Abstract

Superior innovation performance is vital for enterprises to survive and maintain competitiveness, especially in Internet related industries which are rapidly growing and changing. However, not all innovations can survive to later stages and bring benefits for enterprises. From a staged process perspective, we divide innovation performance into three stages: development performance (cost/time efficiency and experience/solution effectiveness), deployment performance, and financial/non-financial performance, and aim to examine the relationship between modes of service innovation (business model, service process, and service product) and their performance implications in different stages.

Keyword

financial/non-financial performance ;  modes of service innovation ;  new service development performance ;  new service development process

Abstract

Purpose—The third-party logistics (3PL) firms increasingly rely on information technology (IT) to improve the supply chain process and firm performance in the context of the globalized and fiercely competitive market. The purpose of this study is to investigate how logistics IT adoption as a standardized resource affects firm performance. Moreover, we explore the mediating role of customer collaboration and the moderating role of government policy support between logistics IT adoption and firm performance from the resource-based view and socio-technical perspective. Design/ methodology/ approach— Survey data acquired from a sample of 235 3PL firms in China were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings—The empirical results show that logistics IT adoption has a positive effect on both financial and operational performance by strengthening customer collaboration. Additionally, government policy support amplifies the positive effect of customer collaboration on operational performance, rather than on financial performance. Originality/value—This study offers rich empirical insights to the growing body of SCM and 3PL literature. And the findings contribute to our understanding of the technological and developmental issues of 3PL firms both theoretically and practically

Keyword

information technology adoption ;  financial performance ;  operational performance ;  customer collaboration ;  government policy support

Abstract

The study explored hypotheses proposing that due to different resource dependencies of the focal firm in three NSD stages (ideation, development, and deployment), customers and partners play different roles in the NSD process. Empirical data were collected from 200 NSD projects, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The results show that customer value cocreation has a positive effect on ideation performance and development performance, while business partner value cocreation has a positive effect on deployment performance, thus supporting the notion that the contributions of customers and business partners vary across the NSD stages. Future research may focus on how business partners can be actively involved in the NSD process and how to safeguard different parties’ interests during value cocreation. Longitudinal data may be used to better examine the process dynamics.

Keyword

empirical study ;  new service development ;  resource dependency ;  service innovation ;  Value cocreation

Abstract

In large organizations, local use of innovations is not enough; extracting the full use of the innovation requires deployment across the organization. The purpose of this paper is to explore strategies for the deployment of service innovations and factors influencing success. We adopt an inductive theory-building approach with a longitudinal embedded case study of ten successful service innovations. We find two deployment strategies: required adoption, in which subsidiaries are required to adopt innovations, and voluntary adoption, in which adoption is not compulsory—innovations are showcased, but the adoption decision is left to the subsidiaries. We have investigated the factors influencing deployment, including the decentralized nature of service innovation, fit with the internal and external context, extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, and handovers. Based on analyses of case evidence, we put forward research propositions accordingly. This study provides managerial guidance for multidivisional organizations to extract full value from service innovations. Although some results may be particular to the Chinese context, research in other contexts can broaden the generalizability of the findings.

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Deployment strategies ;  innovation diffusion ;  ,longitudinal case study ;  multidivisional organizations ;  service innovation

Abstract

Purpose Technology has dramatically changed the nature of interorganizational relationships and the ways partners interact with each other. In the new platform business model, platform technology usage seems to work as a governance mechanism to regulate operations and manage platform builder-platform participant relationships. To respond to these changes, this study aims to examine how platform technology usage in platform operations influenced the relationship quality between the platform builder and platform participants by promoting perceptions of three types of justice (procedural, distributive and informational). Design/methodology/approach The authors propose that it is through the perception of three types of justice (procedural, distributive and informational) that platform technology usage exerts its governance effect on the platform relationship. In doing this, the authors seek to answer the following two related research questions in the platform setting: How does platform technology usage drive relationship performance via different types of justice perceptions? Which type of justice affects relationship performance most effectively? Findings The results from a survey of 384 participant firms from two of the largest digital platforms for mobile/PC application in China reveal that platform technology usage leads to better relationship performance through enhanced perceptions of procedural, distributive, and informational justice. The positive impacts of procedural justice and distributive justice on relationship performance are greater than that of informational justice, while the impacts of procedural justice and distributive justice show no significant differences. Originality/value These findings provide novel insights into the role and mechanisms of platform technology usage in platform relationship management.

