bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions and acceptance of librarians towards using Facebook and Twitter to promote library services in Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Fasola Omobolanle Serifat
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to report on research that examined librarians’ perception and acceptance of use of Facebook and Twitter in promoting library services in Oyo state, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

– The survey design and interview were used to collect data from librarians in Oyo state. The questionnaire contained questions that are pertinent to the issues being investigated. The 81 responses (81 per cent) received were processed, analysed and results presented.

Findings

– The paper reveals that majority of the libraries in Oyo state, Nigeria, have Facebook profiles, though minority have Twitter accounts. Librarians in Oyo state, Nigeria, have high perception and acceptance of using Facebook and Twitter to promote library services. Findings also reveal that librarians in academic and special libraries in Oyo state, Nigeria, are more highly receptive to use of Facebook and Twitter to promote library services. Findings revealed further that younger librarians showed more positive perception and higher acceptance.

Research limitations/implications

– While the research was limited to librarians in Oyo state, Nigeria, it has applications to librarians and libraries all over Nigeria.

Practical implications

– This research provides information on the perceptions and acceptance of social media tools (Facebook and Twitter) in promoting library services. The findings may help provide information to library heads on adopting new and popular technologies to bring the library closer to the user and attract more users and on why it is not being used where they are provided.

Originality/value

– At the time of completing this study, research had mainly been on librarians’ use of social media for personal issues not on librarians’ perception and acceptance of using it to promote library services. This research also focuses on libraries in Oyo state having a presence on Facebook and Twitter to promote library service and direct and prompt communication with their users.
Structural equation model of organizational climate in Iranian academic libraries
Authors: Yaminfirooz Mousa , Nooshinfard Fatemeh , Siamian Hasan
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the status of organizational climate of Iranian academic libraries and map its structural equation model. Organizational climate is one of the main indicators of organizational health and dynamic.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research was an applied survey. The statistical population of the research included all staff working in 96 central libraries of Iranian governmental universities (N = 520). A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Some descriptive and inferential statistical methods applied for data analysis in SPSS and factor analysis in LISREL software were used for modelling organizational climates in the libraries.

Findings

– The t values of factor analysis pass showed that the effect of all indicators of ClimateQUAL on organizational climate was significant. The factor loading of the pass model showed that among the nine indicators, climate for psychological safety with 5.24, climate for innovation with 5.06 and climate for leadership with 4.93 had a higher effect on organizational climate of the libraries. Considering the values of goodness-of-fit indicators, the path model has an optimal status in all indicators, but that of RMSEA in which the status is relatively acceptable. The observed data relatively matched the theoretical model.

Originality/value

– The t values of factor analysis pass showed that the effect of all indicators of ClimateQUAL on organizational climate was significant. The factor loading of the pass model showed that among the nine indicators, climate for psychological security with 5.24, climate for innovation with 5.06 and climate for leadership with 4.93 had a higher effect on organizational climate of the libraries. Considering the values of goodness-of-fit indicators, the path model has an optimal status in all indicators, except the RMSEA in which the status is relatively acceptable. The observed data relatively matched the theoretical model.
Absorptive capacity and mass customization capability
Authors: Zhang Min , Zhao Xiande , Lyles Marjorie A. , Guo Hangfei
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of a manufacturer’s absorptive capacity (AC) on its mass customization capability (MCC).

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors conceptualize AC within the supply chain context as four processes: knowledge acquisition from customers, knowledge acquisition from suppliers, knowledge assimilation, and knowledge application. The authors then propose and empirically test a model on the relationships among AC processes and MCC using structural equation modeling and data collected from 276 manufacturing firms in China.

Findings

– The results show that AC significantly improves MCC. In particular, knowledge sourced from customers and suppliers enhances MCC in three ways: directly, indirectly through knowledge application, and indirectly through knowledge assimilation and application. The study also finds that knowledge acquisition significantly enhances knowledge assimilation and knowledge application, and that knowledge assimilation leads to knowledge application.

