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1 – 10 of 437Roderick J. Brodie and Linda D. Peters
For service research to develop as an applied social science there is the need to refresh the process of theorizing so it focuses not only on increasing new academic knowledge but…
Abstract
Purpose
For service research to develop as an applied social science there is the need to refresh the process of theorizing so it focuses not only on increasing new academic knowledge but also on knowledge that is managerially relevant. This paper aims to provide guidelines to achieve this.
Design/methodology/approach
A theorizing process that integrates general theoretic perspectives and contextual research to develop midrange theory is developed. The process is based on the philosophical foundations of pragmatism and abductive reasoning, which has the origins in the 1950s when the management sciences were being established.
Findings
A recent research stream that develops midrange theory about customer and actor engagement is used to illustrate the theorizing process.
Practical implications
Practicing managers, customers and other stakeholders in a service system use theory, so there is a need to focus on how theory is used in specific service contexts and how this research leads to academic knowledge that is managerially relevant. Thus, as applied social science, service research needs to explicitly focus on bridging the theory–praxis gap with midrange theory by incorporating a general theoretic perspective and contextual research.
Originality/value
The contribution comes from providing a broader framework to guide the theorizing process that integrates general theoretic perspectives and applied research to develop midrange theory. While general theories operate at the most abstract level of conceptualization, midrange theories are context-specific and applied theory (theories-in-use) is embedded in empirical research.
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Kamran Ali Chatha, Irfan Butt, Muhammad Shakeel Sadiq Jajja and Mamoona Arshad
The purpose of this paper is to report the extent and trends of theoretical developments in the empirical quantitative manufacturing strategy (MS) literature published between the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report the extent and trends of theoretical developments in the empirical quantitative manufacturing strategy (MS) literature published between the years 1966 and 2015 and provide research gaps that can be bridged by the future research.
Design/methodology/approach
This content analysis-based literature review analyzes 133 empirical quantitative MS articles published in refereed international journals in the discipline of operations management. These articles are categorized into five article types, namely, reporters, testers, qualifiers, builders, and expanders following the framework of Colquitt and Zapata-Phelan (2007). Analyses are carried out to unearth important trends in theory development in these article types.
Findings
Theory development is progressing in empirical quantitative MS literature. However, the trend is shifting from theory testing to theory building. MS discipline has borrowed theories from other disciplines. Expectancy theory and media richness theory are the micro theories while resource-based view, contingency theory, and trade-off theory are the major macro theories used in this domain. The most impactful constructs include environmental technology portfolio, enterprise resource planning, manufacturing proactiveness, and modularity-based manufacturing practices, and the most dominant article types are qualifiers and expanders.
Research limitations/implications
The findings are based on the empirical quantitative articles published in the MS discipline which provides a partial view of theory development in the MS discipline.
Practical implications
The paper highlights predominant theories, frameworks, and constructs that can be utilized by practitioners to improve their understanding of MS, their ability to predict future scenarios and solve practical problems.
Originality/value
No such study has been conducted to date in the MS discipline, and it is hoped that this study will play a significant role in further developing theory in the MS discipline.
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Samby Fready, Prakash Vel and Munyaradzi W. Nyadzayo
The unprecedented changes in the marketplace induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant accelerated corporate migration to virtual ecosystems have added several unique…
Abstract
Purpose
The unprecedented changes in the marketplace induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant accelerated corporate migration to virtual ecosystems have added several unique research opportunities and theoretical gaps, especially in business-to-business (B2B) small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) markets in the service sector. Particularly, customer interactions in B2B services that were once sustained by the “people mix” now demand a huge overhaul in light of the “new normal” restrictions. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore how B2B service firms can engender firm value through virtual customer interactions during and in the post-COVID-19 era from an SME’s perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts an exploratory qualitative inquiry to contribute to this discourse by proposing a conceptual framework based on prior literature and relevant theoretical frameworks, as well as qualitative interviews with SME managers, CEOs and/or owner-managers.
Findings
The qualitative findings reveal organizational preparedness, empathy, digital content and trust as key enablers of effective B2B virtual interaction that enhances cocreated value, thereby augmenting firm value. This study offers a much-needed examination of virtual interaction in B2B contexts and proposes a business customer virtual interaction model.
Research limitations/implications
The exploratory nature of this study is one limitation, and future studies with a bigger representative sample size that uses survey or experimental data drawn from large enterprises might add value to the current findings. Also, while this study is conducted in dynamic markets due to the COVID-19 crisis, future research must examine the customer/firm’s experiences in other forms of crises-led market ecosystems.
