Opportunities for ethnographic methodologies in B2B service research

Purpose This paper highlights the suitability, application and fruitful opportunities for ethnographic methodologies in contemporary B2B service research. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a literature review and conceptual analysis of ethnographic research methodology and B2B service literatures. Findings This paper discusses the central features of ethnographic research methodologies, their key differences to other qualitative methodologies, key trends in contemporary B2B service research and opportunities for ethnographic research methodologies in selected priority areas. Research limitations/implications: This paper highlights the opportunities, unique strengths and specific advantages of ethnographic research methodologies to advance B2B service research and theory development. Practical implications: This paper encourages B2B firms to undertake ethnographic field projects to better understand customers’ roles, experiences and usage processes that relate to B2B services. Originality/value: Ethnographic research approaches have been largely overlooked or neglected in B2B service research. This paper highlights their potential, suggests areas for application and encourages B2B service researchers to adopt ethnographic approaches to delve deeper into the social and cultural aspects of B2B service

A Value Proposition Development Framework for Industrial Service

Value proposition is a key concept in the research on service and in the practice of service management. Value propositions are described as tools to communicate and motivate a joint value creation opportunity among involved organizations and stakeholders. The future orientation and intangibility of service places value proposition as the key element of competitive service business. However, the concept of value proposition if often vaguely defined, the underlying theoretical concepts missing, and the managerial practices to create value propositions unexplored. This study investigates how value-focused industrial companies build value propositions by conducting customer value research. Building on our findings, we suggest theoretical and managerial frameworks for value proposition development

Three Ways to Sell Value in B2B Markets

Value-based selling can boost margins and competitiveness, but vendors must first advance beyond the prevailing one-size-fits-all approach.The ability to quantify and communicate value in business-to-business (B2B) sales is more important than ever. As customers face pressure to reduce costs while maintaining profitability, and more competitors are digitally enhancing or "servitizing" their offerings, value-based selling (VBS) has become critical in B2B markets.1 Yet when it comes to turning the idea into action, many companies seem to stumble.2The key challenges of VBS often stem from the confusion and uncertainty about the actual value salespeople are supposed to sell, the outcomes they are supposed to price, and the risks and responsibilities the seller and buyer are supposed to share.3 While current literature considers VBS to be essentially a one-size-fits-all approach to sales, it leaves managers clueless about how to apply it in different situations. This is particularly acute in B2B markets, where vendors need different capabilities depending on whether they are selling high-value products, value-intensive services, or performance-based solutions.4Based on our decade-plus of field research with more than 70 companies in a wide range of B2B industries, we suggest that rather than viewing VBS as a single strategy, vendors should choose from three different approaches. Our findings suggest that vendors can adopt either a product-centric, customer process-centric, or performance-centric VBS approach. In this article, we highlight the key characteristics, requirements, and challenges of each option and provide guidance on how to choose the right approach based on the circumstances.</p

Theory development in servitization through the application of fsQCA and experiments

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explain how the application of fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and experiments can advance theory development in the field of servitization by generating better causal explanations. Design/methodology/approach FsQCA and experiments are established research methods that are suited for developing causal explanations but are rarely utilized by servitization scholars. To support their application, we explain how fsQCA and experiments represent distinct ways of developing causal explanations, provide guidelines for their practical application and highlight potential application areas for a future research agenda in the servitization domain. Findings FsQCA enables specification of cause–effects relationships that result in equifinal paths to an intended outcome. Experiments have the highest explanatory power and enable the drawing of direct causal conclusions through reliance on an interventionist logic. Together, these methods provide complementary ways of developing and testing theory when the research objective is to understand the causal pathways that lead to observed outcomes. Practical implications Applications of fsQCA help to explain to managers why there are numerous causal routes to attaining an intended outcome from servitization. Experiments support managerial decision-making by providing definitive “yes/no” answers to key managerial questions that address clearly specified cause–effect relationships. Originality/value The main contribution of this study is to help advance theory development in servitization by encouraging greater methodological plurality in a field that relies primarily on the qualitative case study methodology

