29 research outputs found

    REVERTIA A Circular Economy Business Case

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    This report presents the results of the Revertia case study, selected in the framework of the R2PI project, among 17 other cases, because of its focus on an activity linked to priority areas of the Circular Economy, namely Plastics and Critical Raw Materials. The information contained in the report is based on the methodology designed within the framework of the R2PI project to understand the characteristics of the business model, evaluate its outcomes and identify the main barriers and enablers of the CEBM. Revertia is an authorised Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) manager that combines e-waste management services with a circular value proposal consisting in the preparation of IT equipment for reuse. The company responsibly manages an e-waste flow and, by applying secure reconditioning processes, is able to extend the service life of IT equipment that has been discarded. Refurbished equipment, with a 1-year warranty, are sold in second-hand markets or donated. The activity of preparation for reuse also involves the utilization, to the extent possible, of used and recycled components. In addition, the business model is based on efficient logistics, avoiding e-waste transportation when reconditioning is not an option. The value proposition is based on the provision of high added value services to corporate IT equipment users, who need to manage their WEEE responsibly. The value network is thus formed by the origin-customer that generates e-waste and the EEE manufacturers represented through collective schemes. Downstream there are the destination-customers of second-hand and donated products, as well as the WEEE recycling companies to which Revertia's own waste is destined. Revertia's business model is clearly influenced at the context level by the WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU and the Spanish RD 110/2015, which regulate the industry and set targets for reuse and recycling of WEEE. In addition, the market context given by the rapid technological change in the EEE sector, the collective schemes derived from the implementation of the EPR obligation, the maturity of the WEEE recycling industry, the existence of illegal scrap metal agents, and some socio-cultural aspects such as the lack of awareness of WEEE's environmental costs are factors that strongly affect Revertia's activity. The report also presents an assessment of the circularity of the business model. The model corresponds to the Re-make pattern among the CEBM defined in the R2PI project. Its circularity lies in extending the useful life of a product, also integrating used and recycled components as far as possible. Current circularity is limited, since it is not based on services added to this second-hand product, nor is the organisation further able to act on the products manufacture or end of life. Therefore, Revertia takes opportunity of a gap left by other players in the sector (EEE manufacturers). Therefore the business model is dependent on the generation of an e-waste flow as well as on sales of refurbished computers. With regards to the outcomes assessment, the main advantages of the business model are found in the non-financial aspects: reuse of IT equipment for the same use demonstrates clear environmental benefits compared to recycling. In addition, it also allows for greater local employment generation linked to the management and preparation for reuse activity. In the socio-economic area, second-hand products provide access to quality equipment at very affordable prices. The SWOT analysis shows that the main strengths are the long-lasting and stable relationships with the origin-customers, the know-how and expertise of Revertia. The weaknesses point to its dependence on the linear model, therefore, to being able to capture waste streams, in competition with the mature recycling industry. The opportunities lie in the Spanish regulatory framework, which sets targets for the reuse of WEEE, as well as a state of opinion more favourable to responsible and sustainable consumption; however, there are also clear threats to the model, such as the possible entry of more competitors and the lack of sensitivity of EEE manufacturers towards reuse. Based on the analysis, it is concluded that the Re-make CEBM is replicable and transferable, especially as long as the linear economic paradigm is dominant. However, there are a number of business and policy recommendations that may support greater circularity: first, specific agreements with EEE manufacturers to extend circularity from the conception of EEE products until its final disposal after multiple lifetimes; second, at the policy level, tighter regulation, with inspection and sanction systems, incentives for eco-design and product life extension activities, transparent information and monitoring systems, as well as education and training measures are neededThis project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 73037

    Value perception and post-purchase behaviors of recurring customers: evidence in hedonic services with contractual and non-contractual linkage

