The Swedish banking industry is constantly exposed to changes, mainly due to the revolutionof digitalisation. Mobilisation is another factor which affects the industry mainly by challengingemployers. The supply in the labour market has increased markedly and the needs of employeesare ever changing. With a wider range of employers to choose from, the efforts to meet theneeds of employees are more important than ever before. It is, therefore, important thatorganisations find ways to distinguish themselves from its competitors. Handelsbanken is oneof Sweden's largest organisations in the bank industry, they are well known for theirdecentralised organisational and have large markets shares mainly nationally but can be foundinternationally as well. The purpose of this research project is to gain a broader understandingregarding which strategies, within Employer Branding, organisations in the banking industryuse to motivate and keep current employees. To answer this research purpose a theoreticalframework has been conducted based on the following theories: employer branding, employeevalue proposition and employer retention. Primary data has been collected through semistructuredinterviews with ten respondents from Handelsbanken, including both managementand current employees. Results have shown that the studied bank have considered and appliedstrategies to meet the needs of their employees. Handelsbanken’s employees value the giventrust, development opportunities and the local decision making the organisation has. Theanalysis of these results leads to the conclusion that the employee retention efforts made by theemployer are successful. Internal options regarding career changes contribute to motivatingfurther engagements. An employee often strives for security and by offering internalmobilisation the organisation has established conditions to achieve a long-term career withinthe company. Since the study only includes the perspectives of one organisation within theindustry the results cannot be generalised for the whole industry.

Purpose: To explore the interplay between employer branding and place within the Swedish IT sector. To answer the purpose of the study, two research questions have been developed. RQ1: What are IT university students’ perceptions of IT companies employer value proposition (EVP) and to what extent does place play a role in these perceptions? RQ2: How do IT companies use (or not use) place as a part of their EVP to attract potential employees? Methodology: To conduct the study, a qualitative research approach with an exploratory focus in form of semi-structured interviews were used. Six IT students from Luleå University of Technology were interviewed to explore answers related to RQ1, and three IT companies established in Luleå were interviewed to find answers for RQ2. Results: For RQ1, the result showed that the students were attracted to soft values at a potential employer. The place played a major role in the choice of employer as the respondents believe that it directly affects the connection to the place in their daily lives, in terms of well-being, the environment and proximity to family. For RQ2, the result showed that IT companies see the value of students and Luleå as an attractive place to be in and pushes the advantages of the place as a growing city and their respective company’s contribution to local development. Theoretical implications: The study explores the interplay between employer branding (EB) and place, using frameworks related to external employer branding (EEB) value propositions and place attachment (PA). It provides new insights into how students perceive EVP, and the role place has in their choice of employer and that attachment must be built for students to want to stay in the city after graduation. Practical implications: IT companies should emphasize the value in why employees should choose them over another employer, and not just communicate general descriptions about the company image. Efforts are required from the local community to increase the attachment of students and the attractiveness of the place. Students should get more involved in the business life in Luleå to get a more in-depth picture of the IT companies that exist.

The aim of this research is to explore a need for improving marketing in the small business sector among restaurants. Furthermore, if a potential need was found, starting to dissect how to increase the demand for the need of marketing expertise services through crafting an attractive customer value proposition (CVP). By understanding this, it would allow marketing expertise to have a clearer idea regarding how to attract smaller businesses and increase demand for the needed services. In this way, a new type of market opens up for various types of marketing expertise. The study focuses on finding the smaller restaurants' pains and gains which are needed components of an attractive CVP. The study will also build upon the current knowledge and theory regarding the creation of a VP for smaller businesses, although focused on the restaurant industry. This is done by conducting four separate cases with the help of semi-structured interviews and documentary research. Briefly presented, the results show that the pains and gains which need to be considered for marketing expertise to craft a CVP geared towards attracting small restaurants are; allowing for better positioning which decreases the amount of unsatisfied customers, increasing the restaurants profitability and making them stand out in comparison to their competitors.

