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Analyzing and comparing Professional Service Firms over services, time and space. Proposition of a foundation framework

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  • Sébastien Gand

    (CGS i3 - Centre de Gestion Scientifique i3 - Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

Research on professional service firms (PSFs) has been quickly developing over the last twenty years, especially emphasizing both PSFs' distinctiveness and their current challenges. Recent efforts by PSFs scholars have focused on the issue of understanding differences between PSfs regarding ongoing tensions (eg. tension between Partnership and Corporation) or to organizational differentiation over geographical boundaries and professional activities. Although these contributions shed light on different factors of heterogeneity between PSFs, there is still a lack of an integrated and actionable framework which would help analyzing PSFs changes, heterogeneity and distinctiveness over services, time and space. We propose a foundation framework which interconnects two dimensions, namely " governance " (composed of two sub-dimensions " objects " and " means ") and " operations " (composed of " resources " and " coordination "). This framework provides with dimensions to analyze changes in and differentiation between PSFs. It is then completed by the interactions with different dimensions of the environment which may explain changes and differentiation inside and between PSFs, namely regulation, clients, competitors and the socio-technical environment. Such a framework offers several contributions by representing comprehensively the organizational dimensions of a PSF and their coherence, by relating issues which are often considered separately and by arguing that organizational patterns are not simply deterministic but also depend on professionals' initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Sébastien Gand, 2010. "Analyzing and comparing Professional Service Firms over services, time and space. Proposition of a foundation framework," Post-Print hal-00708241, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-00708241
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://minesparis-psl.hal.science/hal-00708241v1
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    Cited by:

    1. Gabriel Sorin STROE, 2014. "Are The Professional Engineering Services Threatened By Substitutes?," Risk in Contemporary Economy, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, pages 160-169.
    2. Gabriel Sorin STROE, 2014. "On The Threat Of Suppliers For The Engineering Consulting And Design Services Firms," Risk in Contemporary Economy, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, pages 140-149.

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