Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2016-07-19"
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- Challenges faced by SMEs in the internationalization process to emerging markets and ways to overcome them : the case study of SANITOP in MozambiquePublication . Stevens, Hugo Miranda; Léglise, LaureIn today‘s globalization era, an increasing number of SMEs is expanding its international presence. At the same time, emerging markets present themselves as attractive and growing areas filled with opportunities. However, they also present challenges due to the contrast with mature markets. Therefore, the objective of the current thesis is to study the challenges faced by SMEs in the internationalization process to emerging markets, as well as the ways used to deal with them. The company chosen is a Portuguese SME, SANITOP – Material Sanitário, Lda., which is internationally present in Maputo, Mozambique. The research is conducted using a qualitative method, more specifically a case study essentially based on five interviews with employees of the company. The case study shows evidence of numerous challenges faced by SANITOP in the Mozambican emerging market, some of which match the literature on SME internationalization: shortage of working capital; inadequate quantity of and/or untrained personnel for internationalization; difficulty in matching competitors‘ prices; and excessive transportation costs. Furthermore, additional major challenges were found in the context of the Mozambican market, especially the devaluation of national currency and the lack of foreign currency, which further extends the current literature on the subject. As for ways of overcoming internationalization barriers, although the literature is fairly matched with three options (networks, external support and technologies), there are numerous other options found in the case study which remain unmentioned in the literature and that are particularly useful for SMEs present in emerging markets.
- O fenómeno dos "novos movimentos de apostolado" fundados em Cabinda perante os novos desafios da inculturação : uma abordagem teológico-pastoralPublication . Mulamba, Paulino; Nunes, José Manuel Valente da SilvaA inculturação é um processo de evangelização que propõe a salvação em Cristo a partir daquilo que a pessoa é e vive no seu dia-a-dia. Por isso, foi e continua a ser considerada como prioridade para a missão da Igreja. A Diocese de Cabinda não escapa a esta exigência. E os “Novos Movimentos de Apostolado” fundados em Cabinda, já acolhidos, devem ser valorizados e dinamizados para a sua maturidade eclesial, tornando-se assim estruturas importantes para a implementação do processo da inculturação, constituindo de facto uma “resposta providencial” aos novos desafios da inculturação.
- Scribd case study : commercial viability of the e-book subscription business modelPublication . Mezhova, Anna; Marcos, Paulo Alexandre GonçalvesModeled after media subscription giants Netflix and Spotify, Scribd is a subscription e-book service based in San Francisco, United States. Despite the highly evaluated potential of the business model, Scribd came across significant problems due to a combination of a pay-per-read payout model and all-you-can-read pricing model; these issues led to a few unpopular decisions such as reducing content selection and eventually changing the subscription terms. In presence of a powerful and prosperous competitor such as Amazon that has a direct analogue to Scribd, Amazon Kindle Unlimited, Scribd has to choose growth strategies that will allow it to add value to the product for current and potential customers. The two possible strategies discussed in this case study are an international expansion to Germany and a domestic market expansion through the premium segment. The case study provides relevant data to assess each strategy and gives background information about the company and the industry in order for students to analyze the case and decide on the most attractive strategy to follow.
- SUSHI@HOME : a case of customer retention and acquisitionPublication . Remtula, Alida Piarali; Marcos, Paulo Alexandre GonçalvesSushi@Home is a Portuguese sushi restaurant chain founded in 2014 with the main purpose of delivering food to its customers wherever they are. The idea of creating a sushi chain, in which the core business was the delivery service, emerged from the dream of serving clients in their own homes and from a need observed in the market. Sushi@Home’s partners found that many consumers appreciated convenience and would like to be able to order sushi directly to their places. Sushi@Home’s partners were aware that the restaurant has been successful and brand awareness was increasing overtime. Despite the fierce competition, demand was higher than supply and it was difficult to attend all the orders. However, little strategies on retention and acquisition of customers have been developed until then and the founders began to think that with so many sushi restaurants in Lisbon, strategies should be developed in order to generate awareness, recall and repeat purchase. As a result, Sushi@Home’s partners were wondering what the smartest strategy to follow was. Therefore, two options were on the table: either invest on retaining existing customers or acquiring new ones. Sushi@Home case study provides the necessary tools that enable students to analyse the market landscape and its competition and to advise partners on how to solve the dilemma the best way possible.