Purpose: This study aims to identify how OEM can design value propositions when addressing cybersecurity challenges. Currently there are no studies found that pinpoint the value that can be created regarding cybersecurity. Therefore, the purpose of this master thesis is to bridge cybersecurity and value proposition into a roadmap OEM can use to organize the activities required for mitigating cyberthreats, and thereby create value. Method: An abductive approach has been utilized in this thesis. The analysis was based on 15 interviews with industry experts and employees at the thesis company. Secondary data was gathered through a thorough literature review. To derive findings from the data collection, a thematic analysis was conducted. Findings: The findings resulted in 3 clusters, cybersecurity challenges, mitigation strategies and value proposition. From this, the value proposition for secure IoT devices framework was developed. The framework has three elements which is derived from the thematical clustering’s. Cybersecurity challenges, Value proposition design and core value dimensions.   Theoretical contributions: We believe our thesis have three theoretical contributions. Firstly, it contributes to the literature on crafting value propositions for IoT products. Secondly, the report adds to the growing literature regarding V2X. Lastly, the thesis presents the fusion of the two first contributions, where value proposition and V2X works in continuum, thereby contributing to business and commercialisation aspect of V2X. Practical contributions: The practical contribution for the thesis is the framework which can be used as a managerial guide in designing value propositions for IoT devices. The framework brings together different strategies to address cybersecurity challenges, and the importance of collaborative value creation. The practical contributions also include the placement of cybersecurity within the kano model, which is important to keep in mind when creating value. Limitations and future research: The first limitation is that the data collection was mainly conducted with industry professionals specializing in cybersecurity, though not specifically within the automotive sector. This may have introduced some bias in the findings. Another limitation is that majority of end users don’t have general knowledge regarding cybersecurity, which led to the decision to not pursue interviews directly with end users. Consequently, there are no mitigation activities based on end user’s input. However, anticipating that awareness and perceptions on cybersecurity will intensify in the future, this presents an opportunity for future research. / Syfte: Denna studie syftar till att identifiera hur OEMs kan utforma värdeerbjudanden genom att adressera diverse cybersäkerhetsutmaningar. För närvarande finns det inga studier som undersöker det värde som kan skapas gällande cybersäkerhet. Syftet med denna uppsats är därför att integrera cybersäkerhet och värdeerbjudande i en färdplan som OEMs kan använda för att organisera de aktiviteter som krävs för att motverka cyberhot och därigenom skapa värde. Metod: I denna rapport har en abduktiv ansats använts. Analysen baserades på 15 intervjuer med branschexperter och anställda på exjobb-företaget. Sekundärdata samlades in genom en noggrann litteraturöversikt. För att analysera resultat från datainsamlingen genomfördes en tematisk analys som resulterade i tre huvudteman; Cybersäkerhetsutmaningar, förebyggande strategier och värdeerbjudande. Resultat: Studien resulterade i flera viktiga aspekter att ta i beaktning vid konstruerandet av värdeerbjudanden för säkra IoT-enheter. Utifrån våra resultat konstruerades ett ramverk som ämnas användas av OEMs vid utformning av värdeerbjudanden. Ramverket består av tre element som härstammar från de tematiska klustren. Cybersäkerhetsutmaningar, Värdeerbjudande design och kärnvärden. Teoretiska bidrag: Vi anser att vår studie har tre teoretiska bidrag. För det första bidrar den till litteraturen för att utforma värdeerbjudanden för IoT-enheter. För det andra bidrar rapporten till den växande litteraturen inom V2X. Slutligen presenterar studien fusionen av de två första bidragen, där värdeförslag och V2X fungerar i kontinuitet och därigenom bidrar till affärs- och kommersialiseringssidan av V2X. Praktiska bidrag: Det praktiska bidraget för studien är ramverket som kan användas som en ledningsguide vid utformningen av värdeerbjudanden för V2X och övriga IoT-enheter. Ramverket sammanför olika strategier för att hantera cybersäkerhetsutmaningar och betydelsen av samarbete vid värdeskapande. De praktiska bidragen inkluderar också placeringen av cybersäkerhet inom Kano-modellen, vilket är viktigt att ha i åtanke när värde ska skapas för IoT produkter. Begränsningar och vidare forskning: Det finns två huvudsakliga begränsningar i vår studie. För det första så utfördes datainsamlingen huvudsakligen med branschexperter som specialiserat sig på cybersäkerhet, även om inte specifikt inom V2X säkerhet. Detta kan ha introducerat viss partiskhet i resultaten. En annan begränsning är att majoriteten av slutanvändare saknar allmän kunskap om cybersäkerhet, vilket ledde till beslutet att inte genomföra intervjuer direkt med slutanvändare. Följaktligen finns det inga förebyggande aktiviteter baserade på slutanvändares input. Däremot, med tanke på att medvetenheten och uppfattningarna om cybersäkerhet förväntas öka i framtiden, utgör detta en möjlighet för framtida forskning. Nyckelord: Innovation; Värdeerbjudande; Cybersäkerhet, Internet of Things, V2X

