Measuring client-based corporate reputation in B2B professional services: scale development and validation

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianfranco Walsh ◽  
Sharon E Beatty ◽  
Betsy Bugg Holloway
Keyword(s):  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Professional Services Firms ◽  
Business To Business ◽  
Business Professional

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a client-based reputation of business-to-business professional services firms scale (PSF-Rep) which measures clients’ perceptions of the reputation of professional service provider firms. So far, no multidimensional scale exists in the literature to measure the reputation of professional service firms, although the reputation dimensions of importance are likely to be very different from other settings. Design/methodology/approach – From an initial pool of fieldwork-based items, an 18-item PSF-Rep scale is developed, which is validated using several samples – corporate financial decision-makers’ views of their accounting firms in a US national sample and organizational clients of one large legal firm with national presence. Findings – The four-dimensional PSF-Rep scale meets all established reliability and validity criteria. Further, reputation and its dimensions (using PSF-Rep) are positively associated with important marketing outcomes, including word of mouth, loyalty intentions, trust and share of wallet. Originality/value – As professional service markets become more competitive, firms recognize the importance of a good reputation in attracting customers. This research is the first to propose a psychometrically robust measure to capture client-based reputation of business-to-business professional services firms.

Does cooperating with customers support the financial performance of business-to-business professional service firms?

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 547-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vida Siahtiri
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Customer Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business To Business ◽  
Business Professional

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between Business-to-business professional service firms (B2B PSFs) customer cooperation capability (CCC) and its financial performance. This study explores how deep and broad expert and customer knowledge assist PSFs to enhance CCC and increase financial performance. Design/methodology/approach A multiple informant survey was designed and administered to B2B PSFs’ managers in Taiwan. Findings The results indicate that customer and expert knowledge improve PSFs’ CCC and that CCC has a positive U-shaped relationship with financial performance. Importantly, the ability to control for the efficiency of customer cooperation moderates the U-shaped relationship between CCC and financial performance by diminishing the negative effect of low levels of CCC. Originality/value The contribution of this study rests on the theory developed and empirical support disclosing the complex relationship between PSFs’ CCC and financial performance. The study further contributes to the literature by presenting different effect of deep and broad expert and customer knowledge on development of CCC. The study extends the literature by introducing control for efficiency of customer cooperation as a mechanism that has the capacity to compensate for lower levels of CCC.

scholarly journals From outsider to insider: how creative professional service firms internationalise

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 869-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deirdre McQuillan ◽  
Pamela Sharkey Scott ◽  
Vincent Mangematin
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Business Strategies ◽  
Local Market ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Professional

Purpose The management of reputation and status is central to creative professional service firms (CPSFs) rendering the internationalisation process a particular challenge. The authors build on arguments that internationalisation requires moving from outsidership to insidership within client networks and focus on how CPSFs build signals about quality to start this process. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The exploration draws from the international business, professional services and organisational status bodies of literature. A multiple case study design was developed comprising ten Irish architecture firms. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Findings The findings clarify how relationships start in the internationalisation process through signal building about quality. This allows CPSFs to join client networks moving from outsidership to insidership. The findings systemise three different approaches for CPSFs: from outsidership to insidership within a local market network, within a global industry network and within a global project network. Research limitations/implications Research within other sectoral and geographical contexts could support transferability of the findings. Practical implications The study has implications for international business strategies as it identifies multiple paths to relevant network insidership and the tactical responses managers can use to achieve this. Originality/value The authors believe that incorporating signal-building mechanisms into the internationalisation process is a novel approach to theorizing about how CPSFs move from outsidership to insidership. The authors offer important theoretical insights into the international business, professional service firm and organisational status literatures. CPSF business leaders should benefit as it helps them to focus on a portfolio of signal-building approaches that can start the internationalisation process.

scholarly journals Segmentation of quantity surveying professional services for focus strategy and diversification

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-308
Author(s):  
Michael Adesi ◽  
De-Graft Owusu-Manu ◽  
Frank Boateng
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantity Surveying ◽  
Focus Strategy

Purpose Notwithstanding that numerous studies have focused on strategy in quantity surveying (QS) professional service firms, there is a paucity of investigation on the segmentation of QS professional services. The purpose of this study is to investigate the segmentation of QS services for diversification and a focus strategy formation. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts the positivist stance and quantitative approach in which a simple random sampling technique was used to select participants. In total, 110 survey questionnaires were administered to registered professional QS, out of which 79 completed questionnaires were returned for analysis. Findings The paper identifies three main QS service segments characterised by low, moderate and high competition. In addition, this study found that the concentration of traditional QS services in the building construction sector is due to the unwillingness of QS professional service firms to diversify into the non-construction sectors such as oil and gas. The diversification of QS services in the low competitive segment requires the adoption of agile approaches. Research limitations/implications The study was limited to numeric analyses and so would be complemented by qualitative research in the future. Practical implications This paper is useful to QS professional service firms interested in diversifying their services into the non-construction sectors to enhance the pricing of their services. Originality/value Segmentation of QS services is fundamental to the formulation of focus strategy for non-construction sectors such as oil and gas and mining to enhance the pricing of QS professional services.

