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Iain Reid

Manchester Metropolitan University, Operations, Technology, Events and Hospitality Management, Faculty Member

University of Huddersfield, BUSINESS SCHOOL, Faculty Member

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Dr Iain Reid is a Professor in Operations and Supply Chain Management with industrial experience in manufacturing engineering, and the professional service firms, specifically legal operations, specialising in operational agility.Iain is also the Deputy Director of Research Centre: Business Transformations, supporting PhDs and ECRs. Iain has secured over £2.5M in terms of Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTPs), these are collaborative projects across a number of industry sectors, predominately with SMEs. Iain has also held faculty positions at both the University of Huddersfield and University of Liverpool. Prior to joining academia Iain was a mechanical engineer before becoming the Senior Projects Manager for the University of Liverpool’s Agility facilitating an EU funded ERDF project supporting over 150 SMEs manufacturers over a six-year period. Iain’s claim to fame is that he increased a company’s turnover by £1.3M via a 20min presentation and workshop.Iain’s research is focused around Operational Agility, Industry 4.0, Knowledge Transfer and Innovations such as Legal-Tech in Legal / Professional Service Firms. His work has been published in peer review journals including the International Journal of Production Research, Int. J. Supply Chain Management, Production Planning and Control, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Int. J. Services and Operations Management

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Texas A&M University

UNIVERSITY OF BAMENDA - CAMEROON

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Ashly Pinnington

University of Nottingham, UK

Kjartan Sigurdsson

University of Akureyri

Francesca Magno

Università degli Studi di Bergamo (University of Bergamo)

James Faulconbridge

Lancaster University

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Papers by Iain Reid

1 Professional Service Operations Management : sustaining the discipline ?

Operations management (OM) theory suggests that professional services have some distinct operatio... more Operations management (OM) theory suggests that professional services have some distinct operational challenges. There is an emerging consensus that professional services are changing, due to the socio-economic and political climates in which they operate. In order to investigate these issues a systematic literature review was undertaken. This paper makes a contribution by exploring the OM literature encompassing two decades of publications in terms of value, in relation to operational effectiveness within the ‘professions’. The analysis of the sample suggests a potential methodological mismatch between the core theoretical frameworks, exploring features of effectiveness and efficiency across the professions. This paper makes a contribution through a reflection on theories in the area of Professional Services Operations Management.

Profession Service Operations: the case for Service Modularity with a Legal Partnership

The purpose of this paper is to trace the emergence of ‘service modularity’ through the legal pro... more The purpose of this paper is to trace the emergence of ‘service modularity’ through the legal profession. There is a developing consensus that professional work is changing in the socio-economic and political climates in which service professionals operate (Harvey 1990, 2010). The purpose of this paper is to trace the value-add through the legal profession and examine how service modularity can be applied within a legal practice in order to create a theoretical framework for service modularity. The paper contributes to diversity of service modularity within eight UK legal service disciplines from the perspective of facilitating the knowing-doing gap, bridging the gap within the Von Nordenflycht (2010) taxonomy of professional services as characterized as high knowledge intensity, with low capital intensity.

Supply Chain Management Information Systems and Organisational Performance in economic turbulent environments

2015 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM), Dec 1, 2015

Supply Chain Information Systems (SCIS) and their impact on organisational performance has been s... more Supply Chain Information Systems (SCIS) and their impact on organisational performance has been studied by a number of studies. This research seeks to extend this body of knowledge by adopting a fresh lens to explore empirically the relationship between organisational performance and SCIS in circumstances of economic downturn and financial turbulence. The statistical relationship between Supply Chain I n f o r m a t i o n Systems' (SCIS) 'Effectiveness' and 'Organisational Performance' is tested and measured by financial and non-financial variables. So, even though complexities associated with measuring SCIS efficiency and Organisational Performance continue to dominate research discussions, these are somewhat limited to just explaining the phenomenon without addressing the misalignment of the information provided by SCIS, business expectations and Organisational Performance. In consequence, this paper reports findings from a large survey of 168 SCIS managers in Greek SMEs where, even during economic downturn, a strong correlation between SCIS and non-financial Organisational Performance is evidenced. In considering the findings, this study proposes guidance to enhance SCIS Effectiveness and Organisational Performance.

