Private-public interaction in public service innovation processes- business model challenges for a start-up EdTech firm

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 1106-1118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars-Gunnar Mattsson ◽  
Per Andersson

PurposeContemporary public service innovations to an important degree are initiated and enabled by digitalization. Digitalization stimulates entry of new firms (start-ups) based on innovative implementation of digital technology for public services. The interwoven digitalization and innovation processes involve interaction and interdependencies between private business actors and public service providing actors. In this paper, the authors take the perspective of a start-up business actor that tries to develop and implement a viable business model in the very dynamic context of digital transformation of public education. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how the instability of a startup firm’s business model during public service innovation can be explained. The research question is: “How can business modeling by a start-up firm be explained by tensions between its business model and public service provision models?”Design/methodology/approachBased on an abductive logic, the authors choose a single-case study of a start-up firm’s development in 2010-2018 and its interaction with public actors. Information about the firm acquired in the first phase of the study showed that it frequently changed its business model. A general analytical framework was developed to aid in efforts to answer the research question.FindingsThe case showed that a business model could be seen as a temporary outcome of a business modeling process, and that also concurrently public actors change their public actors’ service provisioning models. Public-private interaction reveals tensions that drive business modeling.Originality/valueThe study contributes to empirical knowledge about private-public interaction in the dynamic and complex context in which digital transformation in society drives public service innovations. The conceptual contribution rests more generally in the analytical framework and how it frames public actor’s “service provision modeling” as a driver of business modeling.

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-40
Author(s):  
Arif Budy Pratama

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis of Indonesia’s public service innovation drawn from the top 99 nominees of the national competition for public service innovation from 2014 to 2016. Design/methodology/approach To answer the research question, this study applied archival research as a research strategy. A documentation method was conducted to collect the data. Using content analysis aided by NVivo 11 this study analyzes the following themes: implementing agencies, innovation types, innovation goals, innovation outcomes, policy sector in which innovation implemented and geographical perspective. Findings The public service innovation in Indonesia from 2014 to 2016 were dominated by local government and process innovation in which designates to the amalgamation of technological and administrative dimensions of innovation. The most occurrence outcomes were aimed to tackling societal problems in the health and education sector. Whilst in the geographical perspective, big portion of innovation were taking place in Java Island. Research limitations/implications The result of this study is mainly based on secondary data drawing from public service innovation competition held by the Indonesian Ministry of Administrative Reform. Consequently, the result is limited to provide a mapping feature and trends of innovation. Future research may use more extensive samples (not only sourced from the nominees but also all submitted initiatives) to obtain more representation of public service innovation in Indonesia. Practical implications Given the fact that lack of collaboration between public and private actors, the government needs to consider on designing strategies and policy direction to foster collaboration in public service innovation. Originality/value This research offers a comprehensive analysis on Indonesian public service innovation. Methodologically, the research introduces archival research as one of the alternative research strategies on public sector innovation scholarships.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anish Purkayastha ◽  
Sunil Sharma

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on an inductive research that analyzes the unique decisions of three firms that shape their business model and, consequently, provide a competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach – Given the paucity of prior research on the effect that a firm’s business model has on its competitive advantage, addressing the research question warrants an in-depth qualitative study. The study requires explicitly capturing decisions from a firm’s chosen business model and how these decisions are linked to its competitive advantage. The authors take on an inductive research approach to study three longitudinal case studies of organizations that have either successfully implemented their adopted business model or are implementing unique business models. Findings – First, the authors identify nine different theoretically grounded propositions based on decisions taken by the firms the authors studied, which shape their business model and give them a competitive advantage. Second, the authors look at these decisions in an integrated manner and categorize these into structural decisions and strategic decisions. Third, the authors extend an existing line of thought that predominantly views the business model as complementary to a firm’s product or service innovation. The authors emphasize on the criticality of the business model as a higher level construct formed from multiple structural and strategic decisions that, eventually, become a source of competitive advantage. Originality/value – The findings help to identify a possible theoretical explanation of newer forms of organization, evolving from product, process or service innovation, combined with their unique business model. They help in guiding practitioners to identify sources of competitive advantage through the innovative business models.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ohoud Ali AlShehail ◽  
Mehmood Khan ◽  
Mian Ajmal