Team learning capability – an instrument for innovation ambidexterity?

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Helen Batt-Rawden ◽  
Gudbrand Lien ◽  
Terje Slåtten
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Team Learning ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Learning Capability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Capabilities

Purpose The aim of this paper is to develop the concept of team learning capability in professional service firms. Thereafter, to examine the effect of team learning capability on innovation ambidexterity. The aspects of exploitive and explorative knowledge creation in teams and its impact on incremental and radical service innovation are in focus. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modelling was applied to establish reliability and validity and measure the size of relationships. Evidence is drawn upon an empirical sample of 210 consultants in the professional service industry. Findings The findings support the concept of team learning capability and reveal that team learning capability consists of relationship learning in teams, trusting team climate and employee commitment. The results indicate a strong positive relationship between team learning capability and innovation ambidexterity in professional service firms. Originality/value This study is the first to offer an empirical-based and contextualized framework for team learning capabilities and a valid measure.

An emerging market perspective of what makes professional service firms successful

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 57-78
Author(s):  
Felix Nana Abaka Sackey ◽  
Livingstone Divine Caesar
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Strategic Partnerships ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Despite the criticality of strategic partnerships to the survival and success of professional service firms (PSF) in emerging markets, there is a dearth of research on the subject matter. Specifically, not much is known concerning the dynamics of partnerships among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the professional services sector of the economy. This paper aims to explore the dynamics of the impact of constructs such as attributes of partnership, communication behaviour and collaborative conflict resolution on partnership success. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey sent to 300 small and medium-sized PSFs achieved a 79% response rate. The data is then analysed using bivariate and multi-variate techniques. Findings The results revealed a positive relationship between two of the three constituents of attributes of the partnership (i.e. commitment and coordination) and the success of partnerships. Commitment and coordination emerged as the significant attributes of partners that affect the success of the partnership. Contrary to previous studies, trust and information sharing did not have a positive impact on partnership success. Practical implications PSFs in emerging markets need concerted efforts to maintain competitive and sustainable partnerships. To make any significant impact, they must develop contemporary skills in collaborative conflict management. Originality/value This paper highlights the need for PSFs and SMEs in other service sectors of emerging markets to harness partnerships as a valuable tool to overcome the policy shortcomings of current regulatory frameworks within their respective markets.

scholarly journals Exploring customers’ zone of tolerance for B2B professional service quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 380-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angus Ho ◽  
Piyush Sharma ◽  
Peter Hosie
Keyword(s):  
Firm Size ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Expectations ◽  
Zone Of Tolerance ◽  
Business To Business

Purpose – This paper aims to extend the current research on zone of tolerance (ZOT) and its antecedents, to the context of business-to-business (B2B) professional services from both client and service firms’ perspectives, with a modified ZOT framework including five client and service firms attributes as antecedents of desired (DSL) and adequate (ASL) service levels. Prior research on zone of tolerance (ZOT) and its antecedents mostly focuses on business-to-consumer services and customers’ perspective. The authors address these gaps with a modified ZOT framework with five attributes of client and service firms as antecedents of customer expectations, namely, desired service level (DSL) and adequate service level (ASL), for business-to-business (B2B) professional services. Design/methodology/approach – A combination of qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (online survey) research methods with managers of professional audit firms and their clients, using a reduced AUDITQUAL instrument with 39 items and seven dimensions. Findings – Professional firm size and fee premium have a positive effect on DSL; service tenure positively influences both DSL and ASL; client firm size has a negative effect on DSL; both client and service firm sizes positively moderate each other’s influence on the DSL; and DSL positively influences ASL. Research limitations/implications – The authors study a single B2B professional service (audit) in a single city (Hong Kong) from a single perspective (customers) that may limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research should validate the findings for other B2B professional services in diverse locations and also include service providers’ expectations and perceptions. Practical implications – Managers in professional service firms should understand the factors influencing different levels of expectations for their customers and develop suitable strategies (e.g. customer education and employee training) to manage these expectations more effectively. Originality/value – The authors extend current research on customer expectations and ZOT by identifying five unique attributes of professional service and client firms and testing their roles as antecedents of adequate and DSLs using AUDITQUAL instrument.