Balancing the ‘Know-how’ and ‘Know-why’ of Make-to-Order (MTO) Product Development

Balancing the 'Know-how' and 'Know-why' of Make-to-Order (MTO) Product Development Reid, Iain (20... more

An empirical investigation into UK university–industry collaboration: the development of an impact framework

The Journal of Technology Transfer

Providing evidence of the impact of university–industry (U–I) partnerships is challenging. This e... more Providing evidence of the impact of university–industry (U–I) partnerships is challenging. This empirical research contributes to this thought-provoking subject area by developing an impact assessment framework to assess the effect of collaboration between university and industry. This is examined through a multiple case study approach: 13 partnership schemes, each of two years duration, in manufacturing and healthcare. This study demonstrates that effective knowledge transfer from universities to enterprises is not only hypothetically feasible, but also realistically tangible and measurable. It explores how Business and Management Schools transfer knowledge and technology through external interventions and formal partnership schemes. Our findings show that impact and knowledge transfer can be evaluated, but requires active facilitation before, during and after the project, plus a level of openness and expert engagement within the partnerships. Additionally, our findings established...

Servitisation through structural adaptation

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the structural changes needed for project-base... more PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the structural changes needed for project-based organisations (PBOs) to synthesise their project operations and services following the servitisation strategy. It addresses the question of how PBOs should change their organisational structure fitting with service provision strategy.Design/methodology/approachThis study followed an exploratory research method using a single in-depth case with evidence collected from 51 project managers from five different industry sectors: construction, oil and gas, IT, logistics and health careFindingsCapitalising on organisational design theory, it has been found that successfully extending PBOs' outcomes into a system of both project output and extra services requires an adjustment of organisational structure that creates greater value for both companies and customers. This required adjustment has been divided into five main categories: (1) collaboration cross-project and customers; (2) flexibl...

Temporal dimensions of knowledge exchanges in horizontal knowledge networks

Journal of Knowledge Management, 2020

Purpose This study aims to examine reciprocal exchanges in knowledge networks using temporal diff... more Purpose This study aims to examine reciprocal exchanges in knowledge networks using temporal differentiation of knowledge exchanges. To date, research on horizontal knowledge networks rather overlooks the temporal perspective, which could explain the dynamics of exchange in those networks. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports on a study of four horizontal knowledge networks in the UK over a period of 18 months. Findings The findings integrate three temporal dimensions of timescale, timeliness and time modalities. The dimensions have implications for the way knowledge is exchanged (or not), which can in turn sustain or stymie productive knowledge exchange in horizontal knowledge networks. Research limitations/implications The study encourages researchers to attend to the micro-processes of knowledge exchanges through the integrative framework of temporalities. While this study examined horizontal networks, future research can be extended to analysing temporalities in other t...

A capability perspective on service provision in project-based organisations

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2020

The theoretical underpinnings related to the required capabilities of service provision remain un... more The theoretical underpinnings related to the required capabilities of service provision remain under development. Hence, this study aims to explore the pathway for service business development in project-based organisations. Using a qualitative case study approach, 30 interviews were conducted with project-based organisations from five different industries in eight countries. Thematic analysis techniques were used to analyse the data. Upon which, this study identifies the essential capabilities for the successful implementation of servitization strategies; these direct the projects to be customer orientated and sustain the core operations of service provision. Adopting dynamic capability theory, the study offers a roadmap for how project-based organisations develop and gain these capabilities. The results indicate a difference between the companies in developed as opposed to developing countries, when building their capabilities. The study contributes to the body of knowledge and proposes to decision makers the use of effective processes to help align project operations and service provision activities. It explains how project-based organisations reconfigure their resources to build essential capabilities to provide services. Moreover, the study highlights the differences between developed and developing countries in terms of the capabilities used and how they develop them.

