Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Merchandise trade'

The subject of this study is the trade relationship between Australia and Indonesia, specifically the merchandise trade relationship. Although much have been written on this subject, most of the existing literature covers only broad macro - economic aspects, while some important micro - economic aspects have economic aspects are related to the practical implementation of international trade which include such factors as business structures, market conditions and especially the attitude and performance of been overlooked. These micro traders as well as the attitude and policies of governments. On the theoretical level, we will examine the development of trade theories and trade models to see how far these existing theories and models can explain the international trade patterns and bilateral trade relations. The issue of complementarity has been at the heart of most attempts to explain the relative low level of trade. Our argument is that the bilateral trade relationship should not only be explained in terms of complementarity. Actually there is sufficient scope of complementarity. The problem in the trade relationship is not so much the lack of complementarity but the failure of both countries to compete with other (third countries) exporters. This study will also show the importance of certain institutional features such as the role of the State, business structures, market conditions, certain international trade practices and the aspects of foreign aid in international trade. Broad analyses of trade performance will be combined with empirical analyses drawing from observations and experiences of the real actors in the trade relationship which are the corporate sector and government officials. The empirical analyses are intended to reveal a range of practical problems faced in reality and which may hopefully provide a guide for action by both State officials and corporate managers. On policy implications and trade policies, the so called thinking on trade policies ' does seem to be a realistic and applicable view. The admission of imperfect market conditions and State intervention is a very realistic view on the existing international trade situation and the justification for certain new is an acknowledgement of the trade policies already implemented by most countries. Although this new thinking on trade policies is activist trade policies still in an early stage and an overall model incorporating imperfect market conditions still has to be developed, our arguments are in line with this new thinking.

"Malaysian department stores under-performed', preliminary desk research says. "Department stores need to monitor the consumers and use merchandising as a competitive tool", practitioners and academicians advise. Within this parameter, the thesis examined the relationship between consumers, department stores and retail merchandising. First, the author explored the impact of the changing market on this `universal provider' and underlined how the latter had coped (successfully/unsuccessfully) with these changes through its merchandising activities. Second, she investigated on the multifaceted dimensions of retail merchandising and established a framework for strategic merchandise decisions. Third, she tested this framework in the Malaysian market. Given that the key to effective merchandising depends heavily on defining and understanding the target clients, to test the above construct, a consumer survey was undertaken. Likewise, since fashionable items made up the bulk of department stores' merchandise, the research instrument was constructed towards uncovering the shoppers' attitudes towards fashion. The gathered responses were then subjected to factor and cluster analysis. The former technique was used to identify the fashion lifestyle orientations. On the other hand, the latter method was used to classify the `cases'. Through these techniques, five fashion lifestyles orientation were uncovered and seven types of customers with fashion lifestyle orientations ranging from as few as two to as many as five factors were underlined. Further analysis established that local department stores should concentrate on three clusters, which made up 77 per cent of the total market. A broad overview shows that although they are department store shoppers, they shopped in other store types as well and engaged in extensive cross shopping. Moreover, when making purchases, their main trade-off was `quality' and `price'. Although they generally did not seek the cheapest price, there were on several occasions that quality was compromised for a `better' price. This behaviour was mostly evidenced in the cluster that made up of many Chinese. Another significant discovery was, wide assortment, an attribute most notable in department store retailing, was not distinctively important to these target markets. At the end of the investigation, a strategic merchandise mix - set of merchandise that meet the needs and expectations of these three clusters, was offered. It is only through this attainment (a strategic merchandise mix) that local department stores can realise their true potential.

This overview relates to a research programme conducted over some eight years. The research concerns exhibitions and trade fairs, and examines the communications issues thereof from both the exhibitors' viewpoint and the visitors' viewpoint. The research was conducted from an interpretive viewpoint, using interviews and questionnaire surveys, and has both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The results of the research were mapped against models of communication and against traditional marketing models to assess the extent to which exhibitors are being realistic in their approach to exhibiting, given the characteristics and behaviour of visitors. This does not, of course, provide a definitive answer as to the effectiveness or potential effectiveness of exhibitions as communications tools. What it does show is that exhibitors are, in many cases, setting inappropriate objectives and harbouring unrealistic expectations. The conclusion of the research outlines a model of how exhibitions work as a communications device, and provides evidence that miscommunication is occurring between exhibitors and visitors due to a failure on the part of exhibitors to understand how exhibitions can be used to best effect. The model is almost certainly relevant to other areas of marketing communication, and offers a new way of understanding the communications process, particularly in business-to business contexts. The overall finding of the research is that the majority of exhibitors are almost certainly harbouring unrealistic expectations, in particular regarding selling objectives, and that exhibitors do not always evaluate their activities as effectively as they might (particularly SMEs). These unrealistic expectations of what exhibitions can do for them are likely to lead many of them to the conclusion that exhibitions are ineffective. From the visitor research it appears that exhibitions could be extremely effective in terms of communication objectives, but probably less so in terms of selling objectives: the overwhelming conclusion is that most exhibitors are directing their efforts in the wrong direction, and should (instead of concentrating on sales) be concentrating on other elements of the marketing mix.