Practical implications
B2B service firms must be strongly inclined to continuously take steps to develop and maintain virtual interaction with customers. Proactive efforts to familiarize internal and external stakeholders with virtual interaction platforms are a crucial step for effective customer engagement. The effectiveness of B2B virtual interactions can be strengthened through digital content that elicits trust and exhibits empathy, especially in crises led-markets. Also, the value created for the firm must be redeployed strategically to sustain positive customer engagement behaviors that continue to deliver value to the firm and the customer.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the increasing B2B customer engagement literature by exploring the ongoing dialogue on how B2B firms can strive and succeed in the post-COVID-19 era or related crises-led market ecosystems through enhanced virtual B2B customer interaction efforts.
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Reasonable remuneration of employee inventions is a controversial issue causing court litigations among employees and employers in many countries. The paper aims to shed light on…
Abstract
Purpose
Reasonable remuneration of employee inventions is a controversial issue causing court litigations among employees and employers in many countries. The paper aims to shed light on the missing economic interpretation of the reasonable remuneration of employee inventions. Specifically, it focuses on the concept of “reasonability” at the issue.
Design/methodology/approach
In an empirical qualitative multiple case-study setting, the paper explores inductively Czech corporate employee inventors' remuneration systems, using typological analysis and M. Weber's interpretative theoretical construct of “ideal type.”
Findings
At the first level, reasonability is a function of multi-amount rewarding, a certain level of total remuneration and identifiable benefits being a decisive factor. Additionally, the reasonability is conceptualised as a function of two dimensions – timing/risk and benefit–reward relation. At the second level, the reasonability is interpreted as a concept balancing seven points of view: timing, materiality, equity, risk management, transparency, system costs and exactness. At the third level, the paper offers an optimal remuneration system like the one that optimises developed seven-criterion framework.
Research limitations/implications
Even if analysed within one-country and nine-company context, the insights are generalisable across a broader sample of countries with statutory rules for employee inventions. Studying more cases may enrich the findings. The findings are based merely on a rational perspective and do not deal with psychological aspects of employees.
Practical implications
The results may be helpful for intellectual property or R&D managers in building or reorganising employee invention remuneration systems within corporations. The developed seven-criteria model can serve as a discussion framework; the suggested optimal system as a reference point. The results may serve as well to consultants, judges or other parties involved in currently growing employee–employer controversies and litigations. The analysis may fuel public policy decisions, too.
Originality/value
The paper brings unique and detailed empirical insights into the issue of employee inventions. It offers a complex multi-perspective (employee/employer) framework through which the reasonability can be discussed and suggests an optimal system, which can serve as a reference point.
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Jaqueline Pels and Jagdish N. Sheth
This chapter adopts the midrange theories schema to expand Pels and Sheth (2017) matrix on business models to serve the low-income consumers (LIC): market adaptation, mission…
Abstract
This chapter adopts the midrange theories schema to expand Pels and Sheth (2017) matrix on business models to serve the low-income consumers (LIC): market adaptation, mission focus, radical innovation, and inclusive ecosystems. To this end, it identifies the underlying general business theories (systems theory and neo-classical economics) and ontological theories (positivism and interpretivist) nested in each of the matrix’s four cells.
Understanding the general theories from which concepts and guidelines are drawn allows a two-way contribution. On one hand, it comprehends which other concepts can be integrated into the LIC literature. Alternatively, it highlights what insights generated from the study of the LIC markets bring to these theories.
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Christoph F. Breidbach and Paul Maglio
The purpose of this study is to identify, analyze and explain the ethical implications that can result from the datafication of service.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify, analyze and explain the ethical implications that can result from the datafication of service.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a midrange theorizing approach to integrate currently disconnected perspectives on technology-enabled service, data-driven business models, data ethics and business ethics to introduce a novel analytical framework centered on data-driven business models as the general metatheoretical unit of analysis. The authors then contextualize the framework using data-intensive insurance services.
Findings
The resulting midrange theory offers new insights into how using machine learning, AI and big data sets can lead to unethical implications. Centered around 13 ethical challenges, this work outlines how data-driven business models redefine the value network, alter the roles of individual actors as cocreators of value, lead to the emergence of new data-driven value propositions, as well as novel revenue and cost models.
Practical implications
Future research based on the framework can help guide practitioners to implement and use advanced analytics more effectively and ethically.
Originality/value
At a time when future technological developments related to AI, machine learning or other forms of advanced data analytics are unpredictable, this study instigates a critical and timely discourse within the service research community about the ethical implications that can arise from the datafication of service by introducing much-needed theory and terminology.
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Christoph F. Breidbach and Roderick J. Brodie
The purpose of this paper is to identify and delineate research directions that guide future empirical studies exploring how engagement platforms facilitate value co-creation and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and delineate research directions that guide future empirical studies exploring how engagement platforms facilitate value co-creation and actor engagement in the context of the sharing economy.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopt a midrange theorizing approach with service-dominant logic as the integrating meta-theoretical perspective to develop a theoretical framework about service platforms, engagement platforms, and actor engagement in information communication technology (ICT) mediated environments. The authors then contextualize the framework for the sharing economy.
