R etail companies today face new challenges with more intensified competition due to the accelerated pace of technological change, more sophisticated management practices, and industry consolidation. Hence, retail companies have shifted their focus from not only boosting sales but also to ways of attracting and retaining customers. This paper offers a new perspective on how to improve the performance of retail organizations by enhancing customer experience. It suggests that customer experience and use of technology are fundamental drivers of consumer loyalty. We propose a new shopping experience model based on a synergic combination of design thinking and marketing intelligence methodologies. The role of technology in customer satisfaction is also integrated into this novel

The production of hybrid vehicles has experienced intense growth in recent years. Carmakers invest significant resources into the development of advanced hybrid vehicles. The global prospects of this process can be estimated by systematically analyzing patents outlined in international patent databases. The paper assesses the state-of-art and the future of the industry. Evidence from leaders in the development of hybrid vehicles demonstrates the productivity of the methodology for analyzing patent data developed by the authors.

No abstract