Managers In Service Organizations Research Articles

Impact of a pharmacist-driven insulin dispensing program in a management services organization

BackgroundInsulin prices have tripled in the United States over the past decade. The affordability of insulin products may affect patient adherence and, as a result, glucose control. Providers may need to consider less expensive insulin options to improve patient outcomes. ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the impact of a low-cost, in-office insulin dispensing program led by pharmacists in a management services organization on patient glucose control, adherence to routine laboratory tests, and patient satisfaction. MethodsThis multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted at 2 primary care clinics in South Florida. The primary outcome was the change in mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at baseline versus 6 months after insulin program enrollment. The secondary outcomes included mean HbA1c at baseline versus 12 months after insulin program enrollment, patient satisfaction evaluated with a survey, and adherence to routine laboratory tests, specifically HbA1c and urine albumin to creatinine ratio before and after enrollment. ResultsA total of 21 patients met inclusion criteria. The mean HbA1c before program enrollment was 9.4% compared with a mean HbA1c of 8.6% 6 months after enrollment (P = 0.058) and 8.4% 12 months after enrollment when available (P = 0.097). Of the 12 patients who completed the patient satisfaction survey, 11 (91.7%) agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with pharmacist involvement in insulin management and planned to continue using the insulin program. ConclusionAmong patients with type 2 diabetes enrolled in a low-cost, in-office insulin program, change in mean HbA1c after 6 and 12 months was not statistically significant.

Evaluation of pharmacist involvement in multidisciplinary home visits in a primary care–based management services organization

BackgroundHealth care delivery has shifted from fee-for-service to value-based models, allowing pharmacists to integrate within value-based organizations to improve patient outcomes. Although previous studies describe pharmacist involvement in value-based office settings, limited knowledge exists on pharmacist integration in multidisciplinary home visits in a value-based setting. ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe the integration of pharmacists into multidisciplinary chronic care management (CCM) home visits involving paramedics within a primary care–focused value-based setting. The primary objective is to identify the types and frequency of medication-related problems (MRPs) identified by pharmacists during home visits. The secondary objectives are to determine the number and types of recommendations made to and accepted by providers and patient satisfaction with the pharmacist during the home visit. MethodsPrimus Health, a primary care–focused management services organization, integrated pharmacists in CCM home visits. Two ambulatory care pharmacy residents and one clinical pharmacist conducted home visits from January to May 2023 to complete medication reconciliation, identify MRPs, and provide pharmacy support services for patients and providers. A password-protected database was built for data collection and analysis. The data are presented in aggregate. ResultsTwenty-one visits involving 15 patients were conducted and 77 MRPs were identified. The most common MRPs were nonadherence (11.6%), laboratory monitoring needed (11.6%), and overdue vaccination (11.6%). Twenty-three of 36 recommendations (63.9%) made to providers were accepted, leading to a therapeutic change. Commonly accepted recommendations were decreasing dose (21.7%), medication deprescription (21.7%), and ordering of laboratory tests (21.7%). All patients agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the pharmacist-provided care during the home visit. ConclusionsIntegration of pharmacists into multidisciplinary CCM home visits led to the resolution of MRPs and demonstrated a potential need for enhanced clinical pharmacy services for home care patients in primary care–focused value-based settings.

Ecosystem Well-Being and Resilience: Lessons from Crisis Management in Service Organizations