Findings
The authors introduce 20 unique research questions to guide future studies related to service ecosystems, engagement platforms, and actor engagement practices in the context of the sharing economy.
Research limitations/implications
The sharing economy is an emerging phenomenon that is driven by the development and proliferation of engagement platforms. The engagement platform concept therefore provides a novel perspective for exploration of how ICT can be utilized to facilitate value co-creation and engagement amongst interdependent economic actors in a service ecosystem.
Practical implications
The purpose of this paper is to guide future academic research, rather than managerial practice. Future research based on the framework can help guide decision-makers to implement and use engagement platforms more effectively.
Originality/value
This paper offers new insight into the important intersection of ICT and service research, and guides future studies exploring the role of engagement platforms in the context of the sharing economy.
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Jyoti Motwani and Aakanksha Katatria
The purpose of this literature review paper is to explore the concept of organization agility and its relevance in today's dynamic business environment. By conducting an in-depth…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this literature review paper is to explore the concept of organization agility and its relevance in today's dynamic business environment. By conducting an in-depth review of existing academic and industry literature on organization agility, this study aims to identify the key factors that influence an organization's agility and the benefits and drawbacks associated with fostering agility.
Design/methodology/approach
Through the technique of bibliometric analysis, we provide the growth trajectory of the field by identifying the publication trends, prominent authors and countries and most prolific journal publishing in the concerned domain. We also provide the intellectual structure of the organization agility research by identifying the prominent themes that have been worked upon till date. In addition, with the backing of the theories, contexts, characteristics and methodology (TCCM) framework, we identify the most frequently applied theories, constructs and methods in organization agility research and provide new avenues for future research by analyzing the most frequently used theories, methods, constructs and research contexts.
Findings
With the ever-increasing ambiguity and need for change (why), organization agility serves as the organization's backbone. It acts as a springboard for the organization, an anchor point that remains constant while other functional aspects constantly fluctuate and change. Organization agility can be defined (what) as the ability of organizations to quickly respond to market needs by sensing, renewing, adapting and succeeding in a turbulent market. To summarize, organizational agility matters at three fundamental aspects (where): strategic level or the market capitalizing level, internal operational level and individual level.
Originality/value
This paper is unique in the sense that it is the first comprehensive literature review in the field of organization agility research to use a hybrid methodology (bibliometric review with TCCMs).
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Dawna I. Ballard and Dron M. Mandhana
The central focus of this chapter is the mutually constitutive relationship between time and group interaction. Groups shape individuals' experiences of time and individuals'…
Abstract
The central focus of this chapter is the mutually constitutive relationship between time and group interaction. Groups shape individuals' experiences of time and individuals' experiences of time enable and constrain their group interactions. The chapter begins with a brief history of time in groups to situate early concerns which still shape many contemporary investigations, and then examines several theoretical perspectives as well as midrange frameworks and constructs which inform research on time and group communication. The chapter concludes with a summary and directions for future research in the area.
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Drawing on the “shocks to the system” concept in image theory, a mid-range theoretical model is developed to illuminate understanding on why cross-cultural experience is so…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the “shocks to the system” concept in image theory, a mid-range theoretical model is developed to illuminate understanding on why cross-cultural experience is so conducive to stimulating entrepreneurship yet has remained largely unexplained at the individual level.
Design/methodology/approach
The novel idea is put forth that experience of foreignness, in itself, can be harnessed as a powerful cognitive resource for entrepreneurship – particularly the nascent stages of new venture development. Providing cross-cultural exposures arouse “self-image shocks”, they manifest over time as skill clusters that reflect the sensing, seizing and transforming capabilities at the heart of entrepreneurship. This paper's pivot helps delineate a common mechanism to explain how a diverse range of seemingly disparate cross-cultural experiences can be processed in a way that enhances entrepreneurial pursuits.
Findings
The insights of this paper reinforce the need for educators and policymakers to encourage and provide opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to engage in cross-cultural and overseas exposures as they are influential for stimulating each of the core sets of entrepreneurial capabilities. The model and synthesis table also help to practically unpack how to design and plan such cultural experiences to optimize the enduring entrepreneurial advantages.
Originality/value
The author turns a long-standing assumption surrounding cultural differences in entrepreneurship on its head. The shocks and tensions arising from intercultural interactions are not always inevitable liabilities to be “managed away” or attenuated. Rather, cross-cultural experience can be explicitly leveraged as an asset for nascent venturing as the juxtapositions they evoke provide both proximal and distal enhancements to ways in which entrepreneurs think and develop skills at the core of venturing.
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