Strategic Management of Professional Service Firms (eBook)

Theory and Practice

Stephan Kaiser, Max Josef Ringlstetter (Autoren)

eBook Download: PDF

2010 | 2011
XVII, 208 Seiten
Springer Berlin (Verlag)
978-3-642-16063-9 (ISBN)

Infos

Managing strategies for professional service firms is an important and complex activity. The main issues in this book cover the core management principles for service firms in a comprehensive way. Based on current research findings it includes the management of service quality, knowledge and marketing as well as people, organizational and strategic issues. In understanding critical resources managers and partners will be able to effectively develop and exploit them. The book contains practical advice and offers a profound insight into the managerial excellence of service companies. 

Inhalt

Strategic Management of ProfessionalService Firms 2
Preface 5
Introduction 6
Contents 10
List of Figures 13
Part I Professional Service Firms 16
Chapter 1 The World of Professional Service Firms 17
1.1 What Are Professional Service Firms? 17
1.2 Management Challenges and Approaches for Professional Service Firms 19
1.2.1 Management of Professionals 21
1.2.2 Design of Organizational Structures Organizational Structures 22
1.2.2.1 The Vertical Structure of the Professional Pyramid 22
1.2.2.2 The Horizontal Structure of the Professional Pyramid 24
1.2.3 Development of the Corporate Culture 24
1.3 Strategic Challenges and Approaches for Professional Service Firms 26
Notes 28
Chapter 2 The Business of Professional Service Firms 30
2.1 Types of Professional Service Firm Businesses 30
2.2 Remuneration Forms in Professional Service Firms 32
Notes 33
Chapter 3 The Subsectors of Professional Service Firms 34
3.1 Auditing Firms 36
3.2 Corporate Law Firms 39
3.3 Consulting Firms 39
3.4 Recruitment Agencies 42
3.5 Investment Banks 44
3.6 Communication Agencies 45
3.7 Engineering Service Providers 46
Notes 47
Part II Management of Strategic Resources 49
Chapter 4 Quality Management 50
4.1 Increase of Service Quality 52
4.1.1 Knowledge in Professional Service Firms 52
4.1.2 Knowledge Strategies for Professional Service Firms 53
4.2 Development and Use of Social Competence 55
4.2.1 Approaches to Increase Service Quality 56
4.2.2 Approaches to Increase Quality Perception 57
4.3 Reputation and Trust as Long-Term Quality Criteria 59
4.3.1 The Significance of Reputation in Professional Service Firms 59
4.3.2 Types of and Approaches to Increase Reputation 60
4.3.3 Trust as Success Factor for Knowledge-Intensive Service Providers 62
4.3.3.1 The Risk of Knowledge-Intensive Services 63
4.3.3.2 Development Mechanisms of Trust 65
Notes 67
Chapter 5 Knowledge Management and Innovation 70
5.1 Knowledge and Innovation as Key Success Factors in Professional Service Firms 70
5.1.1 Knowledge -- A Definition 71
5.1.2 Innovation -- A Definition 72
5.2 Management of Knowledge 73
5.2.1 Strategic Focus 74
5.2.2 Key Tasks 75
5.2.2.1 Knowledge Management Controlling 76
5.2.2.2 Knowledge Transparency 77
5.2.2.3 Knowledge Acquisition 78
5.2.2.4 Use of Knowledge 79
5.2.2.5 Preservation of Knowledge 80
5.2.3 Critical Influence and Success Factors 81
5.3 Innovation as a Special Challenge 81
Notes 84
Chapter 6 Marketing and Relationship Management 86
6.1 Criteria when Purchasing Professional Services Purchasing Professional Services 86
6.2 Effective Marketing of Professional Services 88
6.2.1 Marketing Aversion of Professionals 88
6.2.2 Professional Service Marketing as Special Service Marketing 89
6.2.3 Fundamentals of a Relationship Marketing Strategy 89
6.3 Operative Professional Service Marketing 92
6.3.1 Implementation of the Relationship Marketing Strategy 92
6.3.2 Acquisition of New Clients 93
6.3.3 Marketing Strategies for Existing Clients 95
Notes 96
Part III Management of Professionals 98
Chapter 7 Human Resource Management in Professional Service Firms 99
7.1 Objectives and Challenges 99
7.1.1 Development of Performance 100
7.1.2 Performance Optimization 100
7.2 Performance Analysis as Informational Basis 101
7.2.1 Performance Evaluation 102
7.2.2 Evaluation of Requirements 103
7.3 Acquisition of Professionals 103
7.3.1 Relevant Market Segments 104
7.3.2 Challenges in the Market Segments 104
7.3.3 Development and Implementation of Adequate Acquisition Strategies 105
7.4 Motivation of Professionals 106
7.4.1 Monetary Incentives 107
7.4.2 Non-monetary Incentives 108
7.4.3 Career Incentives 108
7.5 Development of Professionals 109
7.5.1 Development of Individual Performance 110
