The objectives of this Master’s thesis were to develop a better understanding of the Austrian market situation in order to provide lighting solutions in building construction projects.
The theoretical part of this thesis focused on marketing management in general and in special on business-to-business marketing. A large number of theories that have been developed regarding customer targeted marketing, analyzing business markets and business buying behaviour had been discussed.
There were given some ground information to the Austrian market.
Architecture and daylight are inseparably bound together and therefore there was also given some insights to it. In order to understand the great impact of light on people there were given some important ground information and research studies to undercover theories.
The empirical part focused on the qualitative research with a customer analysis. The aim was to gather an in-depth understanding of stakeholder/decision maker behaviour and the reasons that govern such behaviour.
Based on the results there were given some advice for the best payoffs in marketing and sales for the lighting industry in Austria.
At the end of this thesis there were given a future outlook.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Problem Formulation
1.2 Objective of the Master Thesis
2 Theoretical Part
2.1 Marketing Management and Strategy
2.2 Business to Business Marketing (B2B)
2.2.1 Marketing in New Economy
2.2.2 Customer Targeted Marketing
2.2.3 Analyzing Business Markets and Business Buying Behaviour
2.2.4 Blue Ocean Strategy for B2B Marketing
2.2.5 Promotional Strategy - a part of Marketing Concept and Marketing Management
3 Austrian Market
3.1 Doing Business in Austria
3.2 Business in Austrian Building Construction Industry
3.3 Business Impact of Information Technology (IT)
4 Architecture and Light in Building Construction Projects
4.1 General Aspects
4.2 Energy and its Aspects
4.2.1 Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
4.2.1.1 Decisions of the European Union (EuP Directive)
4.2.1.2 Incandescent Lamps and Alternative Technologies (like LED)
4.2.1.3 Conclusion and Recommendations of German Lighting Society (LiTG)
4.2.2 Energy Policy in Austria
4.3 Light and its Impact
4.3.1 Criteria of a Good Lighting Design
4.3.2 Our Light Determines our Lives
4.3.3 Concept Light and Health
4.3.4 Three Studies about Impact of Light on Health
4.3.4.1 Study: Well-being with a Light Impact on Health
4.3.4.2 Study: Office Workers Given the Blue Light to Help Alertness
4.3.4.3 Study: Light in Geriatric Care
5 Qualitative Research
5.1 Approach from Theory to Text
5.2 Research Design and Interviews
5.3 Grounding and Writing
6 Empirical Part
6.1 General Information
6.2 Research Approach and Methodology
6.3 Research: A Customer Analysis
6.4 Research Results
6.4.1 Subject Area: Significance of Lighting
6.4.2 Subject Area: Situation of the Decision-making
6.4.3 Subject Area: Information Sources
6.4.4 Subject Area: Technical Requirements
6.4.5 Research Subject Area: Future Prospects
7 Summary of Key Findings
7.1 General Aspects
7.2 Who are the major stakeholders and decision makers in Austrian building construction projects?
7.2.1 Ranking of Influence and Analysis of Their Relationship
7.2.2 Differences between Private and Public Investments
7.2.3 Any Political Initiatives found for Supporting Austrian Distributors and Producers
7.3 How can the decision makers be made aware of the huge potential for saving energy?
7.3.1 What could make an investor make priority of running cost instead of investment cost
7.3.2 How could the owner better be involved in decision making of lighting equipment?
7.3.3 How to increase the knowledge of lighting solutions in general?
7.4 Where are the best payoffs in marketing and sales for the lighting industry in Austria?
7.4.1 Those payoffs which play a very important/essential role
7.4.2 Those payoffs which play an important, but not vital role
7.4.3 Those payoffs which are good to have, but not necessary
7.4.4 Those payoffs which are not important at all
8 Future Outlook
Research Objectives and Focus
This thesis aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the Austrian building construction market to optimize the provision of lighting solutions. The primary research goal is to identify key stakeholders, analyze their decision-making behavior, and uncover the motivations governing these processes to provide actionable marketing and sales recommendations.
- Analysis of business-to-business marketing strategies in the context of the Austrian lighting industry.
- Examination of the interplay between architectural design, energy efficiency, and human health in modern lighting.
