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Managing Service Complexity for Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Theoretical Model and Empirical Investigation

Hejazi, Mohammed Taj
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1464261973

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, Operations Management.
Increasingly, service complexity is receiving research attention in view of dynamic customer requirements, intense competitive pressures, and accelerating technological changes. Consequently, complexity induces a challenge to business (Anderson et al., 2006; Danaher and Mattsson, 1998; Ethiraj et al., 2012; Gunasekaran et al., 2014; Manzo, 1984; Porter, 1986; Vasconcelos and Ramirez, 2011). Changing customer requirements, technology imperatives, and competitive pressure require firms to devise both strategic and operational responses to achieve desirable performance outcomes. Increasingly, firms find managing service complexity is quite uncertain and thus enormously challenging (Wilding, 1998; Choi et al., 2001; Choi et al., 2006; Bozarth et al., 2009). However, much is unknown about this service complexity challenges because of the lack of comprehensive research framework and empirical study findings (Neill and Rose, 2006; Neely et al., 2011; Roh et al., 2014). This study aims to fill this research gap and intends to contribute to the theory development of managing service complexity. Based on a literature review, this study presents a research model that defines: (a) service complexity drivers; (b) strategic and operational service complexity practices; and (c) performance outcomes. It proposes hypotheses that explain the relationships between these variables and thus explore how external drivers affect service complexity practices which in turn impact performance outcomes. The research methodology used for this research includes an extensive literature review, interviews with practitioners, a Q-sort study by focus groups, and large-scale primary data collection and analysis. Based on extensive survey instruments developed through this study and data collected from senior managers (n=210) from four different service industries (i.e., hospitality, financial, education and healthcare), this study contributes to a better understanding of strategic and operational practices that are essential in managing service complexity. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed in view of research findings.
Paul Hong (Committee Chair)
Marcelo Alvarado (Committee Member)
Yue Zhang (Committee Member)
Robert Yonker (Committee Member)
Dwight Haase (Committee Member)
179 p.
Operations Research
Service complexity, Drivers, Strategic and Operational practices, Firm performance, Technology Management

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hejazi, M. T. (2016). Managing Service Complexity for Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Theoretical Model and Empirical Investigation [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1464261973

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hejazi, Mohammed . Managing Service Complexity for Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Theoretical Model and Empirical Investigation . 2016. University of Toledo, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1464261973.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hejazi, Mohammed . "Managing Service Complexity for Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Theoretical Model and Empirical Investigation ." Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1464261973

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

toledo1464261973
153
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.