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This article examines the impact of packaging colour (red, blue, violet) on the perception of taste (sweet-bitter) and textures (hardsoft, soluble-insoluble) of chocolate. Presented are the results of the associations of key stimulus chocolate, the results of the content analysis of interviews with a focus group and results of the experiment carried out on a sample of 188 persons. We have concluded that colours of the packaging affect the perception of taste and texture of chocolate. Statistically significant differences exist in the perception of taste of chocolate on the dimension sweet-bitter between red and violet colour of packaging. Between perception of taste of chocolate in red and blue packaging and violet and blue packaging there are no statistically significant differences. There is also a difference in the perception of solubility of chocolate. Statistically significant differences in perception of solubility of chocolate exist between red and violet colours of packaging of chocolate and red and blue colours of packaging of chocolate. There is no statistically significant difference in perception of solubility of chocolate in violet and blue packaging. The most intensive influence appeared in the third dimension of chocolate perception labeled as hard-soft. In this case statistically significant differences were found in the perception of chocolate between all three colours of chocolate packaging. V prispevku obravnavamo vpliv barve (rdeča, modra in vijoličasta) embalaže na zaznavanje okusa (sladko, grenko) in teksture (trda, mehka, topljiva, netopljiva) čokolade. Prikazani so rezultati ugotavljanja asociacij na ključni dražljaj čokolada, rezultati analize vsebine razgovora s fokusno skupino in rezultati eksperimenta, izvedenega na vzorcu 188 oseb. Ugotavljamo, da barva embalaže vpliva na zaznavanje okusa in teksture čokolade. Obstaja statistično značilna razlika v zaznavanju okusa čokolade na dimenziji sladka-grenka med rdečo in vijoličasto embalažo, medtem ko se zaznavanje okusa čokolade v rdeči in modri embalaži ter vijoličasti in modri embalaži statistično značilno ne razlikuje. Prav tako se je pokazala razlika v zaznavanju topljivosti čokolade. Statistično značilne razlike v zaznavanju topljivosti čokolade obstaja med čokolado v rdeči in vijoličasti embalaži ter čokolado v rdeči in modri embalaži, medtem ko se zaznavanje topljivosti čokolade v vijoličasti in modri embalaži ne razlikuje. Vpliv barve embalaže čokolade na zaznavanje čokolade se je najbolj izrazito pokazal na dimenziji trda-mehka, kjer so bile ugotovljene statistično pomembne razlike v zaznavanju trdosti/mehkosti čokolade pri vseh treh barvah embalaže čokolade.

At organizations, changes are the only constant; implementing them effectively is a key factor for success. To implement internal communications programs, organizations use a wide range of internal communication tools. Especially in times of change, all tools are not equally suitable; selecting the right ones depends on several factors: what method should they employ to create optimal selection of appropriate tools for communication to support organizational changes. This paper starts with a literature review on communication during the time when changes are introduced in organizations with an emphasis on finding key determinants for modeling the optimal selection of appropriate internal communication tools. The second part is based on empirical research - depth interviews carried out with senior managers of successful companies in Slovenia - it examines the adequacy of the proposed model for selecting internal communication tools during the times when changes are introduced. Indeed, it was revealed that senior managers are aware of the importance and potential of internal communications to alleviate or prevent uncertainty among employees in times of introducing change. Consequently, internal communication tools need to be carefully selected. Within this context, four key selection determinants that lead to the successful change implementation were identified. Spremembe v organizacijah so stalnica, sprejemanje sprememb pri zaposlenih pa ključni dejavnik uspeha uvajanja sprememb. Za izvajanje internega komuniciranja uporabljajo v organizacijah široko paleto orodij internega komuniciranja. Ker med uvajanjem sprememb vsa orodja niso enako primerna, ustreznost nabora pa je odvisna od več dejavnikov, se pojavi vprašanje načina oblikovanja optimalnega izbora ustreznih orodij za komunikacijsko podporo uvajanju sprememb v organizacijo. Prispevek začnemo s pregledom literature s področja komuniciranja v času uvajanja sprememb v organizacijah, s poudarkom na iskanju ključnih determinant za oblikovanje modela optimalnega nabora ustreznih orodij komuniciranja. V drugem, empiričnem delu raziska ve z globinskimi intervjuji, opravljenimi z vodilnimi managerji uspešnih podjetij, preverimo ustreznost predlaganega modela za izbor orodij internega komuniciranja med uvajanjem sprememb. Zaznati je bilo mogoče, da se vrhnji managerji zavedajo pomembnosti ter potenciala tega področja tudi v smeri, da je mogoče negotovost zaposlenih med uvajanjem sprememb z dobro načrtovanim internim komuniciranjem v precejšni meri omiliti ali v celoti preprečiti. Posledično je treba premišljeno izbrati tudi orodja internega komuniciranja. Pri tem so ključnega pomena štiri determinante izbora, ki vodijo do uspešne uvedbe sprememb.