Queering accounting: opening up and connecting professional services firms

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 625-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas McGuigan ◽  
Alessandro Ghio
Keyword(s):  
Queer Theory ◽  
Research Impact ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Accounting Profession ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on the research undertaken by Egan (2018), arguing for the themes of opening and connecting to be embraced, adopted and practiced by professional service firms, those who work within them and the academic researchers actively engaged in investigating this field. Design/methodology/approach This study provides insights into the need for professional service firms to ensure breathing space for LGBTQI-identifying accountants rather than a simple acceptance and assimilation of LGTQI peoples within the consolidated heteronormative structures of the accounting profession. Starting from the recent societal and legislative changes coupled with the ongoing disruption of the business environment, this paper urges professional service firms and accounting researchers to open up and connect to cultural identification, theory, research ideas, research methodologies and research impact and dissemination. Originality/value This study represents the beginning of a discussion around the lifeworlds of LGBTQI-identifying accountants and how embracing these may be beneficial for their accounting profession. It provides a critical discussion of the current use of Queer Theory and it supports future studies around the notion of “intersectionality.” It also includes empirical evidence about connecting academic, professional and public communities around the topic of “Queering Accounting.”

Picking professionals: a client-centric knowledge assessment framework

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-345
Author(s):  
Tale Skjølsvik ◽  
Karl Joachim Breunig
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Purpose This paper aims to explore how professional competences are defined and assessed by clients of professional service firms (PSFs). Extant research has studied the knowledge base of professionals, but limited research has been conducted to develop an understanding of how clients value this knowledge. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on in-depth qualitative research design, which is suitable for inductive theory building. The collected data consist of interviews with 80 clients and sellers of professional services. Findings The authors offer a framework detailing the interrelationships between knowledge, experience and references as assessed by clients. In particular, references are used to evaluate experience, which in turn function as a proxy for how clients assess knowledge. Also, the study shows how the clients’ assessment of professional knowledge assets involves multiple levels and factors. Research limitations/implications Limited research has been conducted to understand client preferences and PSF competitive advantage from a client perspective. This paper contributes to extant literature on knowledge management by integrating it with insights from recent developments within service marketing focusing on client centricity and the role of clients in value creation. This perspective complements and extends what is already known about knowledge management. Practical implications The paper suggests that while it is essential to manage knowledge as such, references and experience has a very central role in selling and commercializing knowledge-intensive services. Thus, to the degree that clients buy knowledge, sellers should think carefully about how experience and references are developed, captured and conveyed to clients. From a client point, the identified framework has value in offering a client-centric conceptualization of knowledge that can be used as a starting point in defining their knowledge needs and in structuring and professionalizing their purchasing efforts related to professional services. Originality/value Knowledge-intensive service organizations sell their knowledge and resources to clients directly as experts and indirectly through their services. It is therefore imperative for these organizations to understand how their knowledge is evaluated by buyers. The paper takes a unique client-centric perspective in understanding knowledge from a buyer’s point of view and as perceived by the buyer, which largely has been lacking in existing knowledge management research.

ORGANISING FOR INNOVATION IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRMS: ECONOMETRIC EVIDENCE FROM THE UK

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
JANE BOURKE ◽  
STEPHEN ROPER ◽  
JAMES H LOVE
Keyword(s):  
Information Sharing ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Work Practices ◽  
Professional Service Firms ◽  
Econometric Evidence ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
The Uk

Undertaking innovation involves a range of different activities from ideation to the commercialisation of innovations. Each activity may have very different resources and organisational requirements, however, most prior studies treat innovation as a single un-differentiated activity. Here, using new survey data for professional service firms (PSFs) in the UK, we are able to examine separately how a range of organisational work practices influence success in ideation and commercialisation. In particular, we use principal component analysis (PCA) to identify and compare the benefits of four groups of organisational work practices relating to strategy & information sharing, recruitment & training, work flexibility & discretion and culture & leadership. Strong contrasts emerge between those work practices that are important for success in ideation and commercialisation. Work practices linked to culture & leadership are important for ideation activities, while strategy &information sharing practices are more strongly associated with commercialisation success. The results suggest clear managerial implications depending on the priority

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