The quality of servitization in project-oriented organizations

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, Jan 27, 2023

Purpose -This study examines the criteria for evaluating the quality of servitization and the fac... more Purpose -This study examines the criteria for evaluating the quality of servitization and the factors influencing the project-service system's success. Design/methodology/approach -Evidence was collected through three rounds of Delphi consensus with 42 project managers. Findings -The results indicate that the quality of servitization in project-oriented organizations is conceptualized as a cumulative construct driven by the product-service system's overall ability to offer more customer value. This value is defined by three interconnected dimensions: the service, the project, and the integration system. The study also proposes a novel customeroriented quality process with two connected levels comprising eight key factors influencing the quality of the project-service systems and nine key quality criteria that assist in evaluating the project-service systems. Implications -Offering extra services is crucial for successful project-oriented organizations to deliver more customer value. The value of servitization is the combined value of products and services. The failure of one of these components to satisfy customers leads to the collapse of the whole system, which entails the need for a balanced-focus quality system toward projects and services. Originality -This study contributes to the quality of servitization in project-oriented organizations, arguing that a balance between service-orientation and project-orientation is preferred to increase customer value and reduce the clash and ambiguity between projectoperations and service provision.

Professional Service Operations: the case for Service Modularity with a Legal Partnership

NoOperations management theory suggests that professional services firms (PSFs) have some distinc... more NoOperations management theory suggests that professional services firms (PSFs) have some distinct operational challenges. The purpose of this paper is to trace the emergence of professional service operations management (PSOM) thinking within a legal partnership. With the impact of deregulation there is an emerging consensus that legal services is changing, due to the socio-economic and political climates in which they operate. The purpose of this paper is to trace the value-add through the legal profession and examine how PSOM practice can be applied within a legal practice in order to create a leaner thinking. The case study analysis suggests a potential methodological mismatch between the core theoretical frameworks, exploring features of effectiveness and efficiency across legal disciplines. This paper makes a contribution through a reflection of PSOM thinking in law

Can knowledge be retained in informal organisational networks

Taking a constructivist view of knowledge where knowledge is viewed as a process of knowing, the ... more Taking a constructivist view of knowledge where knowledge is viewed as a process of knowing, the literature on knowledge sharing assumes that knowledge can be retained through being embedded in institutional routines, structures, and systems. However, this concept is challenged in the context of informal organisational networks where membership is voluntary, temporary and organisationally unsanctioned. Such challenges have predominately focused around: 1) behavioural aspects including organisational and individual defence mechanisms to protect knowledge and opportunistic behaviours such as free-riding; or 2) social aspects including lack of mutual trust and asymmetric power relations. This paper investigates the challenges to knowledge retention in knowledge-sharing networks, reporting on data collected from case studies of four organisational networks in the UK. There is a significant amount of literature addressing such challenges on organisational level, however, less research ha...

Knowledge Transfer and Impact

This paper suggests a comparison framework to try and evidence the impact of knowledge transfer. ... more This paper suggests a comparison framework to try and evidence the impact of knowledge transfer. It examines impact by reporting on the outputs from case studies across two sectors, manufacturing and healthcare. The paper assesses the impact of knowledge transfer, in relation to the development of a competitive edge and proposes some initial frameworks for potential application and use.

Process Improvement: assessing the influence of external intervention

This paper presents the findings from a large-scale empirical investigation into the impact of ex... more This paper presents the findings from a large-scale empirical investigation into the impact of external intervention into business process improvement using a hybrid model of knowledge transfer (KT). Through the utilization of a survey instrument with 696 respondents, the research explores the insights into a phased approached to sustainable external intervention. Analysis of the empirical data indicated that organisations are receptive to external intervention, which can lead to improved levels of knowledge transfer, organisational culture, and business innovation. Furthermore, high impact intervention can contribute to long-term sustainability. The results also indicate that intervention has been more successful through intermitting intervention in terms of specific initiatives such as business process improvement, technology transfer, change management and new product development. The paper contributes to the impact of intervention from the perspective of facilitating the knowing...

The impact of external intervention: The reality of expectations

Management consultants have become ubiquitous in helping improve organisational performance. This... more Management consultants have become ubiquitous in helping improve organisational performance. This paper presents an investigation of the impact of their interventions on organisational sustainability and growth through the performance improvement work carried out for and with their clients. The paper presents the findings of a questionnaire survey of 440 respondents from 206 countries; 197 of respondents were Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), 243 from large organisations. There is a particular focus on knowledge transfer in terms of urgency and impact of the work with regard to the extent to which consulting interventions in SMEs, as well as large multinational corporations, embed long-term sustainability practices.