Keyword

Distributive justice ;  Informational justice ;  Platform; Platform technology usage ;  Procedural justice ;  Relationship performance

Abstract

This study attempts to identify the variations in the transaction-specific investments made in logistics outsourcing relationships and explore how such variations are related to outsourcing cooperation. Based on the assumption that the vendor and the client always make some level of investment in outsourcing relationships, we develop a cluster model that illustrates four situations that indicate varying levels of vendor-specific investment and client-specific investment. We use data from client firms in logistics outsourcing relationships from China to test the theorised configurations through cluster analysis. The results validate our proposed matrix of specific investments and confirm that systematic configurations of the investment taxonomy and corresponding cooperation behaviours of information sharing, joint action, opportunism and conflict exist in each situation.

Keyword

conflict ;  information sharing ;  joint action ;  logistics outsourcing relationships ;  opportunism ;  Research paper ;  Transaction-specific investment

Abstract

In large organizations, local use of innovations is not enough; extracting the full use of the innovation requires deployment across the organization. The purpose of this paper is to explore strategies for the deployment of service innovations and factors influencing success. We adopt an inductive theory-building approach with a longitudinal embedded case study of ten successful service innovations. We find two deployment strategies: required adoption, in which subsidiaries are required to adopt innovations, and voluntary adoption, in which adoption is not compulsoryinnovations are showcased, but the adoption decision is left to the subsidiaries. We have investigated the factors influencing deployment, including the decentralized nature of service innovation, fit with the internal and external context, extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, and handovers. Based on analyses of case evidence, we put forward research propositions accordingly. This study provides managerial guidance for multidivisional organizations to extract full value from service innovations. Although some results may be particular to the Chinese context, research in other contexts can broaden the generalizability of the findings.

Keyword

Technological innovation ;  Companies ;  Handover ;  Standards organizations ;  Deployment strategies ;  innovation diffusion ;  longitudinal case study ;  multidivisional organizations ;  service innovation

Abstract

Using an international survey, this study examines the drivers and consequences of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices. Building on the GSCM literature, we propose that cost and customer drivers influence internal and external green practices and enhance environmental performance. Based on a study of 246 companies in multiple countries, the results indicate that both cost drivers and customer drivers significantly influence internal and external green practices, which in turn contribute to environmental performance. Moreover, the impacts of cost and customer drivers on internal and external green practices are influenced by firm size: the impacts of cost drivers are greater for large firms than for small firms, while those of customer drivers are lower for large firms than for small firms. Our findings have both theoretical and managerial implications for the GSCM literature and practice.

Keyword

cost driver ;  customer driver ;  green supply chain management ;  high-performance manufacturing

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the platform literature and synthesize the various topics of research into a common framework to reveal the relations between platform-based service innovation, system design and other platform-related factors. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative descriptive analysis led to an overview of the distribution of research focuses of the 187 sample articles identified by a well-established search strategy. A qualitative in-depth review was then used to clarify the detailed research topics and generate an overall conceptual model to link them, with a focus on platform-based service innovation and system design. Findings In total, 11 research topics of three research perspectives were identified and linked by a framework that accounts for the relationships between platform-based service innovation and system design and their influences on platform evolution. A small panel of industry experts validated the accuracy and utility of the proposed framework. Originality/value This paper provides an integrated framework for separately developed research perspectives and the topics investigated in the platform literature. Through the proposed framework, this paper helps to improve the knowledge on platform study and management, and lays a foundation for exploring the research opportunities in platform-based service innovation and system design.

Keyword

Literature review ;  Network platform ;  Service innovation ;  System design

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore research opportunities for service innovation and system design in network platforms by investigating representative case examples in an emerging market, China. Design/methodology/approach The authors provide four case examples to illustrate the manner in which network platforms facilitate and lead to service innovation and effective system design. Then, the authors propose nine research directions that present significant research opportunities, and the authors make theoretical and methodological suggestions. Findings The results indicate that research opportunities exist mainly in three areas: ecosystem design and evolution, including role design, coherence and sustainability issues; leader-participant collaboration, including governance, co-opetition and innovation stimulation issues; and transformation of traditional industries, including process informatization, modularization and standardization issues. Originality/value This study extends the platform-related literature by showing new platform features represented by case evidence from emerging economies, and provides recommendations to guide and direct management practices and efforts in platform-based service innovation and system design.

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