scholarly journals RAPPORT AND ITS MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS IN FM SERVICE OUTSOURCING RELATIONSHIPS

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiying HOU ◽  
Daniel Chi Wing HO
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Service Outsourcing ◽  
Relationship Partners ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Conceptual Relationships

In Hong Kong, client companies tend not to renew contracts with relationship partners and may change facilities management (FM) service providers on a frequent basis. This phenomenon is common in the FM industry. Inspired by the phenomenon of changing service providers, this study sheds light on a social relations perspective in outsourcing relationships and aims to investigate the factors that affect FM service outsourcing relationships. Open interviews with 20 FM managers were conducted, and the interview results were analysed with content analysis and coding methods. The empirical findings were interpreted on two levels. First, FM managers believe that rapport is an influential factor that affects FM service outsourcing relationships. Second, the courses in which the interviewees explain the manifestation of rapport and its significance reveal that common goals, shared values, trust, openness, and coordination are the factors that not only nurture the formation of rapport, but also have significant influences on social relations in the process of outsourcing. A framework has been developed to describe the conceptual relationships found in the empirical findings from the interviews. Eight guidelines have been outlined to indicate the managerial implications of this study.

Tight budget constraints and the absence of strategic planning

Facilities ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 380-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiying Hou ◽  
Daniel C.W. Ho ◽  
Jacky K.H. Chung ◽  
Kelwin K.W. Wong
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Budget Constraints ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Service Outsourcing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Coding Method

Purpose This paper aims to identify the factors that affect facilities management (FM) service outsourcing. Design/methodology/approach Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted for this study. A total of 25 professional FM managers were invited to participate in the FGDs. The qualitative data collected from the FGDs were analysed with the coding method. Findings FM managers commonly regard that tight budget constraints and the absence of strategic planning are two important factors that affect FM service outsourcing. Tight budget constraints reflect that clients control their service providers by constraining budgets, which creates a series of inefficiencies in the outsourcing process and thus lead to adverse outsourcing relationships. A series of strategies are recommended to deal with the challenges posed by budget constraints and the lack strategic planning. Research limitations/implications Twenty-five Hong Kong-based FM managers were interviewed for this study. The empirical data collected mainly reflects FM service outsourcing in Hong Kong. It is important to test the findings with a bigger group of FM managers from other regions. Originality/value The managerial significance of FM service outsourcing has not yet been valued in practice. This study draws academic attention to FM service outsourcing practice and provides practical opinions from FM managers. Also, this study adopts the FGD method in data collection, which extracts to a maximum degree of authentic opinions from practitioners.

Deriving managerial implications through SERVQUAL gap elasticity in UAE banking

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 940-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mukesh Kumar ◽  
K.S. Sujit ◽  
Vincent Charles
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
The Right

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose the microeconomics concept of elasticity to estimate the SERVQUAL gap elasticity to derive important insights for service providers to develop the right strategies to bridge the overall gap in service. Design/methodology/approach The dimensions of SERVQUAL adopted from Parasuraman et al. (1988) and Kumar et al. (2009) are first verified for their unidimensionality using structural equation modeling and reliability in the context of United Arab Emirates banking industry. Furthermore, the technique of dominance analysis is used to derive the relative importance of dimensions for different groups of banks. Finally, the stepwise log-linear regression models are used to estimate the gap elasticity to measure the responsiveness of the overall SERVQUAL gap to a change in customers’ perception on different dimension. Findings The results reveal that the dimension which is prioritized as the most important dimension need not to be the one to be targeted under the resource constraint to react faster to the changes of customers’ banking behavior. Originality/value This is probably the first attempt to examine the service quality through gap elasticity. This method is especially useful when the traditional approach to measure relative importance of critical factors fails to clearly discriminate between two or more dimensions, which, in turn, may lead to failure in decision making to choose the right strategies to bridge the overall gap in the service.

scholarly journals Examining Cross-Industry Collaboration in Sharing Economy Based On Social Exchange and Social Network Theories

2020 ◽  
pp. 29-41
Author(s):  
Cheng-Wen Lee ◽  
Hao-Yuan Yu
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Jel Classification ◽  
Industry Collaboration ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
The Cost

