Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2018-03-07"
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- Changing from plastic to ecologically-designed bottles : the impact on brand valuationsPublication . Ataíde, Maria Tomaz da Costa de Novaes e; Colaço, Vera Maria Portela Herédia Lancastre FreitasThe present dissertation studies consumers’ valuations concerning the change of plastic bottles to ecologically-designed bottles by brands. An experimental study was conducted to investigate if the different levels of brand familiarity (low vs. high) and engagement with social issues impact consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP), likelihood of purchase and consumer perceived ethicality (CPE), for the two types of bottles. Results show that consumers’ brand valuations are higher when the eco-bottle is presented, showing that there is more willingness to pay and likelihood of purchase this type of bottle. Indeed, consumers’ level of ethicality perception with a brand is also increased when a brand changes from plastic to ecologically-designed bottles. Interestingly, this effect is mostly observed for low familiar brands even when consumers have low levels of engagement with social issues.
- How can a subsidiary pursue a glocal strategy contributing to the success of the MNC global strategy?Publication . Costa, Tiago Fernandes da; Leglise, LaureThe purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the literature around the concept of “glocalization” in order to support multinational companies (MNCs) pursuing corporate growth. We aim to fulfill the gap on its literature by providing new insights about key success factors to implement a glocal strategy. The research also considers the evolution of MNCs’ strategies during the last decades and how they have been shaped according to market constraints. Additionally, it will be used the case of Unilever Jerónimo Martins and its brand Olá, both represented in Portugal, as an example of glocalization. Unilever as a whole has been empowering practices of adapting products to the regional characteristics and preferences in order to preserve the uniqueness of each countrie. Therefore, this thesis aims to testify the potential of using this approach as a solution to adapt locally, achieving higher levels of organizational performance and a better fit between firm’s value proposition and customers’ needs. The findings show that glocalization is an effective strategy for MNCs to follow global aspirations, but always considering the local reality. The local strategy execution, market activation and production capacity are key factors that may be determinant for the success of the glocal strategy. Additionally, knowledge of the local subsidiary about consumers preferences and market dynamics empowers the success of glocalization
- The influence of foreign stakeholders on the internationalization strategy of a born global in the health sectorPublication . Guerra, Sofia Telles Antunes dos Santos; Leglise, LaureThe goal of this dissertation thesis is to fill in the gap in the literature regarding the influence of foreign stakeholders in the definition of the internationalization strategy for the health market, more specifically how they influence the definition of the internationalization strategy of a born global company. In order to answer the research question proposed we used qualitative research, specifically a case study approach. After presenting the relevant literature regarding this topic we collected primary and secondary data through interviews and archived internal and external documentation. Through the analyses of the information collected and based upon the theoretical literature, we can conclude that the government is the major stakeholder influencer with regards to the definition of the internationalization strategy of a born global in the health market.
- The devil wears Prada : counterfeit in luxury goodsPublication . Fernandes, Rita Abrantes Leite Rodrigues; Braga, João Pedro Niza JacintoAll over the world, the market of luxury products has been significantly increasing. Following an almost parallel trend, the grey market of counterfeit luxury goods, has also been exponentially growing. To fight against this tendency, and to avoid losing a relevant part of their business, luxury brands need to develop new strategies. Such strategies can be directed not to fight the black market itself, but to better understand consumers’ perception of luxury items and try to change consumer perception about counterfeit goods. To try to understand consumers’ perception and to see their reaction to a threat, this thesis compiled a comprehensive online survey, where participants faced several scenarios with luxury and counterfeit goods. Besides, in half of the scenarios, participants were exposed to a self-threat. The results showed that threatened consumers tend to better accept counterfeit in luxury goods while increasing their sense of fashionable to protect their identity. However, when they were threatened their likelihood to purchase luxury perfumes surprisingly decreased. Consumers’ age influenced the likelihood to purchase a counterfeit luxury perfume in the same way as current occupation and monthly income influenced the likelihood to purchase a counterfeit luxury handbag. The results also showed that consumers that relate a high value-expressive function to genuine luxury goods, have more sensitive moral beliefs from other people buying counterfeit luxury goods. It was also concluded that consumers’ are willing to pay more for some product that may restore their self-image previously threatened.
- A comunicação digital numa Entidade de Ensino : estudo de caso do Instituto de Letras e Ciências Humanas da Universidade do MinhoPublication . Ramos, Filipe Paredes; Andrade Júnior, José Gabriel de OliveiraEm plena época digital, as redes sociais digitais adquirem um poder de divulgação que as torna indispensáveis para qualquer serviço ou organização. Estas redes deixam de ser apenas de uso social e começam a ser ferramentas essenciais para qualquer profissional na área da comunicação. A comunicação começa a ter mais importância nas organizações e é vista como uma ferramenta essencial para o sucesso interno e externo de qualquer organização. No entanto, é uma área que não é aproveitada no seu completo potencial, sendo que ainda não é dada a devida autonomia e responsabilidade ao profissional de comunicação. Após a realização de um estágio curricular, de três meses, no Instituto de Letras e Ciências Humanas, da Universidade do Minho, o presente relatório de estágio tem como objetivo perceber de que forma a implementação de um plano comunicacional digital contribui para a melhoria comunicacional interna e externa. Com o intuito de alcançar o objetivo deste relatório de estágio é necessário analisar e compreender alguns conceitos da área da comunicação, descrever e analisar as tarefas realizadas no local de estágio e perceber de que forma a implementação de estratégias de comunicação afetou a comunicação interna e externa do Instituto de Letras e Ciências Humanas.