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    [ES]Los modelos de formación de la utilidad tienen la capacidad de predecir el beneficio que los consumidores perciben en diferentes bienes y servicios. Sin embargo, existen evidencias en diferentes sectores de la necesidad de explorar estos modelos para la creación de una oferta de valor que sea atractiva para los consumidores a lo largo del tiempo, y, al mismo tiempo, rentable para la empresa. La percepción de valor por el consumidor en productos de compra repetitiva, además de por otros factores, cambia a lo largo de los sucesivos momentos de interacción con la categoría de producto. El efecto de estas interacciones se ha considerado en las teorías de formación de hábitos y saciedad, las cuales explican como el nivel habitual de consumo y la saciedad influyen en la formación de utilidad. Con el objetivo de explorar cómo mantener una oferta de valor atractiva a lo largo del tiempo para diferentes segmentos de consumidores, esta tesis examina empíricamente el efecto no lineal de la formación de hábitos y saciedad sobre el valor percibido y los comportamientos poscompra de los clientes recurrentes en un contexto de servicios hedónicos. Se analiza cómo cambia la disposición a pagar respecto a alojamientos turísticos en función del nivel habitual de consumo y la saciedad en un contexto con relación no contractual. Una vez comprobado este efecto, se estudia cómo influye la saciedad sobre el valor percibido y los comportamientos poscompra a lo largo del tiempo en un contexto con relación contractual (servicios por suscripción). Los resultados obtenidos en los diferentes estudios realizados concluyen que la disposición a pagar de un consumidor cambia en función de su nivel habitual de consumo, mostrando un incremento en su disposición a pagar respecto a la anterior visita si se encuentra en fases de sensibilización con el servicio y una disminución en caso de habituación. A su vez, el efecto de la saciedad juega también un papel determinante en la formación de utilidad. Se concluye que los consumidores que experimentan saciedad muestran una menor disposición a pagar y, por tanto, una mayor sensibilidad a los precios. Además, se demuestra que, en modelos de pago por suscripción, esta variable tiene la capacidad de anticipar la decisión de no continuar la suscripción del servicio contratado. Esta tesis contribuye a la literatura previa aportando evidencias empíricas sobre la formación de utilidad en diferentes servicios de uso hedónico, aclarando respecto a la literatura anterior que un precio de referencia no siempre influye de forma lineal y positiva sobre la disposición a pagar. Segundo, amplía el conocimiento sobre cómo la saciedad influencia el valor percibido en servicios con alto riesgo y muestra como esta variable es capaz de anticipar comportamientos desleales, ya que estudiamos tanto la intención de cancelar la suscripción en el corto como en el largo plazo. Finalmente, consideramos que los resultados obtenidos tienen importantes implicaciones, siendo clave incorporar en el análisis del comportamiento del consumidor en productos de compra repetitiva estas dos variables de segmentación de los clientes, el nivel habitual de consumo y la saciedad. [EN]Utility formation models have the ability to predict the benefit that consumers perceive in different goods and services. However, there is evidence in several sectors of the necessity to explore these models for the development of a value offer that is attractive to consumers over time, while also being profitable for the company. The perceived value of consumers in repetitive consumption, along with other factors, undergoes changes over the successive moments of interaction with the product category. The effect of these successive purchases has been considered in habit formation and satiation theories, which explain how the habitual level of consumption and satiation influence utility formation. With the aim of exploring how to maintain an attractive value offer over time for different consumer segments, this dissertation empirically examines the non-linear effect of the habitual level of consumption and satiation formation on perceived value and post-purchase behaviors of repeat customers in a hedonic services context. The study analyzes how willingness to pay for tourism accommodations changes based on habitual level of consumption and satiation in a non-contractual relationship setting. Upon confirming this effect, the study further explores the influence of satiation on perceived value and post-purchase behaviors over time in a contractual relationship setting (subscription retailing sector). The results obtained from the various studies lead to the conclusion that a consumer's willingness to pay is subject to change based on their habitual level of consumption. Specifically, there is an increase in willingness to pay compared to the previous stay if they are in a sensitization phase with the service, and a decrease in the case of habituation. Additionally, the effect of satiation plays a determining role in utility formation. It is concluded that consumers who experience satiation exhibit a lower willingness to pay and, therefore, greater price sensitivity. In turn, it is demonstrated that in subscription retailing, this variable has the ability to anticipate the decision to cancel the contracted subscription. This thesis contributes to previous literature by providing empirical evidence on utility formation in different hedonic services, clarifying that the influence of a reference price on willingness to pay is not always linear and positive, unlike previous literature. Second, it broadens the understanding of how satiation influences perceived value in high-risk services. Furthermore, it demonstrates the capability of this variable to predict unloyalty behaviors, as we examine both short and long-term subscription cancellation. Finally, we consider that the results obtained have important managerial implications being of utmost importance to incorporate these two customer segmentation variables, habitual level of consumption and satiation, into the analysis of consumer behavior in repetitive purchase products