Originality/value

– This study provides empirical evidence of the effects of AC processes on MCC. It also indicates the relationships among AC processes. Moreover, it reveals the mechanisms through which knowledge sourced from customers and suppliers contributes to MCC development, and demonstrates the importance of internal knowledge management practices in exploiting knowledge from supply chain partners. Furthermore, it provides guidelines for executives to decide how to manage supply chain knowledge and devote their efforts and resources in absorbing new knowledge for MCC development.
The impact of global purchasing and supplier integration on product innovation
Authors: von Haartman Robin , Bengtsson Lars
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The interest in global purchasing has increased significantly in recent years, but the impact on product innovation is not well understood. The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyse the impact of global purchasing on product innovation sourced from suppliers, while taking into account how firms integrate their suppliers.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data used in this study are from the International Purchasing Survey, an international online survey on purchasing and supply management conducted in 2009. The data are analysed using factor and regression analyses.

Findings

– The paper shows that global purchasing has no direct impact on product innovation performance. However, supplier integration is more strongly associated with product innovation performance for firms purchasing globally compared to firms purchasing regionally.

Practical implications

– The implication is that when companies purchase globally, they must have a highly developed purchasing department in order to sustain a high level of innovation. For firms purchasing only regionally, the role of the purchasing department is diminished, at least in terms of contributing to innovation.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the discussion of potential advantages and disadvantages of global purchasing. First, the paper provides an explanation for the ambiguous results of previous research. Product innovation does not depend on whether firms are purchasing globally or not, it depends on how they purchase. This paper has showed that when purchasing globally, the role of the purchasing department becomes crucial for product innovation. The proficiency and activities of the purchasing department largely determine the success, in terms of supplier product innovation, of global purchasing.
Manufacturing in the world: where next?
Authors: Brennan Louis , Ferdows Kasra , Godsell Janet , Golini Ruggero , Keegan Richard , Kinkel Steffen , Srai Jagjit Singh , Taylor Margaret
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The past three decades have seen the transformation of manufacturing involving its global dispersion and fragmentation. However, a number of recent developments appear to suggest that manufacturing may be entering a new era of flux that will impact the configuration of production around the globe. The purpose of this paper is to address the major emerging themes that may shape this configuration and concludes that most of them are still in their initial stages and are not likely to create a radical shift in the next few years in how manufacturing is configured around the world. These themes were presented in a special session on “Manufacturing in the World – Where Next?” at the 2013 EurOMA Conference in Dublin, Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper provides a series of perspectives on some key considerations pertaining to the future of manufacturing. An evaluation of their likely impact is offered and insights for the future of manufacturing are presented.

Findings

– The importance of a focus on the extended manufacturing network is established. The need for customer engagement and a forward looking approach that extends to the immediate customer and beyond emerges as a consistent feature across the different perspectives presented in the paper. There is both the potential and need for the adoption of innovative business models on the part of manufacturers.

Originality/value

– The paper presents in-depth perspectives from scholars in the field of manufacturing on the changing landscape of manufacturing. These perspectives culminate in a series of insights on the future of global manufacturing that inform future research agendas and help practitioners in formulating their manufacturing strategies.
Engineering knowledge and information needs in Italy and Japan: bridging the gap between theory and practice
Authors: Secundo Giustina , Magnier-Watanabe Remy , Heisig Peter
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to identify and compare the knowledge and information retrieval needs from past projects and for future work among Italian and Japanese engineers. Engineering work, which is knowledge-intensive, is all the more critical as it both uses and generates knowledge for product and process innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research uses data collected from engineers in Italy and Japan from an online survey using open-ended questions in their native language. Answers were then translated into English and coded into pre-determined categories; statistical analyses including factor analysis were conducted.

Findings

– For knowledge to be retrieved from past work, both Italian and Japanese engineers identified mainly experiential and systemic knowledge assets. For knowledge to be captured for future work, both groups picked experiential as well as conceptual knowledge related to the competitive environment of the firm absent from knowledge needs from past work. Finally, this research uncovered almost twice as fewer meta-categories for knowledge needs to be captured for future work compared to knowledge to be retrieved from past projects, as the former are by nature speculative and, therefore, difficult to foresee.

Research limitations/implications

– The study is limited to the engineering domain and to two countries. Further research should extend the scope beyond these two countries.

