Dublin Core
Title
Enhancing service firm performance through customer involvement capability and innovativeness
Creator
Robert Ebo Hinson
Description
Purpose – Because of the paucity of empirical research on firm-level capabilities of firms for effective
customer involvement, the purpose of this study is to evaluate service firms’ capacity to coopt customers to
enhance the innovativeness and firm performance relationship. This study conceptualizes involvement
capabilities of service firms as a strategic driver that exploits their internal firm assets, which in turn
facilitates the positive relationship between innovativeness and firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 344 managers of service firms across
different sub-sectors in an emerging economy. The study first confirmed the constructs through confirmatory
factor analysis before analyzing hypothesized relationships. Regression models were specified with robust
standard errors to test the hypothesized relationships.
Findings – The study found that involvement capability of service firms helps them to exploit their
relational assets and create and manage strong customer participation. Additionally, it was found that
involvement capabilities enable service firms to capitalize on the competencies of customers, which in turn
improves the outcomes of their innovativeness. The results showed that the interaction between involvement
capability and innovativeness enhances firm performance significantly.
Practical implications – Service firms can enhance customer participation in the value creation process
by increasing their involvement capabilities. The increase in such capabilities will enhance the innovativeness
of service firms, thereby improving their financial and non-financial performance.
Originality/value – This study offers guidance on how a firm’s innovativeness and customer involvement
work together within the service operation to enhance firm performance.
Keywords Customer involvement, Innovativeness, Service firm performance,
Strategic management and leadership, Customer co-creation, Involvement capability, Service operation
Paper type Research paper
customer involvement, the purpose of this study is to evaluate service firms’ capacity to coopt customers to
enhance the innovativeness and firm performance relationship. This study conceptualizes involvement
capabilities of service firms as a strategic driver that exploits their internal firm assets, which in turn
facilitates the positive relationship between innovativeness and firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 344 managers of service firms across
different sub-sectors in an emerging economy. The study first confirmed the constructs through confirmatory
factor analysis before analyzing hypothesized relationships. Regression models were specified with robust
standard errors to test the hypothesized relationships.
Findings – The study found that involvement capability of service firms helps them to exploit their
relational assets and create and manage strong customer participation. Additionally, it was found that
involvement capabilities enable service firms to capitalize on the competencies of customers, which in turn
improves the outcomes of their innovativeness. The results showed that the interaction between involvement
capability and innovativeness enhances firm performance significantly.
Practical implications – Service firms can enhance customer participation in the value creation process
by increasing their involvement capabilities. The increase in such capabilities will enhance the innovativeness
of service firms, thereby improving their financial and non-financial performance.
Originality/value – This study offers guidance on how a firm’s innovativeness and customer involvement
work together within the service operation to enhance firm performance.
Keywords Customer involvement, Innovativeness, Service firm performance,
Strategic management and leadership, Customer co-creation, Involvement capability, Service operation
Paper type Research paper
Publisher
Emerald Publishing Limited
Date
2018
Source
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/mrr-07-2017-0207/full/pdf