Rethinking Service Systems and Public Policy: A Transformative Refugee Service Experience Framework

The global refugee crisis is a complex humanitarian problem. Service researchers can assist in solving this crisis because refugees are immersed in complex human service systems. Drawing on marketing, sociology, transformative service, and consumer research literature, this study develops a Transformative Refugee Service Experience Framework to enable researchers, service actors, and public policy makers to navigate the challenges faced throughout a refugee’s service journey. The primary dimensions of this framework encompass the spectrum from hostile to hospitable refugee service systems and the resulting suffering or well-being in refugees’ experiences. The authors conceptualize this at three refugee service journey phases (entry, transition, and exit) and at three refugee service system levels (macro, meso, and micro) of analysis. The framework is supported by brief examples from a range of service-related refugee contexts as well as a Web Appendix with additional cases. Moreover, the authors derive a comprehensive research agenda from the framework, with detailed research questions for public policy and (service) marketing researchers. Managerial directions are provided to increase awareness of refugee service problems; stimulate productive interactions; and improve collaboration among public and nonprofit organizations, private service providers, and refugees. Finally, this work provides a vision for creating hospitable refugee service systems

Service-learning through multiple client-sponsored projects in an MBA marketing course

This paper outlines an approach for teaching Marketing Principles in an MBA course through service-learning to enable adult learners to connect the lectures’ marketing content to a real-world marketing project. During the course, 40 students in groups of four to five individuals were involved in eight different client-sponsored marketing projects executed simultaneously. The rationale, planning and management of this approach utilised current research on service-learning, living cases and client-sponsored projects in marketing education. The experimental curriculum design is presented in a timeline that mirrors the preparation and management of the group projects and the considerations to be taken into account when initiating and facilitating the projects. Reflections from this iteration of the service-learning design suggest the importance of: detailed project planning, the involvement of students in choosing the projects, the introduction of forms and feedback loops, the role of the instructor in facilitating the students and managing expectations, and the role of the company representative in supporting the groups

Māori knowledge and consumer tribes

This paper explores an agenda for consumer behaviour research as it relates to tribal consumerism. It is argued that while the international consumer behaviour research field is inspired by Indigenous knowledges, the quality of research will be relatively poor and unconvincing unless Indigenous researchers and voices make their way into those conversations. We argue for greater plurality through Indigenous participation in consumer behaviour research, and we challenge business schools to realise their accountability

Improving engagement with social services a service ecosystems approach

A key challenge for social policy makers and service providers is to enable constructive engagement between the social services and the‘hard to reach’ individuals and collectives in order to reduce disparities and enhance individual and population wellbeing. The concept of ‘hard to reach’ (Boag-Munroe & Evangelou, 2012) refers to those who are deemed to be in need of social service or health intervention but, for whatever reasons, do not access services or do not engage constructively with services. The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovationand Employment (MBIE) is helping address this issue through its “Health and Society” Research Investment Funding. It has awarded a three-year contract for the research reported in this paper, to strengthen ways for social services to engage with families/ whānau and individuals (Foote etal., 2014). The project comprises three case studies, cross-case analysis, development of a provisional model of critical success factors for improving uptake of services in relation to ‘hard to reach’ populations, testing and refining the model, and dissemination of findings in the social service sector. The aim is to develop a model that will guide the design and evaluation of services in ways that support ‘hard to reach’ populations to connect with and take up services in ways that improve outcomes for families/whānau