Practical implications

– The study identified information and knowledge needs that could help inform the design of procedures to capture and document engineering work and the development of supporting information systems.

Originality/value

– This research contributes to an increased understanding of the substance of information and knowledge needs in a knowledge-intensive environment such as engineering work and product/service development.
Knowledge sharing and affective commitment: the mediating role of psychological ownership
Authors: Li Jian , Yuan Ling , Ning Lutao , Li-Ying Jason
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the meditating role of psychological ownership which includes both organisation-based psychological ownership (OPO) and knowledge-based psychological ownership (KPO) on the relationship between affective commitment and knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper is an empirical study based on structural equation modelling, with a sample of 293 employees from 31 high-technology firms in China.

Findings

– The result indicated that affective commitment had a significant positive effect on OPO but no effect on KPO; OPO was positively related to both common and key knowledge sharing, while KPO exerted a negative impact on both; common knowledge sharing was positively related to key knowledge sharing; the relationship between affective commitment and key knowledge sharing was multi-mediated by OPO and common knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

– OPO and KPO play an essential role in transferring the effect of employees’ affective commitment to common knowledge sharing and key knowledge sharing, which unravels the blackbox of how effective commitment affects knowledge sharing.
Citation classics published in Knowledge Management journals. Part II: studying research trends and discovering the Google Scholar Effect
Authors: Serenko Alexander , Dumay John
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to discover growing, stable and declining knowledge management (KM) research trends.

Design/methodology/approach

– Citations to 100 KM citation classics as identified by Serenko and Dumay (2015) were collected and analyzed for growing, stable and declining research trends.

Findings

– This research has two findings that were not theoretically expected. First, a majority of KM citation classics exhibit a bimodal citation distribution peak. Second, there are a growing number of citations for all research topics. These unexpected findings warranted further theoretical elaboration and empirical investigation. The analysis of erroneous citations and a five-year citation trend (2009 – 2013) reveals that the continuously growing volume of citations may result from what the authors call the Google Scholar Effect.

Research limitations/implications

– The results from this study open up two significant research opportunities. First, more research is needed to understand the impact Google Scholar is having on domains beyond KM. Second, more comprehensive research on the impact of erroneous citations is required because these have the most potential for damaging academic discourse and reputation.

Practical implications

– Researchers need to be aware of how technology is changing their profession and their citation behavior because of the pressure from the contemporary “publish or perish” environment, which prevents research from being state-of-the-art. Similarly, KM reviewers and editors need to be more aware of the pressure and prevalence of mis-citations and take action to raise awareness and to prevent mis-citations.

Originality/value

– This study is important from a scientometric research perspective as part of a growing research field using Google Scholar to measure the impact and power it has in influencing what gets cited and by whom.
Change readiness: creating understanding and capability for the knowledge acquisition process
Authors: Rusly Fariza Hanim , Sun Peter Yih-Tong , Corner James L
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to show how change readiness shapes the knowledge acquisition process. The study elicits change readiness factors, at the individual and firm levels, that influence the knowledge acquisition process and are based on the context of professional service firms.

Design/methodology/approach

– The qualitative study is grounded in interpretive philosophy and adopts a multiple-case study design. Three New Zealand Professional Service firms were analyzed for this study. Using grounded theory analysis, categories and concepts of change readiness that shape knowledge acquisition were identified.

Findings

– Knowledge acquisition understanding, knowledge acquisition context and individual differences, represent primary dimensions defining change readiness for the knowledge acquisition process. Finally, distinctive firm archetypes, inter-profession differences and professionals’ demography, affect the way change readiness elements shape the knowledge acquisition process in the firms studied.

Research limitations/implications

– The study develops a theoretical model that shows how elements of change readiness, at the individual and organizational levels, influence knowledge acquisition. The study offers several propositions that could be tested in future studies. The study involves three professional service firms; hence, interpretation of the findings is limited.

Practical implications

– A holistic understanding of change readiness factors that influence knowledge acquisition could mitigate failures of knowledge management processes in organizations.