Historically, 18th century anecdotal accounts of the decimation of several tribes of U.S. of the Native American population by trading of infected textile blankets alludes to the role of retail in the transmission of infectious disease. This study explores implications of the modern day retail organization practice of reselling returned clothing textiles from a public health infectious disease perspective. A qualitative multi-case study, utilized responses from 20 open-ended, unstructured interviews of retail employees assigned to the returns process. Additionally, several informal observations of select U.S.based, top-ranked clothing retail organizations, identified by the National Retail Federation were completed. Select federal, state, and local public health regulations regarding returned clothing textiles were then examined in an attempt to identify potential public health risks. Under a general systems conceptual framework, the points of interaction between the complex adaptive systems seen in retailer and the public health organizations were examined for infectious disease and infestation implications. Using MAXQDA software to perform the analyses, it was found that current retail practices and policy present unacknowledged infectious disease or infestation transmission risks. The risk applies to all, but is particularly relevant to immuno-compromised individuals. Though the risk in accepting and returning clothing to the sales cycle is an industry wide practice, it can be mitigated. Suggested mitigation takes the form of health training, and introduction of disinfection sanitizing tools such as UVC light exposures, into the returns-resale process.The findings point to an opportunity for social change for consumers, retail workers, and the community through update of public health and retail practices.

An important role in the global economy certainly plays international trade. Removing barriers to international trade contributes to better competitiveness and economic growth. This paper is focused on foreign merchandise trade of the European Union countries towards third countries (ie. excluding intra-trade).The aim of this paper is to identify important features of the development of foreign merchandise trade of the European Union in 2010 in the context of economic crisis in the years 2007 - 2009, to determine the potential effects of merchandise trade on solution of the consequences of the crisis and also provide an outline of the economic competitiveness of the European Union and prospects of the future development of EU foreign merchandise trade. The method of work comprises the analysis of statistical data linked to considerations arising from the current social, economic and political development.

Small retailers are searching for a basis of competitive advantage to compete against larger retailers. The independent sales representative (rep) may represent such a basis. Little is known about how the role of reps and their performance is perceived by suppliers and retailers. We do not know what is expected from reps, if the reps' performance meets suppliers and retailers expectations, or whether met expectations lead to a basis of competitive advantage. Primarily, the study was designed to identify the role and contributions reps in the interactions between the supplier and retailer in the channel of distribution.

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on December 29, 2009). Thesis advisor: Dr. Joe L. Parcell. Includes bibliographical references.

Cette thèse vise à combler le fossé entre l'analyse de l’économie réelle et l’économie monétaire dans la théorie du commerce international. À cette fin, j’analyse l’effet Cantillon, i.e. l'impact différentiel de l'expansion monétaire sur les prix, la production, les patrimoines et la structure du commerce international. Dans la première partie, je passe en revue la littérature en économie internationale, à partir du 19e siècle jusqu’aux théories contemporaines. Dans la deuxième partie, j’utilise les contributions de Ludwig von Mises à la théorie de la monnaie et des cycles économiques comme fondement de l'analyse de l’impact de l'expansion monétaire sur le commerce international. Dans le chapitre 4, j’examine la relation entre le développement du marché financier et le commerce. Dans le chapitre 5, je discute l'impact de l'inflation monétaire sur les modes de financement du commerce et sur la transmission des cycles économiques. Les principaux résultats de ma recherche sont que l'expansion monétaire modifie la direction, la composition, le volume et la valeur des flux commerciaux et de capitaux. J’applique ce cadre théorétique dans le chapitre 6, pour expliquer l'évolution des ventes de marchandises et des flux de capitaux au cours des dernières décennies, et d'illustrer mes conclusions avec les données statistiques de la plus récente crise financière et de l'effondrement du commerce mondial de 2008-2009. Dans la troisième partie, j’analyse l’impact de l'expansion monétaire sur l’organisation industrielle internationale et la distribution mondiale des revenus et des patrimoines. Dans la section finale, je présente les implications majeures de mon analyse pour le commerce international et les politiques monétaires, et son importance pour des recherches futures
This dissertation endeavors to offer a way to bridge the gap between the analysis of real and monetary phenomena in international economics. To this end, I analyze Cantillon effects, i.e. the differential impact of monetary expansion on prices, production, wealth, and the pattern of international trade. In Part I review the standard literature in international economics from the 19th century to contemporary theories. In Part II I use the contributions of Ludwig von Mises to the theory of money and business cycles as the foundation for the analysis of monetary expansion and international trade. In Chapter 4, I focus on the relationship between financial development and international trade. In Chapter 5, I analyze the impact of inflation and5fractional reserve banking on trade finance, and the transmission of business cycles across national borders. The main findings of my research are that monetary expansion modifies the direction, composition, volume and value of trade and capital flows. I apply this framework in Chapter 6, to explain the evolution of merchandise and capital flows over the last decades, and illustrate my findings with statistical evidence from the most recent financial crisis and the global trade collapse of 2008-2009. In Part III I analyze the impact of monetary expansion on international industrial organization, and the global distribution of income and wealth. In the concluding section, I draw out the major implications of my analysis for international trade and monetary policies, and its importance for future research

