A Distinctive Analysis of Case Study, Action Research and Design Science Research

Purpose: This article aims to synthesize and integrate current research on customer experience (CX), identifying the intellectual structure of the field, systematizing a conceptual framework and identifying future research opportunities.Design/methodology/approach: To analyze 629 articles published in peer-reviewed journals in almost four decades, this study employs both bibliometric co-keyword and thematic literature analysis in a complementary way.Findings: This article maps the CX literature by describing its intellectual structure in terms of three research domains (customer, organizational and technological), their corresponding most relevant research themes and topics. Moreover, this study develops a conceptual framework and research propositions to summarize and integrate the CX literature. This work recognizes technology as an important driver for the development of CX research. Lastly, this article provides future research opportunities for moving the field forward, considering an integrative view among domains.Originality/value: This paper complements other reviews on CX by using a novel methodological approach (co-keyword and thematic analysis) that enables the identification and visualization of the CX intellectual structure. In addition, the study explores the increasing connection between technology and CX research, by raising evidence that technology, by continuously modifying services and consequently CX, has become a transversal component in the research field. These outcomes may be useful for academics and practitioners.

Purpose: This study aims at integrating two teaching approaches to enhance Lean manufacturing (LM) learning at a graduate course level and verify its effectiveness through comparing students’ performance and learning preferences.Design/methodology/approach: The proposed methodology incorporates problem-based learning (PBL) approach based on real problems of companies undergoing a lean implementation into traditional teaching methods. The methodology was applied with graduate students from a Brazilian public university, whose learning preferences were subsequently identified. The verification of effectiveness is undertaken through a comparative analysis of students’ performance after each course.Findings: The findings indicate that PBL may be an effective complementary method for LM learning, especially because it exposes students to actual problems when implementing LM. The proposal may improve problem-solving ability and provide a more fertile environment to promote better learning experience. The results are also positively related to the current body of the literature. Finally, because of different students’ learning preferences, PBL alone may not fulfill all students’ cognitive requirements, and hence, traditional teaching methods should not be eradicated from the LM learning process.Originality/value: Because of an increasingly worldwide competition regarding business performance, LM has been an emerging and relevant subject among engineering and management postgraduate courses. Nevertheless, the practical character inherent to the understanding of LM may undermine learning and development of students. Therefore, studies that verify the effectiveness of the teaching approach may contribute to better prepare students for such demanding context.

A elaboração de uma revisão bibliográfica confiável, a partir de trabalhos relevantes publicados anteriormente, é fundamental para evidenciar a originalidade e a contribuição científica dos trabalhos de pesquisa. Devido à grande quantidade de bases de dados e de publicações disponíveis, torna-se necessário utilizar ferramentas que auxiliem na gestão das referências bibliográficas de uma maneira fácil e padronizada. O objetivo deste artigo é examinar três softwares de gerenciamento bibliográfico utilizados com frequência por pesquisadores acadêmicos, são eles: Mendeley, EndNote e Zotero. Nesse sentido, buscou-se, em primeiro lugar, evidenciar seus principais benefícios e as possíveis dificuldades de utilização. Em segundo lugar, procurou-se comparar suas principais características por meio de uma pesquisa teórico-conceitual baseada em literatura especializada, o que permitiu utilizá-los e analisá-los de maneira crítica. Assim sendo, evidenciou-se as principais particularidades de cada software e foi elaborado um quadro comparativo entre os mesmos. Considerando as características analisadas nos três softwares, concluiu-se que todos, ao mesmo tempo em que facilitam o trabalho dos pesquisadores, possuem ferramentas que facilitam as buscas, a organização e a análise dos artigos.