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How different is professional service operations management?
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Lewis, Michael and Brown, A. D. (2012) How different is professional service operations management? Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 30 (No. 1-2). pp. 1-11. doi:10.1016/j.jom.2011.04.002
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2011.04.002
Abstract
This paper presents detailed analysis of the operational and operations management characteristics of a professional service firm, a legal partnership. An in-depth study of customer interactions, service customization, process throughput and variability, professional employee behavior and managerial interventions provided the basis for confirmatory and exploratory research. The results suggested a number of refinements to existing conceptualizations of the professional service type operation and indicated areas where professional service operations management should be viewed as highly distinctive. First, professional–client exchange is variably asymmetrical – with significant implications for service package and process design. Second, professional service operations comprise a substantial number of less variable and faster throughput processes – creating a significant opportunity for commoditization. Third, professional status and corresponding organisational structures (e.g. the partnership model) need to be explicitly recognised in any typology – these factors introduce distinctive trade-offs when seeking greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Operations Management | ||||
Publisher: | Elsevier BV | ||||
ISSN: | 02726963 | ||||
Official Date: | 2012 | ||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | Vol. 30 | ||||
Number: | No. 1-2 | ||||
Page Range: | pp. 1-11 | ||||
DOI: | 10.1016/j.jom.2011.04.002 | ||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access |
Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge
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