Service Operation System Research Articles

Performance Management Decision-Making Model: Case Study on Foreign Language Learning Curriculums

Foreign language learning courses can be regarded as a service operation system, and a complete foreign language learning course performance evaluation model can help improve the effectiveness of student learning. The performance evaluation matrix (PEM) is an excellent tool for evaluation and resource management decision making, and the administrator uses the satisfaction and the importance indices to establish evaluation coordinate points based on the rules of statistical testing. The coordinate points of all service items are plotted into the PEM to grasp the full picture and to make decisions on what to improve or to consider resource transfers so as to elevate the overall satisfaction of the entire service. However, plotting all the coordinate points on the PEM can only be performed by programming, which will lead to limitations in practice. Therefore, instead of the above evaluation rules, this article uses the confidence intervals of decision-making indicators to form a validity evaluation table, to decide which teaching service items should be improved, maintained, or transferred to improve the satisfaction of the entire service system. This form of performance evaluation can be completed using any commonly used word-processing software, so it is easy to apply and promote. Finally, this article provides an applied example to illustrate the proposed method.

Study on Health Management and Service Model of Chifeng Class 3A General Public Hospital

This study investigates the construction of a health management service mode based on large-scale comprehensive hospitals by analyzing health management service modes at home and abroad, that is, taking the Affiliated Hospital of Chifeng University as an example, establish a health examination hospital, undertake core tasks such as health service operation process, system, monitoring, and system formulation, and take the best medical resources. Attract social medical resources to collaborate and give health service mode of health status monitoring, evaluation, and intervention to health service objects, aided by advanced medical technology. To extend the traditional health management service with the hospital as the protagonist to health management with participation from family and society beyond the hospital, forming a closed-loop, rapid, and efficient health service management system. Thus, through graded quality services, to lessen the difficulties of patients seeing a doctor and to solve the problem of overcrowding and minor ailments in major hospitals.

Hybrid modeling methodology for integrating customers’ behaviors into system simulation to improve service operations management

Service quality is significant for improving customer satisfaction and enhancing competitive advantages of service business. Due to the dynamic nature of service activities, system simulation has become popular for researching service operations management during the past few years. However, most previous studies about service operations system simulation use only one single modeling paradigm, making it still challenging for exploring individual consumers’ behaviors and evaluating the relative efficiency of different alternative strategies for service operations improvement. In this context, a hybrid modeling methodology framework is proposed in this study for integrating customers’ behaviors into service operations system simulation. Specifically, we designed an algorithm for simulating consumers’ behavioral decisions based on cognitive psychology. And then, individual consumer's decision behavior was modeled as an agent, and integrated into a hybrid simulation model developed based on DES (Discrete Event Simulation) coupled with ABS (Agent-Based Simulation) paradigms. Moreover, we involve cost-benefit analysis for further exploring different alternative operation improvement strategies based on simulation experiments. We then design and implement a prototype simulator based on the methodology framework and apply it in a real case study to demonstrate its functionalities and utility. The results successfully obtained indicates that reducing the reserved customers’ numbers blindly cannot always improve customers’ satisfaction, and improving the service quality to all customers is thus necessary, rather than being concerned with only the satisfactions of reserved (VIP) customers. The findings also reveal the dynamic influence mechanism of service intervention time to giving-up customers’ numbers, indicating a promising future for applying the methodology framework in improving service quality and customer satisfaction. This work offers new perspectives and valuable demonstration on promoting future strategic researches about service operations management improvement with the integration of customers’ behaviors and service operations system simulation though emerging hybrid modeling paradigm.

A survey on the service quality of launch terminal in Bangladesh based on customers satisfaction

Quality of the service and effectiveness of service operations system are considered as important aspects of achieving the customers' satisfaction of any service organization. Since it is considered as the low cost, safe and enjoyable travelling method by the passengers, it is need of the hour to identify the customer satisfaction towards the development of transport service methods in the Bangladesh especially in Launch Service. The major objective of this study is to identify the impact of inland transport service quality on passengers' satisfaction. The present study has been attempted to understand and examine the factors influencing the passenger’s satisfaction in the Launch Service. The study is exploratory in nature and used factor analysis to identify the foremost significant factors of Passenger’s satisfaction with service quality. By questionnaire survey we put our survey into five category those are tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy (24 type question). Also, we took a part in photography survey. From photography and questionnaire survey we made a data and put that data into analysis. By analysis the data we made some pie chat and find a result. Though the satisfaction level is not good. From the result it is shown that bollard quality, dock railing system, mooring ropes quality, staff accommodation; those four parts of the launch terminal is very poor. Although bollard quality, cleanliness, dock to dock joint, snapback zone, watchtower service; those five parts of launch terminal is poor. Also, the docking system, lighting system, loading and unloading system, security system for passenger’s, hawker’s volume, terminal maintenance is average; those five parts of launch terminal is good. It is disappointing to say that there isn’t any canteen facility for the passengers. The rest of the part of the launch terminal is good. We also recommended some suggestion which improvement could make a far better passenger’s satisfaction. Keywords: Service Quality; Service Variables; Launch Terminal; Structural Equation Modeling

