scholarly journals Improving professional service operations: action research in a law firm

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Chaitanya Balthu ◽  
Ben Clegg
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Service Operations ◽  
Abductive Reasoning ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Legal Service ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Effect Change ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how action research-based interventions can effect change in a complex and challenging professional service environment (Lewis and Brown, 2012). This paper presents a successful way to do this. First, by eliciting factors for change driven by deregulation in the United Kingdom’s (UK) legal service sector (Falconer, 2005). Second, by designing and implementing context-sensitive change in a selected legal service firm.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopts a participatory action research methodology involving the use of systems thinking (namely the PrOH modelling methodology) to design suitable interventions and catalyse change.FindingsThis study has generated new knowledge on three fronts–to the legal service operations, to methodology and to the intellectual framework used for abductive reasoning (Checkland and Poulter, 2006). Lessons are transferable to wider professional service operations research. Findings indicate, despite traditional challenges of delivering typical professional services, there is potential for rationalising processes and service delivery commodification, mainly in the low volume, high variety legal service typology (Silvestro et al., 1992).Research limitations/implicationsThis research uses data from an in-depth study of a single organisation.Practical implicationsThis research helped legal service professionals to improve overall efficiency and effectiveness and create new management tools.Social implicationsThis research could help improve legal service operations and make them more accessible.Originality/valueThis research applies a novel, systems thinking based methodology for the first time in a complex professional service operations environment leading to three-fold contributions in the areas of practice, theory and methodology. The paper uses a change management framework (the Change Kaleidoscope), a soft systems methodology (PrOH modelling) and applies these to legal services.

scholarly journals Managing the communicative organization: a qualitative analysis of knowledge-intensive companies

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 551-571
Author(s):  
Kaisa Pekkala
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Management ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Communication Management ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Knowledge Intensive Organizations ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how employees' work-related communication is managed in knowledge-intensive organizations.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted by applying an exploratory, qualitative approach. The data were collected from six knowledge-intensive organizations operating in the professional service sector in Finland, and the data set used included altogether 23 interviews.FindingsThe interviews confirmed that employees' work-related communication on social media is regarded as an increasingly important area, and that it has required companies to establish new managerial processes that are aimed to affect employees’ communication behaviors (ECB) either as enablers or motivators. How companies apply these processes depends on contextual factors, and three different managerial approaches were identified, namely, individual-, corporate- and business-oriented approaches.Research limitations/implicationsBased on the findings, this article proposes a new field for the communication management literature, management of the communicative organization (MCO), which builds on behavior management knowledge and focuses on managing employee communicators in multivocal organizational communication systems (MOCSs) that are dependent on employee-generated content.Originality/valueThe study advances the field of communication management and ECB by empirically proving that organizations manage their employees' work-related communication and the management processes and practices identified derive from behavioral management tradition. The proposed MCO framework introduces a novel area for academic discussion on how communication management affects ECB and attitudes, such as motivation.

Does context really matter? The influence of deficient legal services on the intensity of political ties in the regulatory and legal arenas

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
George O. White III ◽  
Thomas A. Hemphill ◽  
Tazeeb Rajwani ◽  
Jean J. Boddewyn
Keyword(s):  
Service Sector ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Foreign Subsidiary ◽  
Legal Services ◽  
Legal Service ◽  
Foreign Subsidiaries ◽  
Institutional Voids ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Managerial Perceptions

