Este artículo consiste en una revisión bibliográfica de los aportes teóricos que han ido surgiendo en el ámbito de los servicios. El primer objetivo de este artículo es determinar el estado actual de las investigaciones en la Dirección de Operaciones de Servicios, y el segundo es proponer una guía en este tema para futuras investigaciones. / This paper is a literature review about theoretical approaches that have emerged in the service field. The first purpose is to determine the state of the question in the research of Service Operations Management. The second is to offer a guide for future researches.

The objective of this thesis is to explore the design of operational processes in information-intensive service delivery systems. Empirical data is presented which builds upon existing literature within the Business Process Management (BPM) and Service Operations Management (SOM) disciplines. Adopting a theory building mode, the thesis concludes with the formulation of several research propositions which specify the design characteristics of the processes that provide the service concept to the customer. The research addresses a number of gaps in the literature. First, there is little empirical evidence concerning the relationship between the service concept, customer inputs, and process design. Second, service classification schemes promote homogeneous thinking in the design of service systems delivering diverse service concepts. Third, the BPM literature provides generic process design principles which offer limited theoretical insights into the design requirements of operational processes. Finally, there is a need for process design research in information-intensive service organisations. A research framework that integrates theoretical models addressing service process design is investigated using a single case study approach. Fieldwork was carried out over a sixteen-month period in a large electricity supplier in the UK. In contrast to the macro-orientation found within the literature, this study employs a more granular level of analysis to address the unique requirements of ‘service concept – processes’ pairs. This approach results in a number of important findings which, in several instances, are in contradiction to current thinking. First, the results empirically validate the theoretical relationship between service concept, customer inputs, and process design. Different service concepts lead to different process designs, and the more customised the service concept, the more the process is uniquely designed. Significant differences in the design of the individual processes that collectively provide the service concept to the customer are highlighted. The results also provide some new insights into the design of front office – back office activities as well as into the design characteristics of processes characterised by low customer contact. In addition, the study refutes the view that generic process design principles are universally applicable irrespective of the context in which the processes operate. Finally, the research findings show that a process-based view of service systems allows for heterogeneity; that is differences in the design of service delivery processes within the same organisation.

<p>This dissertation contributes to the rapidly growing empirical research area in the field of operations management. It contains two essays, tackling two different sets of operations management questions which are motivated by and built on field data sets from two very different industries --- air cargo logistics and retailing. </p><p>The first essay, based on the data set obtained from a world leading third-party logistics company, develops a novel and general Bayesian hierarchical learning framework for estimating customers' spillover learning, that is, customers' learning about the quality of a service (or product) from their previous experiences with similar yet not identical services. We then apply our model to the data set to study how customers' experiences from shipping on a particular route affect their future decisions about shipping not only on that route, but also on other routes serviced by the same logistics company. We find that customers indeed borrow experiences from similar but different services to update their quality beliefs that determine future purchase decisions. Also, service quality beliefs have a significant impact on their future purchasing decisions. Moreover, customers are risk averse; they are averse to not only experience variability but also belief uncertainty (i.e., customer's uncertainty about their beliefs). Finally, belief uncertainty affects customers' utilities more compared to experience variability. </p><p>The second essay is based on a data set obtained from a large Chinese supermarket chain, which contains sales as well as both wholesale and retail prices of un-packaged perishable vegetables. Recognizing the special characteristics of this particularly product category, we develop a structural estimation model in a discrete-continuous choice model framework. Building on this framework, we then study an optimization model for joint pricing and inventory management strategies of multiple products, which aims at improving the company's profit from direct sales and at the same time reducing food waste and thus improving social welfare.