PurposeThis study aims to critically investigate the structural relationships between total quality management (TQM), service innovation and sustainability performance in the public service sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Design/methodology/approachThe study employed an online survey to collect data from 400 employees working in eight selected UAE public service sector organisations located in Abu Dhabi. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) to empirically examine whether TQM practices improve service innovation and, subsequently, sustainability performance in the UAE's public service sector.FindingsThe results show that TQM has a significant impact on service innovation and sustainability performance in the UAE's public service sector. Additionally, service innovation partially mediates the relationship between TQM and sustainability performance.Practical implicationsThe public service sector's TQM practices and service innovation in the UAE have a much greater impact on social and environmental sustainability than on economic sustainability performance. Adopting five dimensions of TQM (following the Abu Dhabi Award for Excellence in Government Performance [ADAEP] model) across the UAE's public organisations will enable government departments to deliver innovative services to its beneficiaries.Originality/valueThis study provides a substantial contribution by addressing the gaps in the literature. Very few studies have empirically investigated the possible association between TQM, service innovation and sustainability performance in public sector organisations, particularly in developing countries such as the UAE, where the increasing efforts in TQM practices are still in their emerging stages, mainly targeting innovative service offerings and sustainable performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Mu ◽  
Bart Bossink ◽  
Tsvi Vinig ◽  
Suchuan You

Purpose Research on service innovation management of online travel agencies (OTAs) remains relatively scarce. This study aims to illuminate the detailed components of managing service innovations at OTAs. Design/methodology/approach An in-depth case study is conducted at Trip, the largest OTA in China. A coherent framework of managing service innovations at OTAs is proposed through refining an existing framework from new service development (NSD), and concerning the success factors of service innovation. Based on theoretical synthesis and empirical analysis, the NSD framework is adapted, restructured and refined for service innovation management at OTAs. Findings The proposed framework contains three facets and associated managerial elements: (1) resources, including stakeholders, technologies and systems; (2) contexts, including innovation strategy, structure and culture; and (3) ideation, including idea generation and idea application. Different success factors are attached to the managerial elements. The facets, managerial elements and success factors serve as the components in the framework. Research limitations/implications This study provides academia with an analytical framework to understand and interpret service innovation management at OTAs, which can be used as a point of departure for future research. Practical implications The analytical framework inspires OTA managers to adopt a structured approach in service innovation management, and policymakers to design related interventions. Originality/value This study offers a first step toward the investigation of service innovation management at OTAs, specifically in China. The proposed framework is potentially applicable to other industries.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrik Gottfridsson ◽  
Anna Stålhammar

Purpose – This paper is about service innovation processes and especially about how an idea about a new service proposition is realized and gradually transformed during the process. The purpose of this paper is to describe and explain the process by which the idea of what should be developed is formed. Design/methodology/approach – Empirically this study is built on two case studies from the public transport context. The cases studied are long-term and involves a number of different actors from different organizations put together to deliver a new system solution regarding information- and ticketing systems. Findings – The findings indicate that the service ideas gradually develop throughout the service innovation process; some of the changes are that distinct that they could be described as turning points. The reasons for the changes of the ideas are sometimes the renewed awareness that the involved actors get from communicating and learning from each other's, other times the turning points occur as a result form confrontation with the outside world, and what is their perceived as necessary and possible to do. Originality/value – The study is novel in several respects: the notion of the transformation of the service idea during a service innovation process is introduced; it provides an empirical analysis of the knowledge transformation process during a service innovation process, and it applies traditional innovation perspective in a new context.


2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 270-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catharina von Koskull ◽  
Tore Strandvik ◽  
Bård Tronvoll

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to shed light on an aspect of service innovation processes that has remained fairly hidden so far, namely, the role of emotions. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use the strategizing approach from strategy research, which focusses on detailed processes, practices, and discourse, to understand the influence of emotions on service innovation processes. The empirical data stem from a longitudinal ethnographic study of a service innovation process. Findings – In the investigated case, the dominant emotion of anxiety is revealed. The authors focus on this emotion in order to explore how it affects the innovation process itself and the outcome. The authors identify five emotion-driven practices that form elements of what the authors label emotional strategizing. Practical implications – Emotion seems to give energy and direction to the service innovation process. This is both positive and challenging for top-level managers. Originality/value – The authors reveal a hidden aspect of service innovation processes – the effect of emotions. Furthermore, the authors show that emotions are important because they give energy and direction to the innovation work, and emerge in practices. Emotional strategizing, as a new term, gives visibility to this important issue.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Katri Kerem ◽  
Dietmar Sternad

Subject area Marketing, branding, strategic management, online retailing, and entrepreneurship. Study level/applicability Postgraduate courses in: strategic management; marketing management (branding); and entrepreneurship. Case overview The case describes the founding and the first year of an Estonian internet start-up, the “deal-of-the-day” web site Cherry.ee. The focal topic of the case is the analysis of alternative scenarios for the further development of the company after the first year in business: selling the company, entering into a merger with similar businesses, or continuing to develop the brand independently. The case gives an example of creating a new market, introducing a new business model and launching a brand with substantial use of social media marketing. The successful business model was quickly copied by a lot of followers creating a fierce competitive environment and raising a question of sustainability of the competitive advantage. The case provides an opportunity to discuss how to strategically handle the development of a growing start-up company in an increasingly competitive market environment. Expected learning outcomes Understanding the critical success factors and potential pitfalls for an internet start-up; developing skills to critically analyze the concept of sustainable competitive advantage; comprehension of the main factors influencing the strategic decision on whether to follow a growth, cooperation, or exit strategy; and awareness of the relative advantages of online and offline marketing and understanding how social media strategies can be used to build a brand. Supplementary materials Teaching note.