Abstract of thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Commerce and Management Dynamics of macroeconomic variables in Fiji : a cointegrated VAR analysis By Shiu Raj Singh The objective of this study is to examine how macroeconomic variables of Fiji inter-relate with aggregate demand and co-determine one another using a vector autoregression (VAR) approach. This study did not use a prior theoretical framework but instead used economic justification for selection of variables. It was found that fiscal policy, which is generally used as a stabilisation tool, did not have a positive effect on real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the short term. Effects on GDP growth were positive over the long term but not statistically significant. Furthermore, expansionary fiscal policy caused inflationary pressures. Fiji has a fixed exchange rate regime, therefore, it was expected that the focus of monetary policy would be the maintenance of foreign reserves. It was, however, found that monetary expansion in the short term resulted in positive effects on real GDP growth and resulted in inflation. The long term effects of monetary policy on real GDP growth were negative, which are explained by the fixed exchange rate regime, endogenous determination of money supply by the central bank, an unsophisticated financial market and, perhaps, an incomplete transmission of the policy. Both merchandise trade and visitor arrivals growth were found to positively contribute to short term and long term economic growth. Political instability was found not to have significant direct effects on real GDP growth but caused a significant decline in visitor arrivals which then negatively affected economic growth in the short term.

碩士
嶺東科技大學
企業管理系碩士班
104
This study is based on the wholesalers of general merchandise commodity wholesale industry to retailers transaction cost theory analysis, this study is the use of case study approach to research, and is located in Taichung Wuri District love house family daily necessities Department Store Co. Shares company case study case. This study is the daily trading range for wholesale merchandise industry wholesalers of issues of cooperation and trade relations between the behavior of retailers in the domestic commodity wholesale market on the buyers and sellers as well as the impact of the level and in the face of fierce competition under the path for businesses positioning itself on the path of daily necessities wholesale and department store buyers and sellers and process transactions in transaction cost theory of the present study was to investigate the purpose. Stores in Taiwan today's commodity wholesale market in the disk access provider business strategy often because of limited rational individual decisions, opportunism, uncertainty and complexity, asymmetric information, a few transactions, the transaction context atmosphere affected. Therefore, this study was the following three findings and conclusions; 1.Commodity Wholesale Department Store in the outer disk providers need to assume transaction costs should also strengthen coordination between the three treatment and attention to transaction costs for goods wholesalers in the final consumers. 2.Commodity Wholesale Stores Chamber of Commerce in the disk due to the amount of the company's size and commodity items in the transaction cost theory inputs vary and produce different benefits. 3.Commodity Wholesale Stores wholesalers need positive reinforcement in their professional capacity and logistics logistics capabilities, and customer-service oriented to face the customer, to create a service brand as the main channel model, has been replaced by spending on audit costs. Orrelation of the above this study and discussion in Taiwan commodity wholesale market for merchandise trading patterns of behavior done by wholesalers and retailers, and to provide research recommendations in commodity wholesale merchandise wholesalers in adjustment of product sales strategy and product mix in such passages its retailer differentiation. In logistics, staff education and training, to establish its own brand, sell branded goods, etc., and to provide more convenient service for the pipeline to the final consumer of the commodity department highlights the wholesale suppliers in the real value of the disc on the path.

