Developing smart service concepts: morphological analysis using a Novelty-Quality map

Among many techniques for generating new service ideas, morphological analysis has been used due to the advantage of decomposing the system into dimensions and shapes and bringing creative results in the process of recombining them. However, with the rise of smart service systems, the determination of dimensions and shapes has become a critical problem, particularly as both their structure and components become complex. This research focuses on a data-driven approach by incorporating mobile app service documents to increase objectivity and diversity in the construction of a morphology matrix. To this end, firstly, the novelty-quality map is developed to identify innovative data based on quantitative indicators. Secondly, morphological analysis is employed along with experts’ judgment in order to generate new smart service concepts. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach are shown based on a comparative analysis with conventional approaches and real services through a case study of smart home.     

Developing a process of concept generation for new product-service systems: a QFD and TRIZ-based approach

This research aims at suggesting a novel approach to creating promising product-service system (PSS) concepts by resolving contradictions between product and service components. In order to resolve these interference problems, theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) method is applied and the suitability of this method for PSS is evaluated by applying the 40 inventive principles in TRIZ method to PSS cases among Fortune Global 500 companies. In addition, quality function deployment is adopted to identify the critical features of products and services. By applying the suggested approach to a car sharing service, a representative automobile PSS, its practicability and utility are verified.     

An integrated approach for port selection,ship scheduling and financial analysis

Ship routing and scheduling is an important activity for ship operators at both planning and operation levels. Ship operators, as commercial entities, have to closely monitor routing and scheduling in relation to their financial implications. This paper presents an integrated approach for port selection, ship scheduling and financial analysis. It aims to discuss the architecture and the major features of an integrated intelligent system for liner shipping. Currently many liners still perform ship routing and scheduling manually based on professional knowledge and experience. The proposed system is developed with an international liner company and is flexible to account for user inputs according to the real situation in the port selection module. Also the system provides two modes in the scheduling module: automatic and manual. The automatic mode makes use of an optimisation model to find the optimal proforma schedule (PFS). The manual mode allows manual modifications to be performed to accommodate the existing liners to allow for a smooth implementation. The financial analysis module examines the financial consequences of the PFS which are crucial for making commercial decisions. As a whole, the solution algorithm calls for an integrated approach that can integrate data from various sources with different levels of certainties and accuracies, knowledge gained from practical operations and optimisation routines. The system will be useful for ship operators in liner shipping.     

居家养老:一种新型的社会养老模式

我国是在经济尚不发达的条件下直接进入老龄社会的,完整的社会保障体系尚未建立起来,国家没有足够的财力来应对众多老年人的养老需求,而随着中国家庭户向“小型化”和“高龄化”发展,家庭养老功能面临新的挑战。因此,建立依托社区的居家养老方式应该是目前我国的一种新型社会养老体系。     

The rise of smart consumers: role of smart servicescape and smart consumer experience co-creation

ABSTRACT

Rapid technological advancements have led to the emergence of smart services and smart consumers. This study focuses on smart consumers who voluntarily engage in value creation activities, in order to conceptualise smart experience co-creation (SEC) and the smart servicescape. Drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, a model is proposed and tested around the impacts of smart servicescape dimensions (aesthetics, superior functionality, social presence, perceived interactivity and perceived personalisation) on smart consumer experience co-creation. SEC is conceptualised as a second-order construct consisting of cognitive, hedonic, social/personal, and pragmatic/economic first-order dimensions. Results show that the technological environmental cues of the smart servicescape (S) collectively influence smart experience co-creation (O), and this co-created experience eventually influences consumers’ service brand equity and word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions (R). A major novelty of this study lies in uncovering the relationship between experience co-creation and service brand equity. Findings have theoretical and managerial implications for smart services.     

Developing parsimonious retailer equity indexes using partial least squares analysis: a method and applications

The information that a retailer’s name communicates to consumers can be a source of competitive advantage for many retailers. Indeed, retailers develop a kind of brand equity, which we refer to as “retailer equity.” To aid both practitioners and researchers, we outline a method, using partial least squares (PLS) analysis for developing parsimonious measures for retailer equity. In addition, we provide four illustrations of possible ways that the index can be used by retailers: (1) as a benchmarking tool, (2) as an indicator of the success (failure) of marketing strategies and tactics, (3) as a means to evaluate the attractiveness of market segments, and (4) as an instrument to examine the relative importance of the various components of retailer equity for specific retailers. The index also provides a means for marketing researchers to examine potential antecedents and outcomes of retailer equity.     

Examining the antecedents of trust and rapport in services: Discovering new interrelationships

A study was designed to examine the relationship between rapport and trust in a service context, and to gain a better understanding of the factors that contribute to these relational constructs.Consistent with the literature, both expertise and dependability were directly related to trust of the service provider. However, familiarity, which had previously been found to be directly related to trust, was found to be indirectly related through rapport, which was related to trust. All four hypotheses examining the antecedents of rapport were supported. The research suggests that building rapport may be an important intermediate step in building customer trust.     

Exploring mobile banking services for user behavior in intention adoption: using new hybrid MADM model

Service Business - Mobile banking services are one of the most promising recent technological innovations. In this study, we developed a conceptual model to explore mobile banking services for user...     