ABSTRACT Purpose In this paper, we investigate the strategies and approaches adopted by service organizations to navigate a humanitarian crisis and the lessons learnt from the crisis to face a future one. Understanding the effect of a crisis triggered by health pandemic hazards on services delivery and management, organizational strategies for survival and recovery, and the recovery post-crisis, in terms of building organizational and ecosystem resilience, is the focus of this paper. Design/Methodology/Approach Using a qualitative research design which closely approximates the theory-in-use (TIU) approach (Zeithaml et al. 2020), we interview 47 elite informants from service organizations that were particularly severely impacted by the crisis. We follow Corbin and Strauss’s (2014) procedure for analysis of the interviews (i.e., open, axial and selective coding) and Saldaña (2013) for thematic analysis. Findings Drawing on Transformative Service Research (TSR) and dynamic capabilities perspective, we develop an empirical framework of crisis management which focuses on dynamic co-creation of service ecosystem well-being and resilience. Service organization responses included 1) retrenchment and balancing supply and demand, 2) service re-design and provision, 3) imposed service innovations, 4) digital servitization and 5) rethinking business models. Aiding with the process of crisis management in the face of uncertainty are dynamic capabilities, including strategic flexibility, market orientation, customer centricity, transformational leadership, and technological/digital capabilities. Originality/Value/Contribution The study provides a novel applied framework which sheds light on how organizations that co-created value with other firms, suppliers, customers, stakeholders (the focus of B2B marketing) fundamentally transformed their services to fulfill human and ecosystem actors’ needs, by placing well-being right at the center of their crisis management strategies. We combine the TSR lens on service ecosystem well-being and resilience with the dynamic capabilities perspective to explore how service organizations managed the COVID-19 crisis and what lessons can be learnt to face any future crisis. We argue that well-being and resilience are dependent on a service co-creation process that involves multiple ecosystem stakeholders at the individual, organizational, community and societal levels. We have built on Anderson’s et al. (2013) and Chen et al. (2020) work to explore empirically how well-being can be co-created in time of crisis. The process of value co-creation, through the responses identified in our paper (e.g., digital servitization and imposed innovations), were adopted to provide physical, health, financial and social safety to the service ecosystem actors (primarily customers, employees, and managers) during the pandemic. Practical implications The findings contribute to the service marketing practice by identifying the managerial strategies that blend TSR and dynamic capabilities. The study provides an applied framework which sheds light on how organizations fundamentally transform their services to fulfill human and ecosystem actors’ needs, by placing well-being right at the center of their crisis management strategies. Well-being became a function of fulfilling the most basic human needs (belonging, safety, security and hygiene) of customers, employees, managers and communities. Our research helps managers and decision-makers to identify the right strategies and capabilities needed to manage a crisis. Critically, managers should stress building the skills of market orientation, digitalization and strategic flexibility to manage uncertainty. Service organizations require flexible and integrative decision-makers who elevate service innovation to a core strategic issue to come out from a crisis.

Covid-19 crisis management human resource cost-retrenchment: the role of transformational leadership and ethical climate

PurposeAs the tourism industry emerges from full or partial closure caused by the COVID-19 crisis, it is imperative to understand the internal conditions that assisted organizations to maintain positive employee attitudes despite the adverse effects of unpopular cost–retrenchment strategies. Therefore, this study aims to understand the impacts of transformational leadership (TFL), human resource management (HRM) crisis cost–retrenchment and ethical climate (EC) on employee job outcomes affected by COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachMid-level managers of service organizations from a travel destination heavily reliant on the tourism participated in an online self-administered survey one month after the state eased its COVID-19 travel restrictions. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) examined how TFL and EC influenced cost–retrenchment crisis–management HRM, satisfaction and trust in the organization, followed by PLS multi-group analysis (PLS-MGA) to understand differences between hospitality and non-hospitality employees.FindingsResults revealed an overall positive effect of TFL that diminished the negative affect of HRM cost-retrenchment on employee satisfaction. PLS-MGA showed a significant positive role of other-focused EC on employee outcomes, especially for hospitality organizations, whereas self-focused EC had a negative impact for non-hospitality firms.Originality/valueThis study contributes to contingency theory of leadership by demonstrating that TFL in combination with EC mitigates or overpowers the negative effects of cost–retrenchment crisis management strategies on employees. The study advances knowledge of self-focused and other-focused moral reasoning climate impacts under COVID-19 conditions for hospitality organizations. The industry comparison results highlight the important positive characteristics of hospitality crisis management.

Modern trends in the management of service organizations in the context of digital transformation

The subject of the study is the process of digital transformation in service companies. The article consistently examines modern trends in the management of digital transformation processes for service companies, including in the field of the economy of shared consumption. Attention is focused on the importance of taking into account the context of each specific business and explains the essence of this approach. The issues of adaptation of service organizations in the modern digital economy and the opportunities and problems that accompany it are considered. The problems of changes in the goals and priorities of the management of service companies and the choice of directions for successful digital transformation are studied in detail. The main conclusions of the study are the following provisions: The digital economy requires the management of service companies to be able to implement digital transformation projects; for successful management of digital transformation, it is necessary to take into account the full context and strategic goals of the company; the main problems of service and sharing companies on the way to improving the efficiency of business processes are the need to change approaches to management and a shortage of personnel with knowledge and competencies necessary for the implementation of digital transformation. It is also shown that digitalization and automation can be carried out in various ways and affect various aspects of the company's business model. Service companies should strive to be at the forefront of digitalization.

The effects of workplace friendship network centrality on deep acting.

