Online presence of the international automobile industry: evaluation of the digital business representation in the business to consumer section of the international automobile industry

Abstract

The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to investigate the digital online- and website- presence of the international automobile industry. The focus is on the business-to-consumer area to find out how digital communication is designed and if there are differences in the design dependent on the type of company or its cultural origin. The aim is to establish whether the corporate website has an influence on different types of costs and to classify this communication approach according to approved business models. Furthermore, it the aim of this thesis is to design an ideal model for corporate website communication within this industrial sector. The basis for this thesis is a state of the art study based on an extensive literature review. The basic hypotheses of this thesis are based on these theoretical foundations of the literature review. The methodology is based on a deductive research design. The research is based on different quantitative as well as qualitative studies. The doctoral thesis reveals a model for how a corporate website within the automobile industry sector should be designed. The model considers different cultural environments, as well as different levels of information scope, which should be taken into account. This ideal design leads to a cost reduction and a competitive advantage. The thesis shows how corporate website communication can be integrated into well-acknowledged business models. The model shows different aspects that should be taken into account when creating effective corporate websites. Furthermore, this thesis establishes a connection between the practical idea of creating an ideal website in this sector and corporate website communication as a theory, which must be integrated into existing business models for a holistic approach leading to a competitive advantage.