Veritati
Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Entradas recentes
Beyond size uncertainty : the impact of AR fit-and-size try-ons in diferent types of retail stores in the fashion industry
Publication . Jelen, Maya Waltraud Ingrid; Colaço, Vera
Size and fit uncertainty is a central barrier in mainstream fashion, lowering purchase confidence, driving returns, and undermining attempts to make fashion consumption more sustainable. Augmented reality (AR) fit-and-size tools promise to reduce this uncertainty across physical and online touchpoints via virtual fitting rooms. Yet, evidence on their impact in everyday fashion remains limited. This research examines how using an AR fit-and-size virtual try-on, compared with a standard non-AR try-on, shapes consumer experience - perceived ease of use, perceived fit, perceived sustainable consumption, perceived likelihood of keeping a purchased item, perceptions of sustainability, and purchasing behaviors – purchase intention and WTP. Results from a 2 (type of fit-and-size try-on: without AR vs. AR-based) × 2 (type of store: physical store vs. online shop) between-within experimental design show that an AR-based fit-and-size try-on tool significantly enhances consumer experiences and purchase intentions, despite willingness to pay remaining unchanged. Findings also indicate the moderating role of the type of store is especially relevant in online than physical store settings when an AR-based fit-and-size try-on tool is employed. It enhances consumers’ perceptions concerning the ease of use of the virtual try-on, perceptions of sustainable consumption, fit confidence, and the likelihood of keeping the garment. It also boosts purchase intentions. These findings highlight that virtual fitting rooms managed via AR seem to act as a risk-reduction and return-prevention tool and provide evidence of their potential to support more confident and potentially more sustainable fashion choices, especially in online shopping channels.
Padel as a lifestyle innovation : an integrated analysis of adoption drivers, social identity and experience staging among generation Z in Germany
Publication . Bilmoser, Felix; Rita, Miguel
This thesis examines how Generation Z consumers in Germany adopt padel tennis as a lifestyle- and experience-based sport, and why it diffuses rapidly despite infrastructure constraints. Using Diffusion of Innovations (DOI), Social Identity Theory (SIT), and the Experience Economy (EE), the study tests hypotheses on adoption and continuance drivers. A mixed-method design was applied, combining 10 exploratory interviews with a Qualtrics survey of N = 101 active Gen Z padel players (plus a small non-player branch for context). Findings show that diffusion is mainly driven by low perceived complexity, high hedonic value, lifestyle/social compatibility, and community identification, with event experiences further strengthening attachment. Observability is linked to symbolic trend value, while UGC versus influencer effects remain mixed. Infrastructure and cost barriers did not reduce playing frequency among current players, indicating a stronger constraint on market expansion than on ongoing usage.
Cultural diversity and decision-making in management teams : evaluating the role of cultural intelligence in the beauty industry
Publication . Woelky, Laura Alisa; Ribeiro, Vinicius
As companies increasingly operate across national and cultural boundaries, management teams are becoming more culturally diverse. In the globally oriented beauty industry, such diversity has a direct impact on communication, leadership practices and decision-making processes. This master’s dissertation examines how cultural diversity influences decision-making in management teams and explores the role of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) in this context. The study follows a qualitative, exploratory research design. Data were collected through twelve semi-structured interviews with managers and team leaders from international beauty companies. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis to identify recurring patterns related to cultural diversity, CQ and decision-making.The findings suggest that Cultural Intelligence plays an important role in shaping decision-making processes in multicultural management teams. Managers with higher levels of CQ are better able to interpret culturally influenced behaviours, address communication challenges and support effective collaboration. Although cultural diversity may lead to delays in decision-making do to differing expectations and communication styles, it contributes to more robust decisions, increased innovation and improved team performance when managed effectively. The study highlights Cultural Intelligence as a key managerial capability in the global beauty industry.
Shifting control points : how AI capabilities are reshaping the SaaS industry
Publication . Gonçalves, Rui Pedro David; Bohnsack, René; de Wet, Mickie
Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely regarded as a disruptive force in the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) industry, raising questions about the sustainability of the control points that have historically supported SaaS incumbents. This dissertation examines how enterprise adoption of AI capabilities challenges traditional SaaS control points, how incumbents respond strategically, and whether AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) and AI+SaaS strategies can serve as effective defensive mechanisms. Building on Control Points Theory, the study adopts a qualitative, inductive research design based on semi-structured interviews with consultants working closely with SaaS providers and enterprise clients, as well as professionals from SaaS incumbents and firms developing internal AI solutions. The findings show that AI does not lead to a uniform shift in control. First, application-layer technical control points become contestable in a capability-contingent manner, benefitting only firms with sufficient organizational capabilities. Second, strategic control points such as contractual relationships, compliance certifications, and customer relationships persist and may even strengthen as AI intensifies data governance and security concerns. Third, new technical control points emerge at the infrastructure layer, where access to compute resources, foundational models, and orchestration platforms becomes increasingly critical. Overall, the study concludes that AI reconfigures rather than erodes control in the SaaS industry, creating multi-layered, conditional, and contested control structures.
Value creation in strategic alliances at siemens digital industries : the role of internal success factors
Publication . Daoudi, Marouane Ed; Flórido, João
Strategic alliances can enhance market power, efficiency, and access to resources, yet many fail to achieve intended objectives and the mechanisms of alliance value creation remain unclear. This study examines how strategic alliances create value for Siemens Digital Industries (SDI) across the alliance life cycle and how a dedicated alliance function and an established learning process contribute to alliance success. Drawing on alliance life-cycle research, value-creation theory, and the dynamic relational view, three semi-structured expert interviews with SDI alliance professionals were conducted via Microsoft Teams between 5 November and 2 December 2026 and analyzed using the Gioia methodology. Findings show that value creation starts with partner selection based on multidimensional complementarity filtered by customer cloud strategies, software-as-a-service requirements, portfolio gaps, and geographic coverage. Alliance design then relies on lean, non-equity, program-based governance, typically anchored in partner programs and memoranda of understanding, and reinforced by internal coordination via clear roles, interfaces, and escalation paths. Post-formation value creation is sustained through recurring co-innovation and co-selling routines, seller enablement, and joint monitoring of revenue, cloud consumption, and marketplace transactions. The dedicated alliance function orchestrates these mechanisms end to end, while learning supports capability development but remains practice-led, partner-specific, and only partially codified. Overall, the thesis concludes that SDI’s ability to create value from strategic alliances depends on aligning market-informed partner choice with scalable governance and disciplined post-formation routines, supported primarily by the alliance function and complemented by learning.