The value relevance of brand equity in the financial services industry: an empirical analysis using quantile regression

The purpose of this article is twofold. First, it attempts to explore the factors contributing to the brand values of Taiwan??s financial service companies. Second, it aims to examine the value relevance of their brand equity. Our empirical findings from OLS regression show that advertising expenditure in banking firms have positive significant effects on brand evaluation and that the brand equity of banking firms is positively related to their market value. The general findings remain valid when we apply conditional quantile regressions to re-examine these relationships. Moreover, the quantile estimates indicate that the factor of brand loyalty could bring benefits to the banks with lower levels of brand equity. However, brands do not offer insights into the banks that have extremely low market capitalization.     

Is the US fiscal deficit sustainable?: A fractionally integrated approach

In this paper, we examine if sustainability of the US fiscal deficit holds by means of studying the univariate properties of the difference between expenditures and public revenues using a methodology based on fractional processes. Furthermore, we incorporate the possibility of structural breaks in the deficit process. The results show that when allowing for a break in the mid-1970s, the public deficit in the US is an I(d) process with the fractional integration parameter d being slightly less than unity, implying that the fiscal deficit is mean reverting, and thus, sustainable, though the adjustment process towards equilibrium will take a very long time.     

Panel analysis of the monetary approach to exchange rates: Evidence from ten new EU members and Turkey

This paper presents empirical evidence which links the exchange rates to monetary variables in the newly entered ten EU members and Turkey. Using the panel version of various cointegration tests, we find a long-run relationship between nominal exchange rate and monetary variables such as monetary differential, output differential, interest rate differential and price differential. In addition, empirical evidence shows that our error-correction framework of the out-of-sample predictability outperforms random walk after two years.     

The evaluation factors of adopting SoLoMo services: the hybrid fuzzy MCDM approach

SoLoMo services are emerging mobile services, which combine different software and hardware techniques, enabling users to obtain location-based information at any time and place as well as exchange, interact, and communicate messages with other people in real time. Since SoLoMo services contain two types of the most widely used mobile applications, different users might have different needs for and expectations on these services. This study proposed a three-stage hybrid fuzzy multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) model and applied fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to analyze, from an angle of integral SoLoMo services, the critical factors evaluated by users in adopting SoLoMo services. In addition, this study also discussed how the users make their choices after they have weighed between the privacy consideration and the use of complete SoLoMo services. The analysis results reported that popularity degree of service, information accuracy of service, privacy risk, maintaining affection and friendship with others, and location-based store information search are the top five ones among these critical positive and negative factors considered by users while adopting SoLoMo services. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that for achieving information accuracy of service, location-based store information search, and maintaining affection and friendship with others, SoLoMo service users would tolerate more privacy risk.     

How to achieve true integration: the impact of integrated marketing communication on the client/agency relationship

ABSTRACT

Reports from the advertising industry suggest that the pressure to create effective integrated campaigns across the ever-increasing mix of paid, owned and earned media is putting an enormous strain on client/agency relationships. This research identifies the main challenges that an Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) approach places on this relationship and thereby advances the IMC literature by examining the practical challenges of implementation. Six key issues, developed from academic and industry sources, are presented to advertising experts, through a Delphi study, to stimulate debate and identify areas of agreement. The findings are brought together in a model which presents three main areas that need to be addressed, along with specific recommendations. These topics include the need for clients to provide stronger leadership in defining agency roles and responsibilities, more transparent remuneration systems to encourage teamwork across agencies as well as individual input and an increased emphasis on the strategic contribution from agencies.     

User involvement in measuring service quality of local authority occupational therapy services; a new approach

The aim of this paper is two‐fold: (i) to describe the development of a new measuring instrument for quality of care from the perspective of the users of local authority Occupational Therapy (OT) services, and (ii) to evaluate the potential of the new instrument as a standardized approach for involving consumers in the service evaluation of home health care services. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used. Focus group discussions with users of local authority OT‐services preceded a postal survey. Questionnaires were sent to a random sample of 997 users of the local authority OT Bureau in Kent, UK. The response rate was 55%. A valid and reliable instrument – the QUOTE‐OT Services questionnaire – was developed, which reflects the (expressed) needs of the users of OT services. Feasibility tests showed that information from the instrument can play an important role in follow‐up activities that aim at continuous quality improvement. The QUOTE‐OT Services instrument can be seen as an example of a new generation of questionnaires for assessing user views in quality of care research. Potentially, instruments such as the QUOTE‐OT questionnaire contribute to the empowerment of users in programmes that aim at improving the quality of home health care services.     

Developing the local competence of expatriate managers for emerging markets: A knowledge-based approach

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for developing expatriate managers’ local competence in emerging markets from a knowledge-based perspective. We argue that local knowledge in emerging markets differs significantly from corporate knowledge transferred to those markets, and that its very nature determines its critical importance to expatriate managers’ business performance. We explore the processes and mechanisms through which local knowledge can be acquired and integrated into expatriate managers’ knowledge base supporting local talent development and their effective strategic decision-making. We suggest that conventional local competence development strategies may not be effective methods for developing global managers for emerging markets.     

Interactive integrated marketing communication: combining the power of IMC,the new media and database marketing

The interactivity of the new electronic media requires that a database-driven segmentation approach to communication strategy be employed to take advantage of its uniqueness. To accomplish this, firms must develop ways of collecting information at the individual level by traditional and/or electronic means, and of using that data to create informationintensive customer communication strategies. These strategies should then employ the new media to generate interaction with customers. We term this approach ‘Interactive IMC’. In this article we propose and illustrate an interactive IMC process model.