Purpose The purpose of this study is to apply the institution-based view and resource dependence theory in arguing that perceived deficiencies in a legal service sector where a foreign subsidiary operates will influence the intensity of its political ties with actors in both the regulatory and legal arenas. The authors further theorized that these relationships will vary across governance environments. Design/methodology/approach The research context for this study was multinational enterprises (MNE) wholly owned foreign subsidiaries and international joint ventures (IJVs) operating in the Philippines and Thailand. Data for most variables in this study came from primary survey data collected in 2018 from senior managers of MNE WOSs and IJVs operating in the Philippines and Thailand. Findings The authors’ analysis of 352 foreign subsidiaries operating in the Philippines and Thailand show that, in a flawed democracy, perceived deficient legal services enhance the intensity of foreign subsidiary political ties with government actors in both the regulatory and legal arena. However, in a hybrid regime, perceived deficient legal services enhance only the intensity of foreign subsidiary political ties with government actors in the regulatory arena. The authors’ findings also suggest that the relationship between perceived deficiencies in legal service sector and the intensity of political ties is stronger for foreign subsidiaries that operate in heavily regulated industries across both a flawed democracy and hybrid regime. Conversely, the authors do not find the market orientation of these foreign subsidiaries to play a role in this process. Research limitations/implications The authors’ study was unable to control for whether managerial perceptions of deficient legal services were well informed at the local or federal level. This issue raises the question of will the presence of an in-house legal department influence managerial perceptions with regard to deficiencies within a legal service sector? Based on these limitations, the authors suggest that future research can further extend political ties research by using a fine-grained analysis in investigating the antecedents of managerial perceptions of legal services within different legal jurisdictions. Originality/value The political ties literature has largely argued that political ties are more prevalent in environmental contexts comprising institutional voids as MNEs attempt to mitigate volatility associated with the lack of developed institutional infrastructure (e.g. Blumentritt & Nigh, 2002; Bucheli et al., 2018). However, the concept of institutional voids is very broad and still rather abstract in nature. Hence, scholars have yet to fully understand what types of institutional voids may drive MNE foreign subsidiary political tie intensity in varying governance contextsThe authors’ study attempts to contribute to this important line of research by investigating how one type of institutional void, namely, perceived deficiencies in the legal service sector, can influence the intensity of political ties in varying governance environments.

Crisis in systems thinking

Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 1915-1934
Author(s):  
Janos Korn
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Scientific Enterprise ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Science ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
Informative Content ◽  
Current Systems

Purpose The current field of systems thinking consists of a variety of views, methods and a number of organisations involved with these views which suggests a state of confusion and fragmentation of the field which fundamentally is supposed to be a uniform view of structures or systems. This can be interpreted as a “crisis situation”. A resolution of the crisis in the form of a “new science of systems” is proposed. Assuming this new science becomes part of the field of systems thinking, a debate of the elements of the field is suggested with a view to consider its current state and future developments. “Crisis - resolution - debate” is the central theme of the paper. Design/methodology/approach The field of current systems thinking is described in terms of views, methods and organisations and is seen as the “problematic issue”. A “new science of systems” strongly rooted in natural language as its primary symbolism and consisting of three general principles of systems and linguistic modelling is outlined to be considered as the resolution of the crisis. A set of criteria is discussed for use of judging the quality of models and element of the field of systems thinking including the “new science of systems”. To demonstrate a preliminary use of these criteria, the same example is worked out using both, the “soft systems methodology” and “linguistic modelling” for comparison. Findings The universal view of parts of the world as structures or systems is inconsistent with the multiple methods basically pursuing the same purpose: modelling aspects of systems which prevail in current systems thinking. To try to resolve this anomaly an equally universally applicable approach, the “new science of systems” is proposed which can also serve as an aid to problem solving, in particular to an integrated systems and product design. This approach is to be part of the suggested debate of the field of systems thinking. In general, there is no alternative to the structural view. Research limitations/implications The “new science of systems”, if found acceptable, can offer research opportunities in new applications of accepted branches of knowledge like logic, linguistics, mathematics of ordered pairs, uncertainties and in the philosophy of science. New teaching schemes can be developed at classroom level combined with engineering as creator of novelties with linguistics as the symbolism to supplement mathematics. Further considerations can be given to current methodologies of systems thinking as part of a debate with a view of future developments in exploring pioneering ideas. New software is needed for working out the dynamics of scenarios. Practical implications The debate, if it takes place, should result in new developments in the field of systems thinking such as concepts accepted as fundamental in the discipline of systems. Applications of the “new science of systems” to larger scale scenarios and organisations guided by the universal scheme in Figure 1 and linguistic modelling with software are needed for development of schemes for problem solving schemes “utilising” or “producing” products. Social implications The “new science of systems” is rooted in accepted branches of knowledge; it is highly teachable at school and university levels and should lead to use by professionals and in everyday life activities once found acceptable. The use of the scheme in Figure 1 should help in clarifying confusing scenarios and to aid problem solving. Originality/value The suggestion of a debate is an original idea. The “new science of systems” consists of three general principles of systems implemented by linguistic modelling of static and dynamic states. Mathematics of uncertainty and topics from conventional science at the object level supplement the “new science” which together form the “scientific enterprise”. The notions of cognitive value and informative content of models are introduced for evaluating their cognitive worth.