- Capuchinhos vermelhos... de raiva: iniquidade nas organizaçõesPublication . Rego, Arménio; Cunha, Miguel Pina e
- Give me a break : how psychological distance affects consumers’ expected experience of a break during a positive experience?Publication . Almeida, Sara Bolito dos Santos; Braga, João Pedro Niza JacintoPrevious research about the effect of breaks during a positive experience has shown that consumer experience might be improved. However, a number of studies have also shown that consumers prefer no interruptions during positive activities. This results in incorrect predictions on consumers’ optimal experience. This thesis aims to find a way of lessening the weight consumers attribute to breaks on positive experience. Manipulating one of the dimensions of psychological distance we will try to understand its impact on consumers’ perceptions and willingness to experience a situation when introducing the variable break. The present study manipulates psychological distance, which has been shown to be associated to abstraction such that distant events generate high-level construal. It was hypothesize that imagining events in a distant future (under high levels of construal), the break would have a smaller impact on the expected pleasure of the experience. In an online study, answered by 170 consumers, break presence and temporal distance were manipulated. The study measured consumers’ willingness to engage in an experience, expected levels of pleasure during an experience and willingness to pay. The results show that, although important, temporal distance is not a dominant decision variable, as different levels of this variable have practically the same effect on consumers’ preferences. On the other hand, we conclude that consumers are break sensitive whether they expecting or not a presence of break on their positive experience. Finally, we perceived heterogeneous and neutral participants’ perceptions and a strong participation bias.
- The growing tendency of selling luxury goods in online platforms, and strategies that luxury houses can implementPublication . Freitas, Ricardo Ramalho; Braga, João Pedro Niza JacintoResearchers state that luxury houses should only use online platforms to communicate with consumers and never to sell products, because, in order to be successful in selling the product, one should be able to replicate the hedonic experience through the web (Kapferer & Bastien, 2009). However, there has been a growing tendency of selling luxury products through their websites and mobile applications (Deloitte, 2017). Thus, this dissertation looks to explore and test consumers’ associations while purchasing online, and whether this applies or not into luxury products, hypothesizing if there are strategies that can be implemented to improve it. To investigate the subject, it was conducted a study, where it was tested the already suggested tendency of consumers to look for more utilitarian products, while purchasing online, and if it extends to the luxury industry. Moreover, it was assessed if psychological distance, through temporal distance, could be a factor that influences consumers’ behaviour in purchasing luxury goods online. This study evaluated participants’ decisions between utilitarian and hedonic descriptions, regarding luxury products, both in online and offline platforms; and also assessing the participants’ attitudes towards utilitarian and hedonic dimensions of a product. Results suggest that the previously mentioned tendency can be extended to luxury products. However, it was not clear that temporal distance constituted a good manipulation, once it only presented significant differences in the way participants evaluated the utilitarian dimensions of product characteristics, when going from low to high temporal distance. The fact that consumers’ behaviour can be justified, not-only but also, by the nature of the product (if it is utilitarian or hedonic) constitutes a main insight to take from this dissertation. Also, the fact that psychological distance can be a relevant manipulation for creating strategies to improve one’s performance in online platforms, originates a series of new possible researches that can be conducted in the future.
- How to manage business networks to implement an internationalization strategy in the tourism sector : a case study on Martinhal Family Hotels and ResortsPublication . Reis, Maria Leonor Sepúlveda Pereira dos; Leglise, LaureThe idea and goal of the present dissertation aims at filling the gap in the literature, based on a case study, regarding the relevance, application and management of networks as an enabler of the internationalization process of a Portuguese hotel company. More specifically in the context of tapping and stabilizing foreign markets for the importation of business to the Portuguese properties. To obtain the answer and draw conclusions on the proposed research question, a qualitative methods approach was performed, using techniques such as interviews and observational experience as collection sources of primary data and other internal and external documentation as secondary data. The findings show that for this company networks are vital. The managerial method this company uses on the network is effective and an added value to the value chain of this firm. Being a hotel, this company depends a lot on business from foreigners, thus, findings show that without having built and managing their own strong network of business partners, it would have been difficult for this company to have had the same international performance and results it observed so far. The study shows that for an efficient internationalization strategy, the company needs a deep knowledge about each foreign market, elucidating further that without the contribution of the network this company would not be able to achieve such goals, failing in the mission of diffusion of the brand and stabilization in foreign markets.
- How can the international strategic outsourcing prejudice company´s way of operating in the market research sector?Publication . Mota, Tiago Alexandre Falcão Martins Costa; Leglise, LaureFor a company to survive in long term and to be competitive with multinational enterprises, grow internationally must be part of the corporate strategy for managers. Thereby, strategic alliances are a reliable option for a firm to effectively increase business performance with strategic partners, that allow a firm to focus on their own main competencies and take advantage of the capabilities that the partner has to offer. One method used by organizations is to outsource some operations along the value chain with the main goal of saving money, mainly when outsourcing to countries with cheaper labour force like India. Hence, choosing the right partner becomes the main challenge for managers and predictions about the competencies and how the third part will perform, are uncertainties that are complex to evaluate. To effectively understand the impacts that an outsourcing agreement of services have in company´s operations, we conducted four interviews with workers from the market research firm with also participant observation. Our findings suggest that indeed, in the market research sector, when outsourcing to a country with a completely new reality in terms of consumption patterns, different needs and habits, with a product availability distinct and unique, with different levels of competition (regarding the companies that operate in that country) and different ways of working, may lead to negative consequences in the company´s operationality. By being in a specific and complex sector, makes even more the transmission of the know-how a huge challenge between countries and could lead to unexpected costs.