Exploring the Perceptions of Grocery Retail Managers on Private Label Brands in South Africa

The phenomenon of private label brands has been widely studied from various contexts, with South Africa as no exception. The pervading economic climate across the globe, as a consequence of the Covid 19 pandemic, has brought the study of private label brands to the fore. Private label brands (PLBs) are considered a cheaper alternative with comparable levels of quality to manufacturer products, which creates a value proposition for consumers (Cuneo et al., 2019). Notwithstanding the plethora of research in this field, these studies are pointed towards customer perceptions and purchase behaviours for private label brand products rather than the perceptions of grocery store retailers. This paper explored the perceptions of grocery retail managers concerning private label brands (PLBs) by delving into the views of these managers concerning the reasoning behind consumer purchase behaviour when it comes to these private label products. The study's main finding was that grocery retail managers believe that customers primarily purchase private label brands due to the trust that they display towards a grocery retailer rather than the emphasis placed on the pricing or quality of these products. Moreover, the confidence exhibited by customers extends towards repeat purchases of private label brands as the products match or exceed expectations, which further encourages the faith they have in these brands. These findings indicate that grocery retailers opine that customers' view private label brands positively. We recommend that grocery retailers invest more in the awareness of private label brands (PLBs), thereby creating more knowledge of private label products. Customers are more educated in this respect and can draw better conclusions between the cost/quality dichotomy that has always plagued the adoption rate of these products within a South African and African context. © 2023 Sbonelo Gift Ndlovu and Shalen Heeralal.

The Role of Distance Learning in South African Higher Education Institutions During COVID-19 Period: Challenges and Perspectives

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education institutions to adapt to the sudden shift to distance and digital forms of teaching and learning. Through a review of literature, this paper aims to examine the role of distance learning in South Africa's higher education institutions during the COVID-19 period, how Universities coped with the sudden change from face-to-face classes to online classes, to examine if academics were supported in this transition and what impact did this transition have on teaching and learning and students at large. Findings revealed that the lack of internet connection in many parts of South Africa, procurement and logistics issues, scarcity of state resources and lack of training for academic staff were amongst some of the challenges confronting institutions of higher learning during the era of COVID-19. The paper concluded that academics have somehow been overburdened and neglected in responses to COVID-19 by higher education institutions and government because government responses to the pandemic have largely focused on students, thus alienating. The paper, therefore, recommends rigorous training and support for academics by their institutions to ensure effective teaching and learning in the online space. © 2022. Academia (Greece). All Rights Reserved.