Business streamlining – an integrated model of service sourcing

Abstract

Purpose The purchasing of services is a significantly under-researched area. The purpose of this study is to suggest a conceptual model of service sourcing relationships, including the post-contract phase. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology involving two longitudinal case studies that were analyzed with a grounded theory approach to build a conceptual model was applied. Findings The proposed model consists of a core process that is termed “business streamlining” and denotes the process by which four interrelated dimensions are managed to making the business processes of the buying organization simpler and more effective and/or productive. Research limitations/implications Although the research methodology is qualitative and does not allow statistical generalization, the study does provide valuable insights into the management of the service sourcing process. Practical implications The model proposed in this study can be utilized by managers to impose a useful conceptual structure on otherwise fluid and intangible processes, which makes them easier to analyze and facilitates strategic corporate decision-making. Originality/value The paper proposes a model that grasps the dynamics and reality of service (out-) sourcing relationships, including the ongoing relationship management process.

Services procurement: A systematic literature review of practices and challenges

“…Finally, by collating the research areas studied in the supply literature and the SLR results, further directions for future research are identified. Procurement of services requires further investigation; this finding is also supported by Kleemann and Essig (2013) and Molin and Åge (2017). Indeed, the SLR revealed a low proportion of relevant articles compared to the total number of identified articles and the fragmented nature of the literature, with a lack of studies focusing on each specific topic.…”

“…Finally, by collating the research areas studied in the supply literature and the SLR results, further directions for future research are identified. Procurement of services requires further investigation; this finding is also supported by Kleemann and Essig (2013) and Molin and Åge (2017). Indeed, the SLR revealed a low proportion of • Potentially negative outcomes from VCC resulting from role conflicts and ambiguity, opportunism and power plays (Chowdhury et al, 2016) • Impact of customer involvement on the ability of the provider to fulfil its tasks (Nullmeier et al, 2016)…”

“…Most scholars focusing on the subject under investigation highlight the importance of collaboration between the service providers (e.g. Hawkins et al., 2015; Molin & Åge, 2017). This implies that the specifications are not finalized at the beginning of the procurement process, but that it is a continuous process that extends until the implementation stage (Gelderman et al., 2015; Roehrich & Lewis, 2014).…”

“…Although there has been a long‐running debate regarding service production, a preliminary review of the relevant literature concluded that services have long been neglected in research and are still overshadowed by the manufacturing sector (Anderson et al., 1989; Ellram et al., 2004; Spring, 2014). This also pertains to the subcategory of service procurement, which, as noted by Kleemann and Essig (2013) and Molin and Åge (2017), remains significantly under‐researched.…”

ERIP: service quality model of management consulting projects

“…The goal of this research was to develop a deeper understanding of the quality evaluation process in project-based consulting assignments and provide a universal framework for defining the main factors of perceived quality. Concerning the grounded theory approach, it is not free of distortions and uncertainties but not unprecedented in the B2B research practice either (Cova et al , 2019; Molin and Åge, 2017). The study relied on interviews from 22 participants of 14 different organizations and the results reflect the participants’ subjective perceptions about the quality of consulting projects.…”