Multiple Channel Strategies in the European Personal Computer Industry

2002 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mika Gabrielsson ◽  
V.H. Manek Kirpalani ◽  
Reijo Luostarinen
Keyword(s):  
Personal Computer ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
International Expansion ◽  
Personal Computer Industry ◽  
Multiple Channel ◽  
Sales Channel ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Managerial Implications

The authors examine sales channel strategies for international expansion as a means of compensating for constantly decreasing unit prices and margins in the personal computer (PC) industry operation in the European Union market. The authors describe and analyze the development from single (direct or indirect) to multiple (dual or hybrid) sales channel strategy for international expansion on the basis of four theoretical approaches. The methodology used is a qualitative research strategy. The authors conduct a longitudinal multiple case study consisting of 20 top management interviews related to four cases. They examine the development of the sales channel strategies of selected large companies in the European PC business. Multiple sales channels, especially the hybrid ones, are an optimal solution for expanding sales volumes. The results contribute to the relatively underresearched area of multiple channels, and the managerial implications drawn should be helpful not only to PC companies but also to other firms, such as “born globals.”

scholarly journals Exploring the application of machine learning to the assembly line feeding problem

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moretti Emilio ◽  
Tappia Elena ◽  
Limère Veronique ◽  
Melacini Marco
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Supervised Machine Learning ◽  
Assembly System ◽  
Optimization Approach ◽  
Feeding Problem ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Multiple Feeding

AbstractAs a large number of companies are resorting to increased product variety and customization, a growing attention is being put on the design and management of part feeding systems. Recent works have proved the effectiveness of hybrid feeding policies, which consist in using multiple feeding policies in the same assembly system. In this context, the assembly line feeding problem (ALFP) refers to the selection of a suitable feeding policy for each part. In literature, the ALFP is addressed either by developing optimization models or by categorizing the parts and assigning these categories to policies based on some characteristics of both the parts and the assembly system. This paper presents a new approach for selecting a suitable feeding policy for each part, based on supervised machine learning. The developed approach is applied to an industrial case and its performance is compared with the one resulting from an optimization approach. The application to the industrial case allows deepening the existing trade-off between efficiency (i.e., amount of data to be collected and dedicated resources) and quality of the ALFP solution (i.e., closeness to the optimal solution), discussing the managerial implications of different ALFP solution approaches and showing the potential value stemming from machine learning application.

In/acceptable marketing and consumers' privacy expectations: four tests from EU data protection law

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianclaudio Malgieri
Keyword(s):  
Data Protection ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Online Marketing ◽  
Step Test ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Content Type ◽  
General Data Protection Regulation ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Data Protection Law ◽  
Legal Frameworks

Purpose This study aims to discover the legal borderline between licit online marketing and illicit privacy-intrusive and manipulative marketing, considering in particular consumers’ expectations of privacy. Design/methodology/approach A doctrinal legal research methodology is applied throughout with reference to the relevant legislative frameworks. In particular, this study analyzes the European Union (EU) data protection law [General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)] framework (as it is one of the most advanced privacy laws in the world, with strong extra-territorial impact in other countries and consequent risks of high fines), as compared to privacy scholarship on the field and extract a compliance framework for marketers. Findings The GDPR is a solid compliance framework that can help to distinguish licit marketing from illicit one. It brings clarity through four legal tests: fairness test, lawfulness test, significant effect test and the high-risk test. The performance of these tests can be beneficial to consumers and marketers in particular considering that meeting consumers’ expectation of privacy can enhance their trust. A solution for marketers to respect and leverage consumers’ privacy expectations is twofold: enhancing critical transparency and avoiding the exploitation of individual vulnerabilities. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to the European legal framework scenario and to theoretical analysis. Further research is necessary to investigate other legal frameworks and to prove this model in practice, measuring not only the consumers’ expectation of privacy in different contexts but also the practical managerial implications of the four GDPR tests for marketers. Originality/value This study originally contextualizes the most recent privacy scholarship on online manipulation within the EU legal framework, proposing an easy and accessible four-step test and twofold solution for marketers. Such a test might be beneficial both for marketers and for consumers’ expectations of privacy.

scholarly journals International legal experience in combating illegal migration by sea

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
pp. 284-287
Author(s):  
O.O. Kukshynova ◽  
A. O. Samoilenko
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
European Countries ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Illegal Migration ◽  
Illegal Migrants ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Treaty Of Amsterdam

This article highlights the impact of international law on the global process of illegal migration, reveals a number of international problems related to international migration, in particular by sea, identifies the main factors influencing illegal migration in general, indicates the state of illegal migration in various European Union countries. attention is paid to such important international legal instruments as the Schengen Agreement of 1985 and 1990, the Dublin Convention of 1990, the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 and the Treaty of Amsterdam of 1997. The article also focuses on the European Union agency, which deals with the protection of external borders and their protection from illegal migrants, in particular, by sea.The analysis of theoretical and practical aspects of combating illegal migration by sea at the international level, as well as in the development of scientific and theoretical approaches to solving migration problems, characterizes the legal regulation of combating illegal migration by maritime transport and maritime participation established intergovernmental bodies. The main tools of the European Union to combat illegal migration by sea, which can be used to improve the legal regulation of migration authorities of other countries, as well as substantiate the organizational and legal framework of European countries in the field of legal support to combat illegal migration by sea.The actions of European states represented by the relevant state bodies in solving the problems of illegal migration with the help of merchant fleets of European countries are studied. The article pays attention to the influence of illegal migration on the formation and change of legal awareness of society, as the beginning of the formation of criminogenic factors among illegal migrants in the host country.

scholarly journals Optimizing preservation strategies for deteriorating items with time-varying holding cost and stock-dependent demand

