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Showing papers on "Service system published in 2016"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The coproduction principle is used to examine the roles, relationships and aims of this interdependent work, and the principle's implications and challenges for health professional development, for service delivery system design and for understanding and measuring benefit in healthcare services.
Abstract: Efforts to ensure effective participation of patients in healthcare are called by many names—patient centredness, patient engagement, patient experience. Improvement initiatives in this domain often resemble the efforts of manufacturers to engage consumers in designing and marketing products. Services, however, are fundamentally different than products; unlike goods, services are always ‘coproduced’. Failure to recognise this unique character of a service and its implications may limit our success in partnering with patients to improve health care. We trace a partial history of the coproduction concept, present a model of healthcare service coproduction and explore its application as a design principle in three healthcare service delivery innovations. We use the principle to examine the roles, relationships and aims of this interdependent work. We explore the principle's implications and challenges for health professional development, for service delivery system design and for understanding and measuring benefit in healthcare services.

682 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The changing role of employees in service theory and practice over the last few decades is overviewed from the perspectives of the management and marketing disciplines in this paper, where the criticality of employees, particularly front-line employees, in driving customer service outcomes was emphasized in both fields in the 1980s and 1990s.

181 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This study identifies how companies aim to leverage network-related complexity in their operations instead of trying to reduce complexity, and shows how platform approaches have been used and could be used in this setting to assist in the flexible externalizing of resources and capabilities, and to provide structure for network orchestration.

150 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results indicate that although a comprehensive lean orientation has a direct and positive impact on patient safety, it impacts financial performance indirectly through internal integration, which has major implications for enhancing patient safety and financial performance in healthcare service organizations, and improving operations in PSOs more broadly.

133 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore how service employees engaged in co-creation processes with customers integrate the latter's resources and reveal that service employees may not only integrate these customers' resources but also either misintegrate or not integrate them.
Abstract: Purpose Noting that resource integration is a pivotal dimension of value co-creation in Service-Dominant logic, this paper aims to explore how service employees engaged in co-creation processes with customers integrate the latter’s resources. Design/methodology/approach To address the limitations of previous research on customer resources and their integration by service employees, this study turns to the concept of customer participation to identify the nature of customers’ resources. A conceptual framework of their integration by service employees underpins nine key propositions. This foundation leads to the development of theoretical contributions, managerial implications and avenues for research. Findings Customers can use 12 types of resources in value co-creation. Contrasting with earlier findings, the conceptual framework reveals that service employees may not only integrate these customers’ resources but also either misintegrate or not integrate them. Non-integration and misintegration may be intentional or accidental. Accordingly, value co-creation or co-destruction may result from interactions. Research limitations/implications This conceptual and exploratory text requires complementary theoretical and empirical investigations. It also does not adopt an ecosystems view of co-creation. Practical implications Knowing the different steps of resource integration and what influences them should increase the chances of value co-creation and limit the risks of value co-destruction. Originality/value Scant research has examined the nature of customer resources and how service employees integrate them. This paper also is the first to distinguish among resource integration, misintegration and non-integration.

127 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine how two defining features of an on-demand service platform, congestion-driven delay disutility and agent independence, impact the platform's optimal per-service price and wage.
Abstract: An on-demand service platform connects waiting-time sensitive customers with independent service providers (agents) This paper examines how two defining features of an on-demand service platform -- congestion-driven delay disutility and agent independence -- impact the platform's optimal per-service price and wage Congestion reduces expected utility for customers and agents, which suggests that the platform respond by decreasing the price (to encourage participation of customers) and increasing the wage (to encourage participation of agents) These intuitive price and wage prescriptions are valid in a benchmark setting without uncertainty in the customers' valuation or the agents' opportunity costs However, uncertainty in either dimension can reverse the prescriptions: Congestion increases the optimal price when customer valuation uncertainty is moderate Congestion decreases the optimal wage when agent opportunity cost uncertainty is high and expected opportunity cost is moderate Under agent opportunity cost uncertainty, agent independence decreases the price Under customer valuation uncertainty, agent independence increases the price if and only if valuation uncertainty is sufficiently high

114 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a framework for understanding service design and how service design relates to central concepts within service marketing, and developed a methodology for service design in the context of service marketing.
Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for understanding service design and how service design relates to central concepts within service marketing. Design/methodology/approa ...