</p><p>Collectively, the studies in this dissertation provide useful modeling ideas, decision tools, insights, and guidance for firms to utilize vast sales and operations data to devise more effective business strategies.</p> / Dissertation

Esta tese aborda serviços cuja \"matéria-prima\" é o próprio cliente e que se diferenciam dos demais tipos de serviços por não apresentarem uma correspondência imediata entre produto e resultado. Ou seja, os resultados almejados - frutos de vários encontros entre o cliente e o seu fornecedor - ocorrem em um tempo posterior ao da ação efetuada. Em função dessas características e da ausência de uma terminologia própria, foram denominados de Serviços de Resultados Ulteriores (SRU). Considerando-se que os SRUs apresentam características específicas, que demandam práticas gerenciais diferenciadas, neste estudo procura-se compreender tal fenômeno sob o ponto de vista de gerenciamento de operações. Desse modo, o presente trabalho objetiva auxiliar as empresas de SRU - academias de ginástica, serviços sociais de inclusão no mundo do trabalho, cursos preparatórios para concursos, entre outros - a obterem um melhor desempenho. Para tanto, a pesquisa foi baseada na metodologia de estudo de múltiplos casos, e uma mostra de seis diferentes organizações pertencentes às categorias de serviços de massa ou lojas de serviços foi investigada. Os resultados da pesquisa de campo evidenciaram que estas empresas estruturaram um sistema de monitoramento e controle voltado para o relacionamento com os seus clientes, caracterizado por rotinas de acompanhamento dos resultados ulteriores almejados e das atividades realizadas pelo cliente, ao longo de um extenso ciclo de transações. Observou-se também a utilização de táticas que favorecem mais participação e envolvimento dos clientes nas atividades executadas. Verificou-se que aplicação de um sistema de monitoramento e controle bem estruturado afeta positivamente a eficácia dos SRUs, mas ela pode ser influenciada por fatores externos que fogem ao controle da empresa. Além disso, a pesquisa observou que a retenção de clientes é afetada pela capacidade desse sistema de monitoramento e controle apontar necessidades de ajustes e correções em seu processo de entrega de serviço, pois isso favorece benefícios de natureza psicológica e social, além de possibilitar a customização do serviço entregue aos clientes. / This thesis deals with services whose raw material is the customer itself and they differentiate from the others because they do not have an immediate correspondence between the output and the outcome. That is, the outcome is obtained after several service encounters. Due to the fact that this type of service has not been appropriately studied by the service operations management literature and due to the fact that they do not have a proper terminology, them they will be called Services of Posterior Outcomes (SPO). It is important to assert that SPOs presents specific characteristics that require differentiated management practices under the point of view of service operations management, so this thesis intends to help the SPOs companies by understanding how they can achieve better performances. The methodology of case research was used in multiple cases. Six different companies classified as service shop or mass services were analyzed. The field research pointed out that SPOs companies tend to implement a monitoring system oriented for customer relationship. This system is characterized by the presence of routines that monitors the outcomes and the activities carried by the customer on the service, throughout a cycle of transactions. Also, SPO companies use tactics for promoting customer participation and your interest in the services activities. It was verified that a greater presence of this system positively affects the effectiveness of these services, but it is necessary to weigh the influence of external factors that affects the accomplishment of this objective. Moreover, the research observed that the retention of customers is influenced by the capacity of this system to make adjustments and corrections in its process of service delivery, therefore this capacity promote the acquisition of relational benefits by the customers.