Theory development in servitization through the application of fsQCA and experiments

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explain how the application of fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and experiments can advance theory development in the field of servitization by generating better causal explanations. Design/methodology/approach FsQCA and experiments are established research methods that are suited for developing causal explanations but are rarely utilized by servitization scholars. To support their application, we explain how fsQCA and experiments represent distinct ways of developing causal explanations, provide guidelines for their practical application and highlight potential application areas for a future research agenda in the servitization domain. Findings FsQCA enables specification of cause-effects relationships that result in equifinal paths to an intended outcome. Experiments have the highest explanatory power and enable the drawing of direct causal conclusions through reliance on an interventionist logic. Together, these methods provide complementary ways of developing and testing theory when the research objective is to understand the causal pathways that lead to observed outcomes. Practical implications Applications of fsQCA help to explain to managers why there are numerous causal routes to attaining an intended outcome from servitization. Experiments support managerial decision-making by providing definitive "yes/no" answers to key managerial questions that address clearly specified cause-effect relationships. Originality/value The main contribution of this study is to help advance theory development in servitization by encouraging greater methodological plurality in a field that relies primarily on the qualitative case study methodology.</div

Role of oral pathogens in the pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysm : review of existing evidence and potential mechanisms

Degeneration of intracranial aneurysm wall is under active research and recent studies indicate an increased risk of rupture of intracranial aneurysm among patients with periodontal diseases. In addition, oral bacterial DNA has been identified from wall samples of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms. These novel findings led us to evaluate if oral diseases could predispose to pathological changes seen on intracranial aneurysm walls eventually leading to subarachnoid hemorrhage. The aim of this review is to consider mechanisms on the relationship between periodontitis and aneurysm rupture, focusing on recent evidence.Peer reviewe

Sensemaking, sensegiving and absorptive capacity in complex procurements

This study explores and describes i) the nature of knowledge exchange processes at the frontline employee (FLE) level and ii) how FLE sensemaking processes affect buyer firm knowledge management practices in complex procurement contexts. The study utilizes an in-depth case analysis in the mining industry to identify a taxonomy of four buyer sensemaking investment/supplier collaboration profiles, to describe three sensegiving supplier roles (“confidence builders”, “competent collaborators”, and “problem-solvers”) and to explore how these evolve during complex procurement implementation. The study concludes with a conceptual model of the apparent linkages between sensemaking, sensegiving and buyer firm absorptive capacity in complex procurements. This study shows how micro-level (FLE) interactions influence macro-level knowledge integration (absorptive capacity) in the buyer firm. For managers, the study shows how the allocation of time and resources affects FLE-level knowledge exchange, with ultimate effect on buyer firm absorptive capacity

CE-merkinnän hankkiminen säkityslaitteistolle

Tämän insinöörityön aiheena oli säkityslaitteiston CE-merkinnän hankkiminen ja siihen liittyvän dokumentaation laatiminen tämän toteutumiseksi. Uusi laitteisto pohjautuu sen aikaisempaan versioon, jossa jo hyväksi todettu laitteisto on muutettu noudattamaan Euroopan unionin säädöksiä myöhempää markkinoille saattamista varten. Työ on toteutettu toimeksiantaja Vumos OY:n puolesta. Työssä esiteltyyn säkityslaitteistoon ei ole voitu vielä tehdä kaikkia CE-merkinnän vaatimia arviointeja ja testauksia fyysisten tuotteiden puuttumisen vuoksi. CE-merkintä todistaa, että merkinnän omaava tuote täyttää EU:n vaatimat direktiivit sekä asetusten olennaiset vaatimukset. CE-merkinnän omaavaa tuotetta saa myydä ja kuljettaa vapaasti Euroopan alueella. Koneasetuksen mukaan vähimmäisvaatimuksena koneella pitää olla CE-merkintä ja muut määritellyt tiedot, kuten valmistajan nimi ja osoite, koneen nimi sekä sen yksilöintimerkinnät. Koneen tai laitteen riskin arviointiin kuuluu riskianalyysi, joka sisältää koneen raja-arvojen määrittämisen, vaarojen tunnistuksen sekä riskin suuruuden arvioinnin. Työn kohteena olevan säkityslaitteiston tarkoituksena on ottaa talteen teollista materiaalia suursäkkeihin ja täten helpottaa materiaalin liikuteltavuutta jatkossa. Laitteisto on suunniteltu käyttäen SolidWorks 3d-mallinnusohjelmaa. Osa laitteistoon liittyvästä dokumentaatiosta on voitu aloittaa laitteiston puuttumisesta huolimatta, mutta useita dokumentteja jää odottamaan valmiin laitteen saapumista. Laitteistosta kerätään sen tekninen rakennetiedosto ja myöhemmin sen valmistuessa tullaan testaamaan standardien mukaisesti

