Purpose This study examines the impact of service scale and service scope on the financial performance of manufacturing firms, while considering the moderating roles of financial and operational slack. Design/methodology/approach The research tests the hypotheses using panel data from 673 manufacturing firms listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange from 2019 to 2023. Findings The results reveal that both service scale and scope significantly improve financial performance. However, financial slack negatively moderates the relationship between service scale, scope and performance. Alternatively, operational slack increases the positive effects of service scale and scope on financial outcomes. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on financial and operational slack, excluding strategic and human resource slack, which may also influence financial performance. Practical implications The research offers valuable insights for managers, demonstrating that both the dimensions of servitization can improve financial performance. Specifically, firms with lower operational slack see increased returns from service scale, while those with higher operational slack benefit more from service scope. Originality/value This study enriches the servitization literature by highlighting the financial benefit of both service scale and scope. It is the first study to empirically verify the moderating effects of financial and operational slack on the relationship between dual servitization dimensions and financial performance.

Purpose The current research aims to employ a meta-analytic approach to assess the strength and direction of relationships between proactive customer service performance (PCSP) and its key antecedents, along with the moderating role of national cultures (individualism/collectivism, long/short term and masculinity/femininity), measurement and time lag. Design/methodology/approach Using data from 116 separate studies (total sample = 71,464), a quantitative meta-analysis was conducted, evaluating 23 different antecedents. The antecedents of PCSP were grouped into several domains, including job attitudes, job strains, leader behaviors, performance, family context factor, workplace factors, positive psychological states, emotional labor and individual determinants. Findings Findings indicated that thriving at work had the strongest influence on PCSP, with mindfulness, service climate, work engagement and transformational leadership also showing strong effects. Moreover, the analysis confirmed that national cultures, measurement and time lag significantly moderated these relationships. Originality/value This study represents the first comprehensive meta-analysis in management and organizational behavior research to consolidate and evaluate the associations between PCSP and its antecedents, while also testing the moderating effect of national cultures, measurement and time lag.

Purpose This study aims to determine the suitability of main theories in studying the internationalization of service firm's entry mode by analyzing academic viewpoints. Design/methodology/approach We analyze 307 articles in the domain of service internationalization through a combination of bibliometric and content analysis, focusing on the internationalization of service firms and their entry mode choices over four decades of literature. Findings The results show that the debate on the adequacy of extant internationalization theories to the study of service firms is still not cut-and-dried. We provide insights on scholars' positioning regarding the suitability of existing theoretical frameworks. Specifically, scholars support the adaptation of existing frameworks to study service firms, although there is little knowledge on how this adaptation should be tackled. Therefore, there is a clear interest in identifying, adjusting and creating frameworks that fit the particularities of the internationalization of service firms. Research limitations/implications There is a clear overall interest in the literature in identifying, adjusting and creating frameworks that fit the particularities of the internationalization of service firms. Practical implications The findings provide valuable insights for future researchers in selecting the most appropriate theoretical lens for studying the entry modes of service firms. Originality/value This study examines scholars' perspectives on the appropriateness of traditional theories for investigating the internationalization of service firms. Consequently, we shed light on the ongoing debate regarding the adequacy of international business theories in service firm research. To our knowledge, no other recent work has analyzed this issue from this particular standpoint.

Purpose We introduce the framework for inclusive service experiences (FISE), a novel conceptual model designed to advance inclusive service design by integrating accessibility principles into immersive technologies. Unlike prior frameworks that focus primarily on physical accessibility, the FISE integrates and extends Universal Design, Equity Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model and Service-Dominant logic to support inclusive, co-created service experiences across both traditional and immersive contexts. Design/methodology/approach The FISE is developed through a conceptual, cross-theoretical synthesis grounded in prior research and supported by narrative comparisons and visual mapping of accessibility gaps in service environments. Findings The FISE consists of four inclusive principles (equitable access, cognitive simplicity, flexible interaction modes and user-centered co-design) that guide service organizations in developing accessible experiences. Together, these principles promote trust, reduce exclusion and enhance service value for diverse consumer populations. Practical implications The FISE aims to support marginalized communities, informs inclusive innovation strategies and aligns with global equity goals by offering guidance for designing accessible services across traditional and immersive contexts. Originality/value This research introduces the first conceptual framework to integrate multiple service theories into a unified model for inclusive service design. The FISE extends the literature by bridging accessibility and digital inclusion, addressing systemic participation barriers and offering actionable design principles that support more equitable engagement across traditional and emerging offerings.

