scholarly journals An ecosystem view on third party mobile payment providers: a case study of Alipay wallet

Info ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 56-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Guo ◽  
Harry Bouwman
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Mobile Payment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Core Business ◽  
The Core ◽  
Complementary Resources ◽  
Important Research Topic ◽  
Resources And Capabilities

Purpose To understand why the penetration of handset-based mobile payment in most countries is still low has been an important research topic for the last 15 years, and it has been analyzed from different perspectives. However, the analysis of a single aspect cannot provide a sophisticated answer to the complicated underlying question. The purpose of this paper is to understand how a relatively successful m-payment ecosystem is created and sustained through the coopetition of various actors. Design/methodology/approach To that end, the authors analyze the case of Alipay wallet, the m-payment service provider with the largest market share in China, and focus on understanding the motivations and subsequent actions of the organizations cooperating in the Alipay wallet core ecosystem. Findings The results show that actors with heterogeneous and complementary resources can forge sustainable collaboration. Within an ecosystem, although always constrained by resources and capabilities, the actions that the core actors take and the resulting power imbalances are dynamically changing, reflecting actors’ aim of reducing uncertainty. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this case is that it was conducted in a Chinese context, which has specific features that may not apply to other cases. In addition, this study is based on a single case study in a single country, without comparing the results to any other cases or countries. Therefore, some modifications may have to be made when applying the framework and generalizing the results. Practical implications With regards to the practical perspective, the Alipay case may serve as an example that other providers follow, taking similar actions to increase the dependency of others and reduce their own dependency on others. It is helpful to take a keystone strategy to create value within the ecosystem and share this value with other participants. Moreover, Alipay acts as the platform provider, in addition to managing value creation within the ecosystem and sharing that value with the other participants. Alipay focuses on the business and strategic needs of the core actors, without threatening their main business, for example, Alipay focuses on micro-payments, which does not pose a direct competition to banks, who mainly rely on macro-payments to generate profit. Micro-payments are often related to high transaction costs for banks. In addition, although it is difficult to define the boundaries of actors in the ecosystem, the core business of every actor is the key competitive or even survival condition. This notion should be taken into consideration by actors whose actions affect the business of other ecosystem partners. For instance, Alipay will not aim to become a bank, as they know that if they do so, they cannot connect any other bank to their platform. In other words, the scope and boundary of the actors are clearly identified so that the core business will not be threatened. Sords, we can learn from Alipay that it pays off to focus on one area, and not to let your competitors challenge you. Originality/value The authors proposed the StReS framework for analyzing a business ecosystem by combining resource-based review, resource dependency theories and network analysis for investigating the motivations of the organizations cooperating in the core ecosystem and the actions they have taken to reduce dependency and uncertainty.

Outsourcing in startups

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Kalil Steinbruch ◽  
Bernardo Soares Fernandes ◽  
Leandro da Silva Nascimento ◽  
Paulo Antônio Zawislak
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
Attractive Alternative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Core Business ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
The Core ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Structure Knowledge

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the main activities that startups outsource and the elements involved in outsourcing decisions. Design/methodology/approach A multi-case study composed of Brazilian startups was conducted. Data through interviews and secondary sources were obtained. Two groups of startups were considered and analyzed comparatively: startups in the development stage and in the sales stage. Findings The findings show that even though the literature suggests that the core business should not be outsourced, some startups do have to outsource this kind of activity. That was the main difference found between startups in the sales stage and in the development stage: the former group has a solid structure, knowledge and resources, so they can keep the core business inside the firm; whereas the latter group has little experience, scarce knowledge and resources, making outsourcing a more attractive alternative. Originality/value Theoretically, this paper approaches a perspective underexplored in the innovation and management literature: outsourcing in startups. It highlights how outsourcing, as a decision between making and buying, can help startups to improve success potential. In practice, this paper discusses and demonstrates why and what can be outsourced by startups in the development and in the sales stages to overcome their limitations and, consequently, achieve better innovative results.

