Service production process: implications for service productivity

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to differentiate the production process within services from the dominant manufacturing-based production process, with the objective of delineating the production process in services and highlighting its implication for service productivity. Design/methodology/approach – This study critically reviewed the extant literature on the production processes in manufacturing and services from a multidisciplinary perspective and proposed a framework for the service production process and its relationship with service productivity. Findings – The production process for services differs from the dominant manufacturing-based production process and entails an input, transformation process and outcome dimensions. Therefore, any advancement in services, particularly the conceptualisation and measurement of service productivity, is dependent on the application of a service-specific production process. Research limitations/implications – The understanding and delineation of the production process in services would further scholarly understanding of what is means to be productive in services and the impact on the validity of the conceptualisation and measurement of service productivity and other service-related concepts. Practical implications – The proposed service-based production process can further managerial understanding of the measurement and management of productivity in services. Originality/value – This paper delineates the production process in services and highlighted its implication for service productivity. This study, therefore, is a step forward in developing service-specific concepts and measures, particularly service productivity.

Customer readiness to co-production of mobile banking services: a customer-only co-production perspective

“…This has also contributed to the popularisation of concepts such as “co-production”, “technology-based services”, “self-service” and “customer-only co-production 1 ” in service marketing dialogue (e.g. Bitner et al 1997 ; Vargo and Lusch 2004 ; Yalley and Sekhon 2014 ; Tam and Oliveira 2017 ).…”

“…Despite the aforementioned scholarly work being undertaken, M-banking practitioners have commented on the limited customer engagement in co-producing value through M-banking (Aker and Mbiti 2010 ; Dasgupta, 2011 ). Subsequently, some scholars have attributed this to customers’ unwillingness to co-produce (Gerrard et al 2006 ; Shaikh and Karjaluoto 2015 ; Yu and Chantatub 2016 ) and the inadequacy of scholarly understanding on the factors influencing customers to engage in customer-only co-production services (Yalley and Sekhon 2014 ; Sekhon et al 2016 ; Tam and Oliveira 2017 ; Yalley 2020 ). In response, some scholars have championed the call for a better understanding of the factors influencing customer readiness to engage in co-production as well as its impact on service outcome by studying the antecedents and consequence of co-production (Meuter et al 2005 ; Chan et al 2010 ; Chathoth et al 2013 ; Sekhon et al 2016 ; Tam and Oliveira 2017 ).…”

“…Research on customer-only co-production particularly technology-based services is imperative taking into consideration the call by some scholars for empirical research on customer-only co-production (e.g. Yalley and Sekhon 2014 ) as well as its significance in resolving the argument for and against customer participation in the service production process (e.g. Levitt 1972 ; Hsieh et al 2004 ; Gummesson 1998 ; Gronroos and Ojasalo 2004 ; Sekhon et al 2016 ).…”

The Links between Proactive Environmental Strategy, Competitive Advantages and Firm Performance: An Empirical Study in Vietnam

“…Given that we investigated both manufacturing and service firms, we intentionally adapted these terms to "production process" and "production performance". Specifically, production process/performance refers to manufacturing-based process/performance for manufacturing firms and service production process/performance for service firms [80].…”

Value-Based and Context-Aware Selection of Software-Service Bundles: A Capability Based Method

“…A service process "… can be viewed as a chain or constellation of activities that allow the service to function effectively" [34 p. 68]. Existing work tries to understand service processes from three overall perspectives: input, transformation process and outcome [35]. In contrast to manufacturing-based production processes, also customers provide significant input in service processes [36].…”