Esta tese aborda serviços cuja \"matéria-prima\" é o próprio cliente e que se diferenciam dos demais tipos de serviços por não apresentarem uma correspondência imediata entre produto e resultado. Ou seja, os resultados almejados - frutos de vários encontros entre o cliente e o seu fornecedor - ocorrem em um tempo posterior ao da ação efetuada. Em função dessas características e da ausência de uma terminologia própria, foram denominados de Serviços de Resultados Ulteriores (SRU). Considerando-se que os SRUs apresentam características específicas, que demandam práticas gerenciais diferenciadas, neste estudo procura-se compreender tal fenômeno sob o ponto de vista de gerenciamento de operações. Desse modo, o presente trabalho objetiva auxiliar as empresas de SRU - academias de ginástica, serviços sociais de inclusão no mundo do trabalho, cursos preparatórios para concursos, entre outros - a obterem um melhor desempenho. Para tanto, a pesquisa foi baseada na metodologia de estudo de múltiplos casos, e uma mostra de seis diferentes organizações pertencentes às categorias de serviços de massa ou lojas de serviços foi investigada. Os resultados da pesquisa de campo evidenciaram que estas empresas estruturaram um sistema de monitoramento e controle voltado para o relacionamento com os seus clientes, caracterizado por rotinas de acompanhamento dos resultados ulteriores almejados e das atividades realizadas pelo cliente, ao longo de um extenso ciclo de transações. Observou-se também a utilização de táticas que favorecem mais participação e envolvimento dos clientes nas atividades executadas. Verificou-se que aplicação de um sistema de monitoramento e controle bem estruturado afeta positivamente a eficácia dos SRUs, mas ela pode ser influenciada por fatores externos que fogem ao controle da empresa. Além disso, a pesquisa observou que a retenção de clientes é afetada pela capacidade desse sistema de monitoramento e controle apontar necessidades de ajustes e correções em seu processo de entrega de serviço, pois isso favorece benefícios de natureza psicológica e social, além de possibilitar a customização do serviço entregue aos clientes. / This thesis deals with services whose raw material is the customer itself and they differentiate from the others because they do not have an immediate correspondence between the output and the outcome. That is, the outcome is obtained after several service encounters. Due to the fact that this type of service has not been appropriately studied by the service operations management literature and due to the fact that they do not have a proper terminology, them they will be called Services of Posterior Outcomes (SPO). It is important to assert that SPOs presents specific characteristics that require differentiated management practices under the point of view of service operations management, so this thesis intends to help the SPOs companies by understanding how they can achieve better performances. The methodology of case research was used in multiple cases. Six different companies classified as service shop or mass services were analyzed. The field research pointed out that SPOs companies tend to implement a monitoring system oriented for customer relationship. This system is characterized by the presence of routines that monitors the outcomes and the activities carried by the customer on the service, throughout a cycle of transactions. Also, SPO companies use tactics for promoting customer participation and your interest in the services activities. It was verified that a greater presence of this system positively affects the effectiveness of these services, but it is necessary to weigh the influence of external factors that affects the accomplishment of this objective. Moreover, the research observed that the retention of customers is influenced by the capacity of this system to make adjustments and corrections in its process of service delivery, therefore this capacity promote the acquisition of relational benefits by the customers.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:50:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3614.pdf: 4128707 bytes, checksum: e5c053faca805f08c256f5c1086ad0f2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-11-12 / Value creation for society and gains in efficiency, efficacy and effectiveness has been reason of concerning in public sector. Based on a broad literature about service operations management, service value and public service value, this thesis has taken for granted that to know the value which a service must deliver to its main stakeholders is prior to organize it. According to literature, value might be created since designing public institutions until managing them. To integrate the different perspectives, it was used an approach that evaluates service value creation from the consequences on to its customers and the necessary resources to deliver them. These consequences were analyzed under four dimensions: utility, justice, solidarity, and aesthetic. Recourses analyzed were competences and technology. Thus, this thesis s purpose was to define the value of Forensic Science Service (FSS) to its main stakeholders. The specific objectives, which generated propositions, were: to find out the role played by FSS in its interorganizational network, to find out the main FSS characteristics, to identify critical factors for value delivery, and to propose some guides to design FSS. To achieve these objectives, a five-year qualitative, longitudinal and exploratory case study was carried out in a FSS federation unity. Subsidiary information was collected in six other FSS. Data also