Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: Doing business is easy. Doing business successfully is difficult. Doing business successfully in the long run is a real challenge to management and employees. Companies are driven by the pursuit for growth, and profitability. The increasing globalization process is creating fierce competition. The need for a clear strategy, a guideline is essential to succeed permanently. This means to shift the concentration from short term objectives to long term ones, based on the main determents of success ¿ the customer. The purpose is to find out whether companies are putting strategic emphasis on Customer Relationship Management (CRM), that is, if companies perceive CRM as an important part of their strategy in general or if CRM is an unused tool and is given less intention. Two parts ¿ a theoretical and an empirical one ¿ are the main components of this thesis. The theoretical part covers three important issues ¿ strategy, CRM and the combined view on both single parts. The empirical study is based on a quantitative method ¿ a questionnaire containing 10 general questions regarding CRM and strategy ¿ which includes the response of 106 companies mainly from Sweden and Germany. Stating to be customer oriented is only one thing of the medal. To obtain and to maintain customer focus when doing business is far more difficult. It demands understanding of the complexity, commitment, expertise and time. Obstacles derive from a false interpretation of what customer-led means, from reluctance to change, a lack of communication, and eagerness. Without having a strategy it is nearly impossible to be accomplished. The successful alignment of CRM components and other strategic issues to one viable corporate strategy is essential for future success. This includes constant innovation, foresight, and freedom of mind and thoughts. Inhaltsverzeichnis:Table of Contents: Abstract2 Introduction2 Purpose2 Method2 Analysis and conclusions3 Table of Content4 Table of figures and tables6 1.Introduction7 1.1Background7 1.2Problem discussion8 1.3Purpose9 1.4Limitations9 1.5Disposition9 2.Methodology11 2.1Scientific approach11 2.1.1Induction11 2.1.2Deduction11 2.1.3Our approach11 2.2Research method11 2.2.1Qualitative12 2.2.2Quantitative12 2.2.3Our method12 2.3Method for collecting data13 2.3.1Secondary data13 2.3.2Primary data15 2.3.3Our data collection15 2.4The [...]