The purpose of this paper is to describe the service process of municipal home care catering with respect to both sub‐processes and their development needs. One case is introduced.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the service process of municipal home care catering with respect to both sub‐processes and their development needs. One case is introduced.
Design/methodology/approach
Existing research on Meals‐On‐Wheels is illustrated. The theoretical concepts include service design, a service process, and a foodservice production process. Empirical data were collected from the two representatives of the case organisation by using a theme interview form.
Findings
The service process of home care catering comprises an information system and four sub‐processes: customer registration and ordering; food production; meal delivery; and invoicing. The main development needs focus on the electronic information system. Other development needs concern menu design, utilizing a cook‐chill method, delivering chilled meals, offering a service voucher, and implementing invoicing with other municipalities.
Practical implications
Due to an aging population, demand on the municipal home care catering services is increasing. The efficiency of the sub‐processes has to be improved by an electronic information system. Alternative models in home care catering service have to be offered.
Originality/value
The findings offer ideas to other home care catering organisations for developing their service processes.
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Samuel Wathen and John C. Anderson
Service delivery requires the reception and processing of customerinformation. To deliver a service that satisfies customers, service jobdesign should consider information needed…
Abstract
Service delivery requires the reception and processing of customer information. To deliver a service that satisfies customers, service job design should consider information needed to complete service delivery tasks. The objective here is to determine if the quantity of customer information received by a service delivery process has implications for service job design.
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This study provides a comprehensive framework of adaptation in triadic business relationship settings in the service sector. The framework is based on the industrial network…
Abstract
This study provides a comprehensive framework of adaptation in triadic business relationship settings in the service sector. The framework is based on the industrial network approach (see, e.g., Axelsson & Easton, 1992; Håkansson & Snehota, 1995a). The study describes how adaptations initiate, how they progress, and what the outcomes of these adaptations are. Furthermore, the framework takes into account how adaptations spread in triadic relationship settings. The empirical context is corporate travel management, which is a chain of activities where an industrial enterprise, and its preferred travel agency and service supplier partners combine their resources. The scientific philosophy, on which the knowledge creation is based, is realist ontology. Epistemologically, the study relies on constructionist processes and interpretation. Case studies with in-depth interviews are the main source of data.
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Abdelkebir Sahid, Yassine Maleh and Mustapha Belaissaoui
In order to support transformational business change, IT needs to streamline the process of bringing new IT processes to life.In today’s ever-changing business world, nobody knows…
Abstract
In order to support transformational business change, IT needs to streamline the process of bringing new IT processes to life.
In today’s ever-changing business world, nobody knows what is around the corner, so improving agility is the best way to the future-proof organization.
IT Service Management is the ability to collect data, analyze it, to make reports, and to implement improvements in agile mode, sometimes make it challenging to manage all these informational organization assets effectively. To perform real-time monitoring of these activities, manage, and be able to involve the final user in the heart of the IT process, or reduce operating cost, agility is the ideal solution.
In this chapter, the authors propose a global strategic model to improve Information Technology Service Management service management processes with the additions of two drivers: agility management and security management.
Stephen L. Vargo, Julia A. Fehrer, Heiko Wieland and Angeline Nariswari
This paper addresses the growing fragmentation between traditional and digital service innovation (DSI) research and offers a unifying metatheoretical framework.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper addresses the growing fragmentation between traditional and digital service innovation (DSI) research and offers a unifying metatheoretical framework.
Design/methodology/approach
Grounded in service-dominant (S-D) logic's service ecosystems perspective, this study builds on an institutional and systemic, rather than product-centric and linear, conceptualization of value creation to offer a unifying framework for (digital) service innovation that applies to both physical and digital service provisions.
Findings
This paper questions the commonly perpetuated idea that DSI fundamentally changes the nature of innovation. Instead, it highlights resource liquification—the decoupling of information from the technologies that store, transmit, or process this information—as a distinguishing characteristic of DSI. Liquification, however, does not affect the relational and institutional nature of service innovation, which is always characterized by (1) the emergence of novel outcomes, (2) distributed governance and (3) symbiotic design. Instead, liquification makes these three characteristics more salient.
Originality/value
In presenting a cohesive service innovation framework, this study underscores that all innovation processes are rooted in combinatorial evolution. Here, service-providing actors (re)combine technologies (or more generally, institutions) to adapt their value cocreation practices. This research demonstrates that such (re)combinations exhibit emergence, distributed governance and symbiotic design. While these characteristics may initially seem novel and unique to DSI, it reveals that their fundamental mechanisms are not limited to digital service ecosystems. They are, in fact, integral to service innovation across virtual, physical and blended contexts. The study highlights the importance of exercising caution in assuming that the emergence of novel technologies, including digital technologies, necessitates a concurrent rethinking of the fundamental processes of service innovation.