Inledning: Just nu pågår vad som kan kallas för den industriella revolution i övre Norrlandsom ska göra Sverige till en världsledare i den globala klimatomställningen. Det som ses som den svåraste utmaningen för den gröna omställningen är bristen på medarbetare med rättkompetens. För företag i Västerbotten är det i dagsläget historiskt svårt att rekrytera personal. Konkurrensen kring de mest kvalificerade kandidaterna har ökat och sju av tio företagupplever svårigheter med att rekrytera. För att lyckas med rekryteringen och locka medarbetare med rätt kompetens har det blivit viktigare än någonsin att jobba med employer branding. I denna studie samarbetar vi med Västerbottens Handelskammare som arbetar med hur företag kan jobba för att bli mer attraktiva arbetsgivare och locka den kompetens som efterfrågas. Syfte: Med denna studie vill vi undersöka hur attraktiva arbetsgivare i Västerbotten jobbar med employer branding för att attrahera nya medarbetare. Vi vill skapa en djupare förståelse för hur medarbetarna uppfattar det interna arbetet med arbetsgivarvarumärket och hur delaktiga de är i utförandet av strategierna för att attrahera nya medarbetare. Målet med studien är att kunna bidra till de identifierade forskningsgapen samt kunna ge praktiska rekommendationer till företag hur de kan jobba strategiskt för att bygga upp ett så attraktivt arbetsgivarvarumärke som möjligt för att lyckas attrahera adekvat kompetens. Frågeställning: Hur jobbar attraktiva arbetsgivare i Västerbotten med employer branding för att attrahera nya medarbetare? Metod: För att kunna besvara studiens frågeställning utifrån studiens syfte har vi valt att använda oss av en kvalitativ forskningsmetod och ett induktivt angreppssätt. För insamlandet av data har vi valt att göra semistrukturerade intervjuer bestående av en fokusgrupp på åtta personer samt enskilda intervjuer av två anställda på fem olika företag, där en är medarbetare och den andra är ansvarig för en del i arbetet med arbetsgivarvarumärket. Den data som samlats in har transkriberats, kodats och sedan kategoriserats till en tematisk analys för att därefter analyserats till att kunnat besvara studiens syfte och problemformulering. Slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att majoriteten av de tillfrågade attraktiva arbetsgivarna i Västerbotten har ett strategiskt arbete för employer branding. Vidare kan vi konstatera att alla de intervjuade företagen har ett värdeerbjudande som de jobbar med för att särskilja sig från andra arbetsgivare. De jobbar även aktivt med att ha en mycket god arbetstrivsel på arbetsplatsen. Slutligen kom vi fram till en fjärde slutsats gällande att de intervjuade företagen jobbar i stor utsträckning med olika typer av kommunikation i sitt arbete med employer branding för att attrahera nya medarbetare.

Bakgrund: En ökad konkurrens på arbetsmarknaden och ett ökat behov av personal har gjort det viktigare för kommuner att fokusera på att skapa en unik organisationsidentitet på arbetsmarknaden. Detta koncept, känt som employer branding, kan bidra till en rad fördelar såsom ökad konkurrenskraft och ökad motivation bland medarbetarna, där framför allt det sistnämnda kan underlätta för organisationer gällande att rekrytera och behålla medarbetare. Med employer branding följer även utmaningar, vilket understryker vikten av att förstå hur det bör hanteras för att dra nytta av dess potentiella fördelar. Syfte: Att undersöka medarbetares uppfattningar av kommuners employer branding och dess påverkan på motivation. Metod: Studien har utgått från en kvalitativ forskningsansats där tio semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes på ekonomiavdelningarna inom fyra av Skaraborgs kommuner. Resultat och slutsats: Studiens resultat visade att employer branding-strategierna inte diskuterades öppet inom kommunerna och uppfattades främst undermedvetet av medarbetarna. Inom kommunerna låg också ett fokus på att främja den inre motivationen genom faktorer som organisationskulturen. Det var även den inre motivationen som ansågs vara mest attraktiv hos medarbetarna och motiverade dem mest, så länge de hade en grundläggande nivå av yttre motivation där deras löner låg på en acceptabel nivå, då lönen betraktades som en hygienfaktor för medarbetarna. / Background: Increased competition in the labour market and a growing need for personnel have made it more important for municipalities to focus on creating a unique organisational identity in the labour market. This concept, known as employer branding, can contribute to a range of benefits such as increased competitiveness and enhanced motivation among employees, where especially the latter can facilitate organisations in recruiting and retaining employees. However, employer branding also comes with challenges, highlighting the importance of understanding how to manage it to capitalize on its potential advantages. Purpose: To examine employees’ perceptions of municipalities’ employer branding and its impact on motivation. Method: The study has used a qualitative research approach, where ten semi-structured interviews were conducted within the finance departments of four municipalities in Skaraborg. Findings and conclusion: The study’s findings revealed that employer branding strategies were not openly discussed within the municipalities and were primarily perceived subconsciously by the employees. There was also a focus within the municipalities on promoting intrinsic motivation through factors such as organisational culture. Intrinsic motivation was also considered most attractive to the employees and motivated them the most, as long as they had a basic level of extrinsic motivation where their salaries were at an acceptable level, as salary was viewed as a hygiene factor for the employees.

