David Fleischman

Key account management (KAM) is essential for B2B firms navigating dynamic customer behaviour and competitive landscapes. In the current landscape, KAM is evolving and facing the challenge of optimising practices using novel technology to maintain and support customer relationships. This is an area where limited research exists. This paper aims to fill this gap by providing a conceptual backdrop for exploring how physical interaction and technological platforms – ‘phygital’ – are influenced by external environmental factors and subsequently impact essential KAM practices. Specifically, a theoretical framework integrating the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Social Exchange Theory (SET) is presented as a conceptual foundation for understanding how phygital practices interact to influence KAM's relational capability and outcome success. Integrating RBV and SET offers a novel theoretical lens through which to understand KAM strategies amidst external market volatility and complexity. It also provides practical insights for KAM practitioners, empowering them to optimise phygital KAM practices and foster competitive advantage through leveraging customer relationships as a resource.

This study takes an 'outside-in' approach by exploring the narratives of university alumni working in industry. The aim of the study is to understand how engaging with industry alumni supports and informs graduate skills and knowledge needed for future employability, and university career/future focused curriculum design. To achieve the aim, the study adopted an Appreciative Inquiry approach to guide a series of n=8 depth interviews recorded in a digital video format. This approach provided alumni with a platform to construct their unique professional narratives in a manner that was relatable and engaging to students, and that universities could use as an educational tool. Data from the interviews resulted in three main themes: 1) the necessity of soft-skills and work experience, 2) the importance of resilience, and 3) the willingness to constantly learn. Theoretically, the findings contribute externally validated support and extension of important and desirable graduate attributes, providing evidence for informing and extending career/future focused curriculum design. Practically, the findings provide students and universities with professional confirmation and foresight of the skills and knowledge needed to transition and navigate the professional workforce, along with an educational tool to implement into curriculum.

Consumer interest and demand for local food is growing rapidly. Increased levels of consumer health and environmental consciousness, along with popular media, have sparked this growth. Yet, little marketing specific research focuses on local food. The purpose of this conceptual paper was, therefore, twofold. First, it sought to explore some of the existing gaps in local food marketing research. Second, it aimed to offer fresh perspective on marketing local food as framed by the value co-creation concept. It was found that local food marketing is fragmented across multiple disciplines; little research exists in an Australian context; and that there is little cohesion in terms of how local food is defined in marketing contexts. The paper contributes to theory and practice by suggesting opportunities for value co-creation as a platform to enhance local food marketing strategies, and also encourages consideration of challenges that may arise.

The Australian international education industry is facing turbulence. Economic circumstances and refocused marketing strategies from overseas rivals are creating intense competition, forcing Australian universities to rethink their strategies. Current research postulates that community engagement enhances the strategic capability of universities. Within the international education industry, enhanced community engagement may create a means of differentiation. However, marketing university-community engagement requires an understanding of stakeholder roles. Using SDL as a framework, in-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted to explore the role perceptions of international students, the University and community-revealing high correlation regarding the students' and the University's roles, with some conflict concerning the community's. The findings support utilising SDL's value co-creation premise to guide community engagement marketing initiatives in this context.

Sustaining the benefits of the globally-competitive international education industry requires new thinking and a movement beyond simply measuring student satisfaction with their university experience. The often-neglected party in the international student experience is the host community. While community engagement has many positive impacts, few universities explore how additional value can be co-created through this link. Community engagement as a construct is not well understood. Through reviewing the extant literature this conceptual paper developed a definition of community engagement as it applies to the international student experience, being: the mutual creation of knowledge and value networks on a personal and professional level, via international student involvement and participation in unique university facilitated community experiences; which enriches the international student experience, assimilates local and global cultures, and yields superior value for the student, the university and the community.

International education has proven value to both universities and students, with many universities economically reliant on international students. Sustaining the economic, educational and social benefits of this globally-competitive industry requires new thinking and a movement beyond simply measuring student satisfaction. The often neglected party in the international student experience is the host community outside the university. While research notes the positive impact of student-community interactions on student satisfaction and adjustment, few studies investigate the effects of engagement on student's personal and professional development or the reciprocal effects of international students on the community. This study follows one cohort of international students through their experience, with results supporting the positive influence of community interactions on both parties.