Fuzzy MCDM approach to evaluate service strategies of customer value for global shipping carrier-based logistics service providers

The key purpose of this research is to develop a fuzzy multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) algorithm to evaluate service strategies of customer value (CV) for global shipping carrier-based logistics service providers (GSLPs) based on the shippers’ perspective in Taiwan. At first, a literature review was introduced. Subsequently, a proposed fuzzy MCDM algorithm is developed. Finally, the systematic approach is to perform the empirical survey via questionnaires. The result shows providing customization is the most suitable service strategy of CV for GSLPs. Differentiation, and providing long-term product values are ranked in the second and third places. The strategy of service operation and delivery system is the lowest ranked. It is suggested that the customization of services should be paid more attention by the GSLPs. Key words: Customer value, shipping, fuzzy multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM).

Systems thinking for call centre service design: affective commitment implications in manufacturing enterprises

This paper explains the leveraging of affective commitment among call centre front-line employees through the improvement of service operations design in a manufacturing enterprise through systems thinking approach. A case study was carried out using face-to-face interviews, structured questionnaires, and observation methods to collect data at managerial and operative front-line levels. The case study finds a strong relationship between the level of affective commitment among front-line employees and the form of service operations system. The study has many implications for the manufacturing enterprises embracing a call centre to improve productivity and working experience. A higher level of affective commitment is likely to mitigate turnover and absenteeism in these service departments.

Um método para identificação e análise de competências e recursos estratégicos das operações de serviços

A identificação e a análise de competências e recursos das operações é uma atividade que tem sido frequentemente negligenciada no processo de formulação da estratégia de produção. Reconhecendo a importância dessa atividade, este artigo apresenta uma metodologia que se propõe a incorporar a visão baseada em recursos na estratégia de operações de serviços. Para verificar sua aplicabilidade, a metodologia proposta foi testada em uma academia de ginástica, um típico sistema de operações de serviços que apresenta recursos e processos peculiares. A pesquisa de campo ocorreu segundo a abordagem da pesquisa-ação, na qual um dos autores deste artigo exerceu o papel de facilitador no processo de intervenção organizacional. Os resultados da aplicação sinalizaram para os gerentes da academia os recursos e as competências que deveriam ser priorizados para a manutenção da vantagem competitiva da empresa. Por outro lado, ficou claro para os pesquisadores que o modelo proposto era factível, fácil de usar e útil, além de cumprir seu papel de integrar a visão orientada pelo mercado com a visão baseada em recursos no complexo processo de formulação da estratégia de operações.

Lean service operations: Reflections and new directions for capacity expansion in outpatient clinics

This field research in outpatient service operations examines original quantitative data on appointments and analyzes a lean process improvement project that was conducted to increase capacity to admit new patients into a healthcare service operation system. Analysis of 1726 intake appointments for the year preceding and the full year following the lean project showed a 27% increase in service capacity to intake new patients and a 12% reduction in the no-show rate as a result of the transformation of service processes achieved by the lean project. This study's action research methodology leverages the researcher's involvement in redesigning a service system that greatly improved performance and led to reflection on traditional operations management (OM) approaches to appointment scheduling. The study generates insights about effective alignment of resources, develops new strategies for service operations to respond to no-shows, reveals time-related variables that have been overlooked in appointment scheduling research, and challenges traditional OM scheduling performance measures. We provide recommendations for effective and appropriate use of overbooking and identify avenues for future research to continuously improve and increase the capacity of service operations.

