The Role of Competence in Initiating the Transition from Products to Service
Journal
Managing Service Quality
ISSN
0960-4529
ISSN-Digital
1758-8030
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2009-05-05
Author(s)
Bjurklo, Margareta
;
Edvardsson, Bo
;
Gebauer, Heiko
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this article is to suggest a new competence-based framework for describing and analysing the initiation of the transition of goods-dominant companies to service providers. The paper illustrates the relevance of the new framework in an empirical study of a knowledge-intensive mechanical engineering company.
Design/findings/approach: A single-case study of the world's leading maker of tool steel form the empirical basis for the article. A study based on a qualitative research methodology, involving inductive inquiry and a field study over six years focusing on ‘narratives from the field' was conducted.
Findings: New competencies are needed to initiate the transition from products to service and to manage service-based offerings. Our findings are summarized in two categories. The first, ‘customer value socialisation', refers to the sharing of experiences and knowledge among employees. The second, ‘customer value management', refers to management's ability to encourage employees to create value-in-use for the customers.
Originality/value: The study contributes to the literature by (i) focusing on issues related to competence (rather than organisational structures and strategy), (ii) identifying ‘customer value socialisation' and ‘customer value management' as the important dimensions for engendering competence in employees and (iii) introducing the concepts of ‘unfreezing', ‘movement', and ‘refreezing,' into the management of the necessary cultural change that must accompany the transition.
Design/findings/approach: A single-case study of the world's leading maker of tool steel form the empirical basis for the article. A study based on a qualitative research methodology, involving inductive inquiry and a field study over six years focusing on ‘narratives from the field' was conducted.
Findings: New competencies are needed to initiate the transition from products to service and to manage service-based offerings. Our findings are summarized in two categories. The first, ‘customer value socialisation', refers to the sharing of experiences and knowledge among employees. The second, ‘customer value management', refers to management's ability to encourage employees to create value-in-use for the customers.
Originality/value: The study contributes to the literature by (i) focusing on issues related to competence (rather than organisational structures and strategy), (ii) identifying ‘customer value socialisation' and ‘customer value management' as the important dimensions for engendering competence in employees and (iii) introducing the concepts of ‘unfreezing', ‘movement', and ‘refreezing,' into the management of the necessary cultural change that must accompany the transition.
Language
English
Keywords
Customer value
service provider
service-oriented
value-in-use
competence
narratives
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Emerald
Publisher place
Bingley
Volume
19
Number
5
Start page
493
End page
510
Pages
18
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
53292