110 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors considered the problem in which a demand-enhancing service can be provided by different supply chain parties, resulting in four alternative service channels: (a) manufacturer undertaking service, namely M-channel, (b) retailer undertaking service and (c) manufacturer outsourcing service to third-party (3P), namely R-3P-channel.
Abstract: In recent years, increasing interests have arisen in adding product value through the provision of service This study considers the problem in which a demand-enhancing service can be provided by different supply chain parties, resulting in four alternative service channels: (a) manufacturer undertaking service, namely M-channel, (b) retailer undertaking service, namely R-channel, (c) manufacturer outsourcing service to third-party (3P), namely M-3P-channel, and (d) retailer outsourcing service to 3P, namely R-3P-channel We quantitatively model these service channels and derive the optimal decisions with the following observations: When the service costs are equal for the different parties, there is a conflict in service channel choice since both the manufacturer and the retailer prefer to undertake the service or hire the 3P by themselves, although M-channel generates the highest market demand and system profit; When the service costs are different among these parties, R-channel and 3P-channels are more preferable if the service cost is less sensitive to the service level and if the market demand is more sensitive to the service level We also conduct an empirical study to test some of the insights developed from the analytical models; our empirical findings support the analytical results

96 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the prerequisites of co-design for services by identifying empirically grounded barriers and enablers that hinder or support collaborative service design activities in cross-organisational networks.
Abstract: IntroductionThe growing scale and complexity of design problems has engendered a move towards more open and collective design activity where multiple stakeholders, particularly the end users but also professionals from other fields, are included as equal partners in the design process. Co-design, defined by Sanders and Stappers (2008) as the "creativity of designers and people not trained in design working together in the design development process" (p. 2), reflects a shift of focus from products to broader human goals and propagates the ability of design to tackle complex societal problems.At the same time, Western societies are moving into service-based economies. To improve their competitiveness in conditions characterised by diversification of customer needs, immaterialisation of products, flexible manufacturing methods and co-creation of value, businesses are shifting from goods-dominant to service-dominant logic, where services offered to customers in continuous interaction with them become the means of value creation (Lusch & Vargo, 2006).In this situation, service design has emerged as a new area of design practice and research that brings the user into the centre of the development of services (Kimbell, 2009; Mager, 2008). From its early focus on service touchpoints, service design has expanded towards 'designing for services' in broader multi-actor service systems where it can have more profound, transformative effects to organisations and people's lives (Meroni & Sangiorgi, 2011; Stickdorn & Schneider, 2010).The public sector, such as healthcare and social services providers, has begun to adopt approaches from (collaborative) design for services (e.g. Design Commission, 2013; Keinonen, Vaajakallio, & Honkonen, 2013). Thus, service design and co-design are gaining importance as part of the public innovation system. They can be applied for public policy making and implementation (Bason, 2014; Junginger, 2013) or in cities for addressing topics related to the urban environment and its services that are beyond the scope of the urban planning process (Design Driven City, 2015; Fuad-Luke, 2012).As co-design for services is increasingly utilised by public and private organisations, more knowledge is needed on the method-related, practical, organisational and other factors that impact its effectiveness and play a part in its diffusion.Focus and ObjectivesThis paper aims at shedding light on the prerequisites of co-design for services by identifying empirically grounded barriers and enablers that hinder or support co-design activities in cross-organisational networks that are developing services. The focus is on co-design as facilitation of collaboration rather than on participatory design with users. The paper is based on follow-up interviews that assess the course and impacts of six publicly funded, research-driven co-design projects in which designerly methods were used for supporting collaborative service development. The main objectives are:* To gain a more structured and comprehensive understanding about the barriers and enablers experienced in cross-organisational service co-design endeavours.* To increase the knowledge on the role, advantages/disadvantages and effectiveness of specific methods and skills in facilitating co-design for services.The study seeks to contribute to research and practice. It complements previous research through a cross-project analysis, with a focus on service co-design methods and skills. As a practical outcome, learnings from the case projects are brought to a broader audience, providing guidelines for developing the methods and practices of service co-design towards more leverage and viability.The paper begins with an overview of previous research from the fields of organisation studies and design, after which the case projects and the analysis method are opened up. The main findings are presented as 20 barrier-enabler couples, explained with the help of the data. …

