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Service productivity and service quality: A necessary trade-off?

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  • Calabrese, Armando

Abstract

This paper is about service productivity and perceived service quality. Both a high service productivity and a high customer perceived quality are two main drivers of good performances in service companies and they simultaneously occur as a consequence of a synergy of several drivers such as employees' competences and motivation, organizational efficiency, technical devices availability, information technologies employment, etc. In scientific literature a trade-off between productivity and perceived service quality is asserted and several cases derived both by market observations and academic research could bear such trade-off out. But, is it possible to state that, under some circumstances, such a trade-off between productivity and perceived service quality could be avoided? And if yes, why such certified substitution should not work?

Suggested Citation

  • Calabrese, Armando, 2012. "Service productivity and service quality: A necessary trade-off?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(2), pages 800-812.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:proeco:v:135:y:2012:i:2:p:800-812
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpe.2011.10.014
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    17. Mackelprang, Alan W. & Jayaram, Jayanth & Xu, Kefeng, 2012. "The influence of types of training on service system performance in mass service and service shop operations," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(1), pages 183-194.
    18. Hallikas, Jukka & Immonen, Mika & Pynnönen, Mikko & Mikkonen, Karri, 2014. "Service purchasing and value creation: Towards systemic purchases," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(PA), pages 53-61.
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