Service decomposition: a conceptual analysis of modularizing services
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
ISSN: 0144-3577
Article publication date: 7 March 2016
Abstract
Purpose
Applying “modularity” principles in services is gaining in popularity. The purpose of this paper is to enrich existing service modularity theory and practice by exploring how services are being decomposed and how the modularization aim and the routineness of the service(s) involved may link to different decomposition logics. The authors argue that these are fundamental questions that have barely been addressed.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors first built a theoretical framework of decomposition steps and the design choices involved that distinguished six decomposition logics. The authors conducted a systematic literature search that generated 18 empirical articles describing 16 service modularity cases. The authors analysed these cases in terms of decomposition logic and two main contingencies: modularization aim and service routineness.
Findings
Only three of the 18 articles explicitly addressed the service decomposition by reflecting on the underlying design choices. By unravelling the decomposition in each case, the authors were able to identify the decomposition logic and found four of the six theoretically derived logics: single-level process oriented; single-level outcome oriented; multilevel outcome oriented; and multilevel combined orientation. Although the authors did not find a direct relationship between the modularization aim and the decomposition logic, the authors did find that single-level decomposition logics seem to be mainly applied in non-routine service offerings whereas the multilevel ones are mainly applied in routine service offerings.
Originality/value
By contributing to a common understanding of modular service decomposition and proposing a framework that explicates the design choices involved, the authors enable an enhanced application of the modularity concept in services.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Damien Power for reading previous versions of this manuscript and for giving insightful feedback based on his experience in project management. Further, the authors would like to thank the researchers who provided feedback on previous versions of this manuscript during the service modularity workshop 2013 in Hamburg and the EurOMA doctoral seminar 2013 in Dublin. This paper was originally selected by the EurOMA 2013 Special Issue Guest editors, Professor Coughlan and Professor Fynes, to be included in the EurOMA 2013 Special Issue. The revision procedure was managed by the same guest editors.
Citation
Eissens-van der Laan, M., Broekhuis, M., van Offenbeek, M. and Ahaus, K. (2016), "Service decomposition: a conceptual analysis of modularizing services", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 308-331. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-06-2015-0370
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited