Service Provider Relationship Research Articles

Digital Marketing Outsourcing Relationships Between SMEs and Service Providers: An Agency Theory Perspective

Digital marketing has become a necessity for small to medium enterprises (SME), exacerbated by the pandemic. Given the sometimes-limited knowledge and resources for digital marketing, SMEs often outsource digital marketing to service providers. A review of B2B literature demonstrates a predominant focus on how businesses internally adopt and use digital marketing with limited insight as to how digital marketing has been outsourced nor the subsequent relationship between client and service provider. This is a gap in scholarly and practitioner knowledge with increasing disputes in the SME and digital marketing service provider (DMSP) relationship. To address this gap the current research, informed by agency theory, adopts an exploratory research design utilising interviews with both SME owners ( n = 13) and DMSPs ( n = 7). Results uncover the importance of considering relationship expectations, transparency and organisational compatibility and how they relate to goal conflict or convergence in the SME and DMSP relationship.

Cultural Humility in Veteran Research and Practice

Veterans Studies is an increasing area of study. Central to the field of veteran studies is the transition from military to civilian life. Research in this domain focuses on the challenges veterans face in navigating civilian norms, securing employment, and redefining their identities. Research findings contribute to the development of more effective policies and programs for veterans. Engaging with or conducting research with veteran populations, however, necessitates special ethical considerations. We advocate for a cultural humility approach, which emphasizes openness, self-reflection, and an understanding of historical and cultural contexts. We encourage researchers, educators, and practitioners to recognize the unique aspects of military culture, acknowledge past injustices, and address power imbalances that could affect research outcomes and service provider relationships. By integrating cultural humility, professionals can enhance veteran support while fostering respectful and effective approaches in both research and practice. This article outlines the principles of cultural humility, provides historical context of U.S. veteran integration efforts, and discusses ethical considerations for research involving veterans. The discussion also includes practical resources for researchers, educators, and HRD professionals when working with, and alongside, veteran populations.

Antecedents of team alignment for team performance: length of relationship as a moderator

PurposeWhile scholarly attention has mainly focused on team-level or relational constructs for the success of team performance, understanding the inter-play between these two streams of research remains limited in digital transformation projects. Borrowing from social exchange theory, this study aims to explore the antecedents of team alignment leading to team performance with mediation effects of trust, commitment and customer–service provider relationship. The moderating role of relationship length was also examined.Design/methodology/approachData was collected using a survey of 180 employees working on digital projects in B2B context, mostly in the Indo-Pacific region, specifically Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and India. Partial least squares method with multi-group analyses and bootstrapping method were used to analyze the data.FindingsFindings show that customer control and team capability are the strongest antecedents of team alignment, and inter-play between the customer–provider relationship with team-level constructs is also significant. Relationship length has higher level of moderation impact on trust–team performance link compared to commitment–team performance relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThe study considers moderation impact of relationship length on trust, commitment and team performance but not other constructs. Also, gender ratio is skewed in the data set.Practical implicationsDigital transformation practitioners need to be aware of relational constructs (not only team-level constructs) when designing successful long-term digitalization strategies for organizations.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to document the inter-play between team alignment and relational constructs (such as trust, commitment, and customer–service provider relationship), with moderation impact of relationship length leading to team performance in digital transformation projects.

Interpersonal or Institutional: Understanding Service User Oppression in Social Service Organizations Through Staff Interactions

Service user experiences of oppression by human service organizations (HSOs) has long been understood through the lens of service providers, with service users largely excluded from research in this area. This qualitative study, the second phase of a mixed methods study, presents the findings of 9 focus groups (n=66) with service users from 13 different HSOs representing seven service areas (eg. Homelessness, addictions, youth) on the topic of service user experiences of oppression by HSOs. Using a semi-structured interview guide, participants were asked to share both positive and negative experiences with HSOs and recommendations to address oppression. The discussion identified important elements of the relationship between service providers and service users such as consistency, responsiveness, motivation, and competency that impact service user oppression. The findings from this qualitative phase help to develop a conceptual model of how oppression is rooted in organizations through service provider and service user interpersonal relationships.