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Hadi Akbarzade Khorshidi, Sanaz Nikfalazar and Indra Gunawan
The purpose of this paper is to implement statistical process control (SPC) in service quality using three-level SERVQUAL, quality function deployment (QFD) and internal measure…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to implement statistical process control (SPC) in service quality using three-level SERVQUAL, quality function deployment (QFD) and internal measure.
Design/methodology/approach
The SERVQUAL questionnaire is developed according to internal services of train. Also, it is verified by reliability scale and factor analysis. QFD method is employed for translating SERVQUAL dimensions’ importance weights which are derived from Analytic Hierarchy Process into internal measures. Furthermore, the limits of the Zone of Tolerance are used to determine service quality specification limits based on normal distribution characteristics. Control charts and process capability indices are used to control service processes.
Findings
SPC is used for service quality through a structured framework. Also, an adapted SERVQUAL questionnaire is created for measuring quality of train’s internal services. In the case study, it is shown that reliability is the most important dimension in internal services of train for the passengers. Also, the service process is not capable to perform in acceptable level.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed algorithm is practically applied to control the quality of a train’s services. Internal measure is improved for continuous data collection and process monitoring. Also, it provides an opportunity to apply SPC on intangible attributes of the services. In the other word, SPC is used to control the qualitative specifications of the service processes which have been measured by SERVQUAL.
Originality/value
Since SPC is usually used for manufacturing processes, this paper develops a model to use SPC in services in presence of qualitative criteria. To reach this goal, this model combines SERVQUAL, QFD, normal probability distribution, control charts, and process capability. In addition, it is a novel research on internal services of train with regard to service quality evaluation and process control.
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Chun-Hsien Su and Ping-Kuo Chen
This paper aims to provide an innovative solution on new service development (NSD) implementation by the project management competences and processes of IPMA ICB 3.0 and PMI PMBOK…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide an innovative solution on new service development (NSD) implementation by the project management competences and processes of IPMA ICB 3.0 and PMI PMBOK Guide 5th E.
Design/methodology/approach
By breaking NSD work breakdown structure into five control accounts, each account has its own suggested work packages concluded from reviewed literatures.
Findings
This research sequentially presents proper PM competences and processes as solutions for these control accounts and their work packages.
Research limitations/implications
This study was to provide an innovative solution on NSD implementation by the project management competences and processes of IPMA ICB 3.0 and PMI PMBOK Guide 5th E. By breaking NSD work breakdown structure into five control accounts, each account has its own suggested work packages concluded from reviewed literatures. This research sequentially presents proper PM competences and processes as solutions for these control accounts and their work packages. Consequently, we concluded that the PM competences and processes furnish a favorable base where any NSD project is suitable to deploy without compromising its original features.
Practical implications
Consequently, it is concluded that the PM competences and processes furnish a favorable base where any NSD project is suitable to deploy without compromising its original features.
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Ronan McIvor, Paul Humphreys, Alan McKittrick and Tony Wall
The purpose of this paper is to assess the applicability of a number of performance management techniques in the outsourcing process, in a business services context.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the applicability of a number of performance management techniques in the outsourcing process, in a business services context.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a structured outsourcing framework, performance management techniques are applied in a financial services organisation over a three‐year period. A case study approach is employed to undertake the research, which involved the research team engaging directly with the organisation throughout the outsourcing process.
Findings
Applying performance management techniques in the outsourcing process is challenging in a number of areas including comparison difficulties, incomplete information and inadequate performance management systems. However, benchmarking and cost analysis are useful mechanisms for improving performance, and reducing costs via internal process redesign or outsourcing. Performance management techniques can be employed to remove inefficiencies from processes both prior to outsourcing and during the outsourcing relationship.
Research limitations/implications
There are a number of limitations of the research approach including gaining full participation from the company, having access to all relevant company information and time constraints.
Practical implications
The research findings highlight the implications of applying performance management techniques in a practical outsourcing setting. As well as identifying the challenges, the research highlights the value of integrating critical success factors, cost analysis, benchmarking and other performance management techniques into the outsourcing process.
Originality/value
There are few studies in the literature of applying performance management techniques in the outsourcing process at an operation's level. The findings have identified the challenges and benefits of performance management techniques in the outsourcing process. The findings have highlighted the importance of operations management concepts such as performance management, operations strategy, business improvement and process re‐design to services outsourcing, and the need for further research in this area by operations management scholars.