The explore–exploit tension: A case study of organizing in a professional services firm

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 566-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron C. T. Smith ◽  
David H. Gilbert ◽  
Fiona Sutherland
Keyword(s):  
Professional Services ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Organizational Changes ◽  
Successful Approach ◽  
Contextual Awareness ◽  
Deep Exploration ◽  
Professional Services Firm

AbstractThis article reports on a case study of a decade-long organizing forms response to the need for groundbreaking innovation while maintaining existing operational performance – the explore–exploit conundrum. Employing ‘grounded research,’ data were collected on the experiences of the Asia-Pacific arm of a multinational professional service firm’s key decision-makers, innovators and entrepreneurs. The findings reveal a three-tiered organizing forms response to the explore–exploit paradox, characterized by a novel combination of heavy exploitation-driven actions alongside deep exploration projects. This case suggests that one successful approach to delivering on both explore and exploit focuses on a productive tension that emerges by enacting innovative organizing forms with contextual awareness. This productive tension was sufficiently powerful to impel individuals to innovate, but also sufficiently contained to avoid interfering with commercial outcomes. An explore–exploit framework conceptualizes organizational changes incorporating complexity and contradiction, without the implicit emphasis on removing or denying the existing tension.

Creating a sustainable innovation environment within large enterprises: a case study on a professional services firm

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thorsten Kliewe ◽  
Todd Davey ◽  
Thomas Baaken
Keyword(s):  
Change Management ◽  
Change Process ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Management Model ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Large Firms ◽  
Sustainable Innovation ◽  
Professional Services Firm

This paper considers the question of which structures, strategies and practical activities large firms can use to successfully create a sustainable innovation environment within an organisation with special focus given to communication activities used to support this change process. Using the ADKAR change management model as the underlying framework, this study analyses the story of a large professional service firm’s national innovation program to show and discuss a successful example. The paper shows how the firm successfully managed both the change project and the stakeholder change to transform the nature of their organisation. The paper provides valuable insights for professionals, practitioners, consultants and academics involved in or studying the creation of innovation and how to affect this within large organisations.

The four spheres of value co-creation in humanitarian professional services

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Pillitteri ◽  
Erica Mazzola ◽  
Manfredi Bruccoleri
Keyword(s):  
Service Design ◽  
Life Cycle Management ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Enabling Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Humanitarian Operations ◽  
Theory Of Value

PurposeThe study focuses on the value co-creation processes in humanitarian professional services provision, analysing the key enabling factors of beneficiaries' participation, involved in long-term integration programmes (L-TIPs).Design/methodology/approachThrough an in-depth case study, the research looks at the practices of value co-creation in humanitarian professional services, considering both the perspectives of the professional service provider and beneficiary.FindingsIn professional services beneficiary's participation affects the success of the L-TIPs outcomes. Participation's enablers can be classified into four different spheres, each belonging to different elements of professional service: the beneficiary, the professionals, the service design and the external environment.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper contributes to the literature on humanitarian operations & supply chain management. By focussing on an understudied phase of the disaster life-cycle management, it contributes to the theory of value co-creation by exploring new issues and drivers of beneficiary's participation.Practical implicationsThis research has interesting implications for policymakers and humanitarian practitioners. First, guidelines for professionals' behaviours and interventions should be designed as well as new practices and strategies should be adopted. Second, governments should avoid concentrating L-TIPs in few big humanitarian centres.Originality/valueThe study focuses on an understudied stage of humanitarian operations, namely the L-TIPs, and uses this setting to build on the theory of value co-creation in professional services by identifying its enabling factors, clustered into four spheres, namely beneficiary, professional, service design and environmental.

Do strengths measure up?

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicky Garcea ◽  
Stephen Isherwood ◽  
Alex Linley
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Assessment Centers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Generic Competencies ◽  
Percent Increase ◽  
Strengths Approach ◽  
Professional Services Firm ◽  
Big Four

PurposeThis paper sets out to draw comparisons and make linkages between strengths and competency methodologies. Whereas some authors have seen the strengths approach as a revolution in human resources (HR), the authors of this paper see it more as a natural evolution. The paper aims to overview the strengths approach as well as presenting a case study of strengths‐based graduate recruitment from the Big Four professional services firm, Ernst & Young.Design/methodology/approachThe strengths‐based approach to recruitment is described in general, and the particular approach taken to graduate recruitment at Ernst & Young is outlined. Rather than assessing for generic competencies, strengths‐based recruitment seeks to identify the natural strengths of individuals that are aligned to the role for which they are applying. Assessors are trained to look for energy and authenticity, together with evidence of high performance of the strength.FindingsThe strengths‐based graduate recruitment project at Ernst & Young delivered a 15 percent increase in the number of candidates de‐selected at first interview, together with a 12 percent increase in the number of candidates appointed following assessment center, compared with the previous competency approach.Practical implicationsStrengths‐based graduate recruitment provides a robust and reliable methodology for attracting, selecting and appointing the best candidates for the role. It delivers a better candidate experience and builds a more positive and differentiated employer brand.Originality/valueErnst & Young is one of the first UK organizations to use strengths‐based graduate recruitment systematically in this way The strengths methodology not only supports its interviewing and assessment centers, but also is used throughout its campus events and through attraction and candidate engagement with an online strengths tool developed and managed by Capp.

