J. Ruiz-Alba

New Perspective on Customer Orientation of Service Employees: A Conceptual Framework

ABSTRACT Customer orientation of service employees (COSE) refers to the capacity and skills of employees to (1) identify, understand and satisfy their clients’ needs, and (2) act to that end. The COSE model has been used extensively to assess customer orientation of service employees within different settings. However, minimal modifications from the original have been presented so far, and the proposed settings were unrelated to highly relational services such as private banking (PB). PB is defined as the services specifically designed to satisfy the financial needs of high net worth individuals (HNWI); they are usually delivered by only one contact person – the private banker. Thus, PB is based on a personal and long-lasting relationship between the private banker and the client. Drawing on the literature regarding customer orientation and PB, trust, loyalty and word of mouth are identified as the potential consequences of COSE, improving on previous models. These new propositions are accompanied by a conceptual framework of COSE that is able to address the PB particularities by considering some moderating variables that are inherent to the PB service (customer segment and type of banking firm). Further avenues for research are then charted in light of the new conceptual framework developed.

Servitization strategies from customers’ perspective: the moderating role of co-creation

This paper aims to investigate the moderating role of co-creation in the implementation of servitization strategies in the pharmaceutical industry in a business-to-business (B-to-B) context. More specifically, this investigation explores the impact of different levels of services (base, intermediate and advanced) on servitization and on performance by using co-creation as a moderating factor.,A research framework was developed and empirically tested in the pharmaceutical sector. Data collection was conducted through the online distribution of questionnaires. The final sample included 219 pharmacy stores, and the data were analysed using structural equation modelling.,Main findings suggest that when the level of co-creation of the design of services is high, there are significant effects of servitization on firm performance. The moderating effect of co-creation is illustrated in regard to intermediate and advanced services, but results referring to the impact of intermediate services on servitization appear non-significant with a low degree of co-creation. No significant effects could be found for the impact of base services on performance and servitization for both high and low degrees of co-creation. Findings show an impact of advanced services on performance through the mediating effect of servitization when the degree of co-creation is high.,Most research concerning servitization has been done from the perspective of manufacturers and service providers. This study adds value to the literature because it was designed from a customer’s perspective. Moreover, it contributes towards the conceptualization of the servitization research strategy and business models in a B2B context. This is accomplished through the investigation of the moderating effect of co-creation on the impact of the different levels of services on servitization and on performance.

St. Albans Family Enterprises

This case study can serve as an instrument to help students and practitioners develop their ethical decision-making ability, in particular practical wisdom (prudence) within a virtue ethics framework. St. Albans Family Enterprises is a group of companies with three business lines: petrol stations, flower exportation and women´s fashion retail establishments, with around 300 employees and 20 stores in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol. Apparently, an alleged leakage of sensitive information took place at the Head Office, involving several employees who found themselves in a delicate professional situation and who happened to be relatives. Senior management are facing ethical dilemmas with respect to these employees but also with respect to themselves who feel partly responsible for having generated such compromising situation for some employees.

Experiential learning in virtues ethics through a case study: The 'St. Albans Family Enterprises'

Teaching business ethics effectively may prepare future leaders and managers to better deal with delicate situations that they might face in the workplace. However, such an aim is one of the biggest challenges that educators at universities are called on to solve. An increasing number of scholars are invoking the role of prudence in the virtue ethics context as a viable approach to teach students how to manage ethical dilemmas. In this regard, this paper presents the ‘St. Albans Family Enterprise’ case study that can serve as an instrument to help students and practitioners develop their ethical decision-making ability and to foster a disposition towards applying sound judgment or what can be called in classical terms, prudence. The paper also offers guidance to educators about how the case can be used for teaching purposes, and explains the implications of exercising practical wisdom (prudence) within a virtue ethics framework.

Developing entrepreneurial intentions through gamification using online Business challenges

Purpose: This paper describes the results of a research project aimed at investigating the moderating role of gamification on the development of entrepreneurial intentions through the use of online business challenges. Following the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991), a research framework is suggested and empirically tested which measures entrepreneurial intentions before and after the participation in an online competition. TPB attempts to predict individuals intentions to engage in a behaviour, arguing that behaviours depend on both motivation (intention) and ability (behavioral control) (Ajzen, 1991). In this study, entrepreneurial intentions are used as a predictor of entrepreneurial behaviour and are measured using the Entrepreneurial Intentions Questionnaire (based on Linan and Chen, 2009; Linan et al., 2011; Guerrero and Urbano, 2014; Ruizalba et al., 2015) before and after a gamified environment. Gamification refers to the use of game elements in non-gamified environments, (Deterding et al., 2011) such as in Higher Education (HE) contexts. The suggested research framework hypothesises that gamification has a positive impact on HE students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Design/methodology/approach: In order to investigate the suggested hypotheses, a quantitative research strategy was implemented using questionnaires distributed online to participants. Data was collected with the help of Studyka along with Paris Business School (PSB). Studyka facilitates gamified environments providing online challenges to students all over the world. These challenges are real problems put forward by companies and monetary prizes are attributed to winners. Two questionnaires were implemented: one implemented before the challenge and another one at the end of the gamified activity. A total of 980 students participated, and 281 responded to the two questionnaires, enabling before and after comparisons. Findings: Data analysis is currently undergoing and a difference is expected between the two samples collected (that is, before and after participation in the online challenge). Originality/value: This research contributes to the literature by investigating the role of gamified environments on entrepreneurial intentions of HE students.