were collected from FSS stakeholders, using multiple methods. Results were analyzed and criticized based on theory. The findings showed that FSS takes part in a Public Safety and Criminal Justice interorganizational network and provide it with a service: the production of forensic evidence. FSS operations present exams variety, process variability, layout by fixed position in front office, and stakeholders diversity. FSS association with science highlights its intangibility. FSS utility dimension is to link the suspect to crime scene (or innocent someone wrongly accused) using science and technology, that is, it helps to build a narrative, in which defendants behaviors are trialed according to the law. There are obstacles on delivering this value dimension, like miscoordination among network members on crime scene preservation, for instance. The justice dimension assumes that every citizen must have access to FSS, independent of any pre-existing condition. Although, FSS hasn t been universalized yet. The solidarity dimension has a deeply conexion with Human Rights, both in avoiding constraining suspects during criminal investigations, and contributing to fair trials, in the sense that either prosecution or defense have access to the service in equal terms. However, FSS subordination to the Police jeopardizes its impartiality. The aesthetic dimension consists on helping Police solve crimes without constraining suspects. Besides the technical competence, FSS personnel need a communicational competence to a full client s knowledge. The technological resources are part of production process and critical for value delivery. Concluding, FSS should be redesigned as an independent agency in order to increase Criminal Justice impartiality. Finally, the study encourages reflections about the difficulties of applying service operations management concepts to a public organization that is changing, and it´s characterized by the diversity of stakeholders and by its fluid and poorly defined, although important value. / A criação de valor para a sociedade e ganhos em eficiência, eficácia e efetividade são motivos de preocupação no setor público. Baseada em uma ampla literatura sobre gestão de operações de serviços e valor de serviço, incluindo serviços públicos, esta tese partiu do pressuposto de que saber o valor de um serviço para os seus principais stakeholders é prioritário para organizá-lo. Segundo a literatura, valor pode ser criado desde o desenho até a gestão de instituições. Para integrar as perspectivas, abordou-se a criação de valor a partir das consequências para os destinatários do serviço e dos recursos necessários para produzi-las. Estas consequências são analisadas sob quatro dimensões: utilidade, justiça, solidariedade e estética. E os recursos analisados foram competências e tecnologias. Assim, o propósito dessa tese foi definir o valor do serviço de perícia criminal para os seus principais stakeholders. Os objetivos específicos, que geraram proposições, foram: investigar o papel desempenhado pelo serviço em sua rede interorganizacional; abordar suas principais características; identificar fatores críticos para a entrega de valor e propor algumas diretrizes a fim de projetar o serviço. Com o propósito de atingir esses objetivos, um estudo de caso qualitativo, exploratório e longitudinal de cinco anos foi realizado em um órgão pericial. Subsidiariamente, coletaram-se informações em seis outros órgãos periciais. Foram coletados, também, dados de stakeholders do serviço, utilizando-se múltiplos métodos. Os resultados foram analisados e discutidos com base na teoria. Esses resultados mostraram que a perícia criminal integra uma rede interorganizacional de segurança pública e justiça criminal e produz um serviço: a prova pericial. O serviço apresenta variedade de exames, variabilidade de processos, arranjo posicional na linha de frente e diversidade de stakeholders. A associação entre o serviço e a ciência realça sua intangibilidade. A dimensão de utilidade do serviço é vincular o suspeito ao local do crime (ou inocentar alguém erroneamente acusado), utilizando a ciência e a tecnologia, ou seja, auxiliar a construção de uma narrativa, para que as condutas dos réus sejam julgadas de acordo com a lei. Há obstáculos na entrega desta dimensão, como, por exemplo, as dificuldades de coordenação entre os atores da rede na preservação do local de crime. A dimensão de justiça presume que todo cidadão tenha acesso ao serviço, independente de qualquer condição pré-existente. Entretanto, este acesso ainda não foi universalizado. A dimensão de solidariedade tem relação profunda com os Direitos Humanos, tanto para evitar que suspeitos sofram constrangimentos durante investigações criminais, quanto contribuindo para julgamentos justos, de forma que acusação e defesa tenham igual acesso ao serviço. Porém, a subordinação do serviço a Polícia compromete sua imparcialidade. A dimensão estética consiste em auxiliar a Polícia a desvendar crimes sem constranger suspeitos. Além da competência técnica, os peritos precisam ter competências comunicativas, para conhecerem os clientes. Os recursos tecnológicos são parte do processo de produção do serviço e críticos para a entrega de valor. Concluindo, o serviço de perícia criminal deveria ser redesenhado institucionalmente como um órgão independente, para incrementar a imparcialidade da Justiça. Finalmente, o estudo encoraja reflexões sobre as dificuldades em aplicar os conceitos de gestão de operações a um serviço público em mudança, que é caracterizado pela diversidade de stakeholders e por seu valor fluido e pouco definido, porém relevante.