scholarly journals A history-based framework of servitization and deservitization

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuel Gomes ◽  
David W. Lehman ◽  
Ferran Vendrell-Herrero ◽  
Oscar F. Bustinza

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to develop a history-based framework of servitization and deservitization.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on three history-based management theories, i.e. industry lifecycle, strategic pivoting and strategy restoration, to develop a conceptual framework of how servitization and deservitization pivots influence firm performance in different stages of the industry lifecycle. A series of examples involving configurations and reconfigurations in production illustrate the theoretical propositions.FindingsThe proposed framework predicts that servitization pivots positively influence firm performance in the ferment phase, but this effect gradually diminishes as industries advance into transition and mature phases. In contrast, the framework predicts that deservitization pivots negatively influence firm performance in the ferment phase; this effect, too, becomes negligible in the transition phase but positive in the mature phase. Moreover, the proposed framework predicts that deservitization pivoting outperforms servitization pivoting in mature servitized industries to the extent that such pivots are restorative in nature, thereby suggesting that deservitization may represent a strategic opportunity for firms in mature industries.Originality/valueThis study highlights the role of history-based management theories in enhancing our understanding of servitization and deservitization.

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 793-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduard Bonet

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how the boundaries of rhetoric have excluded important theoretical and practical subjects and how these subjects are recuperated and extended since the twentieth century. Its purpose is to foster the awareness on emerging new trends of rhetoric. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is based on an interpretation of the history of rhetoric and on the construction of a conceptual framework of the rhetoric of judgment, which is introduced in this paper. Findings – On the subject of the extension of rhetoric from public speeches to any kinds of persuasive situations, the paper emphasizes some stimulating relationships between the theory of communication and rhetoric. On the exclusion and recuperation of the subject of rhetorical arguments, it presents the changing relationships between rhetoric and dialectics and emphasizes the role of rhetoric in scientific research. On the introduction of rhetoric of judgment and meanings it creates a conceptual framework based on a re-examination of the concept of judgment and the phenomenological foundations of the interpretative methods of social sciences by Alfred Schutz, relating them to symbolic interactionism and theories of the self. Originality/value – The study on the changing boundaries of rhetoric and the introduction of the rhetoric of judgment offers a new view on the present theoretical and practical development of rhetoric, which opens new subjects of research and new fields of applications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 7-8

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The role of HRM is increasingly being viewed in strategic as well as functional terms. The impact of SHRM on firm performance is also determined by factors in its internal and external contexts. Balance between these contextual dimensions and input from various actors in the organization can help increase the overall effectiveness of a SHRM system. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiradip Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Kailash B. L. Srivastava

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reframe human resources' (HR) systems and practices as HR signals drawing from conceptualizations of signals. The construct of the strength of signal is developed to quantify the attributional ability of HR signals. To examine the role of HR signals in influencing employee behaviours and firm performance, human resource management (HRM)-firm performance relationship is considered as a framework to develop a firm-level conceptual model which integrates factors affecting HR signals and its consequences.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the existing literature on the relationship between HRM and firm performance. In the process, the paper considers the concept of HR signal and makes a case for the strength of HR signal. Finally, the paper offers a conceptual model in order to link the antecedents and consequents of HR signals.FindingsThe paper offers a conceptual model to address the gaps in the relationship between HRM and firm performance. It also brings into focus an understanding of HRM as signals and its importance in understanding firm performance.Originality/valueThe paper enriches the existing literature by examining HRM as HR signals. It adds to the literature by considering the attributional ability of HR, through the construct of the strength of HR signals.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen Wirtz ◽  
Sven Tuzovic ◽  
Volker G. Kuppelwieser

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of marketing in today's enterprises and examines the antecedents of the marketing department's influence and its relationship with market orientation and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from the West (i.e. the USA and Europe) and the East (i.e. Asia). Partial least squares (PLS) was used to estimate structural models. Findings – The findings support the idea that a strong and influential marketing department contributes positively to firm performance. This finding holds for Western and Asian, and for small/medium and large firms alike. Second, the marketing department's influence in a firm depends more on its responsibilities and resources, and less on internal contingency factors (i.e. a firm's competitive strategy or institutional attributes). Third, a marketing department's influence in the West affects firm performance both directly and indirectly (via market orientation). In contrast, this relationship is fully mediated among Eastern firms. Fourth, low-cost strategies enhance the influence of a firm's marketing department in the East, but not in the West. Research limitations/implications – The paper assumes explicitly that a marketing department's influence is an antecedent of its market orientation. While the paper finds support for this link, the paper did not test for dual causality between the constructs. Originality/value – Countering the frequent claim in anecdotal and journalistic work that the role of the marketing department diminishes, the findings show that across different geographic regions and firm sizes, strong marketing departments improve firm performance (especially in the marketing-savvy West), and that they should continue to play an important role in firms.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Kalil Steinbruch ◽  
Leandro da Silva Nascimento ◽  
Daniela Callegaro de Menezes

