• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.154-160
• /
• 2012

This paper reviewed the two proposed hypotheses. The first hypothesis is to test the relationship between knowledge management and incremental innovation, and the second hypothesis is to test the moderating effect of firm-size on that relationship. Data were gathered from 434 employees in service industry, and multiple regression analysis was used to test two proposed hypotheses. In the first hypothesis, it was appeared that knowledge acquisition and knowledge transfer have positive effects on all incremental innovation factors (process innovation, operation innovation, service innovation). In the second hypothesis, it was appeared that firm-size has an positive interaction effect on incremental innovation in knowledge transfer, but not in knowledge acquisition. It means that knowledge transfer has more positive effect on incremental innovation in large firm-size than in small firm-size.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.185-203
• /
• 2017

Call center service is enabled by the use of a firm's various information technologies (IT) and accumulated knowledge. IT and knowledge resources have been considered a fundamental infrastructure for developing a firm's business capabilities. Recognizing this, this study examines whether a firm's IT and customer knowledge resources enhance its customer service process capability and thereby contribute to creating superior customer service, at the level of customer service representatives (CSRs). That is, constructs in this study were measured on a basis of CSRs' perception. Moreover, this study verifies the moderating role of CSRs' computer self-efficacy on the relationships between IT and customer knowledge resources and customer service process capability. To test the proposed hypotheses, this study conducted partial least squares (PLS) analysis with a total of 234 data which were collected on CSRs working at four call centers. The key findings are as follows: first, IT infrastructure integration and customer knowledge integration are positively associated with customer service process capability. Second, customer service process capability is a key determinant of customer service performance. Finally, CSRs' computer self-efficacy has a moderating effect on the relationship between IT infrastructure integration and customer service process capability. The details of the findings and implications are presented.

• Knowledge Management Research
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.113-137
• /
• 2012

Since service innovation is considered as a new way to gain an advantage in a highly competitive environment, it is imperative for companies to align their service innovation strategy with their business strategy in order to achieve better firm performance. Accordingly, a critical challenge facing firms is how to effectively organize and manage a well-planned service innovation strategy in accordance with the direction of their business strategy. Firms with a good fit between business strategy (i.e., cost leadership, innovative differentiation, and marketing differentiation strategies) and service innovation strategy (service creation-focused, service delivery-focused, and client interface-focused strategies) are expected to have better firm performance than those without such a fit. Based on empirical data from 209 service firms in South Korea, this study aims first to investigate whether a certain service innovation strategy is more effective than others within a particular business strategy. We then examine whether their effective alignment positively affects firm performance. The empirical evidence indicates that the alignment of service innovation strategy with business strategy significantly influences firm performance. The adoption of service innovation strategy was found to have positive effects on firm performance with innovative differentiation and marketing differentiation strategies and negative effects with cost leadership strategy. Lastly, we discuss our study's implications for further research and practice.

• Knowledge Management Research
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.123-140
• /
• 2020

In call centers where customers contact a firm's customer service without face-to-face interaction, customer service representatives (CSRs) determine its service competitiveness. In other words, a firm's service excellence relies on its CSRs. Drawing on the concept of agility from service and information technologies studies, this study conceptualizes customer response capability as a variable consisting of customer response expertise and customer response agility, and further verifies its effects on customer service performance. Moreover, this study examines whether a firm's digital and human knowledge resources are related to CSRs' customer response capability. To empirically test the proposed hypotheses, the partial least squares analysis is conducted with a total of 371 responses collected on CSRs from two insurance call centers. The findings indicate that a firm's digital and human knowledge resources enhance CSRs' customer response expertise and customer response agility, thereby increasing customer service performance. The results draw the conclusion that CSRs' customer response capability is a key antecedent of superior customer service.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.95-109
• /
• 2013

This paper discussed about creativity and knowledge management variables as for effect factors on the management performance of IT service firms. Specially the mediation effects of knowledge management variables between the creativity and management performance were examined. To prove empirically the related hypothesis, the statistical analysis were based on the response from the 160 Korean IT Service firms. As an analysis results, it was found that the creativity of organizations was not the direct effector on the management performance. But the virtue of knowledge which are accumulated from knowledge management activity and shared in organizations was the direct effector. Also, the knowledge management activity is mediator on the in the relationship between the creativity and management performance. So this paper suggests that knowledge management activity and knowledge's virtue in the related the creativity in organizations are the important mediate factors for enhancement of IT service firm's performance.