scholarly journals Factors that influence the marketing of professional services

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 118-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meg Enerson ◽  
Roger B. Mason ◽  
Karen M. Corbishley
Keyword(s):  
Services Marketing ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Physical Evidence ◽  
Product Service ◽  
Marketing Resources ◽  
Place Promotion ◽  
Insight Into

This study explores the marketing in a multinational professional services organization and attempts to identify marketing factors relevant to the organization. The main objective is to identify critical factors that influence the successful marketing of professional services. To accomplish this objective, research is undertaken as a case study with a quantitative survey of employees from the professional services organization. The main finding was that the 7P framework (product/service, price, place, promotion, physical evidence, people, process) was applicable and that place, physical evidence and product components were seen as most critical, with promotion and price appearing to be least critical, maybe because conservative attitudes to marketing still exist within professional service organizations. The study added to the literature on professional services marketing, giving insight into the marketing of professional services in today’s dynamic and changing economic environment. Our findings will, therefore, assist professional service organizations to utilize their marketing resources more effectively and efficiently

scholarly journals Open Badges: Exploring the value, potential and practicalities of a new way of recognising skills in Higher Education

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Hole
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Staff Development ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Technology Enhanced Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Enhanced Learning

This case study reports an ongoing project at the University of Sussex seeking to introduce the idea of Open Badges to the institution while exploring some of the practical issues and limiting factors associated with this method of recognising learning. The focus is on piloting Open Badges in workshops and events for staff in order to develop understanding of the advantages and challenges of this form of micro-credentialing. It is hoped that the knowledge gained from this project can be used to identify and support appropriate future staff and student-facing badging initiatives. The project aims to: (i) Develop understanding of Open Badges and their potential in higher education amongst professional service colleagues and academics. (ii) Evaluate tools and processes. (iii) Build capacity to support future projects.The project has begun to meet its aims, there is now an operational badging scheme for Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) staff development workshops; colleagues in student-facing professional services have developed their knowledge and understanding of Open Badges and been supported in the development of plans for badging learner skills and there is increased awareness of Open Badges amongst teaching staff who have attended ‘badged’ workshops. 

Design Thinking Mindset

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne SOBEL ◽  
Jochen SCHWEITZER ◽  
Bridget MALCOLM ◽  
Lars GROEGER
Keyword(s):  
Design Thinking ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Capability Development ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Measurement Tools ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

This case study reflects on the role of design thinking mindsets in building design thinking capability within professional services consultancies. The nine design thinking mindset attributes developed by Schweitzer et. al (2016) formed the basis of five engagements with consultancies including workshops and semi-structured interviews. Data collection and observation by the authors identified key themes relating to the role of design thinking mindsets at an individual, team and organisational level, as well as the challenges and opportunities of embedding design thinking mindsets to build capability. The authors believe that capability development through the use of design thinking mindsets has the potential to support professional service consultancies to make more significant progress in embedding design thinking beyond the current focus on methods. Potential experiential learning frameworks and measurement tools are also identified.

Bringing a Client Focus to International Marketing: A Change Management Case Study

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-55
Author(s):  
Paul Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Change Management ◽  
Information Transfer ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractConsumers the world over are becoming more homogeneous thanks to the unifying forces of travel, media, technology, information transfer and the like. Furthermore, today customers have higher expectations than ever before regarding the quality of service they should receive from a wide range of service organisations (professional as well as non-professional). As customers are increasingly exposed to world best practice in a wide range of service industries, expectations spiral upwards. Slow, discourteous, unresponsive and unprofessional service will no longer be tolerated - but especially when the service is highly customised, complex, costly and high involvement, professional service.Few, if any, studies have examined service quality issues for professional services in an international context. Hence, this case study documents the problems experienced by the Australian Trade Commission's (Austrade) Bangkok, Thailand Post in providing a level of service consistent with clients' (and senior managements') expectations, the steps taken to overcome these long standing service quality shortcomings, as well as the key lessons to be learnt from the process. Today Austrade provides a professional consulting service and thus possesses similar characteristics to many professional service firms (project management, engineering consulting, general management consulting, etc.) and thus the lessons from this successful change management program may be generalisable to other professional services. Furthermore, the lessons should prove invaluable for Australian firms operating in South-East Asia staffed by expatriates and local nationals.

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