Rate My Professor Mel McAtamney

Melanie McAtamney obtained her Master of Commerce (MCom) from the University of Otago in 2004. Her thesis, titled 'Industrial service design: an examination of Chinese choice preferences for shipping services,' delved into the preferences and trade-offs of Chinese shippers selecting North Asian shipping services. Utilizing a discrete choice model, the study assessed decision-making processes and outcomes, contrasting findings with those from New Zealand shippers examined by Dixon in 2001. Key insights revealed variations in the valuation of service dimensions across markets, with New Zealand customers demonstrating lower price sensitivity and placing higher importance on shipping frequency, aligning with prior research emphasizing service requirements over cost.

This thesis research led to a peer-reviewed publication co-authored by McAtamney with Derek Nind and Sheelagh Matear: 'Industrial service design in the Asia-Pacific shipping industry: a strategic paradox?' published in the International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management in 2007 (Volume 3, Number 4, pages 419-428). During the publication, McAtamney was affiliated with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in Dunedin. The paper discusses the strategic paradox faced by shipping companies in designing services that satisfy differing customer priorities between Chinese and New Zealand markets while optimizing overall service quality. The work has been cited in subsequent studies on logistics and service design.

McAtamney's contributions center on customer choice modeling in industrial services, particularly within the Asia-Pacific shipping sector, reflecting her research interests in marketing and logistics.