Bøger af Ben Beiske

Living the Dream - or how to leave everything you know behind and travel the world for three years One spring day, the author quits his fast-paced corporate job, sells most of his belongings and leaves on a world trip - and never looks back. Starting in Central Europe and heading east, his journey would last for three years and take him across parts of Eastern Europe, Russia, Asia, Oceania, Central America and finally India, before returning home after over 1000 days on the road. This book closely follows the author's journey from the very beginning until his final return home, giving intriguing insights into the countries and cultures that he encountered along the way.

Master's Thesis from the year 2003 in the subject Business economics - Economic Policy, University of Manchester (Manchester School of Management), language: English, abstract: The importance of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for international free trade today has enticed China to join the WTO in December 2001. The significance of WTO membership for China cannot be underestimated, inevitably speeding up much-needed economic reform in the country. The gradual transition from a planned- to a market-economy is expected to continue in the future. The severity of the impacts for the economy will depend on how successful China is in providing policies that will assist the nation in the major adjustment problems that it faces in the future. The expected, actual, and needed implications for Chinäs state-owned enterprises (SOEs) resulting from WTO membership will be investigated in detail; in the process, the significance of SOEs to the Chinese economy will be highlighted. SOEs are mostly ill- prepared for a post-WTO China, and the dismal state of these companies has already led to the decline of market share in the past decade. For the future, the retreat of the state is likely to continue. The main implications for SOEs from Chinäs WTO membership are seen in the areas of competitiveness, corporate governance, privatisation, mergers and acquisitions, property rights, unemployment, and attracting and retaining qualified personnel. This dissertation offers one of the most detailed insights into the challenges facing Chinäs SOEs and the implications of Chinäs WTO membership for these companies, while also highlighting the areas that require future attention. The understanding of the role and meaning of SOEs for the Chinese economy is of immense importance for foreign investors wanting to invest in the country, already cooperating with Chinäs SOEs, or looking into the possibility of such.

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Business economics - Trade and Distribution, grade: 1.1 (A+), University of Manchester (Manchester School of Management), language: English, abstract: This paper addresses the classic case of the challenges Proctor and Gamble (P&G) faced in the 1970s and 1980s, both to its European organisational structure and to the imminent launch of its new Heavy Duty Liquid (HDL) Vizir. It will be argued that the company¿s European structure will have a direct impact on a possible Vizir launch and on future product launches, using an in-depth analysis of both the current P&G situation at that time and feasible alternative strategies available to the organisation. Chapter two will give a brief but concise overview of the P&G situation in the 1980s; chapter three will discuss three different approaches available to P&G in organising its European operations, and recommend the most suitable approach; chapter four will then examine the launch options for Vizir and present the most favourable strategy; finally, chapter five will summarise the findings and highlight the recommendations of this report, briefly considering possible implementations and evaluations of the suggested strategies.

Diploma Thesis from the year 2002 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 1,3 (A), ( Middlesex University in London ), language: English, abstract: This report will demonstrate the importance of Loyalty Management in the competitive environment of the airline industry and will show that a successful approach to Loyalty Management consists of three different, interlinked aspects. These three ¿pillars¿ are Customer Service, Frequent Flyer Programs, and Complaint Management; their interdependence will be analysed in depth, with special attention given to the perceived importance of Frequent Flyer Programs. Findings show that customers do indeed perceive these issues as vital with regards to their loyalty towards a particular airline. It was found that Customer Service can be regarded as the foundation for Loyalty Management; it can help an airline to gain competitive advantage by setting it apart from its competitors. Frequent Flyer Programs, if implemented and run properly, can provide the customer with added value. As such, they compliment Customer Service and can help to increase overall loyalty. Additionally, Complaint Management was found to be gaining importance among airlines. The number of complaints was shown to be rising gradually, stressing the growing significance of efficient Complaint Management and its strong after-effect on customer loyalty.

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Business economics - Miscellaneous, grade: 1.9 (B+), University of Manchester (Manchester School of Management), language: English, abstract: This paper will address and highlight the importance of innovation as a driving factor of economic change. It will be shown that innovation is crucial to the competitiveness both at the micro- and at the macro-level of companies and nations respectively. While limited in scope and certainly not claiming comprehensiveness, it attempts however to highlight the main issues in the innovation debate within these dimensions. Specifically, chapter two will offer a brief but thorough overview of existing definitions of innovation. Chapter three will link innovation to economic change, with a brief discussion of the concepts of creative destruction and dominant designs. Chapter four and five will highlight the significance of innovation at the firm and the national level respectively. Finally, chapter six will summarise the main findings of this paper.