Analyzing the formation of a paradoxical organizational identity

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1227-1241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Felix
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Identity ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Single Case Study ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Optimal Distinctiveness ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose This study aims to understand the construction process of an organizational identity in a hybrid organization. Design/methodology/approach The author developed a single case study based on in-depth interviews, non-participant observations and document analysis in a credit cooperative. Findings After periods of changes in organizational identity (from idealism to pragmatism), the formation of a paradoxical organizational identity was observed in which the core value became a central polarity between idealism and pragmatism; after periods when members engaged in actions that promoted resistance or change, they framed past events in a story of stable dynamics between idealism and pragmatism; and pro-distinctiveness and -similarity forces in relation to other organizations were reconciled in a quest for optimal distinctiveness that simultaneously enabled the development of uniqueness and adequacy. Originality/value This is the first study to adopt a paradox perspective to analyze the identity of a cooperative.

scholarly journals Reverse resource exchanges in service supply chains: the case of returnable transport packaging

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kostas Selviaridis ◽  
Aristides Matopoulos ◽  
Leslie Thomas Szamosi ◽  
Alexandros Psychogios
Keyword(s):  
Resource Dependence ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Resource Dependence Theory ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Contractual Governance ◽  
Contractual Agreements ◽  
Service Supply Chains

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how reverse resource exchanges and resource dependencies are managed in the service supply chain (SSC) of returnable transport packaging (RTP). Design/methodology/approach A single case study was conducted in the context of automotive logistics focusing on the RTP SSC. Data were collected through 16 interviews, primarily with managers of a logistics service provider (LSP) and document analysis of contractual agreements with key customers of the packaging service. Findings Resource dependencies among actors in the SSC result from the importance of the RTP for the customer’s production processes, the competition among users for RTP and the negative implications of the temporary unavailability of RTP for customers and the LSP (in terms of service performance). Amongst other things, the LSP is dependent on its customers and third-party users (e.g. the customer’s suppliers) for the timely return of package resources. The role of inter-firm integration and collaboration, formal contracts as well as customers’ power and influence over third-party RTP users are stressed as key mechanisms for managing LSP’s resource dependencies. Research limitations/implications A resource dependence theory (RDT) lens is used to analyse how reverse resource exchanges and associated resource dependencies in SSCs are managed, thus complementing the existing SSC literature emphasising the bi-directionality of resource flows. The study also extends the recent SSC literature stressing the role of contracting by empirically demonstrating how formal contracts can be mobilised to explicate resource dependencies and to specify, and regulate, reverse exchanges in the SSC. Practical implications The research suggests that logistics providers can effectively manage their resource dependencies and regulate reverse exchanges in the SSC by deploying contractual governance mechanisms and leveraging their customers’ influence over third-party RTP users. Originality/value The study is novel in its application of RDT, which enhances our understanding of the management of reverse exchanges and resource dependencies in SSCs.

Resource-based co-innovation through platform ecosystem: experiences of mobile payment innovation in China

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junying Zhong ◽  
Marko Nieminen
Keyword(s):  
Service Innovation ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Mobile Payment ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Strategy Execution ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Resource Advantage

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the RISE model on service innovation in coopetitive business environment. The case study illustrates why and how Chinese providers utilize ecosystems for innovative mobile payment service development to achieve coopetitive advantage based on firms’ superior resources. Design/methodology/approach – The companies in the case study include Alipay (third-party actor), Bestpay (mobile operator), and UnionPay (banking). Empirical data comes from semi-structured interviews complemented with observations and documents. The analysis of the data follows grounded theory guidelines: creation of a theoretical framework, data collection, and interpretation of the data using the coding strategies of open coding, axial coding, and selected coding. Findings – Inter-organizational co-innovation appears as a successful strategy for mobile payment service innovation. In addition to strategic choice on this, understanding of superior and inferior resources and capabilities influence firms’ coopetitive advantages in a coopetitive service development environment. Ecosystems are formed along with the innovating activities, and difficulties are caused by coopetition challenges. The RISE model enables the analysis and selection of strategic patterns for service innovation in a coopetitive environment. Originality/value – The paper contributes to resource-advantage theory and platform ecosystem theory. The theories are used to analyze and model the effects of strategy execution for achieving win-win relationships in inter-organizational co-innovation. This paper helps executives to match their service innovation strategies to platform ecosystem architectures, as well as to understand how resource-advantage challenges affect the execution strategy of setting up their platform ecosystems.

Customer experience design: a case study in the cultural sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-787 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederic Ponsignon ◽  
Francois Durrieu ◽  
Tatiana Bouzdine-Chameeva
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Customer Experience ◽  
Experience Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Data ◽  
The Core ◽  
Design Characteristics ◽  
Cultural Sector

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the experience design phenomenon in the cultural sector. Specifically, it purports to articulate a set of design characteristics that support the alignment between an organisation’s design intention (i.e. intended experience) and the actual experience of customers (i.e. realised experience). Design/methodology/approach A single case study approach is adopted to explore the phenomenon from both the provider and customer perspectives simultaneously. A range of qualitative data, including 42 interviews with managers and customers as well as voluminous documentary evidence, are collected. Provider and customer data are analysed independently using a rigorous inductive analytical process to generate experience design themes and to assess possible gaps between intended and realised experience. Findings The findings reveal the design characteristics of touchpoints and the overall customer journey, which constitute the core experience, as well as the design characteristics of the physical and social environment, which support the realisation of the core experience, in a cultural context. Research limitations/implications Limitations include difficulties in generalising the findings from a single case and in claiming that the set of design characteristics identified is exhaustive. Practical implications The paper makes several recommendations that are useful and relevant for customer experience practitioners in the cultural sector. Originality/value The paper’s contribution is to provide novel empirical insights into the four experience design areas of touchpoints, journey, physical elements and social elements in an experience-centric cultural context. On that basis, a conceptual framework for experience design in the cultural context is proposed.