    Marketing plan for Semear program - product/service development for the B2c market segment

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    This work project consisted of developing a Marketing Plan for SEMEAR, a program of a social organization with the mission to help the full integration of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in society. The group focused on the role of SEMEAR na Mercearia business unit to help improve SEMEAR’s overall performance and, for that purpose, conducted a strategic diagnosis and analyzed the market and consumers of artisan al products. Each member of the group suggested one strategic initiative, each one with three tactics, presented as recommendations to SEMEAR, focusing on fighting seasonality and increasing the financial stability all yearlong (a key step towards financial self-sustainability) and on increasing brand awareness with the ultimate goal of promoting the inclusion of disabled people in our society

    LENTURA A Circular Economy Business Model Case

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    This report analyses one of the business case studies selected within the R2Pi Project: Lentura, an association of agro-ecological food growers located in Galicia, Spain. This study aims at obtaining a comprehensive knowledge of what an initiative based on a local and natural food supply implies in terms of circular business models. Lentura, whose origins date back more than a decade, has as its main goal to provide its customers with horticultural products, obtained through organic practices and marketed in proximity. In other words, the business model is based on growing natural food, free of synthetic chemicals, which is sold through proximity schemes that minimise the number of kilometres covered by the food products. For the latter, distribution is based on direct sales, around a geographical area that does not exceed 30 km between producers and consumers. This association is mainly characterized by organic farming practices. Taking this fact into account and the organic and proximate characteristics of its foodstuffs, Lentura's practices fit in well with a CEBM based on circular sourcing. However, Lentura also carries out activities that may be considered as co-product recovery, such as the utilization of animal excreta for fertilizing or reusing packaging employed in food deliveries. Concerning Lentura’s context, organic farming has been a growing market in Spain and Europe for more than a decade. Although the conventional food sector remains highly competitive, there is a growing demand for a natural and healthy diet, which visibly benefits Lentura’s model. Despite these developments, national and regional legislation does not benefit (or even hinder) the emergence and prosperity of organisations and activities like Lentura. They are characterised by very stringent hygiene requirements and production limitations. The assessment of the circularity of Lentura business model provides remarkable insights. The key aspects are related to the natural farming practices, to the organisation of activities in proximity (reducing the number of kilometres and making it possible for the products to be so natural) and to the take-back and reuse of packaging. These circular activities have given rise to a series of financial and non-financial benefits that range from cost and material savings through the reintegration of packaging, to the improvement of the farmers’ income and the sustainability of food products through the maintenance of proximity schemes. The close and highly relational environment generated by Lentura is the main strength of the organisation, together with the naturalness of its food products. However, the lack of flexibility that they impose on their proximity model leads to relevant problems in aspects such as the volume of supply. With regards to the environment, Lentura may be affected by the increasing competition from organic or eco-friendly products provided by conventional food suppliers. Moreover, this report also shows some potential opportunities for Lentura to go further in circularity and improve its business model, such as relaxing the criteria of proximity, intensifying its production or generating compost from food waste. Even despite the mentioned aspects, this is a circular model that is not difficult to replicate or transfer, since it is based on simple ideas and does not require large investments for its implementation. The critical point to overcome lies in the ability to coordinate a certain know-how together with the maintenance of customers who today have above-average levels of educational awareness on food-related topics. In short, the report shows how Lentura manages to create a small alternative food system with a high relational content, which is an interesting business model for a Circular Economy. Information flows simply and farmers are valued, while respecting to a large extent the natural cycles involved in farming processes. The conclusion section recommends to adapt the hygiene and marketing regulations in the area and to introduce measures to improve consumer’s food education in order to support more circular business models similar to Lentura case.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 73037