Originality/value

– It is the first empirical study that seeks to develop a theory on how change readiness elements influence knowledge acquisitions in the organization. To offer more contextualized findings, the study is done within the professional service industry.
Human resource development programs for knowledge transfer and creation: the case of the Toyota Technical Development Corporation
Authors: Matsuo Makoto
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to examine how human resource development (HRD) programs promote the linkage between knowledge transfer and knowledge creation in engineering departments.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study adopted a case study approach to the Toyota Technical Development Corporation (TTDC), an affiliated company of Toyota Motor Corporation. Data were collected from interviews with managers of the TTDC as well as its internal documents.

Findings

– Three major findings can be extracted from the paper. First, The TTDC effectively links knowledge transfer to knowledge creation so that new knowledge on vehicle development is created by transferred competencies. Second, the TTDC promotes the transfer of explicit and tacit knowledge by complementarily combining off-the-job and on-the-job training (OJT). Third, HRD programs are developed and operated in communities of practice.

Research limitations/implications

– The practices described in this paper are limited to two departments of the TTDC. Hence, the findings should be interpreted in light of this constraint.

Practical implications

– Knowledge officers should integrate multiple HRD programs so that knowledge transfer is organically linked to knowledge creation by combining off-the-job training, OJT and kaizen (continuous improvement) programs.

Originality/value

– This paper constitutes one of the earliest works that analyzes the effect of HRD programs on integrating knowledge transfer and knowledge creation.
The mediating role of affective commitment in the rewards–knowledge transfer relation
Authors: Martin-Perez Victor , Martin-Cruz Natalia
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess the relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards as determinants of affective commitment and the influence of employees’ affective commitment on knowledge transfer in the context of a Spanish social firm.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using data from a sample of 227 employees working for a Spanish social firm, this study employs the partial least squares approach to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

– The research findings show that contrary to the findings of prior empirical studies, reward systems do not influence knowledge transfer in a direct way. Rather, reward systems act indirectly through the development of affective commitment, which is required to increase employees’ loyalty, reduce their turnover levels and improve their willingness to transfer their knowledge.

Research limitations/implications

– This research focuses on a Spanish social firm, and recommendations to other organizations should, therefore, be made with caution. However, this study provides interesting empirical insights, linking rewards systems and knowledge transfer by means of affective commitment in the context of a social firm.

Practical implications

– Besides the importance of promoting knowledge transfer through the creation of a suitable climate in the organization, the authors recommend that managers cultivate employees’ affective commitment by means of reward systems, especially intrinsic rewards. Employees with increased affective commitment are more prone to transfer the knowledge that they possess, and consequently, the potential loss of tacit knowledge for the organization is reduced if these employees leave the organization. Also, the authors suggest that managers make an effort to create a balanced reward system, so that extrinsic and intrinsic rewards can act as complementary processes to develop a high level of affective commitment among employees.

Originality/value

– Few empirical studies have analyzed the influence of affective commitment on knowledge transfer, especially in the context of a social firm, even though this type of firms play and increasingly important economic and social role in society.
Measuring the performance of knowledge resources using a value perspective: integrating BSC and ANP
Authors: Hu Yaoguang , Wen Jingqian , Yan Yan
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to provide insight into how knowledge resources in R & D organizations can be effectively and separately measured for knowledge sharing and transfer. Knowledge is recognized as a durable strategic resource to obtain sustainable competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper proposes a theoretical framework integrating an analytic network process (ANP) with a balanced scorecard (BSC) to measure the performance of knowledge resources under value perspective. Four indicators and three knowledge value (KV) components including labor value, technology value and utilization value are discussed. The model construction, problem structuring and calculation procedure for measuring the performance of knowledge resources based on ANP and BSC are demonstrated.

Findings

– Despite a number of models to assess the performance of knowledge resources being proposed, they highlighted a need for separately measuring under value perspective. With the aim of filling this gap, the main finding of the paper is to clarify relevant issues, providing a better framework for assessment of the performance of knowledge resources.

Research limitations/implications

– To handle the dynamic nature of knowledge, the research should take into account more advanced methods to measure the performance of knowledge resources. Both qualitative and quantitative methods should be utilized in future research.