We integrated social network theory with conservation of resource theory to predict that workplace friendship network centrality provides service employees with critical psychological resources that foster deep acting: positive affect and positive self-perception. In Study 1, we conducted a survey (N = 105) in a Korean banking firm, revealing that these resources mediate the relationship between workplace friendship network centrality and deep acting. Studies 2 and 3, both experimental studies, investigated the hypothesized causal relationships. In Study 2 (N = 151), we found that workplace friendship network centrality increases the intention toward deep acting. Further, Study 3 (N = 140) confirmed the direct effects of friendship network centrality on positive affect and self-perception. By providing insights into the structural antecedents of emotional labor, we inform managers in service organizations of the value of creating avenues for their employees to form and maintain friendships within the organization.

Теоретические основы управления организациями сферы услуг в условиях цифровых трансформаций

The aim of the investigation is to study the theoretical foundations of the management of service organizations in the context of digital transformations. The authors reviewed and clarified such concepts as «digital economy» and «digital transformation». A number of reasons have been identified that cause changes in the theoretical foundations of managing service organizations in the context of digital transformations. It is noted that the main goal of managing service sector organizations in the context of digital transformations is to ensure the effective functioning of service sector organizations in the long term. The key elements of the formation of an effective management system for the organization of the service sector in the context of digital transformations are presented in more detail. The authors propose methods and principles for managing service organizations in the context of digital transformations. The key elements of management of service sector organizations in the context of digital transformations are identified. It is concluded that the application of the principles and methods of managing organizations in the service sector in the context of digital transformations aims to achieve tactical (short-term) and strategic (long-term) goals of the organization of the service sector, as well as increasing the efficiency of its functioning by minimizing unnecessary and unjustified costs and ensuring profit growth.

Lessons Learned in the Transformation of a Multispecialty Medical Group to a Management Services Organization Supporting Multiple Service Lines

A 30% growth of providers within the multispecialty Centra Medical Group’s health system was associated with increasing operational costs, inefficiencies of incentivized production, and poor alignment around the Quadruple Aim. Clinical services and management services were associated with redundancy and unclear roles and responsibilities. As the services grew quickly in scale, they required more autonomy, accountability, and self-governance, necessitating a change in the operating model. The service line model (SL) was selected as an efficient system for delivering cost-effective, patient-centered, disease-specific care when organized and led effectively. Key lessons with examples of specific actions and outcomes, as well as processes followed, are shared. Preliminary financial results of a $4M in savings from the initial deployment of four of the SLs are also discussed.

Spiritual leadership and work alienation: analysis of mechanisms and constraints

ABSTRACT In the present study, we propose a negative association between spiritual leadership and work alienation. We also propose service employee social capital as a mediator of the spiritual leadership-work alienation link and political skill as a boundary condition of the direct association between spiritual leadership and social capital and the indirect association between spiritual leadership and work alienation. Time-lagged (three rounds, three weeks apart) survey data collected from 283 service sector employees supported our proposed hypotheses. Despite the prevalence of work alienation in service organizations and the recognition that it can lead to several negative outcomes, little is known about how managers can address service employees’ feelings of work alienation. We address this crucial theoretical gap and offer several practical implications that can help managers in service organizations enhance employees’ social capital and undermine their feelings of alienation at work.

Effects of a Therapeutic Interchange Between Branded and Generic Inhaled Therapy on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Objective To evaluate the difference in the occurrence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations six months preconversion compared with six months postconversion from the branded inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta 2-agonist inhalers to the generic fluticasone/salmeterol inhalers. Design Retrospective cohort study using a six-month pre-/post-test design Setting Three primary care offices within a Management Service Organization (MSO) in South Florida. Patients, Participants Patients were included in the study if they had a diagnosis of COPD (in electronic medical record [EMR]), were at least 18 years of age, were under the care of a provider at one of the three primary care clinics within an MSO, and were switched from a branded ICS/LABA inhaler to a generic ICS/LABA inhaler between May 2019 and February 2020. This study included a total of 22 patients. Interventions Not applicable; this was a retrospective chart review. Main Outcome Measure The prevalence of COPD exacerbations leading to hospitalizations, emergency room visits, urgent care visits, or clinic visits. Results In this study, 10 (45.5%) patients experienced at least one exacerbation while on generic inhaler therapy compared with four (18.2%) patients while on branded inhaler therapy (P = 0.05). Those on a generic inhaler were 3.8 times more likely to have a COPD exacerbation. Conclusion While changing patients from branded to generic inhalers may be appealing because of the potential benefits in cost-reduction, the results of this study conclude that the inhaler switch may lead to increased exacerbations. Prescribers need to be aware of potential complications that may be related to a therapeutic interchange.

