A Conceptual Model for Bidirectional Service, Information and Product Quality in an IS Outsourcing Collaboration Environment

This paper advances theory on the process of collaboration between entities and its implications on the quality of services, information, and/or products (SIPs) that the collaborating entities provide to each other. It investigates the scenario of outsourced IS projects (such as custom software development) where the extent of collaboration between a client and vendor is high. Using the social exchange theory, the proposed conceptual model tries to establish the "bidirectional" nature of SIP quality in a collaborative environment, where the SIPs exchanged are possibly "dependent" on each other, and if any entity wishes to receive high SIP quality then it should make efforts to provide high SIP quality in return too. Furthermore, it advocates increasing efforts to link financial stakes (tangible or intangible monetary benefits or risks) to the quality of SIP being continuously exchanged throughout the project lifecycle

The role of purchasing in raising the maturity of smart maintenance management

Purpose: The aim of this study is to provide insights into how the purchasing function can increase the maturity of smart maintenance management (SMM) in construction clients by (1) assessing current SMM maturity and (2) developing an adapted service triad for purchasing's meaningful involvement in SMM. Design/methodology/approach: A multiple case research design was used, and data were collected from four higher education institutes in the Netherlands through an assessment of their current SMM maturity. Coding and a cross-case analysis were used to qualitatively analyze the data to identify roles and value chain integration factors as intermediate steps in adapting the service triad to a service hexad. Findings: Within construction client organizations, collaboration between maintenance management, project management and ICT services requires improvement. The proposed service hexad redefines the client's SMM roles with the aim of improving collaboration. The authors discuss how this enables a transition to higher levels of SMM maturity. Research limitations/implications: The findings were derived from a particular class of construction clients: higher education institutes that operate owner-occupied properties. Although the service hexad could be adapted, to owner-occupied multi-user properties, further research is necessary to assess its relevance for investor-owned properties. Practical implications: Implementing the service hexad provides construction clients with a stronger position in supply networks. It clarifies the briefing process in construction management and emphasizes the data supply responsibilities of construction management professionals. Originality/value: The study draws on the service triads and meaningful involvement concepts from the purchasing literature and applies them to SMM.</p

A knowledge-based view of the extending enterprise for enhancing a collaborative innovation advantage

In animal societies as well as in human crowds, many observed collective behaviours result from self-organized processes based on local interactions among individuals. However, models of crowd dynamics are still lacking a systematic individual-level experimental verification, and the local mechanisms underlying the formation of collective patterns are not yet known in detail. We have conducted a set of well-controlled experiments with pedestrians performing simple avoidance tasks in order to determine the laws ruling their behaviour during interactions. The analysis of the large trajectory dataset was used to compute a behavioural map that describes the average change of the direction and speed of a pedestrian for various interaction distances and angles. The experimental results reveal features of the decision process when pedestrians choose the side on which they evade, and show a side preference that is amplified by mutual interactions. The predictions of a binary interaction model based on the above findings were then compared to bidirectional flows of people recorded in a crowded street. Simulations generate two asymmetric lanes with opposite directions of motion, in quantitative agreement with our empirical observations. The knowledge of pedestrian behavioural laws is an important step ahead in the understanding of the underlying dynamics of crowd behaviour and allows for reliable predictions of collective pedestrian movements under natural conditions

