Maria Vincenza Ciasullo

The role of technology and institutions in tourism service ecosystems: Findings from a case study

Purpose n n n n nGiven the growing attention on service ecosystem and the role played by technology and institutions in shaping of actors’ relations and interactions, the purpose of this paper is to examine a tourism environment with the lens of service ecosystem in order to derive a deeper understanding on the underlying mechanisms. n n n n nDesign/methodology/approach n n n n nA mixed methodology was used. First, literature review based on service ecosystems framework was conducted to critically analyze the roles of technology and institutions to shape a tourism service ecosystem. Then a case study was conducted. n n n n nFindings n n n n nTwo main findings are described: the role and the characteristics of physical and virtual engagement touchpoints in the emergence of a tourism service ecosystems; and the relationship between technology and institutions in the resource integration. In particular, the authors conclude that institutions can shape the usage of technology which, in turn, can enable and imply the emergence of new institutions, continually adjusting the system of the tourism service ecosystem. n n n n nPractical implications n n n n nThe analysis contributes to deepening the knowledge about value co-creation processes and engagement expedients in tourism destination, explaining the role of institutions and technology in helping actors to integrate resources and exchange services. The study can also be useful for practitioners in search for powerful tool to increase the competitiveness of a tourism destination. n n n n nOriginality/value n n n n nThe study is one of the first attempts to conceptualize and operationalize a tourism destination in a service ecosystem framework. In this way it contribute to enhance scientific knowledge in a tourism management literature.

A strenuous path for sustainable supply chains in the footwear industry: A business strategy issue

Abstract In the age of sustainability, the fashion industry is very concerned about environmental and social issues; nevertheless, it is considered not completely sustainable. This study investigated the sustainable orientation of the complex and under-investigated footwear industry. This paper presents the results of an exploratory, case-based research highlighting the internal and external drivers that footwear companies perceive as relevant in terms of sustainable configuration of their supply chain and the subsequent impact on their business. The study analyzed all the stages of the footwear supply chain to better define which processes and decision-making practices can lead companies to make their supply chains sustainable. The findings showed the existence of different approaches and a different influence on the internal and external drivers; the relevant roles of corporate values and the values of entrepreneurs are highlighted.

Service Innovations in the Healthcare Service Ecosystem: A Case Study

In the service economy, scholars and practitioners are even more focused on the development and appliance of innovative services. The importance of service innovation is rising in many sectors and among different organizations. Several disciplines (e.g., marketing, management, operations research, etc.) deal with this innovation, a concept widely used, but with different definitions. In this paper, service innovation has been analyzed according to the Service Dominant Logic (S-D Logic) and a service ecosystem perspective. The literature still calls for a greater understanding of how a new or renewed combination of resources affects the shaping of service ecosystems. To contribute to filling this gap, this study explores the practices that different actors, enact to co-create value in novel ways; i.e., service innovation. The paper is structured as follows. In the first section, the main academic contributions on service research have been reviewed, focusing on healthcare service innovation. This is followed by the research method and discussion of the research findings. Finally, the theoretical and managerial implications have been detailed and an agenda for future research suggested. The paper offers interesting insights to develop new or renewed practices that foster the reshaping and maintaining of a healthcare service ecosystem. Some recommendations are included to support managers in the development of service innovation strategies.

A Journey Through Possible Views of Relational Logic

This chapter discusses how the relational logic is one of the most interesting and profitable management paradigms to understand firms’ behaviour and to foster value co-creation processes.

Comparing two approaches to team building: a performance measurement evaluation

Purpose n n n n nThis paper reports a study that compares two different team-building approaches. The first one is the traditional top-down management approach. The second one is a hybrid bottom-up approach based on the consensus model. The aim of this paper is to determine which of the two approaches is the most effective across a number of performance measurements. n n n n nDesign/methodology/approach n n n n nA case study is presented using data collected and analysed from a small family-owned vehicle maintenance firm. A mixed methods approach to data collection is utilized, including participant observation, focus groups, survey questionnaires and organizational performance reports. A convenience sample of eight routine maintenance jobs was selected for team performance comparison purposes. The measures used for comparing the two team approaches were lead time, customer satisfaction ratings and employees’ satisfaction ratings. n n n n nFindings n n n n nThe teams assembled using the consensus approach performed better than those selected using the traditional top-down approach across all three performance measures, i.e. the jobs were completed faster and both customers and employees were more satisfied. n n n n nResearch limitations/implications n n n n nThis is an exploratory case study limited to one small family-owned business and, as such, findings may not be generalizable. n n n n nPractical implications n n n n nAs an alternative to manager selected work teams, managers should involve and empower employees to select their own teams. This has the potential to offer benefits for both customers and employees of faster delivery times and increase satisfaction, as well as increase productivity for the firm. n n n n nOriginality/value n n n n nThis is the first field study to compare the performance of a hybrid, bottom-up approach to team building with the performance of a more traditional management, top-down approach to team building. It paves the way for a wider study to be conducted in the future to test the findings’ generalizability.

Fuzzy Consensus Model in Collective Knowledge Systems: An Application for Fighting Food Frauds

Food fraud is related to different illicit conducts which aim at gaining economic benefit from counterfeiting food and ignoring the damage they cause to public economy and health. Consumers use the new technologies, like social networks, in order to share their worries about food frauds and to stay informed about them. But, in such a complex and dynamic context, it is important to ensure the reliability of news about food frauds in order to avoid misinformation and general panic phenomena. In this context, we propose an extension of a Collective Knowledge System aiming at verifying the reliability of news about food frauds and to decide whether to publish and spread information on the food frauds in the society. A Fuzzy Consensus Model has been proposed for helping the experts in achieving a shared decision about the reliability of each news and about its publication and diffusion. An illustrative example demonstrates the feasibility and the usefulness of the proposed approach.