Practical implications

– The consequences of measuring the performance of knowledge resources under value perspective may help managers to organize and arrange the separate knowledge resources, improving the knowledge resources exchange between different institutions in R & D organizations.

Originality/value

– The main contribution of this paper lies in the development of a comprehensive model, which incorporates diversified issues for conducting the performance of knowledge resources under value perspective.
Seeing the big picture in services marketing research: infographics, SEM and data visualisation
Authors: Ashman Rachel , Patterson Anthony
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to present a way to make structural equation modelling (SEM) studies more accessible and impactful. This paper suggests that authors service readers by translating their work into an infographic that clearly and artfully illustrates the essence of a paper’s contribution.

Design/methodology/approach

– Through the presentation of a worked example, this paper outlines four service components needed to create a visually striking, yet informative, infographic.

Findings

– This paper contends that authors who follow this approach will improve the marketability of their research without oversimplifying or “dumbing down” its insights.

Research limitations/implications

– Until a journal editor insists that modellers undertake some translation of their results as a pre-requisite to publication, this paper is unlikely to herald a revolution in how quantitative work is communicated.

Practical implications

– This fresh thinking can offer a way for practicing managers, and other marketing researchers unfamiliar with SEM’s peculiarities, to comprehend the findings of such studies.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to a nascent body of research on how to effectively disseminate research findings to a broader audience through adopting a service arts perspective and presents an interpretive view of quantitative research never seen before in the pages of this journal.
When gambling is healthy: the restorative potential of casinos
Authors: Rosenbaum Mark S. , Wong Ipkin Anthony
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the positive aspects of casinos, and gambling entertainment in particular, by revealing the health potential of these commercial establishments. In doing so, this work helps explain the affinity of Chinese consumers with gambling.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors draw on Attention Restoration Theory to put forth a framework on the restorative potential of a casino on human health and its effects on managerial outcomes. The authors use a sample of 605 Chinese tourists in Macau and use both structural equation modeling and moderation analyses.

Findings

– Tourists’ ability to sense a casino’s restorative potential is positively related to their well-being and their propensity to view Macau as a value, to spend money in Macau and to revisit Macau. Moderation analyses reveal that tourists may still perceive a casino’s restorative qualities regardless of whether they plan to engage in gambling or other activities, are winning or losing money or reside outside mainland China.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper links gaming studies to the transformative research paradigm and considers the possibility that some socially unacceptable services may actually be beneficial to human well-being.

Practical implications

– The results help clarify why Chinese tourists tend to engage in casino patronage and gambling activities throughout the world.

Social implications

– This work discusses health benefits associated with socially unacceptable products and suggests that many “sinful services” may offer consumers transformative benefits.

Originality/value

– The paper is one of the first to explore positive aspects of gambling and spending time in casino environments, while showing that casinos may be “healthy places” for some consumers.
“Futurizing” smart service: implications for service researchers and managers
Authors: Wuenderlich Nancy V. , Heinonen Kristina , Ostrom Amy L. , Patricio Lia , Sousa Rui , Voss Chris , Lemmink Jos G.A.M.
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to craft a future research agenda to advance smart service research and practice. Smart services are delivered to or via intelligent objects that feature awareness and connectivity. For service researchers and managers, one of the most fascinating aspects of smart service provision is that the connected object is able to sense its own condition and its surroundings and thus allows for real-time data collection, continuous communication and interactive feedback.

Design/methodology/approach

– This article is based on discussions in the workshop on “Fresh perspectives on technology in service” at the International Network of Service Researchers on September 26, 2014 at CTF, Karlstad, Sweden. The paper summarizes the discussion on smart services, adds an extensive literature review, provides examples from business practice and develops a structured approach to new research avenues.

Findings

– We propose that smart services vary on their individual level of autonomous decision-making, visibility and embeddedness in objects and customer lives. Based on a discussion of these characteristics, we identify research avenues regarding the perception and nature of smart services, the adoption of smart services, the innovation through smart services as well as regarding the development of new business models.

