Digitalization processes in small professional service firms: drivers, barriers and emerging organisational tensions

PurposeThis study aimed to provide an exploratory analysis of digitalization processes in small professional service firms (SPSFs) by examining their main drivers and barriers and their impact on customer management practices, considering the intra-organizational, inter-organizational and service of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of service theory and practice 2023-03, Vol.33 (2), p.237-256
Main Authors: Cardinali, Silvio, Pagano, Alessandro, Carloni, Elisa, Giovannetti, Marta, Governatori, Lorenzo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Artificial intelligence
Business models
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Customer services
Digital marketing
Digital technology
Economic summit conferences
Knowledge economy
Knowledge management
Pandemics
Small & medium sized enterprises-SME
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Summary:PurposeThis study aimed to provide an exploratory analysis of digitalization processes in small professional service firms (SPSFs) by examining their main drivers and barriers and their impact on customer management practices, considering the intra-organizational, inter-organizational and service offering dimensions.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a qualitative, exploratory and inductive research methodology based on in-depth interviews with 19 owners or consultants of small tax/accounting firms, focusing on the role of digitalization in their internal and external processes.FindingsThe findings reveal external and internal barriers to and drivers of digitalization, as well as its effects on customer management practices. They also reveal the emergence of tensions related to the intra-organizational, inter-organizational and service offering dimensions.Originality/valueThis work contributes to the research on the role of digital technologies in the professional service sector, with a focus on SPSFs, which has thus far received limited attention. This research highlights the complexity of combining increasingly standardized processes and services with the need to maintain flexibility and informality in internal and external interactions.
ISSN:2055-6225
2055-6233
DOI:10.1108/JSTP-06-2022-0132