TY - JOUR
T1 - How different is professional service operations management?
AU - Lewis, Michael A.
AU - Brown, Andrew
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - This paper presents detailed analysis of the operational and operations management characteristics of a professional service firm, a legal partnership. An in-depth study of customer interactions, service customization, process throughput and variability, professional employee behavior and managerial interventions provided the basis for confirmatory and exploratory research. The results suggested a number of refinements to existing conceptualizations of the professional service type operation and indicated areas where professional service operations management should be viewed as highly distinctive. First, professional-client exchange is variably asymmetrical - with significant implications for service package and process design. Second, professional service operations comprise a substantial number of less variable and faster throughput processes - creating a significant opportunity for commoditization. Third, professional status and corresponding organisational structures (e.g. the partnership model) need to be explicitly recognised in any typology - these factors introduce distinctive trade-offs when seeking greater efficiency and effectiveness.
AB - This paper presents detailed analysis of the operational and operations management characteristics of a professional service firm, a legal partnership. An in-depth study of customer interactions, service customization, process throughput and variability, professional employee behavior and managerial interventions provided the basis for confirmatory and exploratory research. The results suggested a number of refinements to existing conceptualizations of the professional service type operation and indicated areas where professional service operations management should be viewed as highly distinctive. First, professional-client exchange is variably asymmetrical - with significant implications for service package and process design. Second, professional service operations comprise a substantial number of less variable and faster throughput processes - creating a significant opportunity for commoditization. Third, professional status and corresponding organisational structures (e.g. the partnership model) need to be explicitly recognised in any typology - these factors introduce distinctive trade-offs when seeking greater efficiency and effectiveness.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84857368386&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2011.04.002
U2 - 10.1016/j.jom.2011.04.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jom.2011.04.002
M3 - Article
SN - 0272-6963
VL - 30
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - Journal of Operations Management
JF - Journal of Operations Management
IS - 1-2
ER -