Title: Managing service supply relationships

Authors: James A. Fitzsimmons, Edward Anderson, Douglas Morrice, G. Edward Powell

Addresses: McCombs School of Business, Department of Management, 1, University Station, B6300, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-0210, USA. ' McCombs School of Business, Department of Management, 1, University Station, B6300, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-0210, USA. ' McCombs School of Business, Department of Management, 1, University Station, B6300, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-0210, USA. ' PointServe, 111 Congress, Suite 2700, Austin, TX 76701, USA

Abstract: Service supply relationship management is a systems approach that recognises the customer-supplier duality found in the delivery of services. For services, customers are suppliers of significant inputs (i.e., minds, bodies, belongings, and information) to the process. Implications for management arise from the fact that service supply relationships are inherently bi-directional. Three important features of service supply relationship management are bi-directional optimisation, management of productive capacity, and managing risk. Service supply relationship management incorporates customers into the knowledge management strategy of service companies to enhance the value and quality of the services provided.

Keywords: bi-directional; customer-supplier duality; service relationship; service delivery.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2004.004297

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2004 Vol.5 No.3, pp.221 - 232

Published online: 10 May 2004 *

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