Theuns G. Kotze

Students as “co-producers” of education : a proposed model of student socialisation and participation at tertiary institutions

Through their participation in an array of learning activities, students “co‐produce” their education. At the same time, they also contribute directly to their own satisfaction, quality and value perceptions. How can students be encouraged to fulfil their co‐production roles more effectively? Services marketing researchers have long acknowledged the important participatory role of service customers and have also tested models of the antecedents and consequences of customer socialisation and participation in a range of service settings. Presents a new conceptual model of student socialisation and participation to be tested in the context of higher education.

BUYER-SUPPLIER COLLABORATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE: A CASE STUDY IN THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY

The purpose of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms through which buyer-supplier collaboration enables resilience. A single case study method was adopted, examining a critical case within the petrochemical industry. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The rationale for undertaking buyer-supplier collaboration in the focal firm is grounded in Kraljic’s procurement matrix, accounting for underlying risks of supply disruptions that are inherent in the resilience discourse. The findings suggested that collaboration between buyers and suppliers does not directly lead to supply chain resilience, but rather enables the antecedents to supply chain resilience. The study developed an understanding of the specific mechanisms through which the antecedents of resilience are enabled in the petrochemical industry.

Information Search, Alternatives Evaluation, and Coping Mechanisms of Functionally Illiterate Consumers in Retail Settings: A Developing Economy Context

Little research has been carried out with regard to marketing to functionally illiterate consumers, despite the size and purchasing power of this market segment. This qualitative study examined the decision-making processes and coping mechanisms of functionally illiterate consumers in the South African grocery shopping environment. The findings provide insights that have important theoretical and practical implications for marketers, retailers, and policy makers. For functionally illiterate consumers, the information-search stage of the consumer decision-making process is either nonexistent or limited to a few trusted sources, such as friends and family, which often occurs only after a purchase has been made. Furthermore, these consumers face difficulties in a grocery store environment but have developed several coping mechanisms to compensate for their limited literacy skills.