Can knowledge be retained in organisational networks

Taking a constructivist view of knowledge where knowledge is viewed as a process of knowing, the ... more Taking a constructivist view of knowledge where knowledge is viewed as a process of knowing, the literature on knowledge sharing assumes that knowledge can be retained through being embedded in institutional routines, structures, and systems. However, this concept is challenged in the context of informal organisational networks where membership is voluntary, temporary and organisationally unsanctioned. Such challenges have predominately focused around: 1) behavioural aspects including organisational and individual defence mechanisms to protect knowledge and opportunistic behaviours such as free-riding; or 2) social aspects including lack of mutual trust and asymmetric power relations. This paper investigates the challenges to knowledge retention in knowledge-sharing networks, reporting on data collected from case studies of four organisational networks in the UK. There is a significant amount of literature addressing such challenges on organisational level, however, less research ha...

Management consultancy’s role in delivering lasting [triple bottom line] benefits

Production Planning & Control, 2019

Management Consultancy's role in delivering lasting [Triple Bottom Line] benefits Management cons... more Management Consultancy's role in delivering lasting [Triple Bottom Line] benefits Management consultants have become ubiquitous in helping improve organisational performance. This paper presents an investigation of the impact of their interventions on organisational sustainability and growth through the performance improvement work carried out for and with their clients. The paper presents the findings of a questionnaire survey of 440 respondents from 206 countries; 197 of respondents were Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), 243 from large organisations. There is a particular focus on knowledge transfer in terms of urgency and impact of the work with regard to the extent to which consulting interventions in SMEs, as well as large multinational corporations, embed long-term sustainability practices.

The Influence of Socially Orientated Growth of Virtual Teams: A Conceptual Model

Phantom Ex Machina, 2016

Where is the competitive edge in Knowledge Transfer? -The impact of KTPs

Professional service operations management: the case for leaner law

This paper examines lean thinking within legal service network (client, solicitors, barristers, e... more This paper examines lean thinking within legal service network (client, solicitors, barristers, external parties, and judiciary) in order to develop a theoretical framework for Leaner Law. Resource Based View (RBV) is used as the core theoretical framework to address leanness in the eight UK legal service disciplines. The purpose of this paper is to trace the value add through the legal profession.

Operations management in service industries is receiving an increasing amount of attention from m... more Operations management in service industries is receiving an increasing amount of attention from management researchers Harvey (1989). Previous OM research has defined the PSOM as a generic service type with high levels of customer contact/service customization and fluid/flexible processes with low capital/high labour intensity (Schmenner, 1986, 2004; Chase and Apte 2006; Lewis and Brown 2011). However, published research in this field deals rather cursorily with sector specific cases, such as legal and financial sectors: professional service organisations (PSOs) and less so from a resource based view (RBV) (Lockett, Wright, and O'Shea, 2008). Yet, SOM and PSOM deserve more attention

1 Professional Service Operations Management : sustaining the discipline ?

Operations management (OM) theory suggests that professional services have some distinct operatio... more Operations management (OM) theory suggests that professional services have some distinct operational challenges. There is an emerging consensus that professional services are changing, due to the socio-economic and political climates in which they operate. In order to investigate these issues a systematic literature review was undertaken. This paper makes a contribution by exploring the OM literature encompassing two decades of publications in terms of value, in relation to operational effectiveness within the ‘professions’. The analysis of the sample suggests a potential methodological mismatch between the core theoretical frameworks, exploring features of effectiveness and efficiency across the professions. This paper makes a contribution through a reflection on theories in the area of Professional Services Operations Management.

Profession Service Operations: the case for Service Modularity with a Legal Partnership

The purpose of this paper is to trace the emergence of ‘service modularity’ through the legal pro... more The purpose of this paper is to trace the emergence of ‘service modularity’ through the legal profession. There is a developing consensus that professional work is changing in the socio-economic and political climates in which service professionals operate (Harvey 1990, 2010). The purpose of this paper is to trace the value-add through the legal profession and examine how service modularity can be applied within a legal practice in order to create a theoretical framework for service modularity. The paper contributes to diversity of service modularity within eight UK legal service disciplines from the perspective of facilitating the knowing-doing gap, bridging the gap within the Von Nordenflycht (2010) taxonomy of professional services as characterized as high knowledge intensity, with low capital intensity.

