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1 – 10 of over 10000Ian R. Hodgkinson and Paul Hughes
The transfer to partnership in public sector management has created significantly new modes of service delivery, and is suggested to be the best means of ensuring that…
Abstract
Purpose
The transfer to partnership in public sector management has created significantly new modes of service delivery, and is suggested to be the best means of ensuring that disadvantaged groups are socially included. The purpose of this paper is to examine New Leisure Trust (NLT) structures in public leisure provision relative to direct, in‐house managed facilities and privately run Leisure Management Contractor (LMC) facilities. In particular, NLTs receive significant government funds and subsidies through tax breaks that are not forthcoming to rivals, which raises questions as to whether NLTs deserve such aid for delivering upon the social inclusion agenda of the government.
Design/methodology/approach
The research involved a national survey questionnaire to 1,060 public leisure service providers in England. Empirical testing through multiple analysis of variance and regression analysis was applied to the dataset.
Findings
The authors find that NLTs do not follow social orientation strategies to any significantly greater degree than rivals, nor seem to create social inclusion to any greater degree. Further, NLTs have the least to gain in terms of business performance from creating social inclusion, whilst in‐house (in particular) and LMC facilities stand to gain the most.
Practical implications
Though each approach to provision examined places a considerable strategic emphasis on being socially oriented, they are not effective at increasing the social inclusion of recreationally disadvantaged groups.
Originality/value
This paper calls for the current public leisure management playing field to be levelled in a rebalance of opportunity and investment through the removal of anti‐competitive measures.
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Christian Kowalkowski, Daniel Kindström and Lars Witell
Manufacturing firms primarily organise service provision internally, externally or through a hybrid arrangement. This paper aims to analyse how firm‐, offering‐, and…
Abstract
Purpose
Manufacturing firms primarily organise service provision internally, externally or through a hybrid arrangement. This paper aims to analyse how firm‐, offering‐, and market‐specific factors influence the way in which a firm organises its service provision. In addition, the paper analyses the specific challenges that each organisational arrangement presents for a firm.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a qualitative, multiple‐case research design that involved seven manufacturing firms with different organisational arrangements for service provision.
Findings
Contrary to certain explicit assumptions, few firms organise for service provision solely through an in‐house organisation. Analysis of firms in a wide variety of industries has shown that the organisational arrangements (internal, external or hybrid configuration) are contingent on factors such as market strategy, customer relationships, product‐service linkages, internal competences and market channel characteristics.
Research limitations/implications
The paper is an initial attempt to understand the strategic choices that firms make in terms of inter‐organisational arrangements for service provision. The research should be extended by way of a cross‐sectional survey in order to test and further validate the importance of the determinants of the organisational arrangements for service provision.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the service marketing and management literature by examining factors that determine whether firms organise for service provision internally, externally or through a hybrid configuration. Prior research has not explicitly addressed this issue.
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Merethe Dotterud Leiren, Andrej Christian Lindholst, Ingjerd Solfjeld and Thomas Barfoed Randrup
The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the extent of, rationales for and outcomes of contracting out in the local road and park sectors in Norway. For understanding…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the extent of, rationales for and outcomes of contracting out in the local road and park sectors in Norway. For understanding the use of contracting out in local governments, it highlights the relevance of the capability perspective in organisational literature as an alternative to the standard efficiency perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on four expert interviews and survey data gathered from park and road managers in Norwegian municipalities in 2015.
Findings
The study suggests that Norwegian municipalities primarily contract out park and road maintenance services when they do not have the capability to perform these services themselves. Cost concerns are also highlighted but of less importance. Moreover, lack of competition renders the use of contracting out as a potentially costly and less satisfying arrangement for organising service delivery.
Research limitations/implications
While the scope is limited to one country, Norway, future research may benefit from the theoretical perspectives, which have been used.
Practical implications
Policy guidelines should support a flexible use of various arrangements for service provision.
Originality/value
The dominating view among proponents of marketisation in the public sector suggests that contracting out to private contractors is undertaken to enhance economic efficiency compared to keeping service production in-house. This study suggests that this is not always the case – even in “most likely” sectors such as park and road maintenance.
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Bob Heavisides and Ilfryn Price
The concept of service provision through output specifications rather than input‐based specifications is currently occupying directors and managers within the service. While the…
Abstract
The concept of service provision through output specifications rather than input‐based specifications is currently occupying directors and managers within the service. While the debate continues, little research has been undertaken to find out the current spread of the new output specification and how it operates in NHS Trusts compared to the longer established input‐based service specification. This paper presents a study of around one‐third of the Trusts in England and provides a comparative analysis of the different specifications in use, whether in‐house or outsourced providers deliver the services to these Trusts, and how these providers are assessed for satisfactory performance. In addition, through a series of structured discussion forums, users’ requirements for the development of standardized performance metrics are established for the future management of output specifications.
