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Information for this case was gained first-hand as the case authors are also the protagonists. Care was taken to ensure case material was presented in an unbiased and accurate manner.

Sherry Finney, co-manager and partner at Escape Outdoors (EO), North Sydney, Nova Scotia, has just about completed a social media campaign collaboration with Cape Breton outdoor influencers, Davey and Sky. This was the company’s first collaboration with social influencers, and EO had done it to increase their follower base, particularly on Instagram. Defining measures of success was the task now facing Finney and her Sales and Marketing Assistant, Megan Penney. The campaign costs were in the range of $500, and if EO were to do this campaign again, they needed to understand the pros and cons and if it was a success. The campaign would end in a few days, and before it was finalized, Finney and Penney had to decide what final metrics would be required for evaluation and, specifically, how the campaign would be evaluated.

This case is intended for courses in social media marketing, marketing management, marketing analytics, digital marketing or entrepreneurship. The typical user of this case will be an undergraduate or graduate business student who has completed an introductory marketing concepts course.

Communication strategy during the management of change has been one success factor widely cited in the literature. However, despite its recognition within the enterprise resource planning (ERP) domain, there has been little regard for stakeholder perspective and even less for practical suggestions regarding communication planning.

This mixed‐method research investigated the ERP implementation process from the perspective of four key stakeholder groups and generated greater understanding of their differing views on communication effectiveness and preferred communications strategies during the management of change process.

The findings of this study revealed that stakeholders differ, significantly in some respects, in how each group believes certain aspects of the project should be handled, from a tactical communication standpoint.

The research is based on a single case study, which adds caution to the generalizability of the results. Further, the survey sample was self‐selected and not random.

This paper has made a significant contribution in terms of understanding differing perspectives regarding communication strategies during change. Particularly, we have learned how each group believes certain aspects of the project should be handled, from a tactical standpoint.

The lack of case studies addressing practical challenges has already been identified as a gap in the literature. Further, with a stakeholder perspective combined, this research has revealed another element, which is that the management of ERP projects is not as simple as a “one size fits all” strategy.

This case study aims to report on the effectiveness of a matrix mentoring pilot project in a healthcare setting and its ability to build managerial competencies and enhance levels of employee engagement.

The study used a mixed‐method design with pre and post pilot evaluation phases. Focus groups were held with both mentee and mentor groups. Mentees also completed questionnaires that assessed their levels of managerial competency and engagement.

Mentees who engaged in a matrix mentoring pilot reported increased levels of managerial and leadership competencies, and employee engagement. Additionally, mentees realized greater exposure to managerial roles and responsibilities and experienced personal development and growth as a result of individual project assignments.

The small sample size is the main limitation of this project. However, it was a pilot within a case study organization and one of the objectives was to learn from the experience.

Mentors and mentees reported positive feedback. Mentors were able to assess the capacity and interest of future potential leaders and mentees gained exposure to managerial competencies.

The originality of this research is found in the application of a matrix mentoring approach. Typically, mentoring programs match one mentor with one mentee. A team of mentors worked with each of the mentees and engaged in exposing the participants to a range of competencies. The literature suggests that managerial competencies in a complex setting, like healthcare, need to be diverse. This research presents one possibility for building such a range of abilities.

To explore the current literature base of critical success factors (CSFs) of ERP implementations, prepare a compilation, and identify any gaps that might exist.

Hundreds of journals were searched using key terms identified in a preliminary literature review. Successive rounds of article abstract reviews resulted in 45 articles being selected for the compilation. CSF constructs were then identified using content analysis methodology and an inductive coding technique. A subsequent critical analysis identified gaps in the literature base.

The most significant finding is the lack of research that has focused on the identification of CSFs from the perspectives of key stakeholders. Additionally, there appears to be much variance with respect to what exactly is encompassed by change management, one of the most widely cited CSFs, and little detail of specific implementation tactics.

There is a need to focus future research efforts on the study of CSFs as they apply to the perspectives of key stakeholders and to ensure that this stakeholder approach is also comprehensive in its coverage of CSFs. As well, there is need to conduct more in‐depth research into the concept of change management. One key limitation of this research is the occurrence of duplication in the frequency analysis of the success factors. This is attributed to secondary research being the main methodology for a large number of the articles cited.

This research provides a comprehensive compilation of all previously identified ERP implementation success factors, through a clearly structured methodological approach.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of empathy in the student service experience. Taking a dyadic perspective, both students’ and staff’s perceptions are analyzed to determine if empathy matters to both actors alike; and which differences in perceptions about the role of empathy between these actors exist.

The authors adopt a multi-method approach and used data from 256 usable survey responses from 11 higher education service providers in Singapore. Empathy was operationalized by six cognitive and affective independent variables and multiple multivariate analyses are applied, such as multivariate analysis of variance, discriminant analysis and multiple regression analysis.

Results show that both students and staff alike evaluate empathy as important in the co-created service experience. The provision of individualized attention to students to positively influence student experience in learning was deemed important by both staff and students. Yet, there are also distinct differences. For students, it is essential that staff members have students’ best interests at heart; for staff members, knowledge of students’ needs and show of care and concern are important.