76 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper investigates the efficiency level of the taxi service system using real-world large-scale taxi trip data in New York City to quantitatively examine the gap between the current system performance and the theoretically optimal system.
Abstract: Taxi service systems in big cities are immensely complex due to the interaction and self-organization between taxi drivers and passengers. An inefficient taxi service system leads to more empty trips for drivers and longer waiting time for passengers and introduces unnecessary congestion on the road network. In this paper, we investigate the efficiency level of the taxi service system using real-world large-scale taxi trip data. By assuming a hypothetical system-wide recommendation system, two approaches are proposed to find the theoretical optimal strategies that minimize the cost of empty trips and the number of taxis required to satisfy all the observed trips. The optimization problems are transformed into equivalent graph problems and solved using polynomial time algorithms. The taxi trip data in New York City are used to quantitatively examine the gap between the current system performance and the theoretically optimal system. The numerical results indicate that, if system-wide information between taxi drivers and passengers was shared, it is possible to reduce 60%–90% of the total empty trip cost depending on different objectives, and one-third of all taxis required to serve all observed trips. The existence of destructive competition among taxi drivers is also uncovered in the actual taxi service system. The huge performance gap suggests an urgent need for a system reconsideration in designing taxi recommendation systems.

73 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, an empirical case study of an innovative service system is carried out using a narrative approach and presented in the form of a saga, with four lessons linked to values, brands, service systems and experience rooms.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to extend the understanding of innovation in service ecosystems by focussing on the role of values resonance in relation to the integration of brands, service systems and experience rooms. Design/methodology/approach – An empirical, explorative case study of an innovative service system is carried out using a narrative approach and presented in the form of a saga. Findings – Insights gleaned from the empirical study are used for conceptual developments. Analysis of the empirical case study is presented as four lessons linked to values, brands, service systems and experience rooms. Originality/value – The paper extends a conceptual framework of innovative resource integration in service ecosystems. The paper also contributes four propositions to inform theory: values resonance is a basis for service innovation, the innovative integration of brands based on values resonance can foster innovation, the integration of resources across service system boundaries grounded in...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It was identified that user co-production formed the core of the service system and its processes, which highlights the need to actively involve users in public service design projects.
Abstract: This article examines the use of three service design methods in exploring complex public service systems. The methods used were the persona technique, mapping techniques in collaborative design workshops, and observations supplemented by group discussions. In their application to a university service, it was found that through their user-centred and collaborative approach, the service design methods assisted in the analysis of user experiences, including critical incidents, within the service system. It was also identified that user co-production formed the core of the service system and its processes, which highlights the need to actively involve users in public service design projects.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the service quality of a Malaysian private higher education institution with the objective of determining what constitutes the service variables in the education industry using gap analysis, it examines whether there are any service gaps in the individual service quality attributes.