Quality management for high-contact professional service firms: a multiple-case evidence from Indian law firms

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anupama Prashar
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Service Operations ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Law Firms ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Indian Law

PurposeThis paper presents an exploratory study to understand the distinctive quality dimensions of high-contact Professional Service Firms (PSFs) and develop a conceptual model for Quality Management (QM). The paper is based on empirical evidences from multiple cases in leading Indian law firms.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adopted an exploratory, multiple, embedded and comparative case study design. The empirical evidence from multiple case studies in 10 law firms (data includes 42 individual interviews, archival records, field notes) was used to explore the QM dimensions for PSFs.FindingsThe results showed that QM in PSFs is a multifaceted and continuous process rather than a straightforward and episodic one. The findings reveal three distinctive dimensions of QM for PSFs: managing the firm's image; managing the client-firm interaction and support processes and; managing the perceived value of service outcome. Further, the results showed a significant variation in the design of QM practices in a relatively homogenous group of PSFs (law firms). This reflected the influence of personnel and organizational characteristics on the QM.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is based on evidences collected from 10 Indian law firms and the research design is exploratory in nature. The future research is suggested in terms of extending the scope and research design.Practical implicationsThe insights obtained from the paper have implications for managers working on the design of service operations and particularly service quality in high-contact PSFs similar to law firms. While the study does not prescribe a standard design of QM systems for PSFs, it seeks to foster the thinking of managers by helping them conceptualize the broad quality-control checkpoints and quality attributes specific to PSF settingsOriginality/valueThe academic research in the management of professional service quality is dominated by conceptual/theoretical models for customer evaluation of service provider's performance and the issue of operationalization of QM in PSFs is still needs further investigation. This paper contributes to the theory of service operations management (SOM) by focusing on the structure of QM systems in PSFs.

scholarly journals Asset specificity in make or buy decisions for service operations

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomás F. Espino‐Rodríguez ◽  
Pei‐Chun Lai ◽  
Tom Baum
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Service Operations ◽  
Asset Specificity ◽  
Operation Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hotel Sector ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis work analyses make or buy decisions from the transaction cost economics perspective and the resource‐based view of the firm. The aim is to analyse the extent to which the presumptions of the two theories are valid in the service sector in terms of specific assets.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted on a representative sample of hotels in Scotland, UK. Each of the surveyed hotels was asked for information about 13 operations or hotel processes. A comprehensive model is developed that establishes the relationship between asset specificity and operation performance and hotel or business performance, moderated by the form of governance (make or buy). Moreover, the relationship between asset specificity and outsourcing in the hotel sector is also examined. The different hotel processes are classified according to the asset specificity. The factors that could lead to an increase in the outsourcing strategy are also analysed.FindingsThe results indicate that, the relationship between asset specificity and operation performance is weaker when the operations are executed in‐house. In the case of the relationship between specific assets and performance, the findings regarding non‐financial performance are not contradictory since it is slightly higher when the operation is outsourced. The factors determining an increase in outsourcing would be those related to the quality of the operation and to non‐financial performance.Research limitations/implicationsPrevious studies have not considered the relationship between specificity and business performance, which gives extra incentive to complement and expand the literature on service operations. Future research should analyze other theories on organisations and outsourcing. The findings should also be tested in other geographical regions and use sources of information other than the hotel managers.Practical implicationsThe work generates knowledge and aids managers in their “make or buy” decisions for the principal processes in the hotel industry according to the asset specificity.Originality/valueThe paper develops a specificity‐outsourcing matrix and identifies each of the hotel operations. Apart from testing the model in the hotel sector, which is an important sector of the service industry, the work offers a better understanding of outsourcing decisions based on the two basic theories used in the literature on services management. The paper also makes an innovative contribution by analysing relationships between operation specificity and performance that are previously untested in the service sector.

