Service thinking and the transition from a product-logic-perspective to a process-perspective are catchwords in current management research (e.g. Grönroos 2000, Kowalksowski 2006, Söderström 2003, Stremersch et al. 2001, Oliva & Kallenberg 2003, Lele 1986) While the product-logic is based on value distribution via the transition of a ready-made product or service, the service-process logic focuses on value-in-use that is created together with the customer. (Grönroos 2007) In the current service management view, value creation is regarded as the result of exchange with network partners in the perception of the customer (Normann & Ramirez 1998). This is why service thinking includes that a company seeks for co-operation with suppliers and customers through activated relationships, networks (Syson & Perks 2004). Coming from a product-delivery-perspective on doing business can challenge a service provider to adapt to a service-process view. Legally and historically founded prerequisites, as well as for example corporate culture and financial resources, can be obstacles on the way to a service-process business approach. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into how these obstacles influence the possibility of a service operator to adapt to the service logic with customer- and supplier-interaction. To gain deeper insight into the service thinking of a company in a network environment, a qualitative single case study on the public transport organisation “County Transport” has been used. Based on three personal interviews and literature study, this case explores how a public service organisation deals with its service mission. It also identifies and describes hinders on the way to a service logic approach. The organisation of County Transport was found to be steered a lot on the basis of numbers and material parts of the service offering such as the bus itself and different support tools on the busses. County Transport follows the rules of the Public Procurement Act which gives the public transport operation a contract framework of a tendering based choice of operators for the time of 8-10 years. The relationship between County Transport and its operator “The Operator” can be seen as comparatively secure relationship without an introduction phase in which trust and adaptations to each other can be developed. With this quite formal relationship under economic pressure it was found that the cooperation between The PTA of County Transport and The Operator was worse than desired. Especially the influence of the brut contract on tender basis seemed to be hindering a good cooperation in a long-term perspective. It might be that a steering by costs and numbers on one side does not help to create a value-creating relationship based on adaptations and soft factors on the other side.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:kau-1147 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Jonas, Julia |
| Publisher | Karlstads universitet, Centrum för tjänsteforskning |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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