Developing a Model for Comprehensive Analysis of Productivity in the Service Industry Using the Multi-Grounded Theory Approach

Today, productivity is one of the most important drivers of economic growth. At the organizational level, a high level of productivity has indicated optimal performance to gain a competitive advantage. Despite the significant role of the productivity of service organizations in economic growth, few studies have been conducted in this context. Therefore, this study aims to develop a model for a comprehensive analysis of productivity in the service industry. 

In this research, the Multi-Grounded Theory (MGT) approach has been used. First, the Meta-synthesis approach (theoretical grounding) has been used to accurate an in-depth review of a wide range of separated quantitative and qualitative research results; then, in empirical grounding, 13 experts were interviewed (the integrated methods of purposive sampling and snowball was selected). To identify the factors affecting the evaluation of service productivity data has been collected from the industry experts. The findings were then combined to achieve a comprehensive view of the various dimensions of service productivity assessment. 

The results of this study have led to the development of a model for analyzing and evaluating service productivity. In the developed model with a comprehensive view of internal and external causal factors, the quantitative and qualitative indicators were determined for service productivity evaluation from the perspective of both service provider and customer. Also, internal and external organizational measures and strategies, intervening conditions, and internal and external organizational contexts affecting internal and external organizational strategies and consequences resulting from the correct evaluation of productivity in the service industry have been analyzed. Research limitations/implications: One of the limitations of most qualitative studies is the generalizability of the findings. Since the findings of this study included the result of the analysis of the views and experiences of selected experts and previous theories, the generalizability of the findings should be performed with caution. To prevent the limitations related to the analysis and the analyst, and to ensure more certainty in the findings, experts participated in the study in two stages, and a valid questionnaire was developed. The results were evaluated from the perspective of "comprehensibility", "comprehensiveness", "applicability" and "innovation". The results of the surveys also indicated the validity of the final model. Due to the time of the research in the period of the outbreak of COVID-19 disease, the researchers faced many limitations for interviewing experts, and therefore most of the interviews were conducted by calling the respondents via telephone. Practical implications: This study helps to use an integrated approach in evaluating organization productivity, despite the quantitative and qualitative indicators in both the customer and service provider dimensions. It leads to increased productivity with full knowledge of this indicator. Also, considering that the proposed model can show a picture of the company's productivity status, the results of the implementation of the introduced model are helpful in carrying out strategic planning and adopting improvement approaches to increase the organization's productivity. Social implications: Due to the significant growth of services in GDP and considering the influencing contribution of productivity in the economy and improving living standards, this study recommends a comprehensive view of service productivity. The proposed model is recommended for implementation in the service organizations depending on their type (i.e., mass, educational, professional) to adapt the indicators and productivity evaluation criteria. 

In this study, to develop a model for productivity analysis in the service industry, an attempt was made to identify the quantitative and qualitative indicators affecting productivity evaluation, comprehensively. Also, in this study, productivity evaluation was performed from both service provider and customer perspectives, because the customer is a part of the service process. Given the important role of productivity in the growth of organizations in any operating industry, and the small number of studies conducted in this field in Iran, the main contribution of this research is to create a deeper understanding of the field of service productivity.