Patent
31 Aug 2016
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper proposed a palm-app-based medical service system, which can effectively integrate all kinds of medical information resources, and integrate guidance, examination, payment, medical history information and medicine knowledge into a whole.
Abstract: A palm APP based medical service system includes a query module, a user module, a medicine data module; through connection and information exchange among all the modules, a user can know information about hospitals, diseases and medicine data, and can record personal effective medical history data information; the palm APP based medical service system can effectively integrate all kinds of medical information resources, and integrate guidance, examination, payment, medical history information and medicine knowledge into a whole. The palm APP based medical service system can achieve collection of mobile terminal data through connection of all the databases, can save the time of seeing a doctor, embodies a quick service, and creates favorable conditions for hospital market development.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a conceptualization of resource integration under responsibilization that includes three levels of actors (consumer, provider, and service system), the identification of structural tensions surrounding resource integration, and three categories of resource-integration practices (access, appropriation, and manage).
Abstract: Responsibilization, or the shift of functions and risks from providers and producers to consumers, has become an increasingly common policy in service systems and marketplaces (e.g., financial, health, governmental). Because responsibilization is often considered synonymous with consumer agency and well-being, the authors take a transformative service research perspective and draw on resource integration literature to investigate whether responsibilization is truly associated with well-being. The authors focus on expert services, for which responsibilization concerns are particularly salient, and question whether this expanding policy is in the public interest. In the process, they develop a conceptualization of resource integration under responsibilization that includes three levels of actors (consumer, provider, and service system), the identification of structural tensions surrounding resource integration, and three categories of resource-integration practices (access, appropriation, and manage...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the role of frontline employees in service innovation from a service-dominant logic (SDL) perspective is investigated, and the authors conclude that frontline employees lack a formal innova...
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of frontline employees in service innovation from a service-dominant logic (SDL) perspective. Frontline employees lack a formal innova ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that for an overloaded system with offered load sufficiently higher than 1, social welfare always reaches its maximum when some fraction of customers are uninformed of the congestion in real time.
Abstract: How would the growing prevalence of real-time delay information have an impact on a service system? We consider a single-server queueing system where customers arrive according to a Poisson process and service takes an exponential time. There are two streams of customers, one informed about real-time delay and one uninformed. We characterize the equilibrium behavior of customers who may balk in such a system and investigate how a larger fraction of informed customers affects the system performance measures, i.e., throughput and social welfare. We show that the impacts of growing information prevalence on system performance measures are determined by the equilibrium joining behavior of uninformed customers. Perhaps surprisingly, we find that throughput and social welfare can be unimodal in the fraction of informed customers. In other words, some amount of information heterogeneity in the population can lead to strictly more efficient outcomes, in terms of the system throughput or social welfare, than information homogeneity. For example, under a very mild condition, throughput of a system with offered load being 1 will always suffer if there are more than 58% of informed customers in the population. Moreover, it is shown that for an overloaded system with offered load sufficiently higher than 1, social welfare always reaches its maximum when some fraction of customers are uninformed of the congestion in real time.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that service providers must continuously renegotiate the ways in which they understand service delivery across increasingly high-tech, low-power, and high-density environments.
Abstract: As more and more technologies are infused into service delivery, service providers must continuously renegotiate the ways in which they understand service delivery across increasingly high-tech, lo...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results indicate that the knowledge management factors of customer orientation, employee capability and job-related training had a varying influence on quality and efficiency dimensions of service system performance.
Abstract: Purpose – Using arguments from the knowledge-based view and resource-based view of the firm, the purpose of this paper is to propose that external knowledge (as measured by a firm’s customer orientation) and internal knowledge management (through human capital development techniques of job-related training and enhancing employee capability) together contribute to successful service delivery systems. Design/methodology/approach – The hypothesized model is tested on a large sample of 249 Chinese service firms using structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analyses. Findings – The results indicate that the knowledge management factors of customer orientation, employee capability and job-related training had a varying influence on quality and efficiency dimensions of service system performance. Also, internal knowledge facets of employee capability and job-related training had complementary effects in inducing improved performance on both quality and efficiency. Research limitations/implicatio...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed and validated a quality model and measured its overall impact on individual (value, satisfaction), organizational (i.e., continuance intentions) and social (e.g., quality of life) outcomes in the context of a transformative health service system in Bangladesh.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is stated that not only a large fraction of the value creation goes to the platform provider but also that the software service ecosystem can collapse, if no mutually beneficial pricing of services is implemented.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jun 2016
TL;DR: This paper introduces the basic definitions and elements of the digital service ecosystem, and a scenario-based service requirement engineering (RE) method for the digitalServiceEcosystem, and collects feedback from the RE method users on the advantages and limitations of the proposed method.