Supply Chain Management Information Systems and Organisational Performance in economic turbulent environments

2015 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM), Dec 1, 2015

Supply Chain Information Systems (SCIS) and their impact on organisational performance has been s... more Supply Chain Information Systems (SCIS) and their impact on organisational performance has been studied by a number of studies. This research seeks to extend this body of knowledge by adopting a fresh lens to explore empirically the relationship between organisational performance and SCIS in circumstances of economic downturn and financial turbulence. The statistical relationship between Supply Chain I n f o r m a t i o n Systems' (SCIS) 'Effectiveness' and 'Organisational Performance' is tested and measured by financial and non-financial variables. So, even though complexities associated with measuring SCIS efficiency and Organisational Performance continue to dominate research discussions, these are somewhat limited to just explaining the phenomenon without addressing the misalignment of the information provided by SCIS, business expectations and Organisational Performance. In consequence, this paper reports findings from a large survey of 168 SCIS managers in Greek SMEs where, even during economic downturn, a strong correlation between SCIS and non-financial Organisational Performance is evidenced. In considering the findings, this study proposes guidance to enhance SCIS Effectiveness and Organisational Performance.

Balancing the ‘Know-how’ and ‘Know-why’ of Make-to-Order (MTO) Product Development

Balancing the 'Know-how' and 'Know-why' of Make-to-Order (MTO) Product Development Reid, Iain (20... more

An empirical investigation into UK university–industry collaboration: the development of an impact framework

The Journal of Technology Transfer

Providing evidence of the impact of university–industry (U–I) partnerships is challenging. This e... more Providing evidence of the impact of university–industry (U–I) partnerships is challenging. This empirical research contributes to this thought-provoking subject area by developing an impact assessment framework to assess the effect of collaboration between university and industry. This is examined through a multiple case study approach: 13 partnership schemes, each of two years duration, in manufacturing and healthcare. This study demonstrates that effective knowledge transfer from universities to enterprises is not only hypothetically feasible, but also realistically tangible and measurable. It explores how Business and Management Schools transfer knowledge and technology through external interventions and formal partnership schemes. Our findings show that impact and knowledge transfer can be evaluated, but requires active facilitation before, during and after the project, plus a level of openness and expert engagement within the partnerships. Additionally, our findings established...

Servitisation through structural adaptation

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the structural changes needed for project-base... more PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the structural changes needed for project-based organisations (PBOs) to synthesise their project operations and services following the servitisation strategy. It addresses the question of how PBOs should change their organisational structure fitting with service provision strategy.Design/methodology/approachThis study followed an exploratory research method using a single in-depth case with evidence collected from 51 project managers from five different industry sectors: construction, oil and gas, IT, logistics and health careFindingsCapitalising on organisational design theory, it has been found that successfully extending PBOs' outcomes into a system of both project output and extra services requires an adjustment of organisational structure that creates greater value for both companies and customers. This required adjustment has been divided into five main categories: (1) collaboration cross-project and customers; (2) flexibl...

Temporal dimensions of knowledge exchanges in horizontal knowledge networks

Journal of Knowledge Management, 2020

Purpose This study aims to examine reciprocal exchanges in knowledge networks using temporal diff... more Purpose This study aims to examine reciprocal exchanges in knowledge networks using temporal differentiation of knowledge exchanges. To date, research on horizontal knowledge networks rather overlooks the temporal perspective, which could explain the dynamics of exchange in those networks. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports on a study of four horizontal knowledge networks in the UK over a period of 18 months. Findings The findings integrate three temporal dimensions of timescale, timeliness and time modalities. The dimensions have implications for the way knowledge is exchanged (or not), which can in turn sustain or stymie productive knowledge exchange in horizontal knowledge networks. Research limitations/implications The study encourages researchers to attend to the micro-processes of knowledge exchanges through the integrative framework of temporalities. While this study examined horizontal networks, future research can be extended to analysing temporalities in other t...

