Viewpoint: Service products, development of service knowledge and our community’s target audience

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen Wirtz
Keyword(s):  
Management Practice ◽  
Services Marketing ◽  
Target Audience ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Functions ◽  
Main Target ◽  
Service Departments ◽  
Personal Reflections

Purpose This paper aims to emphasize a research priority on the understanding of service products and how services can be productized. Furthermore, it provides perspectives on the contribution of service research to management practice and who should be the main target audience of service research. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on the personal reflections of an author of two leading services marketing textbooks. Findings This paper develops three propositions related to service research. First, it advances that academic service research has neglected the important topic of productizing services and that service products should be treated as concrete units of deliverables to customers rather than something fuzzy of unspecified quantity. That is, service products should be developed, designed, specified, configured, modularized, bundled, tiered, branded, priced sold and delivered to customers. More research is needed on how organizations can do this. Second, this paper argues that academics frequently underestimate the significant contributions service research has made to management practice and details important contributions that originated from the service research community. Third, it is proposed that the main target audience of service research should not be the marketing, sales and service departments. Rather, it should be decision makers (especially C-level executives) across all functions who should develop a service perspective and service mindset. Research limitations/implications This paper urges service researchers to focus on what are service products and how firm can create, manage and deliver them. Furthermore, it suggests that service researchers should be more confident and proud of the significant progress and contributions they have made to management practice over the past few decades. Finally, service researchers should tailor their messages for decisions makers of all organizational functions and departments in service organizations. Originality/value As a writer of five editions of a services marketing textbook, the author has sifted through three decades of service research. The reflections in this paper originate from this unique perspective.

scholarly journals Editorial: bringing socially unacceptable services into services marketing

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 885-887
Author(s):  
Mark Scott Rosenbaum ◽  
Rebekah Russell-Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Services Marketing ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Societal Welfare ◽  
Personal Reflections ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to define the term “socially unacceptable services” and call for novel research in these under-researched service industries. Design/methodology/approach Personal reflections. Findings Service offerings exist that, despite their ability to create value for customers, clients or partners, many in society at large deem to be offensive, inappropriate or harmful for a variety of reasons. Service researchers have ignored the existence and impact of socially unacceptable services on consumers and society for too long. Research limitations/implications Given the expanding role of the transformative service research (TSR) paradigm in the services marketing domain, especially given its emphasis on exchanges that influence consumer and societal well-being and the reality that many socially unacceptable services profoundly influence consumer and societal welfare in both positive and negative manners, the time is opportune for service researchers to begin exploring socially unacceptable services from a TSR perspective. Practical implications Given that buyers and sellers who enter socially unacceptable exchanges often seem satisfied by doing so, the authors encourage researchers to unearth how consumers obtain value from these exchanges and to explore whether consumers enter these exchanges with full information to make informed decisions. Originality/value This viewpoint is one of the first to provide authors with an impetus to begin research program in socially unacceptable services and offers researchers a list of potential research topics in this new area. The authors believe that socially unacceptable service research may emerge as a separate research paradigm.

scholarly journals Editorial: service research in the new (post-COVID) marketplace

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. I-V
Author(s):  
Mark Scott Rosenbaum ◽  
Rebekah Russell-Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Services Marketing ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Service Encounters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Perspectives ◽  
Personal Reflections

Purpose The aim of this paper is to encourage service researchers to consider the long-term or permanent impact of the coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) on services, service delivery, organizational structures, service providers and service systems from global perspectives. Design/methodology/approach This editorial is based on the personal reflections of the Journal of Services Marketing editors. Findings The services marketing discipline emerged in a time when customers and employees were encouraged to engage in social interaction and to form relationships, as many service encounters were deemed as social encounters. COVID-19 has impacted the ability of customers and employees to freely engage in social interaction, and as a result, we need to consider the steadfastness of our foundational theories and conceptual models in the “new” marketplace. Research limitations/implications The editors put forth a series of sixteen research questions that warrant future empirical and descriptive research. Practical implications Managers can understand how COVID-19 will profoundly impact dramatic changes in the marketplace and prepare for them. Originality/value This study suggests that our theoretical and practical understandings of service industries has been significantly impacted by COVID-19.