Experiences of lower limb prosthesis users in Kenya: a qualitative study to understand motivation to use and satisfaction with prosthetic outcomes

Purpose To explore the personal and system factors that motivate and enhance outcomes for patients accessing a prosthetic service and using a lower-limb prosthesis within a low resource setting. Materials and methods This study employed a qualitative approach to explore the motivations and satisfaction of individuals with lower limb loss engaging with a prosthetic service in Mombasa, Kenya. In-depth interviews were conducted over Microsoft Teams with 10 lower limb prosthesis users and thematic analysis was applied. Results Five key themes emerged: acceptance, self-determination, hope, clinician relationship and perception. These findings demonstrate the importance of hopeful thinking and a supportive community in overcoming physical and stigmatising challenges. The findings further highlight the value of the service provider relationship beyond just prescribing an assistive device. Conclusion These results have relevance in developing patient-centred services, assistive devices and personnel training that are responsive, motivating, and cognisant of the service user. This is of particular interest as assistive technology services are newly developed in low resource settings. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION This research provides an understanding of lower-limb prosthesis users’ satisfaction of a device and motivation for engaging with a prosthetic service within a low resource setting. The relationship the rehabilitation professional has with the service user plays a significant role in facilitating motivation during rehabilitation. Rehabilitation professionals should consider how they can foster a network of support amongst service users when planning services in remote, rural locations. Rehabilitation professionals should be aware of how hopeful thinking can be facilitated during rehabilitation to support motivation. When reviewing the success of services, or designing new service models, the service users should be consulted on what they would deem as a successful outcome.

Relationships among actors within the sharing economy: Meta-analytics review

The sharing economy has emerged as an influential research area in which a platform mediates customers’ temporary access to service provider resources. To provide a generalizable picture of the platform’s customer and service provider relationship formation process, we integrate effect sizes from 192 studies, including 214 independent samples (N = 88,154). The findings indicate there are motivators and inhibitors for individuals to join a platform as a customer or service provider and that these influence attitudinal and behavioral responses toward the platform through a two-level relationship quality pathway. Moderator analysis reveals that the impact of customer motivators and inhibitors on customer response to service providers and platforms depends on country-level moderators and cultural context. These results provide insight into relationship formation among actors in the sharing economy. The study also makes recommendations for platform managers, especially in hospitality and tourism, to more effectively manage their relationships with their users.

The Client and Service Provider Relationship in IT Outsourcing Project Success

The role of organizational attitude for an effective knowledge sharing (KS) in IT outsourcing (ITO) relationships has not been adequately addressed. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between KS and ITO success as well as the potential moderating effect of organizational attitude on the relationship between KS and partnership quality in ITO. By leveraging structural equation modeling (SEM) on survey data from 153 ITO projects, results show that organizational attitudes significantly influence knowledge sharing and partnership quality, which in turn, results in successful ITO project. Moreover, the relationship between knowledge sharing and partnership quality is more pronounced when the partner firms have positive attitudes to KS. We further showed that partnership quality mediates the relationship between knowledge sharing and the success of an ITO project. Finally, the results of this study indicate that positive organizational attitude improves knowledge sharing between the client and service providers (i.e vendors), and creates stronger outsourcing partnerships.

A Secure Two-Factor Authentication Framework in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing technology has brought tremendous evaluation in the arena of IT (information technology). This technology paves the path of starting business with lowest investment by availing infrastructure as a service (IAAS), platform as a service (PAAS) and software as a service (SAAS) pay per uses model. Cloud computing services can be quickly and easily provisioned and discharged with minimum efforts and service provider (SP) relationship. Cloud computing characteristics such as on demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, and rapid elasticity lead the demand of computing. Despite these features, this platform is free to security issues and attacks specifically in terms of communication because of unsecure authentication and privacy. However, strong user authentication procedure impedes illegal access to the SP which is the principal requirement for securing cloud computing ecosystem. In this regard, we attempt to propose possible counter measures for the cloud ecosystem. Hence, this paper presented a novel one way hash and nonce-based two-factor secure authentication scheme with traditional user IDs, password, and OTP verification procedure that resist brute force attack, session and account hijacking attack, MITM attacks, and replay attacks.

Placement agencies for care-domestic labour: Everyday mediation, regimes of punishment, civilizing missions, and training in globalized India

AbstractSurvey data on Indian labour points to a rapid expansion of the care-domestic economy, currently the main employment avenue for urban women. Hitherto, studies on domestic service portray the unequal class structures of master–servant relationships and the escalating phenomenon of live-out and part-time hired help. This article shifts the focus to under-researched, yet increasingly visible, placement agencies, which regulate care-domestic markets and provide diverse services, from specialized ‘patient care’ to the training of subaltern communities. The article discusses how these service providers denote prominent shifts in skill sets, intra-household care arrangements, forms of medical assistance, and new (and old) mechanisms of authority. The ethnography expands our knowledge of everyday mediations around hiring and training between agencies, employers, and care-domestic workers in New Delhi. The article puts forward innovative conceptualizations of service provider approaches through juxtaposing the informal practices of local (or Indian) agencies with formalized and ‘civilizing’ agendas developed by Euro-American intermediaries. The formal–informal dichotomized framework of service provider relationships adds to critical scholarship that contrived dualisms which need historical scaffolding and nuanced engagement. I argue that, while informal and formal approaches appear markedly different for the care-domestic economy, they also overlap. Significantly, both approaches are unjustly weighted against the workers who lack the potential to democratize labour relations. Local agencies reinforce exploitative care-domestic relationships, while Euro-American intermediaries, who espouse modern values, formalization, and civilizing experiments, promulgate punitive regimes and stigmatized futures for their Indian subjects.

Towards an increased understanding of learning: a case study of a collaborative relationship between a retailer and a logistics service provider

PurposeThis study aims to explain how learning occurs in collaborative retailer–logistics service provider (LSP) relationships. The research is guided by two research questions, addressing absorptive and desorptive capacities and the interaction between these capacities.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on a case study of a Swedish, collaborative retailer–LSP dyad. The empirical data are structured around five specific learning situations within the retailer–LSP dyad.FindingsThe findings provide an explanation for how learning occurs within a collaborative retailer–LSP relationship based on subprocesses of absorptive and desorptive capacities. The interaction between these processes is found to rely on two types of support: one-directional and bidirectional. The findings also indicate positive outcomes of learning, such as improved cost efficiencies in warehouse operations, better customer services and improved long-term strategic planning.Practical implicationsThis study shows how retailers and LSPs can learn from each other and together create an improved logistics system for end customers.Originality/valueThis research takes into account absorptive and desorptive capacities in a collaborative retailer–LSP relationship. This study enhances the understanding of inter-organisational learning processes in a retail logistics context.

Customer lifetime value: investigating the factors affecting attitudinal and behavioural brand loyalty

PurposeThis paper investigates the factors affecting customer lifetime value from an attitudinal and behavioural brand loyalty perspective in the Internet service industry. Specifically, willingness to pay more and word of mouth are categorised under attitudinal loyalty, while repurchase intention is classified under behavioural loyalty.Design/methodology/approachA self-administered questionnaire online survey via Google Forms was employed comprising a sample of 481 participants from the Internet service providers. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach was applied for hypotheses testing.FindingsThe current study found that “brand credibility, special treatment benefits and confidence benefits had a positive and significant influence on willingness to pay more, word of mouth and repurchase intention, with confidence benefits and brand credibility showing as the greatest elements resulting in word of mouth and repurchase intentions, whereas special treatment benefits showing as the greatest element resulting in the willingness to pay more. The results of this study did not show any positive significant between service quality dimensions and true brand loyalty (word of mouth, willingness to pay more and repurchase intention). Results also found that confidence benefits, brand credibility and special treatment benefits had an indirect impact on true brand loyalty through customer satisfaction”.Practical implicationsInternet service providers should develop and maintain good relationships with their customers as the excellence of the customer–service provider relationship can enhance customer lifetime value.Originality/valueThe current work measured customer lifetime value in terms of both the behavioural and attitudinal aspects to represent loyalty, while most previous studies consider only one dimension for this representation. Particularly, customers' true brand loyalty is measured using separate components of repurchase intentions (RIs), willingness to pay more (WPM) and word of mouth (WOM) to deepen the understanding of both managerial interest and academic.

A cognitive social capital explanation of service separation distress

Purpose Service separation distress arises when service consumers worry that a useful service may become unavailable. This paper aims to integrate two theoretical explanations of ongoing service use, being service continuance and relationship commitment and a common foundation of cognitive social capital. Design/methodology/approach This study conducts an online survey of 245 cloud service consumers, which we use to test our research model. Findings This paper finds that relationship commitment mediates the service continuance explanation in explaining service separation distress. Research limitations/implications While service features are important, they are less important than the consumer’s perceived relationship with the service in promoting perceived service separation distress. Contrary to expectations, the finding identified the service relationship as the dominant explanation for service separation distress. Practical implications Jeopardy to the consumer-provider relationship can create greater anxiety and distress to consumers than a disruption that threatens service features alone. Adding service features may not reduce customer separation distress regarding the service. Social implications The unified cognitive social capital lens on service separation suggests that consumers value service provider relationships (e.g. commitment and trust) over service features. A stronger social relationship with the consumer, in turn, strengthens the perceived service offering. Originality/value This is among the first studies to unify two explanations of service continuance using social capital and to empirically identify how this explanation affects service distress.

Using latent commitment profile analysis to segment bank customers

PurposeAllen and Meyer’s (1990) three component model of organizational commitment is now well accepted in the study of consumer–service provider relationships (Keiningham et al., 2015). Commitment profiling is a “person-centered approach” to commitment (Meyer et al., 2012) which examines groups of individuals who share similar commitment mindsets. The purpose of this paper is to apply commitment profile methodology to the analysis of customer–firm relationships in the context of financial services.Design/methodology/approachThis method was applied with customer data collected as part of a nation-wide panel study of consumer financial service relationships in Canada. In total, 428 banking customers participated in this study.FindingsThis study identified five distinct bank customer commitment profiles (fully committed, affective commitment dominant, continuance commitment dominant, moderately committed and uncommitted) that varied in both size and behaviors and intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThis is an exploration of commitment profiling as a technique to understand the ways in which consumers differ in terms of their commitment mindsets and behavior. It has application to a wide range of service relationships beyond financial services.Practical implicationsThis has applications for market segmentation on the basis of customer commitment mindsets in many service sectors, but banking in particular. Since financial institutions have adopted various techniques to measure customer lifetime value (CLV), it would be appropriate to understand how various commitment profiles (segments) are linked to CLV.Originality/valueWhile commitment profiling is a well-developed approach in understanding the nature of the firm–employee employment relationships, this is an early and exploratory attempt at applying this method in the context of a customer–financial service provider marketing relationship. This is a novel way of understanding bank customer segments in terms of their felt commitment to the financial institution with which they do business.

Evaluation of Empathy and Its Related Factors among Students of Nursing and Midwifery School of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Using Persian Version JSE-HPS

Background: Empathy and its positive effects are of utmost importance in the relationship between patient and health care providers. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the level of empathy and its related factors among students of Nursing and Midwifery Faculty of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2016. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 353 students from the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery were selected by stratified random sampling. The data collection tool was the Persian version of Scale of Empathy- Health provider student version (SE-HPS) that the validity and reliability of the Persian version have been confirmed. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 20. Results: The mean total score of empathy among students was 102.76 ± 15.87. Among the 3 subscales of SE-HPS, the highest mean was related to the subscale of Perspective taking (53.41 ± 10.34). The mean scores of the subscales of Compassionate care and Standing in the patient’s shoes were 40.1 ± 7.71 and 9.24 ± 2.93, respectively. The results show that the mean score of empathy was in female students and those whose mothers had college education statistically significanthigher. , The results of linear regression showed that gender, mother's education and field of study are the factors influencing empathy. Conclusion: According to the results of the study about the amount of empathy among students and the role of empathy in improving the quality of service provider relationship with the patient, educational planning seems necessary to strengthen the empathy between students and patients.