Value (Co)Creation by Means of Online Freelancing in SMEs

Online freelancing is a growing employment trend of the last decade and gradually deserves more attention of both researchers and practitioners. This paper addresses the question how online freelancers (co)create value with their clients (SMEs). The examined literature required to unfold a coherent pre-understanding of the phenomenon comprises theories devoted to a flexible workforce, human resource management, outsourcing, and value creation. The qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured open-ended interviews and analyzed using grounded theory methodology. The participants were selected among regular users of a popular online platform that connects the freelancers with clients. The results of the paper are summarized in the conceptual framework being the first attempt to conceptualise the value co-creation between the freelancers and their clients. The study supports a customer-centric view on value co-creation and prescribes to the customer a value initiator, value creator, and the only value consumer and estimator roles. Nevertheless, it is concluded that the co-creation of value indeed takes place and the contribution of freelancers should not be ignored. Findings of the study indicate that SMEs face a strategic choice when start to externalise their tasks. By defining the strategy towards freelancing (cost cutting vs. strategic sourcing) SMEs determine their value focus (direct vs. returned value), approach to the flexible workforce (freelancer as a tool, freelancer as an expert, and freelancer as a team member), and roles the parties play in value co-creation process. The current paper contributes to the theoretical understanding of freelancing, SME’s behavior, and value co-creation, while explores the working process of SMEs with freelancers in practice and suggests how the latter can be utilised by the companies to bring value

Service triads:a research agenda for buyer–supplier–customer triads in business services

Service triads, in which a buyer contracts with a supplier to deliver services directly to the buyer's customer, represent an emerging business model. This special issue is dedicated to this theme. To set the context, in this lead article, we first define service triads, both as a phenomenon and a research topic. We then provide a review of different strands of existing research and various theoretical frameworks that can inform our study of service triads. This culminates in an outline of a research agenda that can guide future study. As such, this paper not only introduces the articles in the special issue, but is also intended as a point of reference and motivation for further work on service triads, and on triads in general

Implementing supply chain strategy

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Management control of supplier relationships in manufacturing: a case study in the automotive industry.

This paper studies management control design of supplier relationships in manufacturing, a supply chain phase currently under-explored. Compared to supplier relations during procurement and R&D, which research found to be governed by a combination of formal and informal controls, supplier relations in manufacturing are more formal, so that they could be governed by more formal and less informal controls. To refine the management control system and influencing contingencies, we propose a theoretical framework specifically adapted for the manufacturing stage. This framework is investigated by an in depth case study of the supplier management control of a Volvo Cars production facility. We identify three types of suppliers visualizing the associations in the framework and illustrating the framework’s explicative power in (automotive) manufacturing. Furthermore, the case contradicts that supplier relations in the manufacturing phase are governed by little informal control, because the automaker highly values the role of trust building and social pressure. Most notably, a structured supplier team functions as a clan and establishes informal control among participating suppliers, which strengthens the automaker’s control on dyadic supplier relations.management control; supplier relationships; manufacturing; contingency theory; case research;

Open innovation networks in Indian pharmaceutical sector

The Indian pharmaceutical sector grew spectacularly in a process patent regime, which enabled to entrench itself in the global market with generics and cost effective manufacturing processes. The legislative environment in India for the pharmaceutical sector underwent changes in 2005 leading to product patent protection. The sector was ready to embark on a smooth journey to path breaking innovation, equipped with enhanced process capabilities as well as expertise gained in modular aspects of drug innovation. Is innovation taking place in a manner as would have been expected? The aim of this paper is to understand how the changes in patent regime have influenced the scientific innovation networks, through the lens of national innovation system and open innovation. This study examines an important and unexplored facet of open innovation and the findings may have important implications for organizations to further their innovation agenda

Cross-Organizational Software Development: Design and Evaluation of a Decision Support System for Software Component Outsourcing

While the decision to outsource software development tasks was mainly considered strategically and economically, it relies on technical properties of single components and their integrability into complex systems, as well. This paper suggests a decision model that evaluates technical properties of software components to support the outsourcing decision with its implications on the cross-organizational distribution of development tasks. Following a design science approach decision criteria are deduced and logically combined in order to design a decision model. The model is then used to implement a mobile prototype for a decision support system in order to classify all software components regarding their outsourcing applicability. Both model and tool are evaluated in depth: we examine the quality of model and tool in a naturalistic and experimental evaluation setting. The overall satisfaction with utility, ease of use and intention to use is very positive