A life‐cycle perspective of professionalism in services

Abstract

In this article, we develop a professional service life cycle model to describe the changes in professional work over time. We explore the drivers of these changes through an in-depth longitudinal case study of one specific professional service e Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) consulting. We focus on understanding the evolutionary path of LEED consulting work as a result of its knowledge base, community and response to market and technological forces. Case evidence demonstrates an inherent tension between innovation and commodification resulting from multiple demands through various developmental stages. The life cycle model has important implications for value-creation in professional service operations management. First, it broadens the theoretical investigation of professional services to consider all processes and people along the professional continuum e from most innovative to commodified. Coordinated effort along the professional continuum is the key to delivering both effectiveness and efficiency. Second, proactively managing the transitions along the evolutionary path is both possible and desirable. Standardization and specialization improve talent allocation and boost future innovation. We suggest future opportunities to test and enrich the model.

The impact of physician‐hospital integration on hospital supply management

“…In recent work, Lawrence et al (2016) map out this progression of professional service operations as it moves away from autonomous work towards either standardization of tasks where guidelines are feasible, or motivating professionals to align with the organizational objectives when standardization is not feasible. Another recent study has found that applying a lean orientation to professional service operation fulfills an organization's desire for control and standardization (Dobrzykowski et al, 2016).…”

“…The rank-and-file professionals are relieved from the bureaucratic pressures, but must instead conform to professional hierarchy practice pressures that are defined by the professional elites. Lawrence et al (2016) relate professional elites to research physicians who coordinate standards of care which filter down to the "mass service" (rank-and-file) professionals. In this structure, standards of care emerge organically from shared knowledge networks without a central bureaucratic controller (Dobrzykowski et al, 2016;Harvey, 2016).…”

Identifying the resource conditions that maximize the relationship between ambidexterity and new product performance

“…Although PSFs may have the experience and the knowledge required to produce a solution, client firms have specific and situated information about their own business challenges and requirements. Therefore, the quality of the relationships between PSFs and their clients is critical for the ability of the PSF to satisfy customers' needs, thus driving clients' willingness to work with them in future (Casidy & Nyadzayo, 2017;Lawrence et al, 2016). As PSFs routinely generate most of their revenue from repeated business and cross-selling, the willingness of clients to retain their service providers ('future cooperation') is vital for the success of PSFs (Casidy & Nyadzayo, 2017).…”

“…Successful business relationships are critical to the survival and growth of firms because they must leverage other organizations' resources and capabilities to stay competitive (Bao et al, 2017;Palmatier et al, 2007). In the context of business relationships between professional service firms (PSFs) and their client firms, such relationships are often forged to leverage the expertise required to solve complex business problems (Lawrence et al, 2016;Von Nordenflycht, 2010). However, with the emergence of new PSFs, competitive intensity in the professional services sector has increased (Malhotra & Morris, 2009).…”

“…However, with the emergence of new PSFs, competitive intensity in the professional services sector has increased (Malhotra & Morris, 2009). Furthermore, the project-based nature of many professional services puts constant pressure on PSFs to retain their clients and build continuous business relationships across distinct projects (Casidy & Nyadzayo, 2017;Lawrence et al, 2016).…”