Analysis on the functional module of military medical service operation system oriented towards the disposition of military medical service force

An effective,practical and advanced functional module of military medical service operation system was developed by combining military,logistics,health service theory and technologies of system engineering,computer simulation,digitalized map and multi-media.The functional module of the system could be used for regional disposition of military medical service force and for rapid exercise of military medical service commands.The functions of the system included terrain analysis,information retrieval,calculation and forecasting,document drafting,picture management and information transmission.It can be used not only for daily training of military medical command,but also for military medical commanding at emergency and non-battle military actions,enhancing the efficiency in accomplishing various military medical service disposition.

Creating the Future with All Finance and Financial Conglomerates

Creating the Future With All Finance and Financial Conglomerates, by L.A.A. van den Berghe and K. Verweire, 1998, Boston, Kluwer Academic Publishers Reviewer: Peter Hohman, The Insurance Institute of Canada Banks expanding into the insurance and insurers exploring deposit-taking activities-this evolution is altering the financial services landscape on a worldwide basis. The authors of this book take a timely look at this sometimes-sensitive topic in an academic, objective way using research primarily from the European market. The Dutch and Belgian financial services industry, particularly, serve as an excellent test bed because of the progressive integration between the banking and insurance industries that has already occurred there. The discussions are sprinkled with references to the United States, where the concepts are growing in importance. The book approaches this complex topic by investigating the diversification strategies of financial institutions and conglomerates; the increasing interface between banks, insurance companies, and investment companies; and the concepts of all finance or service bundles. Chapter 1 takes the important first step of sorting out in a scientific way the various terms that are used commonly and defining concepts such as bancassurance, assurfinance, all finance, and others. The chapter also touches on the drivers motivating banks to move into the insurance business, primarily life, and insurers, into the banking business. The interface between the banking and the insurance sectors is traced from the initial cooperative approach to the more competitive basis. The second chapter extends the analysis of the trend from bancassurance and assurfinance toward all finance. It addresses the general preference of banks for life insurance, rather than property-liability, and discusses the rebundling of financial services. Chapter 3 explores the principles and rationale of diversification as it applies within the financial services industry, including the concepts of economies of scale and scope, transaction costs, and managerial motives. The chapter also discusses the more or less unsuccessful merger wave covering the period from 1949 through the mid-'70s, the back to the core business approach in the '80s, and the apparent contradiction between de-mergers and the increasing diversification of banks and insurance companies. Different classifications of typologies for corporate structures of financial conglomerates are explored in Chapter 4. After commenting on the various strengths and weaknesses of these classifications, the authors propose and discuss at length the Financial Conglomerates Control Board (EC.C.B.) construct they have developed. The EC.C.B. model combines the concept of the value chain (Porter) with the service operations system. It is designed as a tool to gain a better understanding of the different types of conglomerates, their structures and strategies, their potential synergies as well as their types of potential risk, and their degree of integration, integration being seen as one of the key drivers for success. …

Mapping customers’ service experience for operations improvement

The growing importance of the service sector in almost every economy in the world has created a significant amount of interest in service operations. In practice, many service sectors have sought and made use of various enhancement programs to improve their operations and performance in an attempt to hold competitive success. As most researchers recognize, service operations link with customers. The customers as participants act in the service operations system driven by the goal of sufficing his/her added values. This is one of the distinctive features of service production and consumption. In the paper, first, we propose the idea of service operations improvement by mapping objectively the service experience of customers from the view of customer journey. Second, a portraying scheme of service experience of customers based on the IDEF3 technique is proposed, and last, some implications on service operations improvement are given.

Requirements for intelligent network service operations

A service operation architecture and operation system platform are proposed that separate commonly used information from operations functions, and that use access control functions. This enables new applications to be developed more easily and increases operating efficiency. The operation system platform is related to several surrounding platforms, and requires standardized reference points such as CMIS/P and managed objects. A managed object methodology is a suitable approach for accessing the operation system platform, and managed object classes and methods are proposed for intelligent network service operations. This architecture and platform will allow telecommunication to meet the demands created by intelligent networks for enhanced customer services, more reliable operation systems, and lower development costs. On the basis of proposed platform, service surveillance prototype systems for free-phone services have already been developed, and the next versions of the service operations systems for virtual private networks services are being developed.

The Internal Information Systems Function as a Service Operation

User dissatisfaction with the performance of internal systems design departments is widespread. It is demonstrated here that viewing such a department as a service operations system, operating within a particular market, throws light upon the causes of dissatisfaction and indicates possible remedies. The lessons are likely to be equally applicable to other internal service functions. An internal consistency model of service operations is introduced, and its value as a general diagnostic aid in the service operations field is demonstrated. The information in this study was gathered within one region of a public utility in the United Kingdom.