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Claudia Arena, Simona Catuogno and Valeria Naciti
The use of digital technologies in the financial service industry has brought new complexities to the corporate governance in banks. Relying on the agency perspective of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The use of digital technologies in the financial service industry has brought new complexities to the corporate governance in banks. Relying on the agency perspective of the shareholder, debtholder and societal governance in banks, this research examines the impact of financial technology innovation (FinTech) on banks' performance by enlightening the monitoring role of female independent directors.
Design/methodology/approach
Relying on a sample of Italian banks observed during the period 2016–2020, the authors hand-collected data on the use of FinTech by considering (1) the in-house provisions of FinTech solutions, (2) the collaboration with external FinTech firms and (3) a combination of both measures. The authors run a panel data regression analysis with fixed effects, measuring bank performance through bank competitiveness and bank riskiness.
Findings
The authors find that FinTech increases bank competitiveness in gathering money from depositors and that independent women on board mitigate the negative relationship between FinTech and the riskiness of banks' assets, ameliorating the conflicting interests among shareholders, debtholder and societal governance.
Originality/value
This study emphasizes the complexities of bank governance when dealing with FinTech in the wider perspective of equity governance, debt governance and the societal governance spotlighting the importance of appointing female directors in independent positions to enhance the bright sides of financial innovation. The authors enrich the literature on FinTech with a finer understanding of the drivers and implications of in-house provisions of FinTech solutions versus the collaboration with external FinTech firms.
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Sampa Chisumbe, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa, Erastus Mwanaumo and Wellington Didibhuku Thwala
This paper argues that there is a need for a healthy independent specialist women's refuge sector to address the housing needs of black minority ethnic and refugee (BMER) women…
Abstract
This paper argues that there is a need for a healthy independent specialist women's refuge sector to address the housing needs of black minority ethnic and refugee (BMER) women. It will consider barriers to equal access that BMER women have and how they could be addressed by specialist services. The paper examines how housing inequality creates additional barriers for BMER women fleeing domestic violence, and provides arguments for the way in which specialist services address inequality from the perspective of race, class and gender. The primary research provides a snapshot of the impact that the lack of access to provision has for BMER women. A case is made for a strengthened independent specialist sector as a way to address the housing needs of women who flee domestic violence. Key recommendations are identified on how housing policies, practices and service provision can be strengthened.
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This paper argues that there is a need for an independent specialist women's refuge sector to address the housing needs of BMER (Black, minority ethnic and refugee) women. It will…
Abstract
This paper argues that there is a need for an independent specialist women's refuge sector to address the housing needs of BMER (Black, minority ethnic and refugee) women. It will consider barriers to equal access that BMER women have and how these could be resolved by providing specialist services tailored to their specific needs. Specifically, the paper shows how such services, attuned to concerns of race, class, and gender, could positively help resolve additional barriers confronting BMER women due to housing inequality. The primary research, based on an analysis of questionnaire responses and a focus group with service users, offers a snapshot of the impact that the lack of access to housing provision has for BMER women including increasing their social exclusion and vulnerability if need remains unmet. A case is made for a strengthened independent specialist sector to deal with the housing needs of women fleeing domestic violence. Key recommendations are identified on how housing policies, practices and service provision can be strengthened through the implementation of a specialist sector.
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Argues that empowerment facilitated by the development of personalpower in staff is an important attribute for job satisfaction andlongevity, and is an important element in the…
Abstract
Argues that empowerment facilitated by the development of personal power in staff is an important attribute for job satisfaction and longevity, and is an important element in the creation of effective learning organizations. In contrast to this, the main focus of management educators, trainers, participants and personnel selection in many organizations appears to be the generation and maintenance of professional power, which is equated here with short‐term gain. Suggests that this distinction contributes to the dilemmas experienced by individuals, providers and the organization. Discusses issues associated with provision attempting to offer personal development and steps towards empowerment.
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To apply Williamson's six dimensional typology of asset specificity as a theoretical framework for appraising the nature of outsourcing activities in hotels.
Abstract
Purpose
To apply Williamson's six dimensional typology of asset specificity as a theoretical framework for appraising the nature of outsourcing activities in hotels.
Design/methodology/approach
Interviews with senior managers in large hotels.
Findings
Site specificity and brand capital appear to be the most pertinent dimensions of asset specificity in the sample investigated. Most observations support the transaction cost economics (TCE) prescription that high asset specificity results in insourcing.
Research limitations/implications
This study suffers from the normal shortcomings associated with fieldwork based on a limited sample of observations. Rather than attempting to make generalisable assertions, the study provides an exploration of the ways that asset specificity might manifest itself in hotel outsourcing decision making.
Practical implications
Asset specificity represents an important construct that should be considered when considering whether to outsource. It also provides a valuable context when considering the motivations of parties entering into a subcontracting arrangement.
Originality/value
No study applying either the asset specificity notion or the broader TCE theory has been found in the hospitality management literature. Also, there is a lack of prior research concerned with outsourcing in the hotel sector.
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