The meaning of co-production for clinicians: An exploratory case study of Practitioner Trainers in one Recovery College.

Analysis of co-production in mental health and specifically Recovery Colleges has not previously considered the impact on clinicians and their clinical practice. Co-production as a concept is open to multiple interpretations. Core components of co-produced work are as follows: a focus on assets, mutuality, peer support and the use of a facilitative approach. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Senior clinicians who have chosen to become Practitioner Trainers describe the experience of collaboration with service users in an educational rather than clinical context. Working together in this educational environment led to some shifts in their perceptions of professional power and authority, in some cases leading to personal disclosures about their mental health. This study suggests the mechanisms by which co-production may transform professional practice: being in an educational rather than clinical context, the experience of being supported, the challenge of negotiating multiple roles (including that of being a colleague to someone with mental health needs) and experiencing a gradual shift of role emphasis as co-trainer relationships develop. The practical challenge of holding a simultaneous role as clinician for and co-trainer with Peer Trainers has been articulated, with the caveat that mental health support may be a feature of collegiate as well as clinical roles. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Being a Practitioner Trainer could be a professionally transformative experience. Ground rules for how to support colleagues' mental health needs should be established and refined during co-produced working. Negotiating personal disclosure and professional role identity must be explored further in both co-production research and practice. Introduction Co-production between service users and clinicians is a desirable element of recovery-oriented practice in mental health, but the effect of co-production on clinicians has not been explored thoroughly. Aim To explore the meaning of co-production for clinicians based on their experience of co-production in a Recovery College. Method Thematic analysis of eight semi-structured interviews with clinicians who have co-produced and co-delivered workshops with a Recovery College Peer Trainer. Results The "meaning of co-production" had four themes: definitions, power dynamics, negotiating roles and influence on practice. Clinicians' experience of co-production meant a reassessment of their expert role and power. They said that this altered their clinical practice, particularly the language they used and the personal information they shared. Discussion Role negotiation between Practitioner and Peer Trainers is an iterative process, whereby clinicians may revise their perspectives on personal disclosure, professional identity and collegiate support. The Peer and Practitioner Trainer relationship is characterized by reciprocity and mutuality, and there is some evidence that Practitioner involvement in a co-produced activity has the potential to transform service user and provider relationships beyond the Recovery College setting. Implications for practice Engaging in co-produced educational workshops can alter clinicians' perspectives on roles, power and clinical expertise. Findings from this case study must be tested against research on other Recovery Colleges.

Incentive for information sharing through revenue-sharing contracts in a logistics service provider and customer relationship

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of revenue-sharing contracts in the setting of a logistics buyer-supplier relationship on the willingness to share information between the actors involved. As interests of the actors are aligned when using a revenue-sharing contract, the willingness for information sharing is expected to increase. This increase will lead to improvement of overall performance within the relationship. To measure the impact of the revenue-sharing contract on willingness for information sharing, a laboratory experiment is conducted. Basis of this experiment is a modified investment game, allowing for information sharing possibilities. The use of an experimental setup allows for a controlled environment and reproducibility when analysing the behaviour of the actors involved. To evaluate the data obtained from our laboratory experiment, non-parametric statistics are applied. The results of the experiment indicate a significant change in the subjects' behaviour when a revenue-sharing contract is in place. Results show an increase in willingness to share information when a revenue-sharing contract is introduced as well as increased overall profits. The results of the experiment indicate that revenue-sharing contracts have the potential to evoke the willingness for information sharing.