The majority of more complex perceived value models have been implemented in the U.S., few in the EU, but none in the context of retail banking in transitional countries. This paper aims to test a model of perceived value antecedents and consequences in the retail banking industry in the transition economy in central Europe. Data for empirical research was collected from 700 retail banking customers in Slovenia. The measurement instrument was developed in three phases to determine content validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity and reliability of measurement constructs. Final model was tested with structural equation modelling using five reflective constructs(price, quality, value, satisfaction, and loyalty) in order to test the hypothesized relationships. Results indicate the importance of perceived value as a mediating variable. Further, results confirm that all researched concepts are interlinked, complex and strategically important concepts for retail banking industry of a transition economy. Do sedaj je bila večina raziskav kompleksnih modelov zaznane vrednosti izvedenih predvsem v Združenih državah Amerike, manjši delež tudi v državah EU, nobena izmed teh pa se ni nanašala na proučevanje zaznane vrednosti bančnih storitev v tranzicijskih državah. V tem prispevku preverjamo model zaznane vrednosti bančnih storitev in njene predhodnike ter posledice na primeru Slovenije. Podatki za empirično raziskavo so bili zbrani na vzorcu 700 odjemalcev bančnih storitev v Sloveniji. Preverili smo vsebinsko veljavnost, konvergentno veljavnost, diskriminantno veljavnost in zanesljivosti konstruktov. Končni model in zastavljene hipoteze smo preverjali z modeliranjem strukturnih enačb, pri čemer smo uporabili pet reflektivnih konstruktov (cena, kakovost, vrednost, zadovoljstvo in zvestoba). Rezultati kažejo na pomembnost zaznane vrednosti v vlogi mediacijske spremenljivke. Razkrivajo tudi, da so vsi omenjeni koncepti med seboj povezani in dokaj kompleksni ter strateško pomembni za podjetja, ki poslujejo v bančnem sektorju v Sloveniji.

In direct marketing, the key role in establishing and maintaining the relationship between organization and customer are communication channels. In contribution authors describe direct mail which is still keeping efficacy and efficiency in spite of the fact that this is one of the oldest communication channels in direct marketing. Authors analyse the using of direct mail from the organization (sender) point of view. Benefits of using direct mail for users and the reasons of non-users are shown in the paper. As a benefit of using direct mail, the possibility to present products or services to customers is the most often mentioned reason. The incompatibility between product and direct mail is reported as a main barrier. V neposrednem marketingu so pri vzpostavitvi in ohranjanju neposrednega odnosa med prodajalcem in kupcem odločilnega pomena komunikacijske poti. V prispevku je predstavljena direktna pošta kot ena najstarejših komunikacijskih poti neposrednega marketinga, ki kljub pojavom sodobnih medijev ohranja učinkovitost in uspešnost. V prispevku je odnos do uporabe direktne pošte analiziran z vidika organizacij. Prikazane so prednosti, ki jih vidijo organizacije, ki uporabljajo direktno pošto, in razlogi, ki organizacije odvračajo od njene uporabe. Med prednostmi se najpogosteje pojavlja možnost predstavitve izdelkov, medtem ko je neskladnost med naravo izdelka organizacije in direktno pošto glavna ovira.

