The supplier switching of retail enterprise

Costing the cold: Connecting fuel poverty & supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand

10.26686/wgtn.17019308 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Sam McLean

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Electricity Market ◽

Low Cost ◽

Colonial History ◽

Electricity Prices ◽

Energy Services ◽

Poor Households ◽

Competitive Prices ◽

Supplier Switching ◽

Equitable Outcomes

<p>Fuel poverty describes the inability of households to afford adequate energy services, such as space heating. In New Zealand, where 25% of households are estimated to be ‘fuel poor’, high electricity prices in a restructured electricity market have an important influence on fuel poverty. However, the ability of the New Zealand Government to regulate these high electricity prices is constrained. Consequently, there is a strong reliance on consumers to switch energy suppliers, which promotes competitive prices and in turn regulates the price of electricity. In contrast to energy efficiency improvements, switching offers fuel poor households a low-cost opportunity to improve the short-term affordability of energy services. Yet, switching is suggested to not benefit fuel poor households who are in most need of affordable energy. This thesis explored the relationship between fuel poverty and supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand through a geographic lens. First, a new approach to identifying fuel poverty in New Zealand was applied. Using geographic information systems (GIS), a fuel poverty index was calculated to identify fuel poverty in Wellington at meshblock level. Spatial analysis of the index revealed the complexity of identifying fuel poverty and the extent to which the spatial distribution of fuel poverty in Wellington is shaped by the city’s colonial history. The index was then used to identify survey participants through which a survey was conducted exploring Wellington households’ switching behaviours. In a competitive market, consumers are expected to switch according to economically rational behaviours. However, switching behaviours in the survey sample were influenced by factors other than these economically rational behaviours. Integrating the findings of this thesis supports suggestions that switching is not benefiting the fuel poor. Finally, this thesis sheds light on the extent to which an understanding of the geography of fuel poverty can be applied towards improving the effectiveness of policy and equitable outcomes for fuel poor households.</p>

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Costing the cold: Connecting fuel poverty & supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand

10.26686/wgtn.17019308.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Sam McLean

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Electricity Market ◽

Low Cost ◽

Colonial History ◽

Electricity Prices ◽

Energy Services ◽

Poor Households ◽

Competitive Prices ◽

Supplier Switching ◽

Equitable Outcomes

<p>Fuel poverty describes the inability of households to afford adequate energy services, such as space heating. In New Zealand, where 25% of households are estimated to be ‘fuel poor’, high electricity prices in a restructured electricity market have an important influence on fuel poverty. However, the ability of the New Zealand Government to regulate these high electricity prices is constrained. Consequently, there is a strong reliance on consumers to switch energy suppliers, which promotes competitive prices and in turn regulates the price of electricity. In contrast to energy efficiency improvements, switching offers fuel poor households a low-cost opportunity to improve the short-term affordability of energy services. Yet, switching is suggested to not benefit fuel poor households who are in most need of affordable energy. This thesis explored the relationship between fuel poverty and supplier switching in Wellington, New Zealand through a geographic lens. First, a new approach to identifying fuel poverty in New Zealand was applied. Using geographic information systems (GIS), a fuel poverty index was calculated to identify fuel poverty in Wellington at meshblock level. Spatial analysis of the index revealed the complexity of identifying fuel poverty and the extent to which the spatial distribution of fuel poverty in Wellington is shaped by the city’s colonial history. The index was then used to identify survey participants through which a survey was conducted exploring Wellington households’ switching behaviours. In a competitive market, consumers are expected to switch according to economically rational behaviours. However, switching behaviours in the survey sample were influenced by factors other than these economically rational behaviours. Integrating the findings of this thesis supports suggestions that switching is not benefiting the fuel poor. Finally, this thesis sheds light on the extent to which an understanding of the geography of fuel poverty can be applied towards improving the effectiveness of policy and equitable outcomes for fuel poor households.</p>

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Conceptualizing the supplier switching process: an example from public procurement

Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing ◽

10.1108/jbim-06-2021-0301 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Anne-Maria Holma ◽

Anu Bask ◽

Antti Laakso ◽

Dan Andersson

Keyword(s):

Process Development ◽

Public Procurement ◽

Process Models ◽

Switching Process ◽

Service Process ◽

Content Type ◽

Relationship Initiation ◽

Supplier Switching ◽

Private And Public ◽

The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to develop a framework for switching a service supplier in a supply network. Design/methodology/approach The study builds on existing literature in the field of purchasing and supply management, public procurement (PP) and the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing approach, as well as on an illustrative example case, from the PP context, of a supplier switch in a service delivery process. Findings During a switching process, the buyer must simultaneously manage the ending of a relationship with the incumbent supplier and the beginning of a relationship with a new supplier. Collaboration with the focal suppliers to develop a service process with standardized components prevents disruptions in the service processes and reduces the impact of the switch on the wider network. Research limitations/implications The conceptualization suggested in this paper needs to be further explored in different empirical contexts to assess its practical adequacy. Practical implications Practitioners responsible for service procurement can use the findings to develop collaboration with suppliers, both when it comes to service process development and to the switching process. Furthermore, the authors highlight the importance of ending competencies and the development of an exit plan to conduct a “beautiful exit.” Originality/value The paper integrates relationship initiation and ending studies, as well as procurement process models to develop a refined switching process framework. Many PPs rely on short-term relationships due to the legal obligation to frequently invite suppliers to tender, thus understanding the supplier switching process is important both for private and public sector actors.

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The New Needs of the Retail Enterprise

Navigating the New Retail Landscape ◽

10.1093/oso/9780198868767.003.0010 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 242-282

Author(s):

Alan Treadgold ◽

Jonathan Reynolds

Keyword(s):

Ownership Structures ◽

Retail Enterprise

All retailers need to revisit the extent to which their skills and capabilities are aligned to the new needs of their enterprises in the very changed landscapes in which they are seeking to engage shoppers, realize new opportunities, and resist much more intense and diverse competitive challenges. This is the focus of Chapter 9, in which we suggest that there are four territories in particular that retailers will need to focus on. Organizational and even ownership structures may need to change also in order for the needs of the enterprise to be better aligned to the new operating landscape.

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