Incentive for information sharing through revenue-sharing contracts in a logistics service provider and customer relationship

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of revenue-sharing contracts in the setting of a logistics buyer-supplier relationship on the willingness to share information between the actors involved. As interests of the actors are aligned when using a revenue-sharing contract, the willingness for information sharing is expected to increase. This increase will lead to improvement of overall performance within the relationship. To measure the impact of the revenue-sharing contract on willingness for information sharing, a laboratory experiment is conducted. Basis of this experiment is a modified investment game, allowing for information sharing possibilities. The use of an experimental setup allows for a controlled environment and reproducibility when analysing the behaviour of the actors involved. To evaluate the data obtained from our laboratory experiment, non-parametric statistics are applied. The results of the experiment indicate a significant change in the subjects' behaviour when a revenue-sharing contract is in place. Results show an increase in willingness to share information when a revenue-sharing contract is introduced as well as increased overall profits. The results of the experiment indicate that revenue-sharing contracts have the potential to evoke the willingness for information sharing.

Environmental sustainability in shipper-LSP relationships

In this study we examine the role of environmental sustainability in transport operations in Shipper-Logistics Service Provider (LSP) relationships from the LSP perspective. The research questions posed are as follows: What kinds of firm see environmental sustainability as a component of competitive advantage, and why? How does environmental sustainability manifest itself in firm operations, and why? What pressures are there for environmentally sustainable development, and why? What is the role of environmental sustainability in the selection of LSPs, and why? Data was collected from Finland, using an exceptional combination involving both quantitative and qualitative methods in a survey (600 responses) and in firm interviews (15 LSPs). The findings indicate that large, globally-operating shippers and carriers are the most interested in environmental issues, partly because of external pressures and partly because they see the greening of transport as a potential source of competitive advantage. However, due to the lack of widely accepted methods for measuring the environmental impact of transports, companies cannot easily share the costs and benefits of environmental initiatives between supply chain members nor use such initiatives as marketing arguments to differentiate their offerings. Therefore, environmental sustainability acts in practice more as an order qualifier than as an order winner in the carrier selection process. Despite this, it seems that environmentally proactive LSPs financially outperform their less active peers. We therefore conclude that environmental sustainability can be free, if it is integrated with operational performance and cost indicators that boost competitive advantage. Our study contributes to the intersection of GSCM and logistics, particularly from the LSP point of view.

The determinants of trust in the customer–service provider relationship: The case of Tunisian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Abstract In the context of fierce competition, the development of lasting relationships with clients is becoming increasingly crucial. The quality of this relationship is a decisive part of the exchange in which mutual trust is one of its fundamental pillars. In the context of services, customer trust may be directed towards the company itself (organizational trust) and/or to its employees (interpersonal trust). Most of the actual research focuses on one or the other of the two targets of trust, but rarely on both at the same time. The objective of this article is to highlight the ambivalence of customer trust towards small and medium-sized enterprises service provider and to propose a conceptual model of its determinants. This research is based on a sample of 300 bank customers chosen randomly. Results show that the relational behaviour of personnel in contact is the determinant of interpersonal and organizational trust. However, reputation is the main factor that contributes towards the development of organizational trust.

Determinants of Offshore Outsourcing Locations – A Comparison on Voice Based Jobs in India and Philippines

Present study like to examine the variables that are significant, in the selection of offshore outsourcing locations for the voice based jobs in India and Philippines. The study has statistically tested human resources factors, finance factors, national level factors, communication, language, culture, client and service provider relationship, service delivery, organizations credentials and regulatory environment. The study has used descriptive research design, survey questionnaire method and deliberative purposive sampling techniques on the total sample size of 178 top and middle level employees of BPOs and Call centres. Data were analyzed using structure equation modeling, multiple regression, weighted least square method and Path analysis. Results of the study shows, overall affects of above discussed factor variables on the selection of location as Philippines are more than choosing India as preference of location for voice based jobs.