Information technology and advanced online environments have reduced the cost of these exchange activities and triggered the emergence of the sharing economy. Con-sequently, public attitude toward the sharing economy has gradually shifted from re-luctance to acceptance. Moreover, the sharing economy has revolutionized the busi-ness models and viewpoints of conventional industries, and sharing service providers have gradually shifted from an independent to a collaborative stance, thereby affect-ing conventional economies. This study interprets the phenomenon of cross-industry collaboration in the sharing economy through social exchange and social network the-ories. A multiple-case research framework is used to examine tourism and service in-dustries. Secondary data of service providers and users on sharing platforms are ana-lyzed using content analysis, supplemented with a content analysis of the interview data of three hotel executives. The varying phenomena of the conventional and shar-ing economies on social exchange and social network were compared. Finally, this paper proposes conclusions and practical recommendations according to the analytical results. JEL classification numbers: D85, M31, L14. Keywords: Cross-Industry Collaboration, Sharing Economy, Social Exchange, Social Network.

scholarly journals The Determinant of Participation in The Social Activities: Case in Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-200
Author(s):  
Bayu Kharisma
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Credit Association ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfers ◽  
The Impact

One of the most issues debated in the social capital literature is the unconditional cash transfer effect on social capital, especially regarding the potential of unmeasured targeted mechanisms at the community level about social relations. This article aims to identify the determinant of social capital in the form of household participation in social activities and the impact of unconditional cash transfers (BLT) on participation in social activities in Indonesia by using differences-differences approach (DID). The results showed that the most influential factor on household participation in social activities is the education level of the head of the household and the members of the productive age group. Meanwhile, unconditional cash transfers policy has a positive effect on the rotating saving and credit association. Thus, participation in social activities undertaken by the community undoubtedly has an important element in the success of government programs.DOI: 10.15408/sjie.v7i2.7365

scholarly journals Effective Factors in the Establishment and Implementation of Patient Electronic Referral System in the Healthcare System: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Tajari ◽  
Ghahraman Mahmoudi ◽  
Fatemeh Dabbaghi ◽  
Jamshid Yazdani-Charati
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Resource Management ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Referral System ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Services Use ◽  
Effective Factors ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Electronic Referral

Background and Purpose: The electronic referral system was established in Iran with the aim of increasing access to care, improving interaction, and efficient use of resources. The purpose of this study was to determine the effective factors in the establishment and implementation of electronic referral system in Iran. Methods: The present study was qualitative with a content analysis approach. In order to collect information, in-depth and semi-structured interviews were used. After interviewing 42 people, the information was saturated. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed, and the main topics were quoted, cited, and coded. The content analysis method was used and all authors participated in the analysis process to avoid bias and agreement. Results: Four main themes and eleven sub-themes were mentioned as effective themes in the implementation of the electronic referral system by the interviewees including resource management (human resource management, financing and equipment, and infrastructure), stewardship (policy-making, inter-sectorial leadership, and intra-sectorial governance), advocacy stakeholders (senior officials and policy-makers related to the program, service providers, community), and social commitment (commitment and accountability of service providers). Conclusions: Successful implementation of electronic referral systems requires the development of an operational plan that correctly identifies the factors affecting the establishment and implementation, as well as the cooperation of all responsible organizations which can help improve the establishment and sustainability of the program. It is suggested that managers and officials active in the field of health services use the results of this study in the establishment and implementation of electronic referral system.

A Complementary Resource Bundle as an Antecedent of E-Channel Success in Small Retail Service Providers

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Kyung Cho ◽  
Larry J. Menor
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Performance Impact ◽  
Service Channel ◽  
Channel One ◽  
Retail Service ◽  
Managerial Implications

This study proposes an e-service resource bundle (E-SRB) as an antecedent of electronic service channel (e-channel) success in small retail service providers. The E-SRB indicates a collection of three resources: e-market acuity, e-IT competence, and e-service agility. Given the interdependence of these three resources in delivering quality e-services, the authors hypothesize about their complementarity and its positive effect on performance. The results of this structural equation modeling using survey data show support for the proposed hypotheses, demonstrating that the E-SRB positively influences e-channel performance. The performance impact is not limited to perceived financial performance but extends to self-reported dollar-based sales and profits. These results have theoretical implications when it comes to linking e-service quality to financial performance. They also carry managerial implications for small-scale e-retailing, where limited resources can seriously impede the full use of the e-channel. One of these implications concerns what resources are necessary and how to allocate them in order to improve an e-service system. In the end, this study suggests that managers should understand the interrelationships that might exist among resources that collectively influence performance.

scholarly journals Incitement to riot: intermediary liability of ISP`S

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 111-118
Author(s):  
Murad Madzhumayev
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Eastern Bloc ◽  
Internet Service ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Intermediary Liability ◽  
Technical Capacity ◽  
The Arab Spring

Collective actions, particularly organization, promotion, encouragement, and incitement to civil disturbances, are hard to imagine without use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Recent events such as the Arab Spring, the colour revolutions (e.g. in former Eastern Bloc and the Balkan countries), the unrest in Minneapolis in 2020 which subsequently spread to other US cities, and the US Capitol riots 2021 present significant evidence in this regard. The dissemination of information online inciting to riots involves internet service providers (ISPs) alongside the author. The aim of the paper is to specify the actors in accordance with their functions and determine their eligibility to be prosecuted in cases of incitement to riots using ICTs. Formulated a conclusion about the onset of intermediary liability of ISPs, holding the organizational and technical capacity to influence the information social relations of their users at any time.