2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 364-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiwei Gong ◽  
Marijn Janssen

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demystify Lean for service innovation by investigating its benefits and risks. Lean innovation is a relatively new approach which is advocated in management literature. Little scientific work about its practice exists in the field. Although the Lean innovation principles are clear, there is limited evidence about their impact on service innovation processes. Design/methodology/approach – From the knowledge-based view (KBV) of the firm, a framework for understanding Lean innovation is developed. Using this framework, the benefits and risks of Lean innovation are analyzed in a case study. Findings – The case study not only shows that Lean service innovation can have many advantages, but also draws attention to the risks. The risks might result in the inability to follow Lean principles and might hamper the realization of the benefits. Using the case studies, study mitigation mechanisms are identified. Originality/value – This research offers a new knowledge perspective and a better understanding of Lean service innovation. There are two main contribution of this paper. First of all, it reports on the impact of Lean innovation on a bank’s innovation processes, both its benefit and risks. This has a contribution to understanding the innovation process in service organizations. Second, this paper extends Lean innovation to a service context and contributes to the knowledge basis of Lean innovation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bai XiuYin ◽  
Muhammad Imran Hanif ◽  
Li Fensheng ◽  
Muhammad Shehzad Hanif ◽  
Gu Yinhua

Purpose Gridded management in the public service supply is still in the experience exploratory stage, and this paper aims to analyze the inherent logic and operation mode of the gridding mechanism of the public supply based on the existing theory study and practices, and verify its efficiency so as to come to the conclusion whether it could be promoted to a wider range. Design/methodology/approach The methodology applied in this paper was case study/deductive induction. Findings The grid model in the public service supply needs to be demonstrated completely in theoretical logic and operation principles before it is promoted across the country. Meanwhile, full support of the government is required in terms of service concept, function distribution, technical parameters and infrastructure. Research limitations/implications The inherent logic and operation mode of the gridding mechanism of the public service supply needs enough practice tests. The practical test of efficiency analysis of the gridding mechanism of the public service supply is not enough. Social implications This paper validated whether the gridding mechanism that originated from China’s urban management can be promoted to all over the country in the public service supply. It provides references for government policy. Originality/value This paper constructs a gridded management model for public service provision in urban and rural areas on the basis of an analysis of the plight of traditional model of public service provision, thus delivering the same standard of public service for both urban and rural areas through optimization of resource allocation without requiring more supply and fundamental change to the content of service.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cerlin Pesti ◽  
Tiina Randma-Liiv

Abstract The aim of this article is to explore and explain the 2012 civil service reform in Estonia. The study builds on the concept of public service bargain, which facilitates the operationalization of changes in the civil service system. Although public service bargain has attracted a lot of interest of public administration scholars, it has not been previously applied in the civil service research in Central and Eastern Europe. The theoretical part synthesizes previous literature on typologies of public service bargain, thus elaborating an analytical framework for the empirical study. The empirical study addresses the following research question: did the civil service reform change the public service bargain in Estonia and if so, how ? The empirical research was carried out by relying on desk research, secondary literature on Estonian administrative reforms and participant observation. The study builds partly on the materials collected for the EUPACK case study on Estonia. The analysis shows that the civil service reform brought along changes in all three components of public service bargain: reward, competency and loyalty, although the agency-type bargain was retained. The shift towards the managerial public service bargain is evidenced in the greater emphasis on flexibility in employment relations, the use of fixed-term contracts, increased private-sector-style practices at all levels of the civil service, an emphasis on performance management, and the reduction of job security. Despite the widespread criticism of NPM, the Estonian civil service reform presents a “textbook case” of managerial NPM-oriented reform. It is argued that substantially diminished rewards may contribute to a vicious circle of temporary civil servants, including problems with recruiting new officials and a further increase in their turnover, ultimately leading to a “temporary state”. The loyalty of civil servants may in turn shift towards instrumental, short-term and easily influenced or changing loyalty, thus challenging the fundamental values of democratic governance.


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