- How does thinking approach help companies to overcome barriers in the internationalization process?Publication . Carnall, Laura Sousa; Léglise, LaureThe goal/purpose of this dissertation is to fill the gap in the literature regarding the application of “design thinking” (a human-centered, problem-solving methodology) as a facilitator in internationalization processes, more specifically how can help firms to surpass encountered barriers during its internationalization to foreign markets. To answer this question a qualitative study was conducted, using the case-study method. Interviews were the key technique to collect primary data, and internal and external documentation provided secondary data. The findings show that the impact of the design thinking approach is positive in overcoming internal (marketing – product) and external barriers (sociocultural) when internationalizing to foreign markets. The methodology is composed of five stages: i) empathize, ii) define, iii) ideate, iv) prototype and v) test. The first three stages have a greater impact in benefiting firms to overcome external obstacles.
- Chic by Choice : a case study on pricing strategies and consumer perceptionsPublication . Pestana, Jennifer Rodrigues; Marcos, Paulo Alexandre GonçalvesMillennials have been shaping markets and influencing the way companies are offering and communicating its products and services because, in contrast with the so called generation baby boomers, they are focused more on the experience, rather than on ownership of things. Chic by Choice is a Portuguese start-up, founded in May 2014, that decided to enter in a new online market category that has been witnessing significant growth and showing great potential when considering the reasoning millennials live up to: why buy if you can rent, use, have fun and then, return it? The Online Fashion Rental industry has one big player in America, who started operations in 2009, and in Europe, some smaller competitors in major markets such as the United Kingdom and Germany, where online shopping is something relatively embedded in their consumption behaviours. Being able to acquire one of the latter competitors, Chic by Choice was in a phase of rapid growth but, at the same time, it needed to keep its results positive and enticing to secure external investment. Therefore, in order to achieve these goals, the company had to make decisions regarding pricing, more specifically, the price and discounts given to the first customers so as to acquire them more easily, making them a more desirable and attractive value proposition and, by consequence, keeping revenue and average order values as high as possible.
- Equity valuation of Ence Energía y Celulosa SAPublication . Coelho, Inês Nobre de Carvalho Alves; Martins, José Carlos TudelaThis dissertation aims to value the Spanish pulp and biomass energy producer Ence Energía y Celulosa. The main purpose is the determination of a target fair price for one common share of Ence and issue a buy, hold or sell recommendation, by comparing it to the current market price. The valuation is based on both a pulp and biomass energy industry analysis, complemented by a company analysis in order to form assumptions for the future. The valuation of Ence is computed through a Discounted Cash Flow method for each of the two businesses, followed by a sum of the parts approach. This methodology is complemented by a multiples valuation. Through the DCF methodology, Ence’s fair value is €4,21/share, supported by the multiples valuation, which implies a buy recommendation with an upside of 38%. The buy recommendation is issued with a 66% confidence level as it holds in most conservative scenarios. This recommendation is consistent with Haitong Investment Bank’s. The main differences between the valuation methodologies and assumptions are analyzed.
- How can corporate social responsibility campaigns enhance marketing strategies : LIDL’s approachPublication . Morais, Madalena Palminha Andreta; Marcos, Paulo Alexandre GonçalvesThe present study pretends to expose and clarify one of the main controversial issues and challenges of marketing these days: the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility campaigns to achieve better commercial figures. How it is ethical perceived by consumers and how can it be built in order to be perceived as a win-win situation for both parties: corporation and consumers. This topic came as a result of a reflection about these matters that followed an internship in the referred corporation: Lidl & CIA. Lidl’s “Goodness Gang 2014” campaign was analyzed carefully, being the core example of this project for its success in terms of sales and social goals. Due to the lack of statistics given by the company, a quantitative metric and a survey were created to better analyze consumers’ response to it.