In the paper we present a part of the results of the international research project which has started in 1995. The main objective of the research was to find out the effects of the process of privatisation and foreign direct investments on marketing of the enterprises in the Central and Eastern Europe. The participants of the research included Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria and Slovenia. As the coordinators of the project were involved the professors from the Aston University in Birmingham (England) as well as from the University of Dublin (Ireland). Into the research project in Slovenia, there were included all of the entreprises with more than 20 employees which were divided into five main categories according to their phase of privatisation process as well as to their ownership in the time of research: a) social-owned enterprises, b) enterprises before the termination of the process of privatisation, c) former social-owned enterprises which have been privatised, d) enterprises with foreign direct investments, and e) "organic" private enterprises (i.e. enterprises which were established as private entities). The main objective of the paper presented is to show the differences among the answers of general managers in the particular researched categories of these enterprises. The answers refer to the degree of agreement of the statements about some marketing activities in these enterprises (i.e. managerial aspects of marketing activities, marketing information system as well as activities connected with market supply, sales market and some of teh marketing strategies). V prispevku je predstavljen del rezultatov mednarodnega raziskovalnega projekta, katerega začetek sega v leto 1995 in je trenutno v sklepni fazi. Osnovni namen raziskave je bil proučevanje vpliva procesa privatiziranja in neposrednih tujih vlaganj na marketinške strategije podjetij v državah v tranziciji. V raziskavo so bile vključene naslednje države: Madžarska, Poljska, Bolgarija in Slovenija, kot koordinatorji projekta pa so sodelovali profesorji z Univerze Aston v Birminghamu (Velika Britanija) in Univerze v Dublinu (Irska). V Sloveniji so bila vključena v raziskavo vsa podjetja z več kot 20 zaposlenimi. Razdelili smo jih v pet kategorij glede na stanje lastništva v času izvedbe raziskave: (a) podjetja, ki so bila še vedno v družbeni lasti, (b) podjetja, ki so bila tik pred končanim procesom lastninjenja, (c) bivša družbena podjetja, ki so že bila privatizirana, (č) podjetja z neposrednimi tujimi vlaganji, (d) podjetja, ki so že od nastanka v zasebni lasti. Cilj prispevka je predstaviti razlike med petimi kategorijami podjetij glede na stopnjo strinjanja menedžerjev s trditvami, ki se nanašajo na nekatera področja aktivnosti marketinga (organiziranje in vodenje aktivnosti marketinga, marketinški informacijski sistem, ponudba, trg in strategije) v njihovih podjetjih.

In our contribution we present the results of the research, which is derived from the research work done by Bearden and Etzel (1982), where they explain the influence of necessity/non-necessity and visible/private consumption as factors for determining the power of the reference group impact. Bearden and Etzel define the impact of the reference group on (a) the possession of the product and (b) on the selection of the brand. They distinguish four categories: public necessities, public luxuries, private necessities and private luxuries. Despite the importance of this research, its weakness lies in its categorical approach. From the didactic point of view the categorical approach can be better, because it enables better memorising and a clearer insight into the problem. On the other hand, the categorical approach is questionable because the world is not categorical but dimensional in its nature. We believe that the dimensional approach would be a far suitable one. Probably in majority of products the necessity and visibility are scaled middle and so is the reference group's influence on possessing the product and the selection of the brand. The main purpose of our research was: 1. The analysis of the products regarding its visibility and, separately regarding the necessity of the product. 