This paper presents a consumer-based methodology for new product pricing and positioning in the face of price competition. The price competition is modelled as a Nash equilibrium for which two complementary approaches are employed: an analytical approach of duopoly provides qualitative insights...

In recent studies of channel competition, it has been found that channel intermediaries reduce the intensity of direct competition between manufacturers. The underlying channel structure in most studies consists of two manufacturers and two retailers each of whom sells only manufacturer's...

This paper presents a model for the study of operations at an inbound call center. The call center is modeled as a multi-class processor shared loss system, where the interacting effects of human, telecommunication and information technology resources are explicitly incorporated. Product form...

This paper presents a methodology that determines the role of design in calculating the efficiency of service delivery processes. The efficiency of these processes is determined by using a variation of frontier estimation (DEA-like) techniques. The methodology is then applied to a particular...

Over the past decade, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has sponsored a series of industry studies, the aim of which is to understand how technology and human resources practices blend together to create high-performance workplaces and competitive industries. This report summarizes the first year...

How does a retail bank innovate? Traditional innovation literature would suggest that organizations innovate by getting new and/or improved products to market. However, in a service, the product is the process. Thus, innovation in banking lies more in process and organizational changes than in...

Call center operations in retail banking are undergoing a transition from being service-oriented centers to becoming sales-driven organizations. This paper explores the tradeoffs between service and sales in phone center operations and develops an analytical approach to quantify the costs and...

This paper presents a methodology which determines the role of design in calculating the efficiency of service delivery processes. The efficiency of these processes is determined by using a variation of frontier estimation (DEA-like) techniques. The methodology is then applied to a particular...