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This case study examines how a company can work with employer branding and talent management in order to attract students. The study explores how these concepts can be combined in the joint activity and what the implications are of arranging such an activity. This is illustrated through the case competition Brandstorm, arranged by L’Oréal Group. The study has a qualitative approach and it is based on in-depth interviews with managers on three different organizational levels at L’Oréal. The result shows that using a case competition as a joint activity is a tool to combine employer branding and talent management. The aim of a joint activity is two folded; the case is developed by the employer branding team to create awareness and appear as an attractive employer, further targeting students in order for the talent management team to spot and recruit talents. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of communicating a consistent Employer Value Proposition (EVP) that conveys symbolic values. A case competition can also be seen as a tool for managing talents and creating of talent pools. It is further clear that collaborating with universities is preferable when targeting students, thus conveying an attractive employer brand image.

We are living in the “Anthropocene” the era in which human activities are responsible for severe damage to the resilience of the ecological and social systems, undermining the Earth’s autopoetic mechanism, integrity and ability to function as a healthy complex adaptive systems. The prevailing societal paradigm for business practices has yet to realise the reality of our current global unsustainable state – and the shift necessary to move us forward collectively. Startup companies have a unique opportunity to gain and leverage competitiveness and attractiveness for funding and customers through sustainability driven business strategies, models and value propositions. This research analyses literature, document and interview data to explore if and how current practices in the Lean Startup contribute to a sustainable society – and how a Strategic Sustainable Development approach might be introduced to enhance the resilience of Lean Startups. Therefore, our key recommendations for Lean Startups that want to introduce an SSD approach are: to raise awareness about the sustainability challenges and opportunities; utilise backcasting towards a vision framed by the Sustainability Principles; focus on fulfilling fundamental basic Human Needs; utilize strategic prioritization questions when pivoting and combine the FSSD ABCD process with the Lean BML cycle. Ultimately, this thesis proposes the use of Strategic Sustainable Trigger Questions to (re)design sustainable business models and value-propositions. We conclude that “asking the right questions - rather than giving answers up front” might spark conversations and innovations in Lean Startups, beneficial for the sustainability of both the individual startup the larger socio-ecological systems.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Regional shopping centres play an important role in the South African economy, especially by providing location services to retailers (large and small) and non-retailers. One of the main value propositions of regional shopping centres is to attract a large number of customer footprint to a central location where a group of retailers can market and sell to a larger customer market. Independent retail jewellers have numerous channel options available, in South Africa the preferred channel for independent jewellery retailers is a physical retail outlet within regional shopping centres. The purpose of this research is to determine the value proposition quality of Cape Town Metropolitan regional shopping centres as a preferred location to independent retail jewellers. The location value proposition analysis was performed by evaluating a set of location criteria as prescribed by available literature. Furthermore, this research also explores the antecedents of relationships and trust between shopping centre management and independent retail jewellers. This research followed a mixed-method approach and the focus is a sample of regional shopping centres and independent retail jewellers within the Cape Town Metropolitan area. Information was gathered through interviews by using structured questionnaires, which was prepared from literature on location value assessment criteria for shopping centres, relationship management and building trust within relationships. The research shows that although regional shopping centres are the preferred channel for independent retail jewellers there are some location value proposition elements that require improvement. A key concern for shopping centre management should be the imbalance in power created by contractual agreements that mostly favour regional shopping centres. This imbalance in power negatively influences relationships and trust between shopping centre management and independent retail jewellers. Furthermore, the feedback from independent retailer jewellers is that rental costs charged for location services are miss-aligned to the value received from these services. This study is limited that it only surveyed regional shopping centre management and independent retailer jewellers within the Cape Town Metropolitan area in South Africa. The limited scope and focus of this study confines the generalisability of this study for other types of retailers and / or other metropolitan areas within South Africa. The value of this study is that it tested location criteria from international literature within the South African context and set the foundation for future research, which is currently limited in South Africa.