After the revolution – new chances for service research in a digital world

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 597-607
Author(s):  
Werner H. Kunz ◽  
Gianfranco Walsh

PurposeDigital media has revolutionized societies and changed forever how we do business. This paper aims to determine the current scope of service research in the area of digital media, identifying research gaps and introducing new research contributions to complement our knowledge of digital media.Design/methodology/approachBased on all service articles of the SERVSIG literature alert system from 2016 to 2019, a subset of digital media articles was identified and latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) text-mining methods were used on the abstracts and titles of the articles for topic modeling of the field. Dominant research topics were identified and depicted in a two-dimensional space.FindingsThe study identifies eight distinct topic areas of digital media in service research and shows their relationship to each other in a two-dimensional space. A clear tendency in service research towards taking primarily a customer (versus business perspective) of digital media can be observed. Further, for some journals, a trend towards specialization on particular topics could be detected.Research limitations/implicationsThis article advocates for more digital media research with a stronger business perspective. Further, although particular new technologies are exciting to discuss, it seems that the importance of customer relationship topics in digital media is not reflected in the current digital media research as needed.Originality/valueThe article uses a quantitative–explorative approach to determine the current state of research in regard to digital media in services. The authors introduce 11 new studies that aim to close the knowledge gap in critical areas of digital media.

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 776-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth N. Bolton ◽  
Janet R. McColl-Kennedy ◽  
Lilliemay Cheung ◽  
Andrew Gallan ◽  
Chiara Orsingher ◽  
...  

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore innovations in customer experience at the intersection of the digital, physical and social realms. It explicitly considers experiences involving new technology-enabled services, such as digital twins and automated social presence (i.e. virtual assistants and service robots).Design/methodology/approachFuture customer experiences are conceptualized within a three-dimensional space – low to high digital density, low to high physical complexity and low to high social presence – yielding eight octants.FindingsThe conceptual framework identifies eight “dualities,” or specific challenges connected with integrating digital, physical and social realms that challenge organizations to create superior customer experiences in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets. The eight dualities are opposing strategic options that organizations must reconcile when co-creating customer experiences under different conditions.Research limitations/implicationsA review of theory demonstrates that little research has been conducted at the intersection of the digital, physical and social realms. Most studies focus on one realm, with occasional reference to another. This paper suggests an agenda for future research and gives examples of fruitful ways to study connections among the three realms rather than in a single realm.Practical implicationsThis paper provides guidance for managers in designing and managing customer experiences that the authors believe will need to be addressed by the year 2050.Social implicationsThis paper discusses important societal issues, such as individual and societal needs for privacy, security and transparency. It sets out potential avenues for service innovation in these areas.Originality/valueThe conceptual framework integrates knowledge about customer experiences in digital, physical and social realms in a new way, with insights for future service research, managers and public policy makers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-178
Author(s):  
Alina R. Latypova ◽  

The following paper considers the immanent principles of digital media evolution. The features of the evolutional route of digital objects are conditioned by glitches, errors and bugs, which appear in media functioning, what in its turn gives birth to the new forms, structures and configurations of digital reality. The glitches are considered not only as a kind of digital mutations, but also as a sign of activity of media. Decisions elaborated from the programs’ failures enlarge the resolution capacity of new technologies. The paper provides an analysis of certain errors and glitches, which engineers, programmers, game designers faced with during their work with digital environment. The theoretical framework includes Henri Bergson’s theory of creative evolution, Gram Harman’s object-oriented philosophy, media philosophical approach to the problem of the activity of object proposed by Valery Savchuk and the theory of self-organisation and autopoiesis of the social systems worked out by Niklas Luhmann. The analysis of digital objects activity demonstrates two levels of functioning. The first one, fictional level, reveals mainly (but not only) in the computer games and concerns the content of media, when we gain a habit to interact with digital objects/characters as if they are real. The second level, operational, realises in the digital environment in general and concerns the form of media. On this level, glitches and bugs have crucial meaning, because they might evoke the changes in the digital world organisation, starting from the local decisions for the certain program (e.g. the elaboration of the new ways in solving locomotional tasks in simulations, which might be later use in other projects) and ending with the replacement of practices and representations typical for the human of digital era. The paper shows that it is possible to talk about digital evolution not in terms of the history of technological inventions, but in terms of the changes in digital objects caused by the inner logic of media, independently from the human will and expectations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1661-1683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawel Stapór