Citizen engagement in South Africa: the case Prince Albert

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-244
Author(s):  
Vinitha Siebers
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Citizen Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Engagement Process ◽  
South African Constitution

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to gain insight in how South African local governments organize citizen engagement. The new South African constitution provides ways to construct and implement citizen engagement at local level. However, understanding citizen engagement at local level is still a challenge and municipalities search for proper structures and mechanisms to organize citizen engagement efficiently. Design/methodology/approach Interviews with different municipal actors were analyzed using a single case study method. As a primary unit of analysis, a specific project in which citizen engagement is organized was used. In addition, document analysis and a focus group were used to deepen understanding. Findings The findings reveal that citizen engagement is a viable strategy to identify the needs of the community if facilitated by a third party and that learning leadership is important when organizing citizen engagement. Originality/value The value of this research is the exploration of the citizen engagement process. It sheds light on the conditions that play a role when a local government organizes citizen engagement. As local governments search for ways to effectively organize and structure citizen engagement, insight into these conditions is helpful.

Implementing environmental sustainability in logistics operations: a case study

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liliyana Makarova Jørsfeldt ◽  
Hans-Henrik Hvolby ◽  
Vivi Thuy Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Boundary Function ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Single Case Study ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Third Party Logistics

Purpose The purpose of the study is to develop an in-depth understanding of how supplier–buyer relationships, particularly in operational coordination, are affected when a company introduces an environmental sustainability target (CO2 emissions reduction) into its supply chain operations. The investigation focuses on the joint activities of the logistics function of the company (buyer) and the third-party logistics providers (3PLs) (suppliers). Design/methodology/approach This single-case study takes the perspective of a sustainability-conscious Danish company that outsources logistics services to 3PLs but maintains internal logistics as a boundary function. The value offering point/order penetration point (VOP/OPP) methodology is used. Findings The results showed that the introduction of sustainability led to the emergence of multiple decoupling points in both the demand and the supply chains. The logistics function therefore began to play the role of “integrator” across both the functions in the company and the organizations in the supply chain. The findings indicate the need to develop clear cross-functional and inter-organizational coordination mechanisms. Research limitations/implications This is a single-case study in a Danish context. Practical implications The study provides rich insights into managing the implementation of sustainability in supply chain operations, and it exemplifies how the VOP/OPP tool can be applied by 3PLs to develop sustainable offerings. Originality/value The current research on sustainable supply chain management takes into account the entire supply chain. In contrast, this study focuses on the logistics function. The VOP/OPP concept is used to capture the processes used in actual practice, and both the buyer and the supplier are considered potential co-producers of value.

Park24’s market creation and game-changing strategy: leveraging its strategic resources and capabilities

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Kazunori Suzuki ◽  
Katsuyuki Tochimoto ◽  
Kazuhito Isomura
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Creation ◽  
Core Business ◽  
Strategic Resources ◽  
Start Up ◽  
New Development ◽  
New Business ◽  
Resources And Capabilities

Purpose This paper aims to clarify how to start up and establish a new business by developing, combining and utilizing strategic resources and capabilities. Design/methodology/approach The paper studies the case of Park24 by examining how it created a market, changed the way to compete in the market and utilized its business model effectively to enter a new business. Findings The paper finds that Park24 has become a leading company in its core business by developing its new development staff, its parking sites nationwide, its brand and its IT system, and that it has built a profitable business model and successfully entered the car sharing business by making good use of that business model. Originality/value The case study suggests that Park24 started and developed its core business by accumulating strategic resources and capabilities and establishing a profitable business model, and that it utilized this business model effectively to dominate the market shortly after entering.

scholarly journals Repatriation and (perceived) organisational support (POS)