Originality/value

– Smart services is a new emerging topic in service marketing research, their implications on organizations, customers and the service landscape have not been fully explored. We provide a fresh perspective on service research by characterizing relevant aspects of smart service that will stimulate fruitful future research and advance the understanding and practice of smart services.
An investigation into gamification as a customer engagement experience environment
Authors: Harwood Tracy , Garry Tony
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to provide empirically generated insights into a gamification approach to online customer engagement and behavior (CE and CEB). There is a substantive discrepancy between popular coverage and empirically based research as to the effectiveness of virtual brand gamification in engaging customers.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using Samsung Nation as a unit of analysis, a mixed-methods research design using netnography and participant observation is adopted to address the research aim.

Findings

– Taken holistically, the findings identify key processes and outcomes of CE and CEB within virtual gamified platforms. Additionally, insights are provided into implementation flaws deriving from gamification that may potentially impact the CE experience.

Originality/value

– The contribution of this paper is twofold. First and from a theoretical perspective, it offers both a conceptual foundation and empirical-based evaluation of CE and CEB through a gamified brand platform. Second and from a pragmatic perspective, the conceptual model derived from this research may aid practitioners in developing more robust gamified CE strategies.
Exploring dualities of service innovation: implications for service research
Authors: Witell Lars , Anderson Laurel , Brodie Roderick J. , Colurcio Maria , Edvardsson Bo , Kristensson Per , Lervik-Olsen Line , Sebastiani Roberta , Wallin Andreassen Tor
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to explore three paradoxes of service innovation and provide a way forward for fresh thinking on the topic.

Design/methodology/approach

– Through a conceptual model of service innovation research, the authors challenge the “pro-change” bias and explore what can be learnt from the duality of service innovation.

Findings

– This paper suggests that research moves beyond a firm perspective to study service innovation on multiple levels of abstraction. A conceptual model based on two dimensions, level (individual, organization and society) and outcome (success, failure), is used to pinpoint and explore three dualities of service innovation: adopt–reject, change–static and good–bad.

Originality/value

– By challenging the traditional perspective on service innovation, the authors present new avenues for fresh thinking in research on service innovation. In this paper, the authors encourage researchers and managers to learn from failures and to acknowledge the negative effects of service innovation.
When good news is bad news: the negative impact of positive customer feedback on front-line employee well-being
Authors: Nasr Linda , Burton Jamie , Gruber Thorsten
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– Front-line employee (FLE) well-being is an under-researched field. Contrasting the prevailing view that Positive Customer Feedback (PCF) can only have ‘positive’ impacts, this study aims to answer the counterintuitive question: Could the apparently positive construct ‘Positive Customer Feedback’ have a negative impact on the well-being of front-line employees? Consequently, working within the Transformative Service Research (TSR) framework, we investigate whether PCF can negatively affect the eudaimonic and hedonic well-being dimensions of FLEs, thus decreasing their overall psychological well-being level.

Design/methodology/approach

– A multidisciplinary literature review was conducted, particularly in the social psychology, human resources and organizational behavior fields, to examine the potential negative impacts of PCF. Subsequently, an exploratory qualitative study consisting of seven focus groups with 45 FLEs and 22 in-depth interviews with managers working across various service industries were performed. All the transcripts were analyzed via an iterative hermeneutical process.

Findings

– A model describing ten negative impacts and six key contingencies of PCF was developed. The identified impacts can negatively affect the eudaimonic and hedonic well-being dimensions of FLEs. PCF can have a negative impact on the eudaimonic dimensions such as harmony, respect and support. Moreover, PCF appears to increase the negative affect by creating tension, fear, strain and stress, thus, negatively affecting the happiness level of FLEs (hedonic well-being). The identified contingencies play a crucial role in determining the direction and intensity of the negative impact of PCF. Therefore, the overall psychological well-being level of FLEs can suffer as a result of PCF. This study also discusses managerial challenges associated with PCF management.

Research limitations/implications

– The article discusses important managerial implications in the field of FLE well-being and PCF management and suggests directions for future research aiming to expand the boundaries of the current TSR agenda and service human resources.

