Improving professional service operations using action research: The case of legal services

Krishna C Balthu; Benjamin T Clegg; Glyn Morris

Improving professional service operations using action research: The case of legal services

Krishna C Balthu, Benjamin T Clegg, Glyn Morris

Research output: Unpublished contribution to conference › Unpublished Conference Paper › peer-review

Abstract

This paper reports on a longitudinal action research project conducted over three years within a medium-sized law firm. The focus is on high volume/low variety service processes which are considered a breakaway from the widely agreed typology of professional service generally characterised by high degrees of customer contact, labour intensity and customisation. Using customer contact as the central theme, this paper explains how a particular high volume/low variety legal service has been redesigned using a novel soft systems based intervention embedded into action research methodology. This research led to identification of key success factors and delivered improvements to service.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 19 Jun 2019
Event	26th European Operations Management Association Conference 2019 - Helsinki, Finland Duration: 17 Jun 2019 → 19 Jun 2019

Conference

Conference	26th European Operations Management Association Conference 2019
Abbreviated title	EurOMA 2019
Country/Territory	Finland
City	Helsinki
Period	17/06/19 → 19/06/19

Keywords

professional service firms
Action Research
Soft Systems Methodology

Cite this

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title = "Improving professional service operations using action research: The case of legal services",

abstract = "This paper reports on a longitudinal action research project conducted over three years within a medium-sized law firm. The focus is on high volume/low variety service processes which are considered a breakaway from the widely agreed typology of professional service generally characterised by high degrees of customer contact, labour intensity and customisation. Using customer contact as the central theme, this paper explains how a particular high volume/low variety legal service has been redesigned using a novel soft systems based intervention embedded into action research methodology. This research led to identification of key success factors and delivered improvements to service.",

keywords = "professional service firms, Action Research, Soft Systems Methodology",

author = "Balthu, {Krishna C} and Clegg, {Benjamin T} and Glyn Morris",

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note = "26th European Operations Management Association Conference 2019, EurOMA 2019 ; Conference date: 17-06-2019 Through 19-06-2019",

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TY - CONF

T1 - Improving professional service operations using action research: The case of legal services

AU - Balthu, Krishna C

AU - Clegg, Benjamin T

AU - Morris, Glyn

PY - 2019/6/19

Y1 - 2019/6/19

N2 - This paper reports on a longitudinal action research project conducted over three years within a medium-sized law firm. The focus is on high volume/low variety service processes which are considered a breakaway from the widely agreed typology of professional service generally characterised by high degrees of customer contact, labour intensity and customisation. Using customer contact as the central theme, this paper explains how a particular high volume/low variety legal service has been redesigned using a novel soft systems based intervention embedded into action research methodology. This research led to identification of key success factors and delivered improvements to service.

AB - This paper reports on a longitudinal action research project conducted over three years within a medium-sized law firm. The focus is on high volume/low variety service processes which are considered a breakaway from the widely agreed typology of professional service generally characterised by high degrees of customer contact, labour intensity and customisation. Using customer contact as the central theme, this paper explains how a particular high volume/low variety legal service has been redesigned using a novel soft systems based intervention embedded into action research methodology. This research led to identification of key success factors and delivered improvements to service.

KW - professional service firms

KW - Action Research

KW - Soft Systems Methodology

M3 - Unpublished Conference Paper

T2 - 26th European Operations Management Association Conference 2019

Y2 - 17 June 2019 through 19 June 2019

ER -

Improving professional service operations using action research: The case of legal services

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

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Cite this