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Exploring call center‐enabled organizational mechanisms associated with combinative capabilities

Exploring call center‐enabled organizational mechanisms associated with combinative capabilities Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the organizational mechanisms of call centers that are associated with a firm's combinative capabilities and that help to facilitate a firm's absorptive capacities. Design/methodology/approach – The study identifies mechanisms in terms of three types of combinative capabilities: system capabilities, coordination capabilities, and socialization capabilities. A strategy using multiple case studies was adopted; the research is primarily based on 12 interviews in four call centers from industries and public agencies in Taiwan. Findings – The study explores seven organizational mechanisms: centralized information deployment and knowledge encapsulation, active monitoring and avoidance of organizational inertia, information hubs and communication, an interactive control system, a training center and career development, relational asset creation, and job embeddedness. The contingency factors on the development of these mechanisms are also suggested. Research limitations/implications – The paper bridges the “organizational mechanisms‐combinative capabilities” concepts and the proposed mechanisms and contingency factors should be taken into account in call center design and implementation. Practical implications – If organizational mechanisms are properly designed, call centers can take on more responsibilities in managing the organization's knowledge assets. Originality/value – By including a firm's combinative capabilities, the analysis provides a vocabulary that researchers and practitioners can employ in similar contexts so future call center designs and implementations can be compared and benchmarked. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Management Decision Emerald Publishing

Exploring call center‐enabled organizational mechanisms associated with combinative capabilities

Tzu‐Chuan Chou
Management Decision , Volume 49 (6): 19 – Jun 28, 2011
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References (57)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2011 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
0025-1747
DOI
10.1108/00251741111143577
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the organizational mechanisms of call centers that are associated with a firm's combinative capabilities and that help to facilitate a firm's absorptive capacities. Design/methodology/approach – The study identifies mechanisms in terms of three types of combinative capabilities: system capabilities, coordination capabilities, and socialization capabilities. A strategy using multiple case studies was adopted; the research is primarily based on 12 interviews in four call centers from industries and public agencies in Taiwan. Findings – The study explores seven organizational mechanisms: centralized information deployment and knowledge encapsulation, active monitoring and avoidance of organizational inertia, information hubs and communication, an interactive control system, a training center and career development, relational asset creation, and job embeddedness. The contingency factors on the development of these mechanisms are also suggested. Research limitations/implications – The paper bridges the “organizational mechanisms‐combinative capabilities” concepts and the proposed mechanisms and contingency factors should be taken into account in call center design and implementation. Practical implications – If organizational mechanisms are properly designed, call centers can take on more responsibilities in managing the organization's knowledge assets. Originality/value – By including a firm's combinative capabilities, the analysis provides a vocabulary that researchers and practitioners can employ in similar contexts so future call center designs and implementations can be compared and benchmarked.

Journal

Management Decision – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jun 28, 2011

Keywords: Absorptive capacities; Combinative capabilities; Organizational mechanisms; Call centre design; Taiwan; Career development; Call centres

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