Abstract: A digital service ecosystem enables value creation and the co-development of services in a value network under a common ecosystem regulation. The ecosystem members are able to focus on their core competences and can strengthen their forces by co-operating; yet remaining able to act independently. However, due to regulated environment, the ecosystem elements--i.e. ecosystem members, capabilities, infrastructure and the existing ecosystem assets--have an influence on digital service engineering, especially in the service requirements engineering phase. The main contribution of this paper is to describe how to specify the requirements of digital services in a digital service ecosystem. To this aim, this paper introduces the basic definitions and elements of the digital service ecosystem, and a scenario-based service requirement engineering (RE) method for the digital service ecosystem. A practical example is given to illustrate the use of the RE method. The collected feedback from the RE method users highlights the user experiences on the advantages and limitations of the proposed method.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an integrated social entrepreneur system in the rural area of Hengshan, Taiwan, that could benefit four stakeholders, namely, tourists, business, community and government, is presented.
Abstract: Purpose This study aims to construct an integrated social entrepreneur system in the rural area of Hengshan, Taiwan, that could benefit four stakeholders, namely, tourists, business, community and government. Two social entrepreneur cases demonstrate a mutually beneficial situation of lowering the structural unemployment rate, returning young human capital to villages and innovating rural tourism through the activism of service science. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative approach was applied to data obtained from 12 research projects spanning three years. Service experience engineering (SEE) methods were used to conduct a service design for social entrepreneurs in an integrated service system. The service system aimed to innovate rural tourism through the activism of service science. Findings SEE methods explain a series of service design processes that helped our research team start up two social entrepreneur projects as service prototypes to offer service innovation based on cultural creativity to innovate rural tourism. These two social entrepreneurs in rural tourism offer job opportunities to young people and senior citizens alike. In addition, an integrated service system of interdisciplinary knowledge, multi-stakeholders and local resources fulfills various requirements of stakeholders to promote sustainable rural tourism. Research limitations/implications Real action studies are limited in the research on social entrepreneurs. This case study provides research insights into service science and calls for action in practice to change the future of a local village. The results provide the philosophy and knowledge of service science that social entrepreneurs of rural tourism can use in the village. Designing service innovation for rural tourism has shaped its vision toward a sustainable tourism system. Originality/value Few studies have shown that social entrepreneurs could innovate rural tourism. The present study presents an action case through the activism of service science.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined whether a service delivery channel based on mobile phones and provided through a short messaging service can be included in public administration to meet citizen requirements and examined what factors are important to develop citizen perceptions of high value and effectiveness of new service delivery channels.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: System usability, service variety, and personal connectivity are identified to be the major determinants that contribute to the value offered to users on mobile software service platforms, indicating that users’ value from a software service platform cannot be explained by the technology acceptance model itself.
Abstract: As software service platforms grow in number of users and variety of service offerings, it raises the question of how this phenomenon impacts the value obtained by users. This paper identifies system usability, service variety, and personal connectivity to be the major determinants that contribute to the value offered to users on mobile software service platforms. A structural equation model, which is based on utility theory, technology acceptance theory, and the theory of network externalities, has been constructed from seven observed constructs, reflecting the three determinants and the user value. The lower bound of user value is estimated through the user’s willingness-to-pay for services and the user’s willingness to spend time on using services. For the validation, a co-variance-based structural equation analysis has been conducted on online survey data of 210 users of mobile service platforms (e.g., Android, iOS). The results show that the number of services used and the number of active user connections were found to be the strongest constructs explaining user value. Perceived usefulness did not explain user value as much. In total, they can explain 49 % of the value that the user receives from the platform. The implication of this result is that users’ value from a software service platform cannot be explained by the technology acceptance model itself. Instead, an approach that, as used in this research, of integrating network externality theory, utility theory, and technology acceptance theory is necessary.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The article theoretically defines and integrates iSIM’s seven constitutive design process-elements: service strategy, customer type / value proposition, service concept, service system, customer experience, service architecture and monetization into a coherent and end-to-end aligned integrated design method.
Abstract: Service innovation is focused on customer value creation. At its core, customer centric service innovation is technology-enabled, human-centered, and process-oriented. To profit from such innovation, firms need an integrated cross-disciplinary, holistic method to design and commercialize service innovation. From diverse but interrelated strands of theories from service science, strategic management, organization science and information systems literatures, this article develops a new integrated design method, known as iSIM (integrated Service Innovation Method), for simultaneous service innovation and business model design for sustained customer value co-creation with the firm. Following design science research method, the article theoretically defines and integrates iSIM's seven constitutive design process-elements: service strategy, customer type / value proposition, service concept, service system, customer experience, service architecture and monetization into a coherent and end-to-end aligned integrated design method. It explains how iSIM would be holistically and iteratively practiced by practitioners, and conceptually exemplifies its utility via telco and Amazon case studies using secondary data. Perspectives on iSIM from selected practitioners are discussed which confirm iSIM's potential utility for their business. Managerial implications of implementing the iSIM and potential areas for further research are also discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A state-dependent queueing model in which the service rate depends on the system “load” and “overwork,” which is a quasi-birth-and-death process with a special structure that is exploited to develop efficient and easy-to-implement algorithms to compute system performance measures.