The entrepreneur-salaried employee-associate

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-430
Author(s):  
Justine Ballon
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Abductive Reasoning ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Status ◽  
Autonomous Activity ◽  
Work Relationship ◽  
Cooperative Activity ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The increasing number of self-employed workers in France transforms the historical work relationship. In this perspective, the case of entrepreneurs who works in Business and Employment Cooperatives (BECs) with the status of entrepreneur–employee–associate is studied. They combine two legal status of self-employed and employee which were previously legally and institutionally separated. BECs question the forms of relationships governing production and labor. This paper aims to determine to what degree this combination of relationships improves the autonomy of entrepreneurs and reduces the risks of autonomous activity. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative action research combined with a pragmatic approach using abductive reasoning was carried out in three BECs. It is based on participant observations and interviews. Findings The results show that three types of relationships are embedded in the labor relations of cooperative activity: the entrepreneurial relationship, the employment relationship and the associate member relationship. This configuration contributes to achieving autonomy in the organization of labor and the reduction of risks linked to entrepreneurial activity. However, the complexity of the embedded relations, the persistence of asymmetry and the contrast between the rules of cooperatives and companies limit the ambition of BECs. Practical implications They determine the ability of BECs to invent appropriate mechanisms to empower their entrepreneur members. Originality/value This study combines an action research stance with a pluridisciplinary approach. It offers new perspectives for understanding the mutations that modes of production and labor mobilization are going through in a period of change toward a post-Fordist paradigm.

scholarly journals Cause-related marketing, legitimacy and internationalization of professional service firms

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 885-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Arslan ◽  
Ismail Golgeci ◽  
Lauri Haapanen ◽  
Shlomo Tarba ◽  
Cary Cooper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cause Related Marketing ◽  
Football Clubs ◽  
European Football

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the role of legitimacy in internationalization to Africa of a Finnish professional service microfirm, which uses cause-related marketing (CRM) as the business model. Design/methodology/approach The paper consists of a single case study of a microfirm (two employees) originating from Finland, which has successfully internationalized to many African countries. Due to the uniqueness of the context, the authors use semi-structured interviews to collect founders’ insights to the issue being addressed. Moreover, along with interviews, secondary sources related to football talent scouting in Africa are also utilized in the paper. Findings The authors found that the case company was established with the aim of helping and uplifting poor African footballers, so the business model is CRM. It has scouted many of them for professional football clubs in Europe. The authors further found that sociopolitical legitimacy plays a major role in dealing with African footballers and local stakeholders, while cognitive legitimacy helped the case firm gain the trust of European football clubs. Originality/value Internationalization of microfirms operating in the service sector is a rather under-researched area compared to the internationalization of SMEs and large MNEs. The paper is one of the first to study internationalization of a professional service microfirm involved in scouting football talent in Africa and matchmaking them with European football clubs. It contributes to extant CRM and internationalization literature by being one of the first to analyze a firm whose business model revolves around CRM and discussing specific roles of different kinds of legitimacies needed for internationalization to Africa in this specific service sector.

scholarly journals Severe asthma: emergency care patient driven solutions

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 628-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Newell ◽  
Chris Corrigan ◽  
Geoffrey Punshon ◽  
Alison Leary
Keyword(s):  
Severe Asthma ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Asthma Patient ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Care Patient ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Patients with severe asthma were choosing not to use the emergency department (ED) in extremis and were self-medicating when experiencing severe asthma, putting their lives at risk. This local issue reflected a nationwide situation. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the reasons behind patients’ reluctance to attend ED and to consider practical solutions in a structured way. Design/methodology/approach Systems thinking (soft systems methodology) was used to examine the issues resulting in this reluctance to attend the ED. Once this tame (well-defined) problem was revealed, a potential solution was developed in co-production with patients. Findings Patients feared attending the ED and felt vulnerable while in the ED for several reasons. This appeared to be a well-defined and solvable problem. The solution proposed was an asthma patient passport (APP), which increased patient’s confidence in their ability to communicate their needs while in severe distress. The APP decreases (from 12 to 5 steps) the work patients had to do to achieve care. The APP project is currently being evaluated. Practical implications The APP should be offered to all people with severe asthma. Originality/value By revisiting systems thinking and identifying problems, a solution was identified. Although methods such as soft systems methodology have limitations when used in wicked (difficult or impossible to resolve) problems, such methods still have merit in tame problems and were applicable in this case to fully understand the issues, and to design practical solutions.

Rise of the machines: examining the influence of professional service robots attributes on consumers’ experience

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yonggui Wang ◽  
Xiaomei Cai ◽  
Changliang Xu ◽  
Jun (Justin) Li
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Robots ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Service Robot ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intelligent Robots

Purpose This study aims to explore the antecedents of perceived value and the moderating effect of trust and the relationship between these antecedents and perceived value in the context of the service sector. Design/methodology/approach The multivariate statistical analysis technique of structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed theoretical model. Findings The results indicate that self-efficacy, motivation, social influence, facilitating conditions and emotions have a significant and direct relationship with customers’ perceived value and that trust can enhance the effect of these antecedents on perceived value. These findings have several significant implications for service robot implementation within the service sector. Originality/value With the advancement in artificial intelligence and sensor technology, various industries have launched the practice of deploying intelligent robots to build competitive advantages. The use of intelligent robots to assist with the customer service process and improve consumers’ experience within the service sector is becoming more commonplace.

Part two: the challenges of a soft systems inquiry. Integrating Husserl and Gadamer

Kybernetes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Stowell
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Systems Analysis ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Late 20Th Century ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Soft Systems Thinking ◽  
The World ◽  
Systems Inquiry

Purpose This study aims to explore the ideas of Husserl and Gadamer as a possible basis of future soft systems methods of enquiry. Design/methodology/approach In Part one, the author has taken up the argument that soft systems is underpinned by Husserl’s phenomenology. The implication of this contention is an acceptance of subjectivity, and that our understanding the world is based upon personal experience. A consequence of this thinking renders predetermined models of the world to be deficient because each situation is unique. Instead of seeking a “solution”, the soft systems investigator engenders a cycle of learning as a means of gaining greater understanding. This means that a soft systems inquiry involves exploring the situation with those involved as a means of reaching an informed way forward. In this second paper, the author continues to explore Husserl’s phenomenology and also consider Gadamer’s ideas on hermeneutics and the importance of the “cycle of learning” that is central to any soft systems inquiry. The study concludes with a summary of points that, the author suggests, should be considered when undertaking a “soft” systems inquiry and in the development of any methodology that may enable it. Findings Both papers explore the phenomenological ideas of Husserl and the relationship to soft systems. In paper one, the basis of this exploration was Checkland's assertion that phenomenology could be the basis of soft systems. In the second paper, the author takes this further by exploring Gadamer's ideas on hermeneutics and reflect upon the possibility of blending them with Husserl's thinking. Research limitations/implications I had some difficulty in tracking down the published work relating to the development of soft systems, notably the Journal of Applied Systems Analysis. This journal was published by Lancaster University and covered more than 20 years of debate and provides an important record of its development. The author managed to find what might be the only compete set at the University of Southampton. This allowed the author to gain some understanding of the development of the thinking. Since the late 20th century, the number of publications on soft ideas has been severely limited, seemingly reflecting the dominance of reductionist science. It seems timely for such a paper as this to help initiate further debate. Practical implications As indicated above – the difficulty is finding early journal publications where the ideas and their relationship to the action research programme emerged. Checkland himself, with whom the author has always enjoyed a close relationship, has, at the age of 90, withdrawn from academic activity; the early papers in the Journal of Applied Systems Analysis are probably the only “evidence” of the developing ideas at that time. Checkland has summarised the development (see references in the author’s two papers), but these early documents have the advantage of being written by a variety of scholars at the time rather than a single source. Social implications The current crisis of the corona virus demonstrates the strength and the limitations of reductionist thinking. It is appropriate at this time that other methods and ideas of thinking about complexity are “visible”. Whilst there are many ideas, techniques, methods and so on in systems, these come from a common base, namely, to accept a world as tangible and easily modelled; adopting and alternative way of thinking can be challenging and healthy. Originality/value Soft systems thinking is 50 years old, but there has been virtually no progress since the soft systems methodology (SSM) emerged of Husserl and Gadamer in the 1970-1990s; such is the dominance of this methodology. This paper attempts to revisit the early thinking and consider what soft systems thinking means rather than focus on SSM.

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