2. The analysis of the products regarding both dimensions simultaneously. 3. By means of the cluster analysis to find out if there are any groups of similar products regarding the visibility and the necessities of the products. In our research we analysed 43 products (we use the concept product in its broadest sense; we include both material and non-material products; a product is every result of the human physical or mental activity). Respondents - 113 female students of the University of Maribor (age 21). Research results: (a) the products sorted according to both dimensions: visibility and the necessity of products; (b) picture/map of 43 products. From the position of the product on the map we can derive conclusion about the impact of the reference group on product and brand; (c) dendrogram - the result of the cluster analysis with which we divided 43 products in 6 clusters - groups of products. The results do not have only a theoretical, but also a practical value. On the basis of the estimation of the visibility and necessity of the product we can, for each product, define the influence of the reference group on choosing the product and product brand. Therefore the result represent a starting point for the decision whether to use or not to use the reference groups as one of the factors in building the strategy for product promotion, distribution and sale. Every research has its limitations. In this research were at least: product selection and respondent selection. V prispevku so predstavljeni rezultati raziskave, ki je nastala na podlagi raziskave, v kateri Bearden in Etzel (1982) pojasnjujeta vpliv vidnosti in nujnosti uporabe izdelkov kot dejavnikov za določanje moči referenčnih skupin. Bearden in Etzel določata vpliv referenčnih skupin na (a) posedovanje izdelka in (b) izbiro njegove znamke. Moč vpliva določata glede na vidnost in nujnost uporabe izdelkov. Navajata štiri kategorije izdelkov glede na jakost že omenjenih dveh dimenzij. Kljub vsem odlikam, ki jih ima raziskava, pa je njena slabost v kategorialnem pristopu. To je z didaktičnega vidika lahko ugodno, saj daje možnost hitrejše zapomnitve in jasnost vpogleda v problematiko. Je pa tak prikaz sporen glede na to, da pojavi v resnici niso kategorialne, ampak dimenzionalne narave. Namesto kategorialnega prikaza bi bil boljši dimenzionalni prikaz, združen s klasifikacijo izdelkov glede na izraženost vidnosti in nujnosti njihove uporabe hkrati. Verjetno je večina izdelkov takšnih, pri katerih sta vidnost in nujnost uporabe srednji in srednje močan je tako tudi vpliv referenčnih skupin na posedovanje izdelkov in njihovih znamk. Namen raziskave je bil: 1. Analizirati izdelke posebej glede na vidnost in posebej glede na nujnost njihove uporabe. 2. Analizirati izdelke glede na obe dimenziji hkrati. 3. Na podlagi klasterske analize ugotoviti, ali obstajajo skupine podobnih izdelkov glede na oceno vidnosti in nujnosti uporabe. V raziskavo je bilo vključenih 43 izdelkov, vidnost in nujnost uporabe teh izdelkov pa je ocenjevalo 113 študentk Univerze v mariboru (starih 21 let). Rezultati: (a) izdelki, razvrščeni posebej glede na oceno vidnosti in nujnosti uporabe (b) prikaz izdelkov glede na oceno vidnosti in nujnosti uporabe hkrati (c) dendrogram (na podlagi klasterske analize smo izdelke rzvrstili v 6 skupin). Rezultati nimajo samo teoretične vrednosti, ampak so tudi praktično uporabni, saj na osnovi ocene vidnosti in nujnosti posameznega izdelka lahko za konkreten izdelek v določeni ciljni skupini sklepamo, kakšen je vpliv referenčnih skupin na (a) posedovanje izdelka in (b) izbiro njegove znamke. Zato nam rezultati lahko služijo za osnovno izhodišče pri odločanju o uporabi ali neuporabi referenčnih skupin kot enem izmed dejavnikov oblikovanja prodajnih strategij za izdelke. Kakor vsaka razisakva je tudi ta v določenih vidikih omejena. V tem primeru se omejenost kaže vsaj na dveh področjih: pri izboru izdelkov in izboru poskusnih oseb.