PurposeDrawing on the attentional focus model, we posit that multitasking diminishes employees’ moral awareness, thereby increasing their propensity for service sabotage behaviors. Furthermore, we propose that employees’ trait mindfulness can mitigate this effect by modulating their attentional focus.Design/methodology/approachTo empirically test our hypotheses, we employed the experience sampling method, collecting data over 10 consecutive workdays from 82 frontline employees and their 23 direct supervisors.FindingsOur findings reveal that multitasking indirectly increases service sabotage behaviors by diminishing employees’ moral awareness. Notably, this indirect effect is more pronounced among employees with lower trait mindfulness and attenuated among those with higher trait mindfulness.Practical implicationsOrganizations should manage multitasking demands through effective task prioritization and resource allocation to mitigate potential ethical issues. Implementing ethical training programs and fostering a culture that values ethical conduct can enhance employees’ moral awareness. Additionally, promoting mindfulness practices can improve attentional control and ethical decision-making under pressure, thereby reducing the risk of service sabotage behaviors.Originality/valueFirst, we establish a novel link between multitasking and service sabotage, an unethical behavior prevalent in the service industry. Second, we extend the scope of the attentional focus model by demonstrating that impaired moral awareness is a consequence of multitasking’s impact on attentional focus, which in turn mediates unethical outcomes. Third, we investigate trait mindfulness as a moderator of the relationship between multitasking and moral awareness, thereby illuminating the influence of individual traits on attentional processes.

Purpose Although close customer–company interactions are essential sources of value creation, their effect on well-being, depending on fair treatment by the service employee, has not been established. This research identifies two customer-centric, proactive, market orientation strategies that might accelerate the positive effects of fairness perceptions in service encounters. Design/methodology/approach Two experimental studies investigate if customer participation and price savings can boost the positive effects of fairness or compensate for the negative influence of unfairness, through customers’ word of mouth, on hedonic well-being. Findings The results show that high levels of customer participation can boost customers’ well-being, but monetary compensation in the form of price savings cannot offset low fairness experienced during the service encounter. Service firms benefit directly from increased word of mouth when customers perceive high fairness; customers benefit indirectly from increased hedonic well-being. Originality/value This research contributes to academic debates about the extent to which transformative services contribute to consumer well-being. By linking service fairness perceptions to value co-creation and well-being, it also advances research on power distribution in service ecosystems. Finally, this study contributes to services literature by identifying customer participation as a feasible way to increase consumers’ hedonic well-being.

PurposeCitizen engagement plays a crucial role in transitioning to sustainable service ecosystems. While customer engagement has been extensively studied in service research, citizen engagement has received significantly less attention. By synthesizing customer and citizen engagement literatures, this study develops an integrated framework to conceptually clarify the dual role of customer-citizen engagement for sustainability.Design/methodology/approachThis study builds on a systematic literature review of customer engagement literature in service research and citizen engagement literature. Following a theory synthesis approach, we qualitatively analyzed 126 articles to develop an integrated conceptual framework of customer-citizen engagement for sustainability through a process of abductive reasoning.FindingsThe analysis showed that customer engagement and citizen engagement literatures have developed mostly separately but provide complementary views. While the customer engagement literature has traditionally focused on business-related facets, such as engagement with brands, the citizen perspective broadens the engagement scope to other citizens, communities and society in general. The integrated framework highlights the interplay between citizen and customer roles and the impact of their relationships with multiple objects on sustainability.Originality/valueThis integrated framework contributes to advancing our understanding of customer-citizen engagement, broadening the scope of subject-object engagement by examining the interplay between these roles in how they engage for sustainability and moving beyond the traditional dyadic perspective to a multi-level perspective of service ecosystems. This framework also enables the development of a set of research directions to advance the understanding of engagement in sustainable service ecosystems.

Purpose For nearly 2 decades, the push-pull-mooring (PPM) model has been used frequently by scholars to explain consumers’ service switching intention and behavior. However, heterogeneity and incomparability between PPM model studies are prevalent issues: The chosen predictor variables, their categorization, their measurement, reported effect sizes, and effect directions vary considerably. By addressing these issues, the present meta-analytical review enables future researchers applying the PPM model to identify relevant variables and use valid measurements. Design/methodology/approach Based on 148 empirical studies employing the PPM model, the variables used to predict consumers’ service switching intention and behavior, their frequency of use, their categorization into push, pull, and mooring factors, and their measurement are assessed. The effect sizes and directions of the relationships between these variables and consumers’ service switching intention and behavior are analyzed using meta-analytic structural equation modeling. Additionally, the predictive capacity of this model and the influence of moderators are assessed. Findings Among the 148 empirical studies, 382 different independent variables were used. The three most frequently used and distinctly categorized independent variables are dissatisfaction (push), alternative attractiveness (pull), and switching costs (mooring). Overall, 152 unique sources were cited to measure these variables and the dependent variables. Dissatisfaction and alternative attractiveness increase switching intention, which positively affects switching behavior, while switching costs decrease switching intention. The model explains 30% of the variance in switching intention and 31% of the variance in switching behavior. Originality/value This study provides the first meta-analytical review of the PPM model to guide future research systematically.