- Qualitative research based on expert interviews with diverse stakeholders, including architects, planners, and investors.
- Evaluation of technical and organizational requirements impacting the procurement and implementation of lighting systems.
- Development of strategic advice for market participants to improve sales effectiveness and customer retention.
Excerpt from the Book
6.4.1 Subject Area: Significance of Lighting
The customer analysis gave me the understanding that the significance of lighting is quite high to very high among my interviewees and for their commercial, public and industrial building projects.
Those stakeholders who considered the significance with ‘very high’ have mostly lighting as their core business. Other stakeholders - mostly architects and lighting planners - also considered the significance with ‘very high’ and they hold the opinion that lighting has a high impact for ambience, well-being, highlights, visual effects and architectural design. They had the opinion that it is very creative to work with light and they creative solutions are extremely exciting. For some interviewees lighting is the central theme and others meant that lighting should not be to the fore, rather than give the needed light and impact. An architect, who is designing mostly for carriage trade (elite clientele), said that ‘people are depending on mood and lighting is conveying mood, that is great’. Another stakeholder (an owner) considered the significance with ‘very high’, because their core business is customer-oriented in a high-price segment.
By all means lighting is a ‘standing companion’ to all interviewees. The positive thing is that the significance of lighting has taken a turn for the better and continuously rising among their clients/customers.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter defines the problem of selling technical lighting equipment in a complex stakeholder environment and outlines the objectives of the master thesis.
2 Theoretical Part: This section covers foundational marketing theories, specifically focusing on B2B marketing, customer-targeted strategies, and Blue Ocean concepts applied to the lighting market.
3 Austrian Market: This chapter provides an overview of the Austrian business landscape and the specific dynamics of the building construction industry and IT integration.
4 Architecture and Light in Building Construction Projects: This chapter explores the symbiotic relationship between architecture and lighting, discussing energy regulations, human health impacts, and specific lighting studies.
5 Qualitative Research: This section details the methodology used, emphasizing the qualitative approach and the process of moving from theory to empirical text.
6 Empirical Part: This chapter presents the data gathered from expert interviews, categorizing findings into significance, decision-making, information sources, technical requirements, and future prospects.
7 Summary of Key Findings: This chapter synthesizes the results, answering the research questions and offering strategic recommendations for marketing and sales in Austria.
8 Future Outlook: This concluding chapter discusses long-term industry trends, the evolution of LED technology, and the necessary shift toward more holistic, light-focused architectural planning.
Keywords
Austria, Lighting Solutions, Building Construction, B2B Marketing, Customer Analysis, Stakeholders, Decision-making, Energy Efficiency, LED, Architecture, Qualitative Research, Lighting Design, Business Strategy, Innovation, Human Health
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this master thesis?
The thesis focuses on analyzing the Austrian lighting market to understand the complex stakeholder and decision-making environment in building construction projects.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The research spans business-to-business marketing, architectural planning, energy legislation, human health impacts of light, and qualitative stakeholder analysis.
What is the main objective of this study?
The primary goal is to provide lighting solution providers with actionable insights into stakeholder behavior, enabling them to optimize their marketing strategies and sales approaches.
Which research method was employed?
The author conducted qualitative research, primarily through 34 in-depth expert interviews with various stakeholders across the Austrian building and construction sector.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body bridges the gap between marketing theory and empirical findings, detailing the practical requirements, information sources, and decision processes of market actors.
Which keywords best characterize this document?
The key themes include B2B marketing, Austrian building construction, lighting solutions, stakeholder analysis, and energy efficiency.
How does architectural design influence lighting procurement?
Architects play a significant role as decision-makers or influencers; the thesis explores how they weigh aesthetic requirements against technical and economic factors in their lighting concepts.
What role do energy efficiency regulations play in the Austrian market?
The work highlights how EU directives and local energy policies influence product choices, often forcing a shift from traditional lamps toward LED technologies despite initial cost hurdles.
What is the consensus regarding future trends in lighting?
The industry is seen as undergoing a disruptive transformation where LED technology will become the standard, shifting the focus toward integrated systems and long-term sustainability.
- Quote paper
- Elisabeth Holoubek (Author), 2011, Lighting Solutions for Austrian Building Construction Projects - A Customer Analysis, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/190485