• Management Science and Financial Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.45-63
• /
• 2011

The aim of this paper is to consider the process of supplying trained workers with knowledge and skills for upcoming business opportunities and the process of training apprentices to be prepared to meet future demands in an IT service firm. As the demand for new workers fluctuates, a firm should employ a buffer workforce such as apprentices or interns. However, as a result of rapid business development, the capacity of the buffer may be exceeded, thus requiring the company to recruit skilled workers from outside the firm. Therefore, it is important for a firm to map out a strategy for manpower planning so as to fulfill the demands of new business and minimize the operation costs related to training apprentices and recruiting experienced workers. First, this paper analyzes the supply and demand of workers for the IT service in a knowledge-intensive field. It then presents optimal human resource planning strategies via the familiar method of stochastic process. Also, we illustrate that our model is applied to the human resource planning of an information security service firm in South Korea.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.155-168
• /
• 2014

This paper discussed about business ethics and innovation management performance of IT service firms in Korea. To prove empirically the research hypothesis, the statistical analysis was based on the response from the 92 IT Service firms in Korean. As analysis results, it was found that the business ethics of organizations were the effect factors of the innovation management performance. And the knowledge competency and creativity are confirmed as a mediator between the business ethics and innovation management performance. So this paper suggests that business ethics in organizations are the important factor for enhancement of IT service firm's innovation performance. Specially the mediation effects of knowledge competency and creativity variables were proved empirically for the relation between the business ethics and innovation management performance. So it is desirable that knowledge-based service firms, for example IT service firms, have to strive to upgrade their level of business ethics and to link with their creativity and knowledge competency.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.91-110
• /
• 2012

In the modern management literature, knowledge has been recognized as a new strategic resource enabling a firm to create its competitiveness. Shipping companies under fierce competitive structure need to pay attentions to the utility of knowledge management. A shipping firm may develop its unique service capability by classifying, sharing, and transferring the data, information and knowledge obtained from both inside and outside its global service network. The current study attempts to analyze influential relationships between liner shipping firms' knowledge management and service capabilities. In order to achieve this goal, this study designed a knowledge chain model measuring shipping companies' knowledge management levels and tested its validity and reliability based on a total of 80 replied questionnaires from national and foreign liners. The empirical result presents that supportive and primary activities composing a knowledge chain could exert significant positive influences on the enforcement of shipping service capabilities. This research shows that the utility of knowledge management is adoptable in the maritime industry, and recommends that shipping firms should recognize strategic importance of knowledge and actively pursue knowledge management at an entire firm level.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.519-539
• /
• 2015

Customers are now demanding ever better service from customer service representatives (CSRs) to create superior customer service. Accordingly, CSRs are required to have more specialized knowledge and abilities of customer service. This study examines the roles of accumulated customer knowledge in electronic knowledge repositories (EKRs), which a firm has developed for customer service over time to enhance CSRs' work capabilities and work performance, in the context of call centers. To test the proposed research model and hypotheses, we conducted LISREL analysis using 261 responses collected on CSRs working for inbound call centers. The key results are as follows. First, accumulated customer knowledge in EKRs enhances CSRs' knowledge utilization and service expertise during the customer contact. Second, CSRs' knowledge utilization reinforces service expertise. Finally, service quality depends on CSRs' knowledge utilization and service expertise, but it is not directly related to accumulated customer knowledge. Overall, the findings suggest that accumulated customer knowledge in EKRs enhances CSRs' knowledge utilization and service expertise, and thereby leading to superior service quality.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.47-54
• /
• 2010

This paper is a longitudinal study, comparing survey results between two time periods. A previous survey was conducted in 1999. After 10 years of the first survey, the second survey was conducted while utilizing the same questionnaire. A list of membership of Korea Institute of Heallthcare Architecture was used as a sampling frame. At the first survey in 1999, questionnaires of 27.3 percentage were returned, and 15.5 percentage in the 2008 survey. Healthcare design is one of the highly specialized design types in architecture. In addition, it is demanded highly specialized knowledge to solve healthcare design problems. As a professional service firm(PSF), architectural firm utilizes knowledge assets to provide design service to clients. Specialized knowledge in question is one of the core assets of PSF. The knowledge generates competitive advantages and plays an effective role as a marketing tool for PSF. However, empirical studies dealing with the knowledge characteristics of specialized design(healthcare) firms were hardly found. Thus, this study aims to trace the professional architects' perception of knowledge demands for task performance and architectural knowledge assets. The results can be used as a reference when a specialized firm in healthcare design initiates to build knowledge assets in it.