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Platform thinking for services: the case of human resources

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  • Erwin Hofman
  • Jeroen Meijerink

Abstract

This paper tests the utility of platform thinking, a design principle that has so far been applied to product development yet under-researched in service settings, for improving the value of services. A key principle of platform thinking is to balance the reuse of service components with the heterogeneity in user needs. Tuning services to specific user needs is valuable, but differentiating services when user needs are homogeneous may decrease service quality and increase cost. Using data from 676 human resource management services, this study finds that the service value is highest when the service provision is matched with the commonality potential of the services. The results indicate that using the wrong delivery channel decreases the service value which eventually could decrease the service value for an organization's external customers. These empirical findings demonstrate the relevance of platform thinking for service design and challenges conventional design criteria used for optimizing service delivery.

Suggested Citation

  • Erwin Hofman & Jeroen Meijerink, 2015. "Platform thinking for services: the case of human resources," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(3), pages 115-132, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:servic:v:35:y:2015:i:3:p:115-132
    DOI: 10.1080/02642069.2014.989999
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Riccardo Peccei & Patrice Rosenthal, 2001. "Delivering Customer‐Oriented Behaviour through Empowerment: An Empirical Test of HRM Assumptions," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(6), pages 831-857, September.
    2. Raymond Caldwell, 2003. "The Changing Roles of Personnel Managers: Old Ambiguities, New Uncertainties," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(4), pages 983-1004, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Meijerink, Jeroen & Bondarouk, Tanya, 2018. "Uncovering configurations of HRM service provider intellectual capital and worker human capital for creating high HRM service value using fsQCA," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 31-45.
    2. Lin, Yong & Chen, Anlan & Yin, Yanhai & Li, Qing & Zhu, Qiaoni & Luo, Jing, 2021. "A framework for sustainable management of the platform service supply chain: An empirical study of the logistics sector in China," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    3. Matzner, Martin & Pauli, Tobias & Marx, Emanuel & Anke, Jürgen & Poeppelbuss, Jens & Fielt, Erwin & Gregor, Shirley & Sun, Ruonan & Hydle, Katja Maria & Aas, Tor Helge & Aanestad, Margunn & Gordijn, J, 2021. "Transitioning to Platform-based Services and Business Models in a B2B Environment," SMR - Journal of Service Management Research, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 5(3), pages 143-162.

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