Originality/value

– This study is the first to explore the negative side of PCF from a TSR perspective. It extends the understanding of the overlooked area of PCF and FLE well-being.
Fresh perspectives on customer experience
Authors: McColl-Kennedy Janet R. , Gustafsson Anders , Jaakkola Elina , Klaus Phil , Radnor Zoe Jane , Perks Helen , Friman Margareta
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide directions for future research on: broadening the role of customers in customer experience; taking a practice-based approach to customer experience; and recognizing the holistic, dynamic nature of customer experience across all touch points and over time.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach is conceptual identifying current gaps in research on customer experience.

Findings

– The findings include a set of research questions and research agenda for future research on customer experience.

Originality/value

– This research suggests fresh perspectives for understanding the customer experience which can inspire future research and advance theory and managerial practice.
Resource integration in liminal periods: transitioning to transformative service
Authors: Cheung Lilliemay , McColl-Kennedy Janet R.
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to introduce a transformative service logic-based framework designed to help researchers and practitioners better understand resource integration in liminal periods.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using netnography, we show how consumers across four countries integrate resources, adopting different value creation practices following natural disasters.

Findings

– The authors’ novel framework extends current conceptualizations of social and economic exchange. Following a natural disaster, a state of ‘liminality’ occurs when the market economy is temporarily displaced by the moral economy, transitioning to a new transformative service logic.

Research limitations/implications

– Important implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Originality/value

– This research proposes an organizing framework comparing the market economy logic and moral economy logic with the new transformative service logic.
Integrating social issues and customer engagement to drive loyalty in a service organisation
Authors: O'Brien Ingrid M. , Jarvis Wade , Soutar Geoffrey N.
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The paper aims to measure and identify customer preference for social issues and understand the importance of customer engagement when service organisations implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.

Design/methodology/approach

– Developing a relevancy/scope typology framework, this paper then examines the relationships between social issues preference, engagement and loyalty. The models were estimated to assess the role engagement played in the relationship between CSR issue preference and loyalty. The sample was obtained from customers who used a large national Australian Internet service provider.

Findings

– Local and global CSR issues relevant to the organisation were most preferred, while engagement had the strongest, positive effect on loyalty and was a full mediator of the relationship between CSR issue preference and loyalty.

Practical implications

– Service organisations should direct their CSR efforts towards addressing social issues that are relevant to their business, and obtaining customer engagement is imperative if they wish to improve loyalty.

Social implications

– Providing greater clarity on how organisations can improve loyalty from CSR programmes will increase the likelihood of organisations investing their resources towards addressing social issues.

Originality/value

– Few empirical studies have identified which social issues are the most preferred by customers. The development of a social issue typology and the testing of the relationships between social issue preference, engagement and loyalty provides empirical evidence of how a CSR strategy can improve loyalty.
Customer-dominant logic: foundations and implications
Authors: Heinonen Kristina , Strandvik Tore
Published: September 2015

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.
Conducting service research that matters
Authors: Gustafsson Anders , Aksoy Lerzan , Brady Michael K. , McColl-Kennedy Janet R. , Sirianni Nancy J. , Witell Lars , Wuenderlich Nancy V.
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to encourage the reader to think differently about service-related issues and to strive to conduct service research that makes a transformational impact on individuals, organizations and society. The authors suggest that service researchers are in an excellent position to develop research that matters by making stronger connections with theory and elevating purely applied research to research that is higher in both practical relevance and methodological rigor.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper takes a conceptual approach, connecting pertinent literature with new ideas highlighted in this special issue.

Findings

– This paper proposes that service researchers look beyond traditional service applications, take a multi-disciplinary approach to problem-solving and make greater strides towards connecting theory and practice. The authors propose a Model of Rigorous and Relevant Research, and call for fresh thinking across a wide range of research areas, including enhancing the customer experience, crafting innovation, integrating technology and measuring service outcomes.