- Victoria’s Secret : a case study of maintaining brand relevancePublication . Ponomarenko, Polina; Marcos, Paulo Alexandre GonçalvesVictoria’s Secret, which belongs to L Brands group, is the leading lingerie brand in its home market, US and globally, which has substantially shaped the industry of underwear in the last decades and successfully expanded into other product categories, such as swimwear, sportswear, apparel and beauty. It has been performing well financially in the resent years under the management of its CEO, Sharen Turney, who has left the brand in the beginning of 2016 and delegated to Leslie Wexner, the CEO of L Brands. However, in the last two years some questionable aspects of Victoria’s Secret marketing have been raised by media, competitors and consumers – the brand has gained a significant amount of negative publicity regarding its brand values, based on its reluctance to cater to plus-size segment and the accusations of promoting wrong body ideals and sexist stereotypes among women. From brand management prospective, these negatives could become reasons not to buy Victoria’s Secret products among consumers, which may make further brand relevance problematic. In order to facilitate brand relevance maintenance, the case protagonist, Victoria’s Secret CEO, Leslie Wexner is faced with a dilemma – either to make Victoria’s Secret enter a plus-size segment or introduce new corporate social initiatives to the brand. The students are supposed to analyze and discuss the case study, using company background and market conditions and, on the basis of pros and cons for each strategy, solve the particular dilemma.
- Validation of antimicrobial natural compounds as an alternative to potassioum sorbate in fruit and cereal preparations and its dairy applicationsPublication . Cisternas Ramirez, Franco Luciano; Rodrigues, Cristina Martins; Moreira, PatríciaA fisiologia de um fungo é muito importante, pois pode ter impactos diferentes e significativos no meio ambiente, processos industriais e na saúde dos seres humanos. Em relação a este último, algumas espécies de fungos são consideradas patogénicas para os humanos, pois produzem micotoxinas, as quais estão associadas a alergias e doenças severas. O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido na FRULACT; uma companhia que está há mais de 20 anos no mercado alimentício e que tem como objetivo desenvolvimento de produtos com os mais altos padrões de qualidade para os seus consumidores em países dentro e fora da Europa e que procura novos compostos com ativos antimicrobianos que possam substituir o sorbato de potássio (E202), atualmente usado como conservante alimentar devido à sua actividade antimicrobiana. Este trabalho apresenta o uso de óleos essenciais como composto natural em substituição ao sorbato de potássio como conservante alimentar na prevenção de crescimento fúngico. Para tal, foram isolados fungos presentes no ambiente de trabalho da empresa e nas matérias-primas utilizadas por esta e o seu crescimento testado na presença dos óleos essenciais (OE): eucalipto, lavanda, tomilho louro e manjericão; que também foram adicionados às preparações lácteas elaboradas pela FRULACT a partir das seguintes matérias primas: amoras, cereais e ananás; para assim analisar possíveis alterações nas características organolépticas dessas preparações. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que tanto in vivo como in vitro, os óleos essenciais de lavanda, tomilho e louro impediram o crescimento de fungos respectivamente nas concentrações de 0,5%, 0,2% e 0,2% (v/v). Os preparados desenvolvidos pela FRULACT contendo os três óleos essenciais nas concentrações anteriormente mencionadas, foram testados por um grupo de especialistas a verificado que os preparados tiveram variações drásticas nas suas características organolépticas apresentando traços de sabor dos óleos essenciais adicionados, demostrando a necessidade de mais estudos, utilizando os óleos a diferentes concentrações para que melhor se adaptem ao uso na indústria alimentar.
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