A capability perspective on service provision in project-based organisations

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2020

The theoretical underpinnings related to the required capabilities of service provision remain un... more The theoretical underpinnings related to the required capabilities of service provision remain under development. Hence, this study aims to explore the pathway for service business development in project-based organisations. Using a qualitative case study approach, 30 interviews were conducted with project-based organisations from five different industries in eight countries. Thematic analysis techniques were used to analyse the data. Upon which, this study identifies the essential capabilities for the successful implementation of servitization strategies; these direct the projects to be customer orientated and sustain the core operations of service provision. Adopting dynamic capability theory, the study offers a roadmap for how project-based organisations develop and gain these capabilities. The results indicate a difference between the companies in developed as opposed to developing countries, when building their capabilities. The study contributes to the body of knowledge and proposes to decision makers the use of effective processes to help align project operations and service provision activities. It explains how project-based organisations reconfigure their resources to build essential capabilities to provide services. Moreover, the study highlights the differences between developed and developing countries in terms of the capabilities used and how they develop them.

The quality of servitization in project-oriented organizations

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, Jan 27, 2023

Purpose -This study examines the criteria for evaluating the quality of servitization and the fac... more Purpose -This study examines the criteria for evaluating the quality of servitization and the factors influencing the project-service system's success. Design/methodology/approach -Evidence was collected through three rounds of Delphi consensus with 42 project managers. Findings -The results indicate that the quality of servitization in project-oriented organizations is conceptualized as a cumulative construct driven by the product-service system's overall ability to offer more customer value. This value is defined by three interconnected dimensions: the service, the project, and the integration system. The study also proposes a novel customeroriented quality process with two connected levels comprising eight key factors influencing the quality of the project-service systems and nine key quality criteria that assist in evaluating the project-service systems. Implications -Offering extra services is crucial for successful project-oriented organizations to deliver more customer value. The value of servitization is the combined value of products and services. The failure of one of these components to satisfy customers leads to the collapse of the whole system, which entails the need for a balanced-focus quality system toward projects and services. Originality -This study contributes to the quality of servitization in project-oriented organizations, arguing that a balance between service-orientation and project-orientation is preferred to increase customer value and reduce the clash and ambiguity between projectoperations and service provision.

Professional Service Operations: the case for Service Modularity with a Legal Partnership

NoOperations management theory suggests that professional services firms (PSFs) have some distinc... more NoOperations management theory suggests that professional services firms (PSFs) have some distinct operational challenges. The purpose of this paper is to trace the emergence of professional service operations management (PSOM) thinking within a legal partnership. With the impact of deregulation there is an emerging consensus that legal services is changing, due to the socio-economic and political climates in which they operate. The purpose of this paper is to trace the value-add through the legal profession and examine how PSOM practice can be applied within a legal practice in order to create a leaner thinking. The case study analysis suggests a potential methodological mismatch between the core theoretical frameworks, exploring features of effectiveness and efficiency across legal disciplines. This paper makes a contribution through a reflection of PSOM thinking in law

Can knowledge be retained in informal organisational networks

Taking a constructivist view of knowledge where knowledge is viewed as a process of knowing, the ... more Taking a constructivist view of knowledge where knowledge is viewed as a process of knowing, the literature on knowledge sharing assumes that knowledge can be retained through being embedded in institutional routines, structures, and systems. However, this concept is challenged in the context of informal organisational networks where membership is voluntary, temporary and organisationally unsanctioned. Such challenges have predominately focused around: 1) behavioural aspects including organisational and individual defence mechanisms to protect knowledge and opportunistic behaviours such as free-riding; or 2) social aspects including lack of mutual trust and asymmetric power relations. This paper investigates the challenges to knowledge retention in knowledge-sharing networks, reporting on data collected from case studies of four organisational networks in the UK. There is a significant amount of literature addressing such challenges on organisational level, however, less research ha...

Knowledge Transfer and Impact

This paper suggests a comparison framework to try and evidence the impact of knowledge transfer. ... more This paper suggests a comparison framework to try and evidence the impact of knowledge transfer. It examines impact by reporting on the outputs from case studies across two sectors, manufacturing and healthcare. The paper assesses the impact of knowledge transfer, in relation to the development of a competitive edge and proposes some initial frameworks for potential application and use.

