Scale and differentiation in services : using information technologies to manage customer experiences at Harrah's Entertainment and other companies
Name
173849545-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
1.54 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
ec3d7686f687f8db71a5ac44b816f3f5
Author(s)
Mansharamani, Vikram, 1974-
Advisor(s)
Michael A. Cusumano.
Date Issued
2007
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This dissertation is focused on the topic of service innovation and explores economies of scale and strategic differentiation in services via an inductive field-based case study of the world's largest casino gaming company, Harrah's Entertainment. It includes comparisons to services firms in other industries such as distribution/logistics (UPS) and for-profit/online education (Apollo Group/University of Phoenix). The findings suggest that scale and differentiation (considered by many to be mutually exclusive in services) can be combined through the strategic use of information technology in a manner that increases customer switching costs, resulting in improved profitability and returns. The limitations of standardization-only scale-oriented strategies are discussed, and the dissertation concludes with a description of the three key components needed by any firm seeking to employ a strategy of scalable service differentiation: (1) a loyalty program, or other means of linking specific transaction data with specific customers, (2) an analytic engine that determines the ranking/prioritization of customers and the criteria upon which to differentiate services, and (3) a set of information technology tools that automate consistent differentiated service delivery across a company's touch-points with its customers.
Description
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2007.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
"February 2007." Vita.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 283-289).
Subjects
Sloan School of Management.
MIT Department
Sloan School of Management
Terms of Use
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