Työhyvinvointia tukevat työskentelytavat musiikintekijän työssä

Opinnäytetyömme haastattelututkimuksen tarkoituksena on tarkastella populaarimusiikin tekijöiden tapoja järjestää työnsä siten, että he kokevat sen tukevan omaa työhyvinvointiaan. Opinnäytetyössä tavoitteena on kerätä tietoa luovan työn tekijöiden työhyvinvoinnin ja työssä jaksamisen nykytilasta, sekä tuottaa tietoa näistä teemoista teoriatietoon ja aiempaan tutkimustietoon verraten. Tutkimuskysymyksillä haetaan vastauksia siihen, miten ammattimusiikintekijät ovat järjestäneet työnsä ja työhyvinvointinsa, sekä millaisia keinoja musiikintekijät ovat muodostaneet työssä jaksamisensa tueksi. Opinnäytetyön aineiston kerääminen toteutettiin laadullisella haastattelututkimuksella. Haastateltavina oli yhteensä viisi ammatikseen populaarimusiikkia tekevää henkilöä, kolme lauluntekijää ja kaksi tuottajaa. Tutkimuskysymyksillämme haimme vastauksia erityisesti näihin teemoihin; 1) miten musiikintekijät ovat suunnitelleet ja rajanneet työtään työhyvinvointiaan tukevalla tavalla, 2) mikä merkitys stressillä on musiikintekijän työssä, sekä 3) millaisia keinoja musiikintekijöillä on stressinhallintaan ja palautumiseen. Opinnäytetyössämme tarkastelemme haastatteluissa kerättyä tutkimustietoa lomittain tietoperustamme kirjallisen materiaalin kanssa. Tulokset osoittavat, että lauluntekijöiden ja tuottajien hyvinvointi vaihtelee suuresti ja kaikki haastateltavat olivat kohdanneet haasteita työssä jaksamisen ja työhyvinvoinnin suhteen. Haastatteluissa toistuvasti esille nousseita asioita olivat muun muassa kommunikaation merkitys, työn ja työajan rajaaminen, palkkaukseen liittyvät epäkohdat, positiivinen sekä pitkittynyt stressi, sekä henkilökohtaisten hyvinvointitaitojen ja itsetuntemuksen merkitys työhyvinvoinnissa. Uskomme, että näistä asioista tulisi keskustella avoimemmin, jotta niitä voitaisiin kehittää

The darker side of sustainability

While the current literature generally assumes that implementing sustainable business practices (SBPs) will lead to improved wellbeing and positive outcomes, relatively little research has explored the potential tensions and conflicts that SBPs may cause in multi-actor networks. To address this issue, we conduct a qualitative multiple case study in a regional business network, including interviews with 43 managers in 17 firms in different industries. The findings of this study identify four types of tensions (economic, structural, psychological, and behavioral) that tend to emerge when firms implement SBPs in networks, and illustrate how different stakeholders (implementers, suppliers, customers, other network partners) perceive them. Overall, this study contributes to the current literature by highlighting the underexplored “dark side” of sustainability, and illuminating how organizational decisions aiming at improving collective wellbeing can also lead to tensions and conflicts. For managers, this study offers insights into how to anticipate, manage and mitigate potential tensions that might arise in business networks when one stakeholder decides to implement a SBP.Peer reviewe