Managing international professional service firms: a review and future research agenda

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ciara O'Higgins ◽  
Nekane Aramburu ◽  
Tatiana Andreeva
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
International Management ◽  
The Body ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Research Agenda

PurposeResearch on international professional service firms (PSFs) has grown in recent years, reflecting the increasing relevance of these firms in the global economy. However, to date, no attempt has been made to systematically examine and integrate this literature. This study reviews the body of knowledge on the international management of PSFs and proposes a future research agenda that aims to strengthen the research on international PSFs, by applying the conceptual lens of PSF characteristics.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review of 108 empirical articles on the management of international PSFs was carried out.FindingsThe authors analyse where, how and what research was carried out on the international management of PSFs, and find that currently the field offers few opportunities to integrate findings or explain differences across different types of international PSFs. In recommendations for future research, the authors show how the lens of PSF characteristics can help overcome these issues and unveil promising avenues for future research that will lead to a more fine-grained theorising and understanding of the international management of PSFs.Originality/valueThe study provides a comprehensive state of the art of research on the international management of PSFs and a future research agenda, which builds on PSF characteristics to explore and better understand the heterogeneity of international PSFs, in order to develop more robust explanations of their behaviour and open new research avenues.

Marketing and Reputation within Professional Service Firms

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vince Mitchell ◽  
William S. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Sales Effectiveness ◽  
Marketing Principles

This chapter reviews the research on marketing and reputation relevant to Professional Service Firms (PSFs). Although there has been relatively little research to date which explores both fields concurrently, the authors organize the material by problematizing the issue of marketing within PSFs. They introduce and provide a conceptual model of reputation that explores its antecedents, such as service quality, social networks, and rankings as well as consequences such as sales effectiveness, premium pricing, and client loyalty within PSFs. Reputation has often been conflated with other related terms such as identity and image and the authors provide some clarification on defining and measuring reputation. The chapter explores this and other problems inherent within the application of reputation to marketing principles and practice to PSFs as well as hints at solutions. Finally, the authors identify a future research agenda for both marketing and reputation.

Trendsetters of HRM: a systematic review of how professional service firms manage people

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitri Sokolov ◽  
Elena Zavyalova
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
The Body ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hrm Practices

PurposeHuman resource management in professional service firms (PSF) is one of the most important instruments for promoting sustainable competitive advantage. Despite the major growth of scholars' interest in human resource management (HRM) issues in PSF, the body of knowledge in this field remains highly fragmented and diversified. The purpose of this paper is to systematize key evidence on the use of HRM practices in PSF.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a systematic literature review of 90 peer-reviewed journal papers.FindingsThe review revealed typical ability-, motivation- and opportunity-enhancing practices used by PSF and outlined how these HRM practices may differ among various PSF.Originality/valueThe paper provides scholars with an updated and comprehensive research landscape and development process in this important field, thereby contributing to greater research interest and enthusiasm for future research.

International management challenges of professional service firms: a synthesis of the literature

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ciara O’Higgins ◽  
Tatiana Andreeva ◽  
Nekane Aramburu Goya
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
International Management ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to identify what international management challenges professional service firms (PSFs) face and why they face them. Design/methodology/approach This study carries a focussed thematic literature review of 102 empirical articles. This paper uses content analysis to extract and aggregate challenges identified by researchers in their fieldwork and then analysed this data using qualitative and quantitative methods. Findings This study identifies 10 international management challenges that PSFs face and a number of causes for these challenges. The analysis also suggests that the distinctive characteristics of PSFs generate some of the international management challenges for PSFs. Practical implications This study helps PSF managers understand the international management challenges they may face depending on the specifics of their company, thus helping them better prepare their internationalisation. Originality/value This study contributes to providing a greater understanding of what is holding PSFs back in their internationalisation and why. It demonstrates that distinctive characteristics of PSFs may predict the challenges that PSFs will face, thus paving the way for further research on international management in PSFs and for the development of the diagnostic tool for practitioners that could help them to identify which challenges they should prepare for most.

