Italian universities are going through a phase of strong competition to attract growing numbers of new undergraduates, which allows them to access related shares of public funds from the Ministry of University and Scientific Research. This urges the universities to pay attention not only to training quality, which is - together with research and scientific output - the core of the offer, but also to the design of innovative solutions in the field of peripheral services. Among them, the job placement service and connection with the world of work is the subject of increasing attention at several Italian universities. While companies and the labour market require direct contacts with the universities - delegated to act as qualified intermediaries of human resources - on the other hand, the same students expect not only education from university but also actions to guide them through the difficulties of access to employment and occupations. With placement service, universities have the opportunity to increase value provided to stakeholders, both in terms of broadening the number of services - adding peripheral activities to traditional ones – and in terms of support to the student beyond the obtainment of a degree. Value is a complex concept. In the field of service management it is defined as the gap between benefits and sacrifices perceived, related to the long term relationship between suppliers and clients and, more generally, between service companies and their stakeholders. Although the University holds the lead in organizing and designing the placement service, value is generated by all stakeholders - who benefit from positive network externalities proportional to the other stakeholders’ commitment. The placement service may be interpreted as an interface, a kind of relational infrastructure capable of maintaining and enhancing the stability of relationships, trust and collaboration between stakeholders. The University of Urbino Carlo Bo, students, businesses and local authorities create and receive value by belonging to the placement related network, each differently but interdependently. Value and quality are therefore strongly linked concepts: quality exists when internal and external customer expectations are met. The value derives from long-term comparison between benefits (functional, symbolic, temporal, economic, relational, psychological) and sacrifices connected to them. Quality, like value, depends not on only the offer, but also on demand behaviour. The offer plays a crucial role in understanding the stakeholders’ often unexpressed expectations and for designing, proposing, and delivering value through offer policies in line with demand expectations. This paper has a twofold objective: on the one hand to point out the concepts of quality and value, on the other hand to explain how university placement services can increase the value created for the various stakeholders of the University. For this purpose, we analyse the experience of the placement service of the University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" and the main initiatives set to bring together University students and companies looking for young people to hire. This study reveals that placement service at the University of Urbino is innovative in terms of organization and management. The involvement of all actors in design and implementation of the initiatives is a strategic factor, crucial for meeting the expectations of stakeholders, raising levels of quality and satisfaction and, ultimately, the value created. Although limited to only one case of placement – the University of Urbino, the research presents original features regarding the application of service management principles to an institution like the University, which is increasingly directed towards value creation for our stakeholders. This application appears necessary given that increased competition among universities is based not only on traditional core activities - research and training - but also on the ability to contribute to student employability after the obtainment of a degree.

Quality and Value in University Services: the Experience of the Placement Service at the University of Urbino "Carlo Bo"

PENCARELLI, TONINO;
2013

Abstract

Italian universities are going through a phase of strong competition to attract growing numbers of new undergraduates, which allows them to access related shares of public funds from the Ministry of University and Scientific Research. This urges the universities to pay attention not only to training quality, which is - together with research and scientific output - the core of the offer, but also to the design of innovative solutions in the field of peripheral services. Among them, the job placement service and connection with the world of work is the subject of increasing attention at several Italian universities. While companies and the labour market require direct contacts with the universities - delegated to act as qualified intermediaries of human resources - on the other hand, the same students expect not only education from university but also actions to guide them through the difficulties of access to employment and occupations. With placement service, universities have the opportunity to increase value provided to stakeholders, both in terms of broadening the number of services - adding peripheral activities to traditional ones – and in terms of support to the student beyond the obtainment of a degree. Value is a complex concept. In the field of service management it is defined as the gap between benefits and sacrifices perceived, related to the long term relationship between suppliers and clients and, more generally, between service companies and their stakeholders. Although the University holds the lead in organizing and designing the placement service, value is generated by all stakeholders - who benefit from positive network externalities proportional to the other stakeholders’ commitment. The placement service may be interpreted as an interface, a kind of relational infrastructure capable of maintaining and enhancing the stability of relationships, trust and collaboration between stakeholders. The University of Urbino Carlo Bo, students, businesses and local authorities create and receive value by belonging to the placement related network, each differently but interdependently. Value and quality are therefore strongly linked concepts: quality exists when internal and external customer expectations are met. The value derives from long-term comparison between benefits (functional, symbolic, temporal, economic, relational, psychological) and sacrifices connected to them. Quality, like value, depends not on only the offer, but also on demand behaviour. The offer plays a crucial role in understanding the stakeholders’ often unexpressed expectations and for designing, proposing, and delivering value through offer policies in line with demand expectations. This paper has a twofold objective: on the one hand to point out the concepts of quality and value, on the other hand to explain how university placement services can increase the value created for the various stakeholders of the University. For this purpose, we analyse the experience of the placement service of the University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" and the main initiatives set to bring together University students and companies looking for young people to hire. This study reveals that placement service at the University of Urbino is innovative in terms of organization and management. The involvement of all actors in design and implementation of the initiatives is a strategic factor, crucial for meeting the expectations of stakeholders, raising levels of quality and satisfaction and, ultimately, the value created. Although limited to only one case of placement – the University of Urbino, the research presents original features regarding the application of service management principles to an institution like the University, which is increasingly directed towards value creation for our stakeholders. This application appears necessary given that increased competition among universities is based not only on traditional core activities - research and training - but also on the ability to contribute to student employability after the obtainment of a degree.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11576/2555574
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