碩士
國立雲林科技大學
企業管理系
103
Food safety have more and more problems in Taiwan now. When in-depth understanding of these questions will be found, these questions of food safety are from greedy business people. Because greed so cut corners, even exploitative interests of farmers. Therefore I have wanted to study the idea of fair trade Now, the United States 、 Europe 、 Japan and South Korea are very prevalent of fair trade. Although Taiwan in development but not in vogue. Therefore, this study will be based on case study to interview and, supplemented by secondary data to explore. 1. Who is stakeholders, when sale and promote fair trade product. 2. Learn from the development of a model for other countries, which way is fair trader in Taiwan can learn. And to learn about Taiwan fair traders selling fair trade goods situation and problems that may be encountered and learn from other countries, to make recommendations for Taiwan in the sale of fair trade goods in the future. Finally, study found that, stakeholders are traders, consumers, distributors, governments, non-profit organizations and international fair trade organizations when sale and promote fair trade product. And then a city or country want to success for promote fair trade need to traders, nonprofit organizations and government to coordinate and support. I can to affect consumers and success to promote fair trade. Through this paper can make now or in the future engaged in fair trade enterprises can have more confidence to expand fair trade or the basis to sale fair trade product. Make fair trade can be really accepted everybody in Taiwan.

Wong, Mei Ting.
Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-120).
Abstracts in English and Chinese.
Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1
Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1
Chapter 1.2 --- Our Contributions --- p.4
Chapter 1.3 --- Framework of Shelf Space Allocation Problem --- p.4
Chapter 1.4 --- Organization --- p.6
Chapter 2. --- Literature Review --- p.7
Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.7
Chapter 2.2 --- Commercial Approaches --- p.7
Chapter 2.3 --- Experimental Approaches --- p.8
Chapter 2.4 --- Optimization Approaches --- p.11
Chapter 2.4.1 --- Exact Approaches --- p.11
Chapter 2.4.2 --- Heuristics Approaches --- p.16
Chapter 2.5 --- Summary --- p.19
Chapter 3. --- Overview of Shelf Space Allocation Problem --- p.21
Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.21
Chapter 3.2 --- Problem description --- p.22
Chapter 3.2.1 --- Mathematical Model --- p.24
Chapter 3.2.1.1 --- Notations --- p.25
Chapter 3.2.1.2 --- Model --- p.25
Chapter 3.2.1.3 --- Assumption --- p.26
Chapter 3.2.1.4 --- Notations of final model --- p.27
Chapter 3.2.1.5 --- Final model --- p.27
Chapter 3.3 --- Original Heuristic --- p.28
Chapter 3.3.1 --- Yang (2001) Method --- p.28
Chapter 3.3.2 --- Remarks on Original Heuristic --- p.29
Chapter 3.4 --- Original Heuristic with Yang's Adjustment --- p.30
Chapter 3.4.1 --- Remarks on Yang's Adjustment --- p.32
Chapter 3.5 --- New Neighborhood Movements --- p.33
Chapter 3.5.1 --- New Adjustment Phase --- p.33
Chapter 3.6 --- Network Flow Model --- p.35
Chapter 3.6.1 --- ULSSAP --- p.35
Chapter 3.6.2 --- Transforming shelf space allocation problem (SSAP) --- p.38
Chapter 3.7 --- Tabu Search --- p.41
Chapter 3.7.1 --- Tabu Search Algorithm --- p.42
Chapter 3.7.1.1 --- Neighborhood search moves --- p.42
Chapter 3.7.1.2 --- Candidate list strategy --- p.45
Chapter 3.7.1.3 --- Tabu list --- p.46
Chapter 3.7.1.4 --- Aspiration criteria.........................................: --- p.47
Chapter 3.7.1.5 --- Intensification and Diversification --- p.48
Chapter 3.7.1.6 --- Stopping criterion --- p.49
Chapter 3.7.1.7 --- Probabilistic choice --- p.50
Chapter 3.7.2 --- General Process of Tabu Search --- p.51
Chapter 3.7.3 --- Application of Tabu Search to SSAP --- p.54
Chapter 3.7.4 --- Analysis of Tabu Search --- p.58
Chapter 4. --- Tabu Search with Path Relinking --- p.60
Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.60
Chapter 4.2 --- Foundations of path relinking --- p.62
Chapter 4.3 --- Path Relinking Template --- p.65
Chapter 4.4 --- Identification of Reference set --- p.69
Chapter 4.5 --- Choosing initial and guiding solution --- p.73
Chapter 4.6 --- Neighborhood structure --- p.74
Chapter 4.7 --- Moving along paths --- p.81
Chapter 4.8 --- Application of Tabu Search with Path Relinking --- p.87
Chapter 4.9 --- Conclusion --- p.90
Chapter 5. --- Computational Studies --- p.92
Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.92
Chapter 5.2 --- General Parameter Setting --- p.92
Chapter 5.3 --- Parameter values for Tabu search --- p.94
Chapter 5.4 --- Sensitivity test for Tabu search with Path Relinking --- p.95
Chapter 5.4.1 --- Reference Set Strategies and Initial and Guiding Solution Criteria --- p.96
Chapter 5.4.2 --- Frequency of Path Relinking --- p.99
Chapter 5.4.3 --- Size of reference set --- p.101
Chapter 5.4.4 --- Comparison with Tabu Search --- p.102
Chapter 5.5 --- Comparison with other heuristics --- p.105
Chapter 5.6 --- Conclusion --- p.109
Chapter 6. --- Conclusion --- p.111
Chapter 6.1 --- Summary of achievements --- p.112
Chapter 6.2 --- Future Works --- p.113
Bibliography --- p.115