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to carry out a finite element simulation of a physically non-linear phase change problem in a two-dimensional space without adaptive remeshing or moving-mesh algorithms. The extended finite element method (XFEM) and the level set method (LSM) were used to capture the transient solution and motion of phase boundaries. It was crucial to consider the effects of unequal densities of the solid and liquid phases and the flow in the liquid region. Design/methodology/approach – The XFEM and the LSM are applied to solve non-linear transient problems with a phase change in a two-dimensional space. The model assumes thermo-dependent properties of the material and unequal densities of the phases; it also allows for convection in the liquid phase. A non-linear system of equations is derived and a numerical solution is proposed. The Newton-Raphson method is used to solve the problem and the LSM is applied to track the interface. Findings – The robustness and utility of the method are demonstrated on several two-dimensional benchmark problems. Originality/value – The novel procedure based on the XFEM and the LSM was developed to solve physically non-linear phase change problems with unequal densities of phases in a two-dimensional space.


Author(s):  
Katarzyna Borawska-Kalbarczyk

The article presents selected aspects of the process of cognitive functioning of the users of contemporary technologies and the Internet, with special consideration of the negative effects of being immersed in the digital culture. The introduction synthetically characterizes the digital world, focusing on the most active users of the virtual space. In the body of the text, the author analyzes the negative effects of an individual’s functioning in the Internet space, especially those related to the change in the way of information acquisition and processing. The conclusions refer to implementing educational postulates connected with helping students develop the culture of behavior in the virtual space, involving as major elements the ability to distance oneself from digital media, to engage in deep reflection, and to organize and sort the acquired information. These skills are treated as crucial, ensuring the rational use of digital technologies. Focusing educational activities on the formation of youths’ media competence offers them an opportunity of fuller intellectual development, the sense of security in the context of expansion of the media, and active participation in the information society by structuring the available information and the knowledge constructed on its basis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Nasarre-Aznar

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the questioning around the current suitability of ownership both for accessing to certain property (housing, to be more specific) and chattels (digital contents, animals and autonomous robots) that have recently flourished, favored by technological advances and the change in the values of the millennials’ in a context of crisis. Design/methodology/approach The process of substitution (e.g. through alternative housing tenures, such as intermediate tenures and collaborative housing, licensing digital contents) or erosion/elimination (e.g. owning animals and robots, tokenization through blockchain) of ownership through key types of property and chattels. Findings Ownership, both of land and goods, is again at the stake. Technological advances and/or new values of millennials in a context of crisis have led to questioning the suitability of ownership to favor universal access to housing, of holding music and other digital contents, have limited the faculties of animals’ and pets’ owners and are favoring the evolution of autonomous robots into subjects of law rather than mere objects. Research limitations/implications Only key property (housing) and chattels are studied (digital contents, animals, robots). There is no broad study of the global current situation of ownership. Practical implications It is discussed how the changes of values and technological advances in a context of crisis have impacted in the strength and reliability of ownership to allow access to property and chattels. Social implications These changes in ownership change how we can access to property (housing) and to chattels (digital media) and even to changes in what is considered “object” such as what is happening in Europe with animals and robots. Originality/value This is a new approach to consequences of the crisis in the field of housing (fractioning of ownership -temporal and shared ownership-, collaborative economy) and a change of values in the new millennial generation (animals) in this context and owing to the advance of the new technologies (robots). Is ownership again at the stake?