Abstract: Servers in many real queueing systems do not work at a constant speed. They adapt to the system state by speeding up when the system is highly loaded or slowing down when load has been high for an extended time period. Their speed can also be constrained by other factors, such as geography or a downstream blockage. We develop a state-dependent queueing model in which the service rate depends on the system “load” and “overwork.” Overwork refers to a situation where the system has been under a heavy load for an extended time period. We quantify load as the number of users in the system, and we operationalize overwork with a state variable that is incremented with each service completion in a high-load period and decremented at a rate that is proportional to the number of idle servers during low-load periods. Our model is a quasi-birth-and-death process with a special structure that we exploit to develop efficient and easy-to-implement algorithms to compute system performance measures. We use the analytical ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on the competition and coordination issues for two-tier service systems with customers who are sensitive to both service quality and delay, and they employ several interesting and counter-intuitive managerial insights generated by the model to show that the public service can be delivered more efficiently via customer choice and service provider competition.
Abstract: As a result of government budgetary limits and rapid market growth, many public service systems—such as healthcare—are characterized by extensive customer wait times that have become a serious problem. This problem might be solved by allowing private firms to enter these markets, which would provide customers with a choice between a free (governmental) public service provider and a fee-charging (or “toll”) private service provider. In such a two-tier service system, the two service providers are differentiated by service quality and cost efficiency. This paper focuses on the competition and coordination issues for two-tier service systems with customers who are sensitive to both service quality and delay. The free system attempts to maximize its expected total customer utility with limited capacity, whereas the toll system attempts to maximize its profit. Neither goal is aligned with the social welfare goal of the public service. To achieve the social welfare goal, the government plays a crucial role in coordinating the two-tier service system via the budget, the tradeoff of social members’ goals, and tax-subsidy policies. Using a mixed duopoly game, we establish Nash equilibrium strategies and identify the conditions for the existence of the two-tier service system. We employ several interesting and counter-intuitive managerial insights generated by the model to show that the public service can be delivered more efficiently via customer choice and service provider competition. In addition, we show that a relatively low tax-subsidy rate can almost perfectly coordinate the two service providers to achieve most of the maximum possible benefit of the two-tier service system.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify service design strategies to improve outcome-oriented services by enhancing consumers' emotional experience, while overcoming customer variability, using these strategies helps set the stage for a service to offer an emotional experience.
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify service design strategies to improve outcome-oriented services by enhancing consumers’ emotional experience, while overcoming customer variability. Design/methodology/approach: An abductive, multiple-case study involves 12 service firms from diverse online and offline service sectors. Findings: Overall, six service design strategies represent two overarching themes: customer empowerment can involve design for typical customers, visibility, and community building, while customer accommodation can involve design for personas, invisibility, and relationship building. Using these strategies helps set the stage for a service to offer an emotional experience. Research limitations/implications: The study offers a first step toward combining investigations of service experience and user experience. Further research can strengthen these links. Practical implications: The six design strategies described using examples from case research offer managerial recommendations. In particular, these strategies can help service managers address the customer-induced variability inherent in services. Originality/value: Extant studies of experience staging have focused on particular sectors such as hospitality and leisure; this study contributes by investigating outcome-focused services and identifying strategies to create unique experiences that offset variability. It also represents a rare effort to combine research from service management and interaction design, shedding light on the link between service experience and user experience.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work studies the problem using a game theoretical point of view: the e-consumers are interacting through the last-mile delivery service system creating congestion for each other, and focuses on several equilibrium concepts from congestion/routing games: Wardrop and Logit equilibria.
Abstract: The goal of this paper is to introduce bounded rational behaviors in a competitive queuing system. Furthermore, we propose a realistic queuing model for two last-mile delivery services in which consumers are in competition. This work is derived from a real-world e-commerce application. We study the problem using a game theoretical point of view: the e-consumers are interacting through the last-mile delivery service system creating congestion for each other. Specifically, we focus our analysis on several equilibrium concepts from congestion/routing games: Wardrop and Logit equilibria. The difference in these equilibrium concepts is on the rationality level of players in the game. We are able to prove the existence and uniqueness of both equilibria. We compare them through a new metric called the Price of Rationality and we also compare each one to the social optimum solution through the Price of Anarchy. Some numerical results are presented in order to illustrate the theoretical results obtained.