This thesis studies the role of exports in Vietnam's rapid growth since the country implemented a comprehensive reform (Doi-Moi) in 1986 to transform itself from a centrally command system to a 'socialist-oriented market economy'. One central finding is that Vietnam's growth since Doi-Moi has indeed been export-led as the second-tier NICs of Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, but that many of the characteristics of Vietnam's exports are different to those of these NICs. Vietnam's exports are focused on resource-intensive and low-tech industries, which are growing slowly in world trade, and in a constant market share model are explained by rising residual competitiveness rather than by market demand or commodity composition effects. This rising residual competitiveness stands at odds with the results of the World Economic Forum and other sources that Vietnam's competitiveness is low and falling in recent years. Another key finding is that since 2000 Vietnam's growth has been extensive rather than intensive, with labour productivity both at low levels and growing slowly outside the agricultural sector. High GDP growth since 2000 has been driven by rapid growth in factor supplies, especially labour, with low growth in nonagricultural productivity. This extensive pattern of growth resolves the competitiveness paradox, as it suggests that Vietnam is expanding low-cost industries rapidly but not building its competitiveness in other areas. Such a development path will not support the rate of long-term growth that Vietnam requires to achieve its development objectives, and major policy changes are necessary.

Over the 1960-1995 period, patterns of Australian global trade, investment and immigration shifted considerably, especially in relation to Asia and most notably in relation to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Changes within the North East Asian Region propelled Australia to respond in order to maintain its economic standards and its international obligations. Greater emphasis was placed by successive Australian governments on establishing closer ties with Asia, most notably China. However, Australia's attention (and the world) on Hong Kong emerged with the commencement of the Sino-British talks in 1983. This thesis is intended to contribute to an understanding of the past and future impacts of the reversion of Hong Kong on trade, investment and migration flows involving Australia, by a detailed study of those flows between Australia and Hong Kong, China and Taiwan over the period 1960-1995.

This research study acquired a consumer response centred approach to visual merchandising stimuli, in an attempt to holistically consider this area of the retail industry. Consumers‟ perceptions towards visual merchandising displays and the effect these displays have on consumer behaviour were exposed. The primary research question that pended from the preliminary literature was to determine the effect of visual merchandising displays on consumer perceptions. Explorative research was performed and qualitative data were collected by means of focus groups and naïve sketches. The data was analysed by means of a thematic analysis process. Perceptions of visual merchandising displays that were identified were subliminal in creating an interest and desire to further peruse the merchandise and aesthetically to beautify the store. Consumers expressed that the impact that visual merchandising displays had on their buying decisions depended on their personal preferences.
Business Management
M. Com. (Business Management)

This research study aims to obtain a holistic view of the area of store atmospherics, which forms part of the retail industry. A consumer-centred response approach was followed. Store atmospherics and its influence on consumers’ buying behaviour has received very little attention in the literature to date. Consumers’ views on in-store atmospheric elements and the influence of these elements on their buying behaviour were obtained. The primary research aim that was derived from the preliminary literature was therefore to explore the influence of store atmospherics on consumers’ buying behaviour in apparel retail stores in the Tshwane region. The type of research design used in this study was exploratory, making use of a qualitative approach and a communicative technique of interviews. The selected method was focus group interviews and naïve sketches. The data gathered was analysed by means of Tesch’s inductive descriptive coding technique, better known as thematic analysis. It was found that atmospheric elements have the ability to influence consumers in either a subconscious or a conscious way. This has a direct influence on the amount of time that consumers will spend in-store and ultimately influences their buying decisions and behaviour either positively or negatively. This had a direct influence on the amount of time that consumers will spend instore and ultimately influences their buying decisions and behaviours either positively or negatively, meaning that the consumers’ will display either an approach- or avoidance behaviour.
Business Management
M. Com. (Business Management)