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 1937-1966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Mohammad Mousavi ◽  
Omid Ali Akbari ◽  
Ghanbarali Sheikhzadeh ◽  
Ali Marzban ◽  
Davood Toghraie ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this study is two phase modeling of Water/Cu nanofluid forced convection in different arrangements of elliptical tube banks in a two-dimensional space. Design/methodology/approach The arrangements of tube banks have been regarded as equal spacing triangle (ES), equilateral triangle (ET) and the rotated square (RS). The obtained results indicate that, among the investigated arrangements, the RS arrangement has the maximum value of heat transfer with cooling fluid. Also, the changes of Nusselt number and the local friction factor are under the influence of three main factors including volume fraction of slid nanoparticles, the changes of fluid velocity parameters on the curved surface of tube and flow separation after crossing from a specified angle of fluid rotation. Findings In Reynolds number of 250 and in all arrangements of the tube banks, the behavior of Nusselt number is almost the same and the separation of flow happens in almost 155-165 degrees from fluid rotation on surface. In RS arrangement, due to the strength of vortexes after fluid separation, better mixture is created and because of this reason, after the separation zone, the level of local Nusselt number graph enhances significantly. Originality/value In this research, the laminar and two-phase flow of Water/Cu nanofluid in tube banks with elliptical cross section has been numerically investigated in a two-dimensional space with different longitudinal arrangements. In this study, the effects of using nanofluid, different arrangements of tube banks and the elliptical cross section on heat transfer and cooling fluid flow among the tube banks of heat exchanger have been numerically simulated by using finite volume method.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia A. Dressler

Purpose Digital preservation is a term that is a bit of an enigma to many people both in and out of the digital arena, but it will undoubtedly be important in an increasingly all-digital world. The underlying work relating to digital preservation is essential to the long-term care of digital media, but who is charged with addressing this type of work, and can policy serve to structure and also reflect this complex concept? The main point of interest for this study is to examine existing digital preservation policies at Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions and analyze the content of the policies. The purpose will be to determine if these policies are able to provide a robust framework for true digital preservation work at this point in time. First, an introduction is made to provide the structure of the study and background. Next, a literature review is provided, followed by an outline of the methods and results of the study, and finally a conclusion with recommendations for future research. Design/methodology/approach An analysis of digital preservation policy at ARL institutions is conducted, with recommendations provided for further research. Findings This study was an attempt to highlight the current state of digital preservation policies, reviewing both the positive elements and the shortcomings of policies at ARL member institutions. The call for policies made for this study resulted in finding that 32 (26 per cent) ARL institutions currently have a digital preservation policy in place, from the institutions that responded (58 per cent response rate). In total, 23/40 institutions without a current policy indicate there is, or will be, work to complete a policy within the coming year (2016-2017). A call can be made at this time for more in-depth research and analysis of the policies for further inquiry. Both effective (University of Houston, University of Florida, York University) and ineffective (Colorado State University, University of Texas, Virginia Tech) digital preservation policies were discovered during the course of the study, with many policies falling somewhere in the middle. Many institutions provided a good template for digital preservation but lacked details for how this work would be addressed and who would be completing such work. Research limitations/implications Limited to ARL member institutions at the time of the study (January 2016). Originality/value There is currently a gap in analysis and research of digital preservation policies. This is an area of active policy creation for many institutions, and it will likely be a growing area for researchers to examine.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 472-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Heinonen ◽  
Tore Strandvik