Students and staff perceive empathy in higher education service provision differently. Interestingly, whilst staff think caring for students is important, students feel that too much care and concern from staff has a negative effect on their experience. Hence, too much care and concern might cause potential issues with the students’ perception of “over-servicing” which might manifest as “spoon-feeding.” Instead, students are asking for individualized and professionalized attention to be taken seriously and to be involved in the co-creation of the education service experience.

This study advances the understanding of affective and cognitive aspects of empathy and their influence on students’ service experiences.

Traditional notions of culture have become unicorns: assumed creatures of the past, whose authenticity seems increasingly doubtful. It is required of us to rethink the boundaries of culture and social science; to develop our understanding of interdependency and instability in cultural life. In order to incorporate possible discourses, the practice of research must also change. This paper discusses some problems associated with ethnography in global cultures.

I begin by presenting a brief history of ethnography as a method for investigating unconceptualised groups. Following this, through reference to my own research, I argue that the foundations of this methodology can be developed to include the broad networks of influences extant in contemporary cultures. To this end, I consider a solution that poses the researcher as a locus of investigation from which the relationships that construct a culture may be collated and interpretations built.

The research account I have presented tackles this issue, synthesising introspection, thick inscription, and thick transcription, and moving the researcher through a multi‐vocal, iterative, non‐linear process. Historical, technological and ideological influences come into play to negotiate between possible realities. Ethnography may place these realities into their broader political, social and personal contexts and continue yielding data for the theorisation of contemporary cultures.

The paper reassesses the experience of global culture with reference to the global surfing scene. It provides a practical solution to research in such cultures, and highlights the importance of a networked approach in the construction of adequate theory.

The paper focuses on two main issues. First, 19 Southern Baptists were asked, how they believe living in the Southeastern USA influences their religious faith. Second, the interviewees were asked about their experiences traveling to Israel.

Through depth interviews, 13 corollaries were derived that help explain the Southern fundamentalist perspective on religion. The paper borrows principles from grounded theory, an inductive method that allows one to observe first and then begin building a general theory.

Southern Baptists do not believe that living in the South changes their beliefs. However, they do believe that the South is a supportive environment for the Christian fundamentalist. The Baptists experienced Israel in highly idiosyncratic ways. Some said that the experience dramatically changed their lives; others felt that the trip had only a minimal impact.

The paper is among the first to ask Southern fundamentalists how they believe the South influences their beliefs. It helps shine a light on the nature of Southern religion and how Southern fundamentalism fits in the larger Christian world.

The purpose of this paper is to provide practical and future research implications for the field of governance and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in sports to strengthen the depth of knowledge in this area.

This paper reviews parts of the existing international literature and draws on literature from general business, management and governance to widen the scope and open spaces of opportunities for interested researchers.

The authors find six themes that are of particular relevance and cluster them along context, content and process to map out critical and promising aspects that we believe will progress our understanding of and contribution to CSR and governance in sport: features and idiosyncrasies of sport in relation to governance and CSR; the relevance and impact of regional and cultural context; reflections on “content” of CSR in sport in difference to CSR through sport; the quest for the business case for CSR in sport and consumer reactions; the potential for interdisciplinary, multilevel and longitudinal research; and finding a critical voice and relating research (back) to industry and practice.

The paper reviews and interlinks the topic of CSR and governance in sport in new ways and with an established, wider body of knowledge, and provides new inspiration and starting points for research from both a broader management angle and a sport-specific angle.

The aim of this study is to evaluate rugby fans’ attitudes toward financial sponsorship, specifically event sponsorship and Dove Men+Care and its association with the Welsh Rugby Union. The study examines four issues: How do rugby fans perceive event sponsorship? How does such sponsorship affect consumption choices? Do fans engage in long-term relationships with the event’s sponsoring brand? Are relationships affected by the event sponsor’s engagement with other international teams and rugby events?

This paper is a theory-building, exploratory study that utilised a qualitative framework. Data were collected over a 12-month period, incorporating the autumn internationals of 2012 and 2013, with 198 fans participating in focus groups before and after games.

The results reveal a distinct lack of brand awareness on the part of the participants, a collective perception of the sponsor as incongruent given the event and a demonstration of enmity arising from rival sponsorships by the sponsoring brand. Additionally, the findings reveal a reluctance to consume the sponsoring brand in either the short or long term given its incongruence, lack of functionality, pre-existing schematic frameworks and obdurate brand preferences.

Given that autumn internationals are held every season by several of the international rugby board (IRB) ranked teams, the findings of this research have an immediate and direct application for brand managers involved or implementing sponsorship programs. The research outlines both short and long term mistakes made by the sponsor as perceived by the fans’ themselves, and suggests that those brands considering becoming involved in sport and event sponsorship instigate a more informed, strategic approach to their sponsorship activities. However, the work is context driven and therefore not generalisable.

The findings enable marketing brand managers to effectively evaluate events against the backdrop of strategic fit, as well as fan/consumer expectations, their needs and wants and willingness to engage.

Despite rugby union’s growing global presence, little or no research has examined sponsorship within the context of rugby union and none exists that has evaluated event sponsorship, and been driven by fans’ perspectives. This paper fills that void. The research delineates fans attitudes, opinions and brand conceptualisations relating to event sponsorship, incorporating evaluations of identity, congruence and fit. Moreover, the paper highlights what to avoid from a strategic and brand building perspective when considering event sponsorship in a rugby union context.