    Marketing plan for semear program - increasing the sustainability of semear´s social mission

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    This work project consisted of developing a Marketing Plan for SEMEAR, a program of a social organization with the mission to help the full integration of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities(IDD) in society. The group focused on the role of SEMEAR na Mercearia business unit to help improve SEMEAR’ s overall performance and, forth at purpose, conducted a strategic diagnosis and analyzed the market and consumers of artisanal products. Three strategic initiatives were suggested, each one with three tactics, presented as recommendations to SEMEAR, focusing on fighting seasonality and increasing the financial stability all year long (a key step to wards financial self-sustainability) and on increasing brand awareness with the ultimate goal of promoting the inclusion of disabled people in our society

    Online retail : service quality derivation, market segmentation and organisational analysis.

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    The recent rise of the internet as a commercial trading channel has left retail marketers facing several challenges. As in any marketplace, customer intelligence is the lifeblood of organisational success online, yet no thoroughly tested and validated model exists to reliably capture customer service requirements. Traditional service quality models are an insufficient and inflexible means to capture the unique nature of the internet medium while those emergent models of online behaviour developed thus far have typically been of limited scope, sample size, sample breadth and not validated in continued practice. Beyond the problem of identifying customer demands, there remains a problem of how to group together customers for segmentation purposes. In the contemporary marketplace as a whole there is growing fragmentation and individuality with demographics no longer precise enough to be useful beyond describing broad definitions of product class users. E-businesses also face a pressing challenge in addressing customer alignment in the 'value creating' marketing and operations departments. There is a need to move beyond the limiting scope of only considering marketing in relation to customer focus and to incorporate a wider consideration of organisational focus with true measures of customer requirements. Within this thesis each of these issues is addressed. With the support and collaboration of four internet companies, one of the largest surveys of online customers undertaken to date has been completed (n-3403). This has allowed for the construction of a new model of online customer service demands, validated with confirmatory factor analysis, generating a nine factor solution that comprehensively describes customers service demands. Secondly, a wide range of situational factors have been analysed for their suitability as a means of segmenting the marketplace. Structural equation modelling has provided a strong finding that finreripral measures account for far greater variance in customer demands than demographics, confirming the limited usefulness of demographics online and providing a superior replacement. An analysis of marketing and operations personnel in the four supporting companies also provided evidence that marketers were better at understanding customer requirements than their operations colleagues and that in all companies a generally good understanding of customers had resulted in high levels of customer satisfaction. Overall, this body of work stands apart in terms of holism of analysis (customer service quality, segmentation and organisational understanding), depth of analysis (extensive literature review and generation}, depth of research (sample size of n-3403) and rigour of analysis (iterative statistical process) making contributions to the academic body of knowledge and nature of managerial practice in the areas of online retail customer service, market segmentation and organisational analysis

    A blueprint for successful partnering.

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    Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.Partnerships have evolved during the last decade from being the 'nice to have' to becoming the 'must have' to survive in all industries across the world. There are many different definitions of 'partnerships' and 'alliances' but most researchers, authors and experts in this field agree that at the core of true partnering or alliance agreements lies shared: benefits, risks and approaches. To avoid market share and profitability deterioration, solutions providers must initiate programs to improve their strategic position in a focused set of partner programs. Microsoft Corporation is the worlds leading software company with 96% of all revenue earned being billed through their partners. The company currently faces poor partner satisfaction ratings and has come to the realisation in that they have to a large extent, ignored the needs of their strategic and 'managed' partners. A blueprint for successful partnering is key to any company looking to differentiate itself, create a competitive advantage and become the industry leader in the offering the 'best of breed' partner experience. This is why the identification and implementation of a defined, successful partnering agreement blueprint is required in order to drive the Microsoft business strategy around the 'Partner' experience forward. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the current Microsoft engagement models in driving partner satisfaction in the managed partner space, to determine what the barriers and best practices are, pertaining to successful partnering in the corporate arena and to establish if it is feasible to identify and implement a blueprint that can be used in the corporate arena that promotes successful alliances/partnerships. Recommendations to implement the said blueprint are also be made in order to guide readers through the process
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