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the theoretical and practical implications of adopting customer-dominant logic (CDL) of service, focusing on how firms can become involved in the customers’ context. Design/methodology/approach – Inspired by the conceptual discussion of service logic and service-dominant logic, this paper focuses on the conceptual underpinnings of CDL. CDL is contrasted with other service perspectives in marketing; CDL is a marketing and business perspective dominated by customer-related aspects instead of products, service, systems, costs or growth. It is grounded in understanding customer logic and how firms’ offerings can become embedded in customers’ lives/businesses. Findings – The conceptual analysis challenges the prevailing assumptions of key phenomena in service research, including interaction, co-creation, service value and service. The paper presents five essential foundations of CDL: marketing as a business perspective, customer logic as the central concept, offering seen through the customer lens, value as formed and not created and the prevalence of customer ecosystems. Research limitations/implications – The paper differentiates CDL from other marketing perspectives. Further empirical research is needed in different empirical settings to provide guidelines for adopting the perspective on a strategic and operational business level. Practical implications – As a firm’s holistic and strategic foundation, marketing is based on understanding how providers participate, at a profit, in customers’ value formation. The paper suggests how firms can successfully conduct business in dynamic markets with empowered customers. Originality/value – This paper expands marketing and business logic based on customer dominance. It accentuates the importance of understanding customer logic and stresses the presence of providers in the customer ecosystem.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Dehghan ◽  
Vahid Mohammadi

Purpose This study aims to apply a numerical meshless method, namely, the boundary knot method (BKM) combined with the meshless analog equation method (MAEM) in space and use a semi-implicit scheme in time for finding a new numerical solution of the advection–reaction–diffusion and reaction–diffusion systems in two-dimensional spaces, which arise in biology. Design/methodology/approach First, the BKM is applied to approximate the spatial variables of the studied mathematical models. Then, this study derives fully discrete scheme of the studied models using a semi-implicit scheme based on Crank–Nicolson idea, which gives a linear system of algebraic equations with a non-square matrix per time step that is solved by the singular value decomposition. The proposed approach approximates the solution of a given partial differential equation using particular and homogeneous solutions and without considering the fundamental solutions of the proposed equations. Findings This study reports some numerical simulations for showing the ability of the presented technique in solving the studied mathematical models arising in biology. The obtained results by the developed numerical scheme are in good agreement with the results reported in the literature. Besides, a simulation of the proposed model is done on buttery shape domain in two-dimensional space. Originality/value This study develops the BKM combined with MAEM for solving the coupled systems of (advection) reaction–diffusion equations in two-dimensional spaces. Besides, it does not need the fundamental solution of the mathematical models studied here, which omits any difficulties.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-387
Author(s):  
Sumayya Rashid ◽  
Vanessa Ratten

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the role of dynamic capabilities for the survival of family-owned business (FOB) in Pakistan. The paper aims at examining the impact of digitization on business landscape for FOBs.Design/methodology/approachData for this research were collected using in-depth interviews. About 24 interviews were conducted with the owners of 24 FOBs in four different states of Pakistan. Interviews were translated and transcribed. By using GIOIA methodology, first-order concepts, themes and aggregate dimension were identified that explained the additional dynamic capabilities needed for family businesses in digital era.FindingsThe results of the data analysis revealed that family businesses are struggling to cope with thriving digital market. Digital mind-set is needed to survive in the market. The ability to respond to change is needed. The intelligence and wisdom needed for creating and maintaining an intellectual asset should be used by investing in new technologies. Importantly, businesses need to maintain an emotionally and artificially intelligent brand.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is based on four different states of Pakistan. By focussing on each state could generate more data. The research is focussed on Pakistan to know about the dynamics of emerging economies. Replicating same research on other developing countries can bring more results. Lastly, it is a purely qualitative research. A quantitative analysis could bring a new context to the problem.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the challenges of family businesses for coping in digital market helps other family businesses to get a know-how before entering the market. Digital presence can help in building the brand but when not handled correctly can damage the brand as well. Investing in additional capabilities can provide a competitive advantage to family businesses. Family businesses possess a passion for the idea which helps to build the narrative for the brand.Originality/valueThis research is contributing to highlight the scenario of an emerging economy by studying the challenges of FOB in digitization. The literature provides more information and theories regarding developed countries. This research is a picture of developing economy and how wave of digital era has transformed the business landscape. In-depth interviews were conducted for deep insights which helps in contributing towards family business research.


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