Originality/value

– The originality of this essay lies in its focus on revitalizing the discussion on relevance and rigor as a path forward for service research. Additionally, this paper offers new insights on core management aspects of service provision that provide a solid platform for future work in service research.
A holistic management tool for measuring internal marketing activities
Authors: Huang Yu-Ting , Rundle-Thiele Sharyn
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to synthesise internal marketing measures in two service settings across both Western and Eastern backgrounds. Well established views of internal marketing have emerged with more than 200 papers on the topic. To date, no clear accepted measure for the concept has emerged. The developed scale provides a new way of thinking drawing together a diverse range of measures to deliver a practical measure offering marketing managers a diagnostic tool to measure the degree that internal marketing has been applied (or not) inside their organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

– Conceptual and operational definitions of internal marketing were analysed to generate an item pool for testing. Generated items were then tested in one higher education organisation (n = 205) and in the tourism and hospitality industry with Australian and Taiwanese employees (n = 458) using both English and Traditional Chinese survey versions. The data were analysed with SPSS 19.0 and AMOS 19.0. Reliability analysis was first undertaken to assess the hypothesised internal marketing factor structure followed by confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

– A 16-item, three-factor structure was obtained for internal marketing. This research suggests that internal marketing practice is a three-dimensional concept ideally consisting of internal market research, training and communication activities. The findings suggest that further research may be warranted to further expand academic definitions of internal marketing to encompass the varied activities undertaken by practising internal marketers.

Originality/value

– This study provides a new measure of internal marketing practice for use in future that captures the majority of the activities undertaken by internal marketing practitioners.
Value creation: an internal customers’ perspective
Authors: Grace Debra , Lo Iacono Joseph
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to understand and deliver the needs and wants of external customers. This being the case, we know quite a lot about one perspective of the value co-creation process (i.e. external customers’ perception) but very little about other stakeholder perspectives, in particular, internal customers’ perspectives of the value co-creation process.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper draws on the works of Edvardssonet al.(2011), Giddens (1984), Sweeney and Soutar (200), Helkkulaet al.(2012), Herzberget al.(1959) and Wolf (1970) to build a conceptual model of value creation developed specifically from the internal customer’s perspective.

Findings

– The resultant conceptual model (shown in Figure 1) provides insight into the socio-structural and social exchange elements of the firm that provide the stimuli to value creation, which in the first instance, gratify (or not) the needs of internal customers and, secondly, influence the multi-dimensional value perceptions of internal customers.

Originality/value

– The conceptual model of this paper provides a unique, pragmatic and useful framework for understanding how internal customers derive and perceive value within the social landscape of the firm. While empirical validation of the model is essential, the model, as presented herein, provides an excellent starting point for further investigation in this important, but largely under-researched, area.
The use of Geographic Information System in the development and utilization of ancient local chronicles
Authors: Zhu Suoling , Bao Ping
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to apply Geographic Information System (GIS) in the development and utilization of Chinese ancient local chronicles to achieve the mining and visualization of historical data about products distribution and dispersal in Products in Local Chronicles of Guangdong.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using 1,756 records of product-related location names in Products in Local Chronicles of Guangdong of the Qing dynasty, which are recognized by a name recognition system, as attribute data; taking the spatial data of Chinese administrative geography of the Qing dynasty in 1820 and the Historical Atlas of China as spatial data; connect the attribute data with relevant spatial data based on the table connection function of Arcmap in Arcgis 8.3 to implement the data management, cartography and analysis.

Findings

– The application of GIS in the development and utilization of ancient local chronicles was quite successful. With some thematic maps, knowledge about products distribution and dispersal in ancient books was vividly displayed so as to facilitate relevant researches.

Research limitations/implications

– Only product-related location names inside China were analyzed, not other named entities in local chronicles; and only static visual display was achieved, not dynamic visual display. Historical maps of the world can be used to carry out the visualization of the products distribution and dispersal in the world, and even the visualization of other knowledge, such as poetries and songs scattered over many places in China. The process of products dispersal and the distribution of poetries and songs can be dynamically and visually displayed by pictures, audios, videos, multimedia, etc.

Practical implications

– By using GIS in the development and utilization of Chinese ancient local chronicles, this paper explores a new way for the collation of ancient books and open up a new area for the research of digital humanities.

Originality/value

– This is the first try about the application of GIS in the development and utilization of ancient local chronicles, and also the same of digital humanities research in the field of agricultural history.