In countries in transition we often speak about the necessity of market orientation of companies as one of the most important factors for a successful entrance into the world of normal economies. Unfortunately, market orientation in these countries is more often a generalized and unverified topic for discussion than a matter of profound empirical research. In our contribution the results of measuring market orientation of Slovene companies are given. The investigated companies were segmented according to the type of ownership and capital. V državah v tranziciji pogosto govorimo o nujnosti tržne naravnanosti podjetij kot enem izmed pomembnih dejavnikov uspešnega vstopa v svet normalnih gospodarstev. Žal je tržna naravnanost v teh državah pogosteje predmet posplošenih in nepreverjenih domnev kot pa empiričnega proučevanja. V prispevku prikazujemo rezultate merjenja tržne naravnanosti v podjetjih v Sloveniji. Proučevana podjetja smo segmentirali glede na tip lastništva in tip kapitala. Rezultati kažejo, da vstop tujega kapitala v obliki neposrednih tujih vlaganj v podjetja v Sloveniji ne pomeni nujno tudi pozitivnega premika v njihovi tržni naravnanosti. Iz rezultatov naše raziskave izhaja, da je privatni ustanovitveni kapital eden izmed pomembnih motivatorjev v smeri višje stopnje tržne naravnanosti podjetij. Podjetja, ki so od nastanka v zasebni lasti in brez neposrednih tujih vlaganj, so se v naši raziskavi pokazala kot bolj tržno naravnana od drugih dveh tipov proučevanih podjetij, tako glede integriranega pristopa kot tudi glede na primerjavo med posameznimi trditvami.

In the paper we present a part of the results of the international research project which has started in 1995. The main objective of the research was to find out the effects of the process of privatisation and foreign direct investments on marketing of the enterprises in the Central and Eastern Europe. The participants of the research included Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria and Slovenia. As the coordinators of the project were involved the professors from the Aston University in Birmingham (England) as well as from the university of Dublin (Ireland). Into the research project in Slovenia, there were included all of the enterprises with more than 20 employees which were divided into four main categories according to their phase of privatisation process as well as to their ownership in the time of research: a) enterprises in the process of privatisation; b) enterprises which have terminated the process of privatisation; c) organic private enterprises (i.e. enterprises which were established as private entities; d) enterprises with direct foreign investments. The main objective of the paper presented is to show: (a) the differences between particular marketing activities of the enterprises in Slovenia and Hungary, and (b) the differences in some marketing activities of the enterprises according to their ownership and the origin of their capital. V prispevku je predstavljen del rezultatov mednarodnega raziskovalnega projekta, katerega začetek sega v leto 1995. Osnovni namen raziskave je bilo proučevanje vpliva procesa privatiziranja in neposrednih tujih vlaganj na marketinške strategije podjetij v državah v tranziciji. V raziskavo so bile vključene naslednje države: Madžarska, Poljska, Bolgarija in Slovenija, kot koordinatorji projekta pa so sodelovali profesorji z Univerze Aston v Birminghamu (Velika Britanija) in Dublinske univerze (Irska). V Sloveniji so bila vključena v raziskavo vsa podjetja z več kot 20 zaposlenih. Razdelili smo jih na štiri kategorije glede na stanje lastništva v času izvedbe raziskave: (a) podjetja, ki so bila v procesu privatiziranja, (b) podjetja, ki so že končala proces privatiziranja, (c) podjetja, ki so že od nastanka v zasebni lasti, in (č) podjetja z neposrednimi tujimi vlaganji. V prispevku predstavljamo: (a) razlike v nekaterih marketinških aktivnostih podjetij v Sloveniji in na Madžarskem in (b) razlike v nekaterih marketinških aktivnostih podjetij glede na tip njihovega lastništva ne glede na državo, iz katere so.

V prispevku je obravnavan odnos med konceptom samega sebe in izbiranjem izdelka oziroma znamke izdelka. Uvodni del zajema predstavitev koncepta samega sebe (opredelitev, uporaba in struktura), merjenje self imidža ter opredelitev osnovnih pogojev za marketinško aplikacijo self imidža (kdaj postane self imidž pomemben dejavnik v vedenju porabnikov). V drugem delu prispevka so prikazani rezultati raziskave v kateri smo primerjali self imidž (dejanski in idealni) in imidžem oblačil (dejanskih in željenih). Glavni zaključek v raziskavi je bil, da med self imidžem in imidžem oblačil obstaja povezanost. Najvišja povezanost se je pokazala med idealnim self imidžem in imidžem željenih oblačil (74% skupne variance) najnižja pa med dejanskim self imidžem in imidžem dejanskih oblačil (50%).