Innovativeness of firms was accessed by the number of technologies adopted from a set developed by industry experts. Empirical results suggest that organizational policy is dependent on the competitive conditions under which it was formed and that policy has an important effect on the innovativeness of an organization. Communication variables (signal frequency, cosmopliteness, and professionalization) were found to exhibit greater direct and indirect effects on innovation than industry structural variables with the exception of firm size. Characteristics of early adopters were contrasted with those of later adopters of technologies within the furniture industry based upon their adoption of thirteen processing technologies. Early adopters were found to differ significantly from later adopters on firm size, technological expertise, technological progressiveness, opinion leadership, information sources, and cosmopolitanism of the decision making group. The influence of technology push versus marketing pull strategies on firms was examined in an empirical study. Results of cluster analysis indicate that firms do align themselves along these strategic dimensions and can be contrasted on key characteristics; such as, demographics, company performance and environmental uncertainty. / Ph. D.