The myth of organization autonomy: Social workers’ salary under the lump sum grant subvention system in Hong Kong

AbstractAdopting the principles of managerialism, the Lump Sum Grant Subvention System in Hong Kong grants service organizations autonomy to deploy resources. Using organization‐ and individual‐level survey data, this article examines the salaries of social workers under the managerialist subvention system and investigates its impacts on frontline service professionals. We found that when service organizations adopted flexible employment terms to hire social workers, they offered lower minimum wage. Smaller organizations, which are often believed to benefit more from the system, paid social workers lower minimum wage. When individual social workers made use of flexible employment terms and switched their jobs in the welfare sector, there was no evidence that their income levels would be raised—on the contrary, switching jobs for three or more times would in fact lower their income levels. Furthermore, while the system encouraged social workers to get more involved in management work, there was no evidence that increasing work hours on management‐related work would increase the income of social workers. As organizational autonomy does not necessarily result in income justice for frontline social workers, clear guidelines, supervision, and policy interventions in the management of service organizations are still needed in social service planning and delivery.

Drivers of Service Innovation in Service Organisations

Service organisations are faced with intense competition and are relying on service innovations to achieve a competitive advantage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the drivers of service innovation in service organisations. Complexity Theory is adopted as the underlying conceptual lens to answer the research questions and attain the research objectives. A qualitative research method was followed to achieve the research objective. In-depth interviews were conducted to collect primary data with service managers and marketing personnel of service organisations. The primary data in this research paper were analysed using a content analysis method with the aid of Atlas.ti version 8. The results of this study revealed that the level of competition in the industry, and customers’ changing behavior. In addition, this study uncovered the key organisations’ resources that serve as key drivers of service innovation in service organisations. This paper provides recommendations to managers in service organisations and directions for future research on service innovation.
 
 Received: 1 November 2020 / Accepted: 9 December 2020 / Published: 5 March 2021

Features of instrumental support of business analysis of tax solvency of organizations

The paper substantiates the significance of the business analysis of tax solvency as a necessary element of the tax management of service organizations under conditions of increased turbulence of factors and conditions of the business environment caused by the development of digital and information technologies. Instrumental support of business analytical procedures involves the selection of methods and the development of tools - techniques and information support, which together represent a methodological justification (algorithm) for assessing tax solvency. The algorithm includes five stages: assessment of environmental factors and conditions, indicators of the results and effectiveness of economic activity, absolute and relative indicators of the tax burden, key indicators of the level of tax solvency. In order to eliminate contradictions and shortcomings in the existing traditional methods, it is proposed to use the indicative approach, which is implemented in the form of four stages, during which key indicators are determined (16 in total). The advantage of the indication approach is its unique factual analytical capacity, which allows low-cost financial instruments to obtain summarizing information for making managerial decisions of a service that is proactive and to ensure proper tax consistency.

The bright and dark sides of humorous response to online customer complaint

PurposeDisplaying a sense of humour provides various interpersonal benefits including reducing tension and promoting conflict resolution, but should a firm use humour in response to publicly viewable online customer complaints after a service failure? The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that a firm’s use of humour in response to negative online consumer reviews has both positive and negative effects on perceptions of corporate image from a customer-as-onlooker perspective.Design/methodology/approachThree experimental studies are conducted and analysis of variance is used to empirically test the hypotheses.FindingsAlthough humorous responses have an unfavourable influence on perceived trustworthiness of the firm, they have a favourable influence on perceived excitingness of the firm. The former influence is tied to lower perceived firm sincerity, whereas the latter is tied to higher perceived firm innovativeness and coolness. Furthermore, humour within the customer complaint itself is shown to moderate the influence of humorous responses on perceptions of the firm. Finally, regardless of the type of humour used (i.e. affiliative or aggressive humour) in the humorous response, the positive effect of humorous response remains strong, although aggressive humour further aggravates the negative impact of humorous response on trustworthiness.Research limitations/implicationsThe experimental set-up may limit external validity of the study, and the research is limited to the variables examined.Practical implicationsHumorous response is identified as a non-traditional approach to online customer complaints that poses a double-edged sword for managers of service organizations. Firms should avoid using humour in online service recovery if perceptions of trustworthiness are critical or if complaints are written in a neutral tone. However, such responses may be successfully used when a firm wants to position itself as exciting and if complaints are also humorous. Finally, firms are advised to avoid aggressive humour.Originality/valueThe present research represents one of the few studies in marketing to examine the potential of injecting humour into complaint management and service recovery. In addition, this study considers the consumer-as-onlooker perspective inherent in social media.