7.5.1.1 Development by Personal Experience 110
7.5.1.2 Development by External Experience 111
7.5.1.3 Development by Synthetic Experience 112
7.5.2 Development of Collective Performance 112
Notes 114
Chapter 8 Professional Service Firms as High Performance Work Systems 115
8.1 The Idea of High Performance Work Systems 115
8.2 Elements of a High Performance Work System 116
8.2.1 Performance 119
8.3 From High Performance Work Systems to Employee Performance 119
8.3.1 Motivation 120
8.3.2 Commitment 121
8.4 Professional Service Firms as Field of Application of High Performance Work Systems 122
Notes 124
Chapter 9 Work-Life Balance in Professional Service Firms 126
9.1 Ideas About the Balance of Work and Life 127
9.2 Factors Influencing Work-Life Balance 128
9.2.1 The Life Cycle as Framework for WLB Measures 128
9.2.2 Personality Traits, Attitude, Values 129
9.3 Promotion of the Work-Life Balance of Professionals 129
9.3.1 WLB Measures for 'Unaffected' or 'Affected' People? 130
9.3.2 Categories of Work-Life Balance Measures 131
9.4 Positive Impacts of a Good Work-Life Balance 132
9.4.1 Attitudinal Effects 133
9.4.2 Behavioral Effects 133
9.4.3 Effects on Health and Well-Being 134
9.4.4 Economic Effects 134
Notes 135
Chapter 10 The Alumni Network 137
10.1 Origins of Alumni Networks in Professional Service Firms 138
10.2 Organization and Size of Alumni Networks 138
10.3 Key Elements and Selectivity 139
10.4 Relevance of Alumni Networks as Success Factor 140
10.4.1 Improvement of Acquisition of Talented Employees 141
10.4.2 Survival of the Corporate Culture 141
10.4.3 Strengthening of Critical Resources 142
10.4.4 Support of Marketing of Services 142
10.5 Implications for the Management of Professional Service Firms 143
10.5.1 Creation of Organizational Framework Conditions 143
10.5.2 Linking Alumni Network Management with Human Resources Management (HRM) 144
10.5.3 Strategic Focus of HRM on the Management of Alumni Networks 145
10.6 Development Tendencies of Alumni Networks in Professional Service Firms 146
Notes 147
Part IV Management of Strategic Development 150
Chapter 11 Strategic Development of Professional Service Firms 151
11.1 Generic Options for Strategic Development 151
11.1.1 Growth and the Competitive Situation in the PSF Sector 151
11.1.2 Strategic Development Options for Professional Service Firms 154
11.2 Organic Development 156
11.2.1 Internal Growth Opportunities 156
11.2.2 Structural Challenges of Internal Implementation 159
11.3 External Development Through Acquisitions Acquisitions 160
11.3.1 Opportunities and Limits of Management Acquisitions 160
11.3.2 Integration Challenges 161
11.4 External Development Through Cooperations 162
11.4.1 Networks as Specific Form of Cooperation 163
11.4.2 Requirements for a Successful Cooperation 164
Notes 165
Chapter 12 Networking as a Strategy for Small and Medium Professional Service Firms 167
12.1 The Basic Problem 167
12.2 Value-Adding Networks, Social Capital and Professional Service Firms 168
12.2.1 Social Capital -- A Critical Network Perspective 169
12.2.2 Seminal Statements 169
12.3 Configuration of Value-Adding Networks for Small and Medium Professional Service Firms 171
12.3.1 Structural Aspects of Value-Adding Networks 172
12.3.2 Aspects Beyond Structure 174
Notes 176
Chapter 13 Surviving Crises--Crisis Management 178
13.1 Growth Crises in the PSF Sector 178
13.2 Strategic Options 178
13.2.1 Adapting the Tournament 179
13.2.2 Horizontal Structuring 180
13.2.3 Vertical Restructuring 181
13.3 Company Areas Relevant for Crisis Management Crisis Management 182
13.3.1 Personnel Measures 183
13.3.2 Special Sales Measures During Times of Crisis 184
13.3.3 Compliance Measures 185
Notes 186
Chapter 14 Archetype Change Towards Management 187
14.1 Dimensions of Archetypes 187
14.2 P2 and the Managed Professional Business 189
14.3 Change of Archetype Yes or No? 190
Notes 192
References 193
About the Authors 207
About the Authors 207
About the Co-authors 208
Index 210

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 19.11.2010
• Zusatzinfo: XVII, 208 p.
• Verlagsort: Berlin
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Studium ► 1. Studienabschnitt (Vorklinik) ► Biochemie / Molekularbiologie
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Personalwesen
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Unternehmensführung / Management
• Schlagworte: Knowledge-Intensive Firms • Management • Professional Service Firms • Strategy
• ISBN-10: 3-642-16063-8 / 3642160638
• ISBN-13: 978-3-642-16063-9 / 9783642160639