Process Improvement: assessing the influence of external intervention

This paper presents the findings from a large-scale empirical investigation into the impact of ex... more This paper presents the findings from a large-scale empirical investigation into the impact of external intervention into business process improvement using a hybrid model of knowledge transfer (KT). Through the utilization of a survey instrument with 696 respondents, the research explores the insights into a phased approached to sustainable external intervention. Analysis of the empirical data indicated that organisations are receptive to external intervention, which can lead to improved levels of knowledge transfer, organisational culture, and business innovation. Furthermore, high impact intervention can contribute to long-term sustainability. The results also indicate that intervention has been more successful through intermitting intervention in terms of specific initiatives such as business process improvement, technology transfer, change management and new product development. The paper contributes to the impact of intervention from the perspective of facilitating the knowing...

The impact of external intervention: The reality of expectations

Management consultants have become ubiquitous in helping improve organisational performance. This... more Management consultants have become ubiquitous in helping improve organisational performance. This paper presents an investigation of the impact of their interventions on organisational sustainability and growth through the performance improvement work carried out for and with their clients. The paper presents the findings of a questionnaire survey of 440 respondents from 206 countries; 197 of respondents were Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), 243 from large organisations. There is a particular focus on knowledge transfer in terms of urgency and impact of the work with regard to the extent to which consulting interventions in SMEs, as well as large multinational corporations, embed long-term sustainability practices.

Can knowledge be retained in organisational networks

Taking a constructivist view of knowledge where knowledge is viewed as a process of knowing, the ... more Taking a constructivist view of knowledge where knowledge is viewed as a process of knowing, the literature on knowledge sharing assumes that knowledge can be retained through being embedded in institutional routines, structures, and systems. However, this concept is challenged in the context of informal organisational networks where membership is voluntary, temporary and organisationally unsanctioned. Such challenges have predominately focused around: 1) behavioural aspects including organisational and individual defence mechanisms to protect knowledge and opportunistic behaviours such as free-riding; or 2) social aspects including lack of mutual trust and asymmetric power relations. This paper investigates the challenges to knowledge retention in knowledge-sharing networks, reporting on data collected from case studies of four organisational networks in the UK. There is a significant amount of literature addressing such challenges on organisational level, however, less research ha...

Management consultancy’s role in delivering lasting [triple bottom line] benefits

Production Planning & Control, 2019

Management Consultancy's role in delivering lasting [Triple Bottom Line] benefits Management cons... more Management Consultancy's role in delivering lasting [Triple Bottom Line] benefits Management consultants have become ubiquitous in helping improve organisational performance. This paper presents an investigation of the impact of their interventions on organisational sustainability and growth through the performance improvement work carried out for and with their clients. The paper presents the findings of a questionnaire survey of 440 respondents from 206 countries; 197 of respondents were Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), 243 from large organisations. There is a particular focus on knowledge transfer in terms of urgency and impact of the work with regard to the extent to which consulting interventions in SMEs, as well as large multinational corporations, embed long-term sustainability practices.

The Influence of Socially Orientated Growth of Virtual Teams: A Conceptual Model

Phantom Ex Machina, 2016

Where is the competitive edge in Knowledge Transfer? -The impact of KTPs

Professional service operations management: the case for leaner law

This paper examines lean thinking within legal service network (client, solicitors, barristers, e... more This paper examines lean thinking within legal service network (client, solicitors, barristers, external parties, and judiciary) in order to develop a theoretical framework for Leaner Law. Resource Based View (RBV) is used as the core theoretical framework to address leanness in the eight UK legal service disciplines. The purpose of this paper is to trace the value add through the legal profession.

Operations management in service industries is receiving an increasing amount of attention from m... more Operations management in service industries is receiving an increasing amount of attention from management researchers Harvey (1989). Previous OM research has defined the PSOM as a generic service type with high levels of customer contact/service customization and fluid/flexible processes with low capital/high labour intensity (Schmenner, 1986, 2004; Chase and Apte 2006; Lewis and Brown 2011). However, published research in this field deals rather cursorily with sector specific cases, such as legal and financial sectors: professional service organisations (PSOs) and less so from a resource based view (RBV) (Lockett, Wright, and O'Shea, 2008). Yet, SOM and PSOM deserve more attention