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-250
Author(s):  
Aditi Khanna ◽  
P Priyamvada ◽  
Chandra Jaggi
Keyword(s):  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Optimal Investment ◽  
Deteriorating Items ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Preservation Technology ◽  
Special Cases ◽  
Stock Dependent Demand ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Holding Cost ◽  
Dependent Demand

Organizations are keen on rethinking and optimizing their existing inventory strategies so as to attain profitability. The phenomenon of deterioration is a common phenomenon while managing any inventory system. However, it could become a major challenge for the business if not dealt carefully. An investment in preservation technology is by far the most inuential move towards dealing with deterioration proficiently. Additionally, it is noticed that the demand pattern of many products is reliant on its availability and usability. Thus, considering demand of the product to be ?stock-dependent" is a more practical approach. Further, in case of deteriorating items, it is observed that the longer an item stays in the system the higher is its holding cost. Therefore, the model assumes the holding cost to be time varying. Hence, the proposed framework aims to develop an inventory model for deteriorating items with stock-dependent demand and time-varying holding cost under an investment in preservation technology. The objective is to determine the optimal investment in preservation technology and the optimal cycle length so as to minimize the total cost. Numerical example with various special cases have been discussed which signifies the effect of preservation technology investment in controlling the loss due to deterioration. Finally, the effect of key model features on the optimal solution is studied through sensitivity analysis which provides some important managerial implications.

scholarly journals Effective strategies followed by multinational enterprises expanding into Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zihné Coetzee ◽  
Henri Bezuidenhout ◽  
Gabriel Mhonyera
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
International Expansion ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
International Partnerships ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Value Add

Orientation: Retail sector multinational enterprises (MNEs) face challenges and follow diverse strategies when they expand into foreign markets.Research purpose: The major aim of this article is to determine how three well-established retail sector MNEs, namely, Walmart, Carrefour and Shoprite, addressed the challenges they faced and structured their market entry strategies in the African continent.Motivation for the study: While the opportunities in Africa are perpetual, breaking into the African market is not so straightforward. It is in this regard that the importance of determining the challenges faced by established retail MNEs in Africa and the valuable lessons that can be drawn by small and upcoming MNEs, from the experiences of these prominent MNEs studied, is exposed.Research approach/design and method: This article employs a mixed-method approach (i.e. case study and semi-structured interviews) to determine the challenges faced by Walmart, Carrefour and Shoprite when they expanded into Africa, and how they overcame those challenges.Main findings: The findings reveal that Walmart and Shoprite possess a substantial footprint in sub-Saharan Africa, while Carrefour enjoys a substantial footprint in North Africa and Francophone Countries of west Africa. Furthermore, Walmart follows a risk-averse approach when expanding into the African continent and only expands into new foreign markets based on the market potential and the ability to succeed. Carrefour’s main strategy is to achieve international expansion into Africa through the acquisition of international partnerships with local and regional firms. Shoprite, on the other hand, maintains that no written strategy was followed when the retail MNE expanded into Africa. It is also evident that external factors are significant for MNEs seeking to invest in Africa.Practical/managerial implications: Not all MNEs expanding into Africa have been successful. Accordingly, the practical value of this article rests upon the lessons that small and upcoming MNEs can learn from the experiences of MNEs that are now well established in African markets.Contribution/value-add: This article contributes to existing foreign direct investment (FDI) literature by identifying challenges that Walmart, Carrefour and Shoprite faced when they expanded into Africa. In addition, lessons that aspiring and small MNEs, specifically in the retail sector, can learn from these three retail MNEs that are now well established in African markets are drawn.

Neoliberalism and its Homophobic Discontents

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Volker Woltersdorff aka Lore Logorrhöe
Keyword(s):  
Risk Taking ◽  
The Other ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Sexual Identities ◽  
Political Critique ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
European Values ◽  
Sexual Concerns ◽  
The One

This article addresses a lack in both queer and anti-neoliberal political critique: on the one hand, queer theoretical approaches neglect questions of production and class, on the other hand economical analyses all too often ignore the question of sexuality. The author argues that this blank is symptomatic for the current regime that reins the construction of sexual identities and he asks why it is so difficult to do otherwise. While religious fundamentalists, nationalist and racists unanimously reject both homosexuality and neoliberalism, official neoliberal discourse in the European Union includes tolerance of homosexuality within its list of allegedly European values. In Germany and in the Netherlands, right wing liberal policies thus give anti-homophobic struggles a nationalist and racist stance, constraining them to co-opt neoliberalism, consumerism, nationalism and racism. Finally the article discusses whether the notion of precariousness could help to link economic and sexual concerns such a way that the dialectics of individuality and risk taking in neoliberalism are illustrated.

Policy-Making in the European Union

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
National Level ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Policy ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Common ◽  
Key Events ◽  
The Eu

Policy-Making in the European Union explores the link between the modes and mechanisms of EU policy-making and its implementation at the national level. From defining the processes, institutions and modes through which policy-making operates, the text moves on to situate individual policies within these modes, detail their content, and analyse how they are implemented, navigating policy in all its complexities. The first part of the text examines processes, institutions, and the theoretical and analytical underpinnings of policy-making, while the second part considers a wide range of policy areas, from economics to the environment, and security to the single market. Throughout the text, theoretical approaches sit side by side with the reality of key events in the EU, including enlargement, the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, and the financial crisis and resulting Eurozone crisis, focusing on what determines how policies are made and implemented. This includes major developments such as the establishment of the European Stability Mechanism, the reform of the common agricultural policy, and new initiatives to promote EU energy security. In the final part, the chapters consider trends in EU policy-making and the challenges facing the EU.

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