3. Intervening with Agriculture: A Case Study of Guerrilla Gardening in Kingston, Ontario

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Crane
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Agriculture ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Community Gardening ◽  
Spatial Justice ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Right ◽  
The City

The purpose of this study was to analyze guerrilla gardening’s relationship to urban space and contemporary notions of sustainability. To achieve this two case studies of urban agriculture, one of guerrilla gardening and one of community gardening were developed. Through this comparison, guerrilla gardening was framed as a method of spatial intervention, drawing in notions of spatial justice and the right to the city as initially theorized by Henri Lefebvre. The guerrilla gardening case study focuses on Dig Kingston, a project started by the researcher in June of 2010, and the community gardening case study will use the Oak Street Garden, the longest standing community garden in Kingston. The community gardening case study used content analysis and semi-structured long format interviews with relevant actors. The guerrilla gardening case study consisted primarily of action based research as well as content analysis and semi-structured long format interviews. By contributing to the small, but growing, number of accounts and research on guerrilla gardening this study can be used as a starting point to look into other forms of spatial intervention and how they relate to urban space and social relations. Furthermore, through the discussion of guerrilla gardening in an academic manner more legitimacy and weight will be given to it as a method of urban agriculture and interventionist tactic. On a wider scale, perhaps it could even contribute to answering the question of how we (as a society) can transform our cities and reengage in urban space.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE USE OF LOGISTICS SERVICES BY SEAFOOD EXPORTING ENTERPRISES IN HO CHI MINH CITY

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (04) ◽  
Author(s):  
HÀ CÔNG NGUYÊN ◽  
NGUYỄN THANH DƯƠNG ◽  
NGUYỄN TIẾN HOÀNG
Keyword(s):  
Business Performance ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Ho Chi Minh City ◽  
Logistics Industry ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Five Factors ◽  
Logistics Service Providers ◽  
Logistics Services

The study identifies the factors and measures the influence on the use of logistics services by seafood exporting enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City. Many research models on the same and relevant fields are reviewed to provide the comprehensive research background of the topic. Thereby, the research model and hypotheses are proposed with 26 observed variables for 05 factors of using logistics services. The survey is conducted in Ho Chi Minh City with 161 valid answers accepted for the analysis. After various statistical techniques to fully analyze data, the findings show that there is statistically significant relationship between all five factors and the use of logistics services by seafood exporting enterprises. Transportation time is the most influential factor, followed by reliability, cost, reputation and service quality. In accordance with these results, implications are proposed for both seafood exporting enterprises and logistics service providers to improve their operations and business performance. Despite the limitations during research process, the study has made a significant contribution to the literature of B2B buying relationship in the logistics industry.

Aesthetic Work as Cultural Competence: Chasing Beauty in the Coproduction of Aesthetic Services

2021 ◽  
pp. 109467052110479
Author(s):  
Aphrodite Vlahos ◽  
Anna E. Hartman ◽  
Julie L. Ozanne
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Social Resources ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Consumer Participation ◽  
Social Standards ◽  
Managerial Implications

Prior research stresses the importance of consumer participation in service coproduction. We examine the coproduction of aesthetic services, which are services in which beauty is a critical outcome. Consumers face challenges communicating their aesthetic tastes because of technical constraints that are understood by service providers but that consumers do not fully understand. To fill this gap, consumers do aesthetic work in communities of practice. Service providers also face challenges, as they must coproduce with consumers whose aesthetic tastes are formed amid shifting social standards. In this qualitative study, we highlight aesthetic work as a different type of consumer work that involves developing cultural competence. We identify four types of aesthetic coproduction in which cultural competence is distributed differently within the service dyad: aesthetic codesigning, aesthetic consenting, aesthetic yielding, and aesthetic reigning. We explore the managerial implications that arise as consumers increasingly use online social resources that shape and increase aesthetic expectations. We examine the unintended consequences of aesthetic service coproduction in which providers’ technical and aesthetic expertise is difficult for consumers to understand often leading to disappointing outcomes.

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