Making up ideal recruits

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Gebreiter
Keyword(s):  
The Self ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Recruitment Practices ◽  
Ultimate Objective ◽  
Big Four

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of graduate recruitment in the professional socialisation and subjectification of Big Four professionals. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on documentary data and interviews conducted at one British university. It adopts an interpretive perspective and is informed by Foucault’s work on technologies of power and technologies of the self. Findings The paper argues that the graduate recruitment practices of Big Four firms represent a series of examinations which produce the category of ideal recruits. It moreover suggests that this category serves as the ultimate objective of an ethical process whereby aspiring accountants consciously and deliberately seek to transform themselves into the type of subjects they aspire to be – ideal recruits. Research limitations/implications The findings of the paper are primarily based on interviews conducted at one university. Future research could explore if students at other universities experience graduate recruitment in similar or different ways. Originality/value The paper highlights the constitutive role of graduate recruitment practices and shows that they can construct ideal recruits as much as they select them. It also shows that graduate recruitment is an important anticipatory socialisation mechanism that can compel aspiring accountants to learn how to look, sound and behave like Big Four professionals long before they join such organisations. Finally, the paper discusses its implications for the future of the profession, social mobility and the use of Foucault’s work on technologies of power and the self in studying subjectivity at elite professional service firms.

Marketing capabilities and firm performance: literature review and future research agenda

2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (8) ◽  
pp. 1041-1067 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shampy Kamboj ◽  
Zillur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Marketing Capabilities ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Product Price ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Research Agenda

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to broaden the body of knowledge on marketing capabilities (MC) and firm performance (FP) by presenting a systematic review of literature along with providing a path for future research agenda. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 101 empirical research papers from 51 different journals of online databases were selected systematically. The papers were reviewed thoroughly and summarized under strategic, functional and operational marketing capability classifications. Findings – The paper depicts a research field that is immature and developing quickly. The results found were diverse in terms of publication trend, industries and countries studied in reviewed articles. Product, price, promotion and distribution found as majorly studied measures of MC with mainly positive and significant impact on FP. In identified 38 different measures of FP, highly used were market share, customer satisfaction, sales growth, profitability and ROI. The findings also present the summary of different internal and contextual factors driving MC. In addition, from the review some of the research gaps also found that helps scholars in future research. Research limitations/implications – The review was guided by considering peer review journals with inclusion criteria that have restricted the findings. This paper will be utilitarian for both academicians and managers. Originality/value – This is the first paper that demonstrates a systematic review of literature on MC and FP for the period 1987-2014. The study also addresses gaps in this field and represent them in the form of research inquiries for further probe.

scholarly journals Cyborgs as frontline service employees: a research agenda

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Garry ◽  
Tracy Harwood
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emergent Technologies ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Service Interactions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and explore potential applications of cyborgian technologies within service contexts and how service providers may leverage the integration of cyborgian service actors into their service proposition. In doing so, the paper proposes a new category of “melded” frontline employees (FLEs), where advanced technologies become embodied within human actors. The paper presents potential opportunities and challenges that may arise through cyborg technological advancements and proposes a future research agenda related to these. Design/methodology/approach This study draws on literature in the fields of services management, artificial intelligence, robotics, intelligence augmentation (IA) and human intelligence to conceptualise potential cyborgian applications. Findings The paper examines how cyborg bio- and psychophysical characteristics may significantly differentiate the nature of service interactions from traditional “unenhanced” service interactions. In doing so, the authors propose “melding” as a conceptual category of technological impact on FLEs. This category reflects the embodiment of emergent technologies not previously captured within existing literature on cyborgs. The authors examine how traditional roles of FLEs will be potentially impacted by the integration of emergent cyborg technologies, such as neural interfaces and implants, into service contexts before outlining future research directions related to these, specifically highlighting the range of ethical considerations. Originality/value Service interactions with cyborg FLEs represent a new context for examining the potential impact of cyborgs. This paper explores how technological advancements will alter the individual capacities of humans to enable such employees to intuitively and empathetically create solutions to complex service challenges. In doing so, the authors augment the extant literature on cyborgs, such as the body hacking movement. The paper also outlines a research agenda to address the potential consequences of cyborgian integration.

scholarly journals Segmentation of quantity surveying professional services for focus strategy and diversification

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-308
Author(s):  
Michael Adesi ◽  
De-Graft Owusu-Manu ◽  
Frank Boateng
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantity Surveying ◽  
Focus Strategy

