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Proposes a conceptual model of quality which incorporates an expectation framework. The model was prompted by a related empirical study examining effectiveness in a health care setting which highlighted the importance of quality measures in a contracting environment. The model attempts to understand the relationships between perceived service quality and patient expectations, experience and satisfaction. Makes recommendations which are considered to be relevant to NHS policy makers.

This article examines and comments on the role of clinical directors in the NHS (UK), with specific reference to the relevance of a strategic marketing emphasis. It utilises qualitative methodologies to collect data from stakeholders ‐ in particular, clinical directors and other managers ‐ from two NHS trust hospitals. It examines the extent to which a marketing approach is applicable to clinical managers working in these two hospitals. It utilises a conceptual framework devised by Kottler and Andreason, to highlight whether a marketing approach is, in fact, utilised by these managers. It suggests that a strategic marketing approach (based upon relationships), remains relevant to clinical management, notwithstanding recent changes in government policy.

The purpose of this paper is to present exploratory research on the potential variation of front line manager (FLM) types and attendant causal links between FLM style and employee outcomes. It challenges the value of a homogenous FLM construct and tests for variation in FLM styles which may affect behaviours and employee outcomes.

A set of discreet FLM types is defined from extant theory and literature (named here as Policy Enactor; Organizational Leader; and Employee Coach). Each type and its relationship to employee outcomes is explored empirically using survey data and qualitative interviews with a small sample of employees (n=46 employees across eight FLM groups) within a multi-national manufacturing plant.

The findings provide preliminary support for an FLM “type” construct. Employees reported a significant dominance of the “Organizational Leader” type for one FLM, while across a broader set of FLM’s the proportions showed measurable variation. The qualitative data provides context examples that help explain FLM typologies and link to employee outcomes.

Much of current literature explores the FLM construct as a singular construct, relying on its contextual relevance for definition within a certain discipline. This paper focuses on combining these contextual experiences to present a multi-faceted construct for the role of FLMs within the employment relations literatures. By moving from the implicit to the explicit, the paper offers a conceptual lens for quantitative and qualitative exploration of the role of FLM types. As a result, attendant and subsequent FLM and employee behaviours may be better examined and possibly better specified. To add value to this contribution longitudinal and more extensive data sets could be examined and tested in the future.

This paper aims to investigate the effect of product price image (PPI) on perceived value (PV) and repurchase intention (RI) of Brazilian customers' craft beer. Moreover, this research also verifies the moderating effect of customer experience (CE) and price sensitivity.

The survey data analysis was performed using Smart-PLS 3.3.9 and Process 4.1 software with 329 customers.

The results show that PV is a full mediation variable in the relationship between PPI and RI. As a mediated moderation, lower CE and price sensitivity better explain the indirect effect of PPI on RI via PV.

Thus, managers may reinforce the PV of low price sensitivity and low CE. These customers learn about companies' prices compared with higher price-sensitive customers and higher CE that already PV.

The article discusses the implications of PV as a mediator, low price sensitivity and low CE as moderators for craft beer.

1. The world's most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, following water and tea, the third-most-popular drink on earth is beer;

2. Managers should create strategies to reinforce the PV and consequently the RI by offering PPI and benefits (PV) for customers with low experience and low-price sensitivity about craft beer;

3. Low customer experience and low-price sensitive's customers are learning about companies' prices compared to higher price sensitive, and higher customer experience that already PV, PL, PF, and PEs and NEs;

4. Small producers craft beer that connotated the product's high quality and benefits; the higher may be the level of RI and consumption from customers.

The world's most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, following water and tea, the third-most-popular drink on earth is beer;

Managers should create strategies to reinforce the PV and consequently the RI by offering PPI and benefits (PV) for customers with low experience and low-price sensitivity about craft beer;

Low customer experience and low-price sensitive's customers are learning about companies' prices compared to higher price sensitive, and higher customer experience that already PV, PL, PF, and PEs and NEs;

Small producers craft beer that connotated the product's high quality and benefits; the higher may be the level of RI and consumption from customers.

This chapter looks at Australian public libraries and how they have developed and delivered inclusive service to people with disabilities over the past decade or so. As digital technology impacts the public library sector the question of “how are libraries responding?” emerges, especially for the one in five Australians living with disabilities. This chapter is focused on how the public library network is delivering digitally inclusive services to people with disabilities.

The approach was to examine the international obligations, related governance, and professional standards that apply to Australian Public libraries; the current disability and digital inclusion related research from the past decade; and highlight some of the better examples of practice in Australian public library service.

This chapter is not a comprehensive examination but rather a summary scan of digital inclusion practice. However, it raises a number of questions for further investigation: research as to how these obligations are put into practice; how they can be better shared and learnt from; and more importantly how the aspiration of “inclusion for all” is being met.

After reading and discussing the case study, students should be able to identify the reasons why the company needed to digitise and how this links to the company’s strategy around technology and innovation, analyse the digitalisation implementation process followed in the case study by using an organisational change management model and make recommendations and propose a solution for the protagonist to consider for the successful roll-out of the digitalisation project.

DRA Projects is part of the DRA Global business based in South Africa. The company is known locally in the mining and engineering industry for its project development, delivery, execution and operations capabilities. Digital transformation is a key strategic focus in the industry, as clients seek digitised integrated systems. For this client offering, J.C. Heslinga, managing director of DRA Projects, was tasked with leading the digitalisation of the project delivery system. From July 2020 until July 2022, Heslinga led the implementation team through different organisational change stages. As the next phase included rolling out digitalisation to pilot projects and engaging employees and clients in the new process, Heslinga wondered if enough was done to ready the business for this change. The end users would be executing the changes, so their adoption will be imperative for successfully rolling out digitalisation. The case study concludes with Heslinga pondering the approach needed for the next phase. The case study focuses on the digitalisation implementation process through the lens of organisational change. The case study presents an opportunity to analyse and identify the theories and models used in organisational change within a real-life business context. The organisational change learnings can be adapted to help students with any transformation changes in similar business scenarios.

Postgraduate- and master’s-level students and business executives attending short courses will benefit from the learnings. The learnings can be applied to improve decision-making, organisational behaviour and strategic implementation using the fundamental principles of organisational change.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 6: Human resource management

Existing research on the relationship between human resources management (HRM) and worker reactions to practices rarely explore differences between occupational classes and their receptiveness to HRM initiatives. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Using data from a single case organization, the authors examine whether HRM practices apply uniformly across distinct occupational groups, and if there are differing impacts by occupational class on commitment, motivation and satisfaction.

Using occupational identity, the results indicate that different groups of employees have varied perceptions of, and reactions to, the same HRM practices.

The paper adds that human resource practice application may have a tipping point, after which distinct employee groups require different HR architectural configurations.

HRM policy and practice may be better tailored to the different specific needs of diverse occupational groups of workers.

The paper argues that existing theory and practice advocating universal or high potential HRM as a route to positive employee outcomes are potentially flawed.