The evolution of private equity in dermatology

The first known entry of private equity (PE) in the clinical dermatology space was over a decade ago. There are now in excess of 30 PE-backed dermatology groups (PEGs) with a vision for dermatology. Many use the management services organization, which allows PE firms to circumvent corporate practice of medicine laws, align cooperative physicians, and set the foundation for PEG evolution. PEGs may have different characteristics depending on their stage of evolution; however, as they mature through the stages, they become increasingly similar to each other. This contribution will discuss the stages of PEG evolution in detail. Dermatologists should be aware of these stages so that they can understand a PEG’s past and anticipate a PEG’s future.

The Effects of Service Employees’ Emotional Labor on Customer Loyalty in Wealth Management Service Organization

The wealth management firm meets greater competition in generating customer loyalty after China’s 11 opening-up policy. According to emotional contagion and SOR theory, the effect of employees’ competence on customer loyalty was firstly investigated. Secondly, the mediation effect of customers’ trust was tested. Finally, the moderation effect of employees’ emotional labor perceived by customers was investigated. After tested by Process Macro for SPSS, several results were obtained. Employees’ competence positively predicts customer loyalty, and customers’ trust plays a mediation effect. The deep acting (surface acting) strategy of employees plays a positive (negative) moderation effect in the relationship between employees’ competence and customer trust. Theoretical and managerial implications related to emotional labor and trust were generated.

Consolidation in the dental industry: a closer look at dental payers and providers

We examine the effect of commercial dental insurance concentration on the size of dental practices, the decision of dentists to own a practice, and the choice of dentists to work at a dental management service organization—a type of corporate group practice that has become more prevalent in the United States in recent years. Using 2013–2015 dentist-level data from the American Dental Association, county-level data on firms and employment from the United States Census, and commercial dental insurance market concentration data from FAIR Health®, we find a modest effect of dental insurance market concentration on the size of dental practices. We also find that a higher level of commercial dental insurance market concentration is associated with a dentist’s decision not to own a practice. There is inconclusive evidence that higher levels of dental insurance market concentration impact a dentist’s decision to affiliate with a dental management service organization. Overall, our findings imply that dentists consolidate in response to increases in concentration among commercial dental insurers.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its internal consequences on job performance

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the role of corporate ethical values on the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and work-related outcomes (organizational commitment (OC), organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and in-role job performance) in the case of a Greek port logistics management services organization.Design/methodology/approachThe field research was carried out by using a structured questionnaire, which was based on empirically validated scales. Employees’ perception of CSR was measured by two dimensions (i.e. social, environmental).FindingsStatistical analysis (PLS-SEM) confirms the conceptual framework of the study. More specifically, results revealed the association of both CSR dimensions with CEV and OCB. However, CEV proved to act as a full mediating variable between CSR and OC. Thus, CSR impact on OC is realized only through the development of concrete corporate ethical values. Similarly, CEV influences in role job performance, only through OC and OCB.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is cross-sectional; thus, causality of the relationships under investigation cannot be justified. The cultural context should also be considered, as field research was conducted in a Greek port logistics organization, at a country suffering from deep financial recession.Originality/valueDiscussion of the importance of corporate ethical values and the underlying mechanisms of organizational policies and practices guiding CSR impact on crucial job-related outcomes.

Exploring the links between talent philosophies and talent management in service organizations

PurposeIn line with recent trends in the human resource management literature that address talented employees and their management, the purpose of this paper is to examine the associations between talent philosophies (innate/developable and exclusive/inclusive) and the way talent is identified and assessed in the context of service organisations.Design/methodology/approachA structured questionnaire was administered in shipping companies located in Greece and 125 questionnaires suitable for further use were collected. Moreover, the measurement instruments of the constructs under examination were adopted from relevant studies in the literature. Finally, the data were analysed through exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis.FindingsThe findings showed that the different talent philosophies impact upon the way talent is managed (i.e. identified and assessed). Specifically it was found that managers who adopt mainly innate and exclusive talent philosophies tend to rely more on their first impressions in the identification of talent and to focus in a greater extent on their personal judgment rather than standardized procedures in talent assessment.Originality/valueDespite the increased academic voices on exploring the concepts of talent and talent management in the context of business organisations, the field is still lacking empirical evidence. Therefore, this study contributes to the limited empirical studies on talent issues and provides evidence on the links between the dominant talent philosophies and the way talent is identified and assessed in organisations.

Factors Affecting Organizational Design: A Study on the Selected Dimensions in the Bangladeshi Context

This paper explores variations in organization design due to factors like industry type, organization size, maturity, technology intensity and strategic focus. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey and Key Informant Interviews (KII). No single factor was found to have a significant impact on all dimensions. Bigger organizations were found to have relatively decentralized information management system and service organizations had decentralized control mechanism and two-way communication practices. Organizations with relatively greater technology focus tended to use decentralized decision making, control mechanism and information management practices.