Purpose Notwithstanding that numerous studies have focused on strategy in quantity surveying (QS) professional service firms, there is a paucity of investigation on the segmentation of QS professional services. The purpose of this study is to investigate the segmentation of QS services for diversification and a focus strategy formation. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts the positivist stance and quantitative approach in which a simple random sampling technique was used to select participants. In total, 110 survey questionnaires were administered to registered professional QS, out of which 79 completed questionnaires were returned for analysis. Findings The paper identifies three main QS service segments characterised by low, moderate and high competition. In addition, this study found that the concentration of traditional QS services in the building construction sector is due to the unwillingness of QS professional service firms to diversify into the non-construction sectors such as oil and gas. The diversification of QS services in the low competitive segment requires the adoption of agile approaches. Research limitations/implications The study was limited to numeric analyses and so would be complemented by qualitative research in the future. Practical implications This paper is useful to QS professional service firms interested in diversifying their services into the non-construction sectors to enhance the pricing of their services. Originality/value Segmentation of QS services is fundamental to the formulation of focus strategy for non-construction sectors such as oil and gas and mining to enhance the pricing of QS professional services.

The emergence of entrepreneurial team as a research field – way forward

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Willy Das ◽  
Satyasiba Das ◽  
Manojit Chattopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Entrepreneurial Team ◽  
Research Stream

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review and critique the existing literature on entrepreneurial teams (ET) by taking a multi-disciplinary viewpoint and provide a future research agenda based on the identified themes and trends.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review (SLR) was undertaken using “business source complete”. Further scrutiny and application of exclusion criteria led to a final sample consisting of 139 papers from 27 different journals belonging to not just entrepreneurship and strategic management but also other disciplines like OB, finance, sociology, psychology, etc. Using qualitative thematic analysis, the authors identified 11 major themes.FindingsThe paper reviews both the eleven themes and the linkages between the themes. Thereby identifying areas that have been understudied and those that have received comparatively more attention. The review revealed that the research stream possesses certain conceptual and methodological concerns apart from its cross-sectional and primarily bivariate nature. Five such main concerns have been identified and discussed in detail. Other elements of the resulting research agenda include calls for more clinical process-oriented research, further attention to context, shifting the level of analysis, and a need to integrate across disciplines.Originality/valueThis paper incorporates a broad insight of ET across academic disciplines to show how future contributions could benefit by incorporating research from other fields. In doing so, provides a starting point for more nuanced discussions around the interrelationships between the different conversations that are taking place in the ET literature.

scholarly journals Helping auditors identify deception through psycholinguistics

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 1062-1076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Nicolaides ◽  
Richard Trafford ◽  
Russell Craig
Keyword(s):  
Oral Language ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fraud Risk ◽  
Critical Elements ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Wide Range

Purpose This paper reviews an array of psycholinguistic techniques that auditors can deploy to explore written and oral language for signs of deception. The review is drawn upon to propose some elements of a forward research agenda. Design/methodology/approach Relevant literature across several disciplines is identified through keyword searches of major bibliographic databases. Findings The techniques highlighted have considerable potential for use by auditors to identify audit contexts which merit closer audit investigation. However, the techniques need further contextual empirical investigation in audit contexts. Seven specific propositions are presented for empirical testing. Originality/value This paper assembles literature on deceptive communication from a wide range of disciplines and relates it to the audit context. Auditors’ attention is directed to potential linguistic signals of fraud risk, and opportunities for future research are suggested. The paper is consciousness-raising, has pedagogic purpose and suggests critical elements for a future research agenda.

Professional Service Firms and Identity

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Alvesson ◽  
Dan Karreman ◽  
Kate Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Identity Construction ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Professional Workers ◽  
Elite Identity ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Multiple Actors

This chapter examines the relationship between individual and organizational identity in PSFs and the significant but tenuous nature of elite identity in this context. The authors identify four main identity-related issues for management control in PSFs: autonomy/conformity tensions, the client conundrum, ambiguity saturation, and intangibility. They explore three main modes of identity-focused control in PSFs: positive image, homogenization of the workforce, and anxiety-regulation. The chapter examines contemporary challenges to elite identities and the increasing critique of concepts of professionalism in this context and highlights key areas for future research on identity in PSFs and among professionals. These include: the need to acknowledge the homogeneity of professional service firms and professional workers; how professionals regulate their identity to respond to identity challenges; the roles that multiple actors play in a professional’s identity construction; and the depth of identity construction with regard to both organizational and professional identity.

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