Special issue on benchmarking in growing economies: service industry perspectives

Benchmarking: An International Journal

ISSN: 1463-5771

Article publication date: 11 July 2008

647

Citation

(2008), "Special issue on benchmarking in growing economies: service industry perspectives", Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol. 15 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/bij.2008.13115daa.001

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Special issue on benchmarking in growing economies: service industry perspectives

Article Type: Call for papers From: Benchmarking: An International Journal, Volume 15, Issue 4.

In the context of globalization, there appears to be a tangible shift in the nature of industrial activity world-wide. The history of industry has witnessed changes from an agrarian economy to a production and manufacturing context in the past several decades of industrial development. Lately, however, the world has seen the emergence of a new economy, based not only on production and manufacturing systems, but also on creation and delivery of services aimed at meeting a wide variety of customer needs. Given the intangible nature of services, industry has faced several challenges in identifying stakeholder needs and developing services to maximize stakeholder satisfaction, overall organizational productivity and performance.

Research in services management has developed frameworks which have served as the foundation for the development of theoretical perspectives related to services research. However, there is a need for further conceptual and empirical clarity on a host of issues related to services research. Research in this domain has identified several gaps in the literature, such as the need for a consensus with regard to measurement issues in services, factors influencing the management of services, the link between services management and organizational strategy, etc.

The field as such would benefit from an interdisciplinary approach to both theory building and empirical examination of key factors of services management and their impact on organizational performance. Towards this end, this special issue calls for theoretical and empirical contributions using a variety of empirical methodologies and theoretical lenses to examine current problems in services management. The special issue invites papers from researchers as well as practitioners in management. These papers could be theoretical, empirical, conceptual, reviews, case studies or other work in the field of services research. This special issue aims at consolidating current theoretical, methodological and empirical perspectives in services research as well as serving as a foundation for future research and practice in services management.

Submissions including, but not limited to, the following themes would be considered for publication in the special issue (covering services such as healthcare, IT, hospitality and tourism, education, and banking and financial services, especially in the context of growing economies):

  • .Benchmarking in services: Studies on various frameworks of benchmarking and their application to the services context and its link with overall organizational goals are invited. Authors are encouraged to bring different theoretical and empirical perspectives (e.g. ISO 9001:2000) to the study of benchmarking in services and present frameworks for development and application of various interdisciplinary methodologies to services benchmarking. Authors are encouraged to reflect on the implications of benchmarking for services management and practice.

  • Value chain analysis of services: Studies in this area could focus on the key factors associated with the value chain in the context of services, the development of the service value chain and its role in services delivery, quality and performance. Papers on the integration of the value chain with the overall organizational objectives, related theoretical and conceptual frameworks and empirical studies are invited.

  • Services performance management: Studies using frameworks such as Balanced Score Card in examining service performance are invited. Researchers and practitioners in services management are encouraged to explore areas of application of existing frameworks of performance management and excellence, as well as to develop robust measures that could possibly explore the various dimensions that are unique to services performance.

  • Role of services in developing and sustaining competitive advantage: Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to examine the role of services in developing and sustaining organizational as well as overall economic competitive advantage. This area assumes importance especially in the light of the progress among developing economies that have emerged as preferred destinations for global services across a wide range of sectors. Studies in this domain could explore competitive advantage of services using existing frameworks as well as develop comprehensive frameworks that identify unique features of competitive advantage in services.

  • Business models in services: Services research and practice would greatly benefit from a business model analysis of services in the context of the global economy. Emerging models in technology-enabled services (e.g. e-commerce) are likely to change the way business models are designed, developed and implemented in the context of services. Authors are encouraged to examine business models in services and identify ways in which existing and new models can enhance organizational profitability and performance.

  • Services innovation: Frameworks for innovation in services would be useful to improve services delivery, performance and satisfaction. Application of existing frameworks of innovation in services as well as development of new frameworks is encouraged.

  • Stakeholders' perspectives: Given the intangible nature of services, it is important to focus on the key stakeholders involved in creation and delivery of services with the aim of understanding gaps in services delivery. Theoretical and empirical studies incorporating frameworks investigating the role of key stakeholders (such as providers, government, customers and employees) in successful service outcomes are invited.

  • Other relevant areas: Submissions focusing on other areas that have implications for services management are also invited. Innovative papers on theory as well as developments in methodology for assessment of dimensions of quality, performance and benchmarking of services are invited.

Submission guidelines

Papers will be peer reviewed on their clarity, contribution, theoretical arguments, methodology and fit with the theme of the special issue. Authors should closely follow the guidelines under "Author Guidelines'' of the Benchmarking: An International Journal (BIJ) web site at: www.emeraldinsight.com/info/journals/bij/notes.jsp

Manuscripts will be peer reviewed based on the standards of the journal.

All submissions should be made through Manuscript Central, following the guidelines below:

BIJ: Registering on Manuscript Central

If you have not yet registered on Manuscript Central, please follow the instructions below:

  • Click on "Create Account''

  • Follow the on-screen instructions, filling in the requested details before proceeding

  • Your username will be your e-mail address and you have to input a password of at least 8 characters in length and containing two or more numbers

  • Click "Finish'' and your account has been created.

Submitting an article to BIJ on Manuscript Central

  • Please log on to BIJ at: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/bij with your username and password. This will take you through to the Welcome page.

  • To consult the Author Guidelines for this journal, click on the Home Page link in the Resources column

  • Click on the Author Centre button

  • Click on the ``submit a manuscript'' link, which will take you through to the Manuscript Submission page

  • Complete all fields and browse to upload your article to the "Benchmarking in growing economies: service industry perspectives'' special issue

  • When all required sections are completed, preview your .pdf proof

  • Submit your manuscript.

The deadline for submission of articles: September 30, 2008.

In case you have problems with manuscript central for submitting your manuscript, please send your paper by e-mail as an attachment to:

Prof. C. Rajendran and Prof. L. Prakash Sai, Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai-600036, INDIATel: +91-44-2257 4559; Fax: +91-44-2257 4552; E-mail: craj@iitm.ac.in or lps@iitm.ac.in

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