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liza Howe-Walsh ◽  
Nicole Torka
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organisational Support ◽  
Perceived Organisational Support ◽  
Hr Managers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of and interaction between (potential) repatriation supporters to develop understanding of how this affects the repatriate experience. Design/methodology/approach A (single) case study strategy was employed, using a multiple stakeholder approach, involving 21 in-depth interviews in a large UK-based institution with repatriates, home and host HR managers, international human resource (IHR) practitioners and line managers from both home and host locations. Findings Although line managers, senior managers, family members and third party providers (e.g. relocation agencies, tax advisors) are important for repatriation support, the case study evidence highlights that HR professionals are mainly responsible for the quality of the support delivered by other repatriation supporters. Inadequate support from the headquarters IHR department caused by a lack and unclear information about repatriation procedures and related responsibilities results in insufficient support for home and host HR managers. This negatively impacts repatriates line managers (perceptions of) HR support. Weaknesses in the support chain (headquarter IHR, home and host HR and line managers) are responsible for repatriates (perceived) limited or non-support. Research limitations/implications The small size of our sample, the single case study design and the method precludes generalisation of the findings. However, the authors’ “look inside” increased the understanding of repatriation support and in particular the support quality. By linking this information to the knowledge of previous studies on organisational support and the devolution of human resource management, the authors are able to identify several topics future studies in the field of repatriation management. Practical implications IHRM policies have to reflect the role of multiple stakeholders including home and host line managers and HR professionals as well as third party providers and assign clear lines of responsibility to provide a transparent and consistent experience. Repatriates family has to be acknowledged as a stakeholder that has a major influence on repatriation success and failure. Excluding partners and children issues from international career policies has to be considered as a serious HR shortcoming. Second, ensuring timely information regarding return positions. Providing debriefing interviews upon repatriation can help to identify future roles within the organisation. Equally important is exit interviews to explore whether the person has completed an assignment within the previous 24 months and whether this experience has contributed to their decision to leave the organisation. Opportunities to ensure repatriates are being considered for positions as part of the talent pool is crucial. Finally, the authors emphasise the need to acknowledge that third party vendors are part of the repatriation process and must be considered in terms of (perceived) organisational support. Originality/value This is one of the first studies that highlights the role and interaction of (potential) repatriation supporters. Specifically, this study contributes to addressing three knowledge gaps: it identifies a lack of communication among HR professionals and between them and line managers as a potential source of insufficient organisational support; the findings highlight HR professionals responsibility for supporting line managers and other repatriation supporters in operational repatriation management; and finally, the results support the assumption that HR professionals and line managers own (non-)experience with working abroad might affect the quality of support policies and practices for repatriates.

scholarly journals Brokerage-based value creation: the case of a Danish offshore business network

IMP Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Gretzinger ◽  
Birgit Leick
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Business Networks ◽  
Business Network ◽  
Industry Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Networking ◽  
Transfer Mechanisms

Purpose Social capital plays an important role in transforming knowledge within and across inter-firm business networks in industries. The purpose of this paper is to explore different kinds of transfer mechanism such as “bonding,” “bridging,” and “protecting” within a case network of the Danish offshore windmill industry. Its aim is to describe how these mechanisms interactively support value co-creation among the involved enterprises and how social capital, residing in the relationships between actors from the firms, is influenced by the different transfer mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach Based upon a single case study, the paper demonstrates “bonding,” “bridging,” and “protecting” as distinct, yet related, mechanisms for inter-firm business networking. The sample used covers selected key actors from the network as well as third-party experts from the Danish windmill industry, which together represent the most important knowledge-offering and knowledge-demanding domains. Findings Activities associated with “bridging” and “bonding” clearly matter for creating value for the business network and the industry alike, as they are supportive of strategic capability development (for instance, high-skilled work). While producers and supply companies apply such “bridging,” “bonding,” and additional “protecting” mechanisms based upon their predominant position, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), however, need to shape teams to do so. A major finding of the study is, thus, that team-based interrelationships among SMEs activate “bridging,” “bonding.” and “protecting” initiatives which are particularly supportive of capability improvement and industry growth. They enable the transfer of relevant capabilities between different projects where actors within SMEs organizations learn to activate and use such knowledge transfer mechanisms. Moreover, asymmetrical dependency-relationships can be partly overcome by shaping and using the mechanisms on the part of SMEs in the network. Originality/value To date, brokerage is still an under-explored topic with regard to inter-firm business networks. This case study contributes to the research by illustrating important and distinct qualitative aspects of brokerage, which are conceptualized as “bonding,” “bridging,” and “protecting” initiatives on the part of brokers. The study highlights that not only strong actors with central positions can step into the role as a broker. Even less resourceful actors within asymmetrical relations can act as broker and compensate a lack of resources or strengthen their position within the industry network. Consequently, value co-creating processes within industry networks can also be boosted by brokerage initiated by small companies.

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