Purpose There are indications that trust is essential in innovation ecosystems relations. However, studies have not yet focused on deeply exploring such connection. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of trust among actors in the context of innovation ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach This study developed a conceptual framework and a set of propositions. We raised a discussion based on the intertwining of three widely known dimensions of trust (ability, benevolence and integrity) and four dimensions of innovation ecosystems (network collaboration, interdependency, value co-creation and innovation objectives). Findings This paper suggests that trust contributes to the development of innovation ecosystems’ dimensions. In addition, it sheds light on the need to consider all three dimensions of trust together and simultaneously, because, by itself, none of them is sufficient to build trust in innovation ecosystems. Also, we argue that the different connections between the dimensions of trust and those of innovation ecosystems lead to the development of such ecosystems. Originality/value Through the approach of an underexplored area of research, this paper contributes to a broad understanding of the role of trust in innovation ecosystems toward the pursuit of creating innovation. It also proposes a novelty to the field, by suggesting four dimensions of innovation ecosystems to help managers analyze ecosystems through a more practical perspective.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-278
Author(s):  
Channappa Santhosh

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the different drivers’ and its impact on the export entrepreneurship (EE) of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach The proposed conceptual framework has been tested through analysis of a sample of 102 internationalized (exports) SMEs of the Engineering industry in the Bangalore district, Karnataka, India. Findings Results reveal that firms with younger entrepreneurs who have industry-specific experience and different social ties are able to achieve higher performance. Practical implications Overall, results facilitate understanding of the importance of entrepreneurial capabilities to successfully formulate and strategize their international efforts to achieve better performance in the international market. Originality/value The study enhances the importance of understanding the role of different drivers on EE in the context of an emerging economy where studies are limited and largely unexplored till date.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
Steven Tam

Purpose This article reveals a managerial issue that multinational corporations (MNCs) in China are at a strategic crossroad where their employees are competing with the same sources of guanxi networks for different business deals simultaneously. Design/methodology/approach Triggered by a real company case in China and guided by a literature review on business guanxi, the author bridged them into a specific inquiry, as little was known and should be further examined. Findings The author identified a paradoxical/applied scenario in MNCs between the use of guanxi and overall firm performance damaged by overusing it. Research limitations/implications Empirical studies are deemed necessary to seek more understanding between the role of guanxi and MNCs in China. Practical implications Guanxi is not a straightforward guarantee of business achievements in China. Management should note the influence of its actors – own employees – who can potentially diminish the positive returns of guanxi on overall firm’s achievements because of non-obvious interplays among employees and “contacts” on the overlapping guanxi networks. The larger the organisation, the higher the risk is. Originality/value This article proposes a new line of thoughts for practitioners about the effect of business guanxi on overall firm performance and serves as a starting point for academics to explore empirical research. The concept of overlapping guanxi networks is institutionalised and discussed. A three-step rule is also suggested for MNCs as a basic solution.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ville Eloranta ◽  
Marco Ardolino ◽  
Nicola Saccani

PurposeThis study aims to enhance the theoretical foundations of servitization research by establishing a theoretical connection with complexity management. The authors develop a conceptual framework to describe complexity management mechanisms in servitization and digital platforms' specific role in allowing synergies between complexity reduction and absorption mechanisms.Design/methodology/approachA theory adaptation approach is used. Theory adaptation introduces new perspectives and conceptualization to the domain theory (servitization, with a focus on the role of digital platforms) by informing it with a method theory (complexity management).FindingsThis study provides four key contributions to the servitization literature: (1) connecting the servitization and complexity-management terminologies, (2) identifying and classifying complexity-management mechanisms in servitization, (3) conceptualizing digital platforms' role in servitization complexity management and (4) recognizing digital platforms' complexity-management synergies.Originality/valueThis study highlights that by using digital platforms in servitization and understanding the platform approach more thoroughly, companies can gain new capabilities and opportunities to manage and leverage complexity.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Fahad AlMulhim

PurposeThis study aims to explore the impact of digital transformation on firm performance with the help of smart technologies.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a valid and well-structured survey to collect data from 460 respondents from 150 Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia. In order to analyze this data, SmartPLS software was used.FindingsThe empirical results of this study found that the digital transformation has no significant direct impact on firm performance. Therefore, in this situation, smart technologies play an important role in developing the link between digital transformation and firm performance.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the digital supply chain from SMEs' perspective by investigating the mediating role of smart technologies between digital transformation and firm performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 581-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kris Rutten ◽  
Marja Flory

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to present and revisit the role of rhetoric and narratives in management research and practice.Design/methodology/approachThe authors revisit the insights from previous work on the role of rhetoric and narratives in management research and introduce new perspectives based on the original contributions included in this special issue.FindingsThere is an ongoing need to stress the importance of narrative and rhetorical perspectives in management research, specifically for exploring the managing of meanings, the coaching of virtues and the mediating of rhetoric.Originality/valueThe paper revisits and provides new insights on the role of rhetoric and narratives in management research and emphasizes the interrelationship between both, specifically by focusing on the conceptual framework of Kenneth Burke, whose work can be situated at the intersection of rhetoric and narrative.


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