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2003 in the subject Business economics - Offline Marketing and Online Marketing, grade: 1.3 (A), The University of Hong Kong (-), language: English, abstract: This paper examines the concept of eCurrency and how it has been used globally, and then highlights how this could be applied in Hong Kong. The situation in Hong Kong was assessed, and it is believed that Octopus is able to take advantage of its strong brand name and wide use taking its business online to an extended business model, termed eOctopus. The eOctopus model suggests that Octopus becomes an intermediary in online transactions where the users will have the option to set up an online Octopus account on the web. Money will be deducted for online and offline transactions, and money can be added at current Octopus terminals or via Internet banking. It will also allow users to shop and pay bills online. Given the development concerning the introduction of a smartcard (including an eCertificate function) to replace the existing Hong Kong ID card, synergies are expected to exist if Octopus were to work together with the government on this issue. Since every resident in a Hong Kong is required to possess an ID card, Octopus would thus gain in trust and overcome security issues, as expressed by respondents. The Hong Kong government could benefit from this arrangement, since Octopus¿ technology and know-how regarding smartcards is advanced. If the eOctopus model is implemented in Hong Kong, it could then serve as a global role-model to the rest of the world, making eOctopus a successful eCurrency for online transactions possibly beyond the boundaries of HK.

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Business economics - Miscellaneous, grade: 2.3 (B), University of Manchester (Manchester School of Management), language: English, abstract: In the last twenty years, many researchers and even governments have undertaken studies concerning small, innovative firms operating in new technology sectors. Different researchers have concluded different things from different studies, and different opinions prevail in many areas. The underlying notion of the paper is to question if large firms are better at innovation than small firms. An answer to this question in the light of the findings of this paper will be attempted in the conclusion in chapter seven. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to define and highlight briefly the main characteristics of NTBFs, and to point out the level of cooperation between small and large firms in the technology sector. It will then evaluate these in the light of the Mobile Phone sector. The influence of governments on small innovative companies will also be considered.

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Topic: International Organisations, grade: 1.6 (A), University of Manchester (Manchester School of Management), course: Manchester School of Management, language: English, abstract: What were the difficulties surrounding Chinäs accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO)? Why has it taken the People¿s Republic of China (PRC) over 15 years to join? What are the expected benefits and disadvantages of joining? What changes is WTO membership likely to bring to Chinäs economy in the future?These are the question this paper will address. WTO accession by China is often seen as the most significant event about China in the last decade, even ahead of the Taiwan Independence issue, which continues to penetrate world news periodically. Since the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1978, China has been on a course of economic reform. Today, Chinese are richer than ever before in history, with the country itself having experienced extended periods of extraordinary growth. Specifically, this report will highlight Chinäs first attempts to join the WTO more than 15 years ago in chapter two. Chapter three will focus on the main areas of difficulty surrounding WTO accession, while chapter four will comment on the final accession in December 2001. The expected economic advantages and disadvantages for China will be discussed in chapter five; finally, chapter six will offer a brief future outlook for China, again mainly from an economic perspective.

Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject Didactics - Business economics, Economic Pedagogy, grade: 2.2 (B), University of Manchester (Manchester School of Management), language: English, abstract: At the beginning of any type of research, it is paramount for the researcher to determine the most appropriate methodology to carry out the study. While factors such as time and costs certainly play an important part in deciding how to approach a particular research problem, the subject of the research itself should ultimately determine the methods used. A good researcher will evaluate all available options prior to making a decision as to which methods to adapt in the light of being the most useful for the study at hand. This paper will focus on describing a variety of methods, namely questionnaires, interviews, and case studies. Each chapter will give a brief introduction about the method, and then highlight the main strengths and limitations of each approach. Attention is also given to induction, which is defined as a data-driven approach to research, while deduction is seen as theory-driven. As such, the notion of data-driven versus theory-driven will be explored briefly for each method.

Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: The importance of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for international free trade today has enticed China to join the WTO in December 2001. The significance of WTO membership for China cannot be underestimated, inevitably speeding up much-needed economic reform in the country. The gradual transition from a planned- to a market-economy is expected to continue in the future. The severity of the impacts for the economy will depend on how successful China is in providing policies that will assist the nation in the major adjustment problems that it faces in the future. The expected, actual, and needed implications for China?s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) resulting from WTO membership will be investigated in detail; in the process, the significance of SOEs to the Chinese economy will be highlighted. SOEs are mostly ill- prepared for a post-WTO China, and the dismal state of these companies has already led to the decline of market share in the past decade. For the future, the retreat of the state is likely to continue. The main implications for SOEs from China?s WTO membership are seen in the areas of competitiveness, corporate governance, privatisation, mergers and acquisitions, property rights, unemployment, and attracting and retaining qualified personnel. This dissertation offers one of the first detailed insights into the challenges facing China?s SOEs today and the implications of China?s WTO membership for these companies, while also highlighting the areas that require future attention. The understanding of the role and meaning of SOEs for the Chinese economy is of immense importance for foreign investors wanting to invest in the country, already cooperating with China?s SOEs, or looking into the possibility of such. Inhaltsverzeichnis:Table of Contents: I.Table of Contents II.LIST OF TABLESIV III.LIST OF FIGURESV IV.GLOSSARYVI 1.INTRODUCTION1 1.1AIM &OBJECTIVES2 1.2OVERALL RESEARCH APPROACH3 1.3STRUCTURE OF THE DISSERTATION3 2.THE WTO & FREE TRADE4 2.1CHAPTER INTRODUCTION4 2.2THE WTO4 2.2.1UNDERSTANDING THE WTO4 2.2.2THE STRUCTURE &WORKING OF THE WTO7 2.2.3SIGNIFICANCE OF JOINING THE WTO13 2.3CHAPTER CONCLUSION16 3.CHINA & THE WTO18 3.1CHAPTER INTRODUCTION18 3.2CHINA?S LONG MARCH TO WTO MEMBERSHIP18 3.2.1PROLONGED DIFFICULTIES19 3.2.2FINAL ACCESSION21 3.3CHAPTER CONCLUSION22 4.METHODOLOGY23 4.1CHAPTER INTRODUCTION23 4.2OVERALL RESEARCH APPROACH23 4.2.1OBJECTIVITY, VALIDITY & [¿]

Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: This report will demonstrate the importance of Loyalty Management in the competitive environment of the airline industry and will show that a successful approach to Loyalty Management consists of three different, interlinked aspects. These three ?pillars? are Customer Service, Frequent Flyer Programs, and Complaint Management; their interdependence will be analysed in depth, with special attention given to the perceived importance of Frequent Flyer Programs. Findings from a detailed literature review and a survey show that customers do indeed perceive these issues as vital with regards to their loyalty towards a particular airline. It was found that Customer Service can be regarded as the foundation for Loyalty Management; it can help an airline to gain competitive advantage by setting it apart from its competitors. Frequent Flyer Programs, if implemented and run properly, can provide the customer with added value. As such, they compliment Customer Service and can help to increase overall loyalty. Additionally, Complaint Management was found to be gaining importance among airlines. The number of complaints was shown to be rising gradually, stressing the growing significance of efficient Complaint Management and its strong after-effect on customer loyalty. Inhaltsverzeichnis:Table of Contents: 1.INTRODUCTION6 1.1AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE REPORT7 1.2TERMINOLOGY9 1.3BACKGROUND INFORMATION: LOYALTY MANAGEMENT9 1.3.1DEFINITIONS9 1.3.2TRADITIONAL MARKETING AND LOYALTY MANAGEMENT10 1.3.3IMPORTANCE OF LOYALTY MANAGEMENT12 1.4CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRLINE MARKET13 1.4.1AIRLINE INDUSTRY ANALYSIS - STEEPLE13 1.4.1.1Social13 1.4.1.2Technological14 1.4.1.3Economical14 1.4.1.4Environmental14 1.4.1.5Political15 1.4.1.6Legal15 1.4.1.7Ethical15 1.4.2CONSOLIDATION IN PRACTICE: BRITISH AIRWAYS16 1.4.2.1British Airways and KLM16 1.4.2.2British Airways and American Airlines18 1.4.3THE CURRENT AIRLINE SITUATION19 2.LITERATURE REVIEW22 2.1CUSTOMER SERVICE22 2.1.1BACKGROUND INFORMATION23 2.1.1.1Singapore Airlines23 2.1.2REVELATION OF DISSATISFACTION24 2.1.3EMPLOYEES25 2.1.4COMMUNICATION25 2.1.5THE CUSTOMER26 2.1.5.1Customer Requirements26 2.1.6SERVICE QUALITY27 2.1.6.1Quality and Retaining Customers28 2.1.7ORIENTATION OF COMPANY29 2.1.8CONCLUSION CUSTOMER SERVICE29 2.2FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS31 2.2.1BACKGROUND INFORMATION31 2.2.1.1Statistics Frequent Flyer Programs32 2.2.2CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS [¿]