Viewpoint: the need to evolve to a service logic mindset in Latin America

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Reynoso
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Journal Article ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Logic

Purpose The purpose of this viewpoint is to discuss the need to evolve from a service marketing approach to a service logic mindset throughout the organization in Latin America. In doing so, it addresses a void in the service literature due to the lack of attention on its uniqueness in this region. Design/methodology/approach To confirm the predominant approach of studying service and the need for a paradigm shift in service organizations, two independent journal article searches during 1989–2020 were conducted. The purpose was to learn where Latin American service researchers are focusing their research efforts and to discuss how the meaning of service applies to this region. Findings Forty-eight journal articles were analyzed and six distinctive groups were identified where service researchers are focusing their work on Latin America. Service has been studied mainly from the marketing perspective; with limited original research published in indexed journals; focused on making product-oriented promises, increasingly enabled by technology. The need for developing a service logic mindset throughout the organization has begun to be emphasized rather recently in the field. The variety of meanings of service and the complex context represent challenges for this enterprise. Research limitations/implications Future research is needed to work on a more comprehensive conceptualization of service at higher levels of analysis. Further context studies are required to enrich knowledge on service in Latin America. Service researchers and organizations should work on these two challenges to continue moving from the marketing perspective of service to a service logic mindset throughout the organization. Originality/value The paper points out the relevance of conducting further service research in Latin America, arguing that service has been studied mainly from the marketing perspective, and claiming the need to move to a service logic mindset. This viewpoint opens a discussion in the service research community toward a paradigm shift that, although inspired in Latin America, may not be necessarily limited to this region.

scholarly journals Exploring the ZMET methodology in services marketing

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Hancock ◽  
Carley Foster
Keyword(s):  
Services Marketing ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Process Step ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Limited Application ◽  
Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique ◽  
Service Experiences ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to explore how the Zaltman metaphor elicitation technique (ZMET) can be adopted in services marketing to provide deeper customer experience insights. Design/methodology/approach This paper explores how ZMET interviews, which use images selected by the participant to facilitate discussion, can be used by researchers. This paper draws upon a study of 24 student experiences at a UK university. Findings Adopting this qualitative method for services marketing can counter depth deficit when compared to other qualitative approaches, because it is participant led. However, the method requires competent interview skills and time for the interview and analysis. We find that ZMET has not been widely adopted in academia because of its commercial licenced use. The paper illustrates how to use the ZMET process step-by-step. Research limitations/implications Findings are limited to student experiences. Further research is necessary to understand how researchers could use ZMET in other areas of services marketing. Practical implications This paper provides guidance to researchers on how to use ZMET as a methodological tool. ZMET facilitates a deeper understanding of service experiences through using participant chosen images and thus enabling researchers to uncover subconscious hidden perceptions that other methods may not find. Originality/value ZMET has been used commercially to gain market insights but has had limited application in service research. Existing studies fail to provide details of how ZMET can be used to access the consumer subconscious. This paper makes a methodological contribution by providing step-by-step guidance on how to apply ZMET to services marketing.

From service quality to service theory and practice

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chatura Ranaweera ◽  
Marianna Sigala
Keyword(s):  
Service Management ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Considerable Change ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Editorial Team ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Perspectives ◽  
Personal Reflections ◽  
Service Theory

Purpose – The purpose of this editorial paper is to set out the vision for the Journal of Service Theory and Practice (JSTP). Design/methodology/approach – Together with personal reflections of the authors, it is based on a review of literature on the past, the present and the future of service research, an analysis of a broad range of global environmental trends, as well as interviews, communications and feedback from eminent scholars in the field of service research. Findings – The paper sets out the expanded aims and scope for the JSTP. It also explains the rationale for the change in title and elaborates upon expectations for manuscripts submitted to the journal. Research limitations/implications – It identifies a set of research priorities for the journal and the field. Practical implications – It highlights the importance of translating theory into practice by making meaningful recommendations and action plans for firms and managers. Originality/value – This paper is written at a time when the journal has been undergoing considerable change, including retitling as well as the complete restructuring of the editorial team. It is also written at a time when the field of service management is being transformed by new approaches and research perspectives. As such, it is both necessary and timely.

Viewpoint: service research in Post-Soviet states and the former eastern bloc

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Gnusowski
Keyword(s):  
Special Section ◽  
Services Marketing ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Eastern Bloc ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Do It Yourself

Purpose This paper aims to improve the service discipline’s understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities that services marketers encounter in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CESEE) and Post-Soviet states. This paper also serves as an introduction to the special section about services marketing perspectives in this region. Design/methodology/approach Considering the Post-Soviet reality, the paper is a viewpoint regarding the specific development potential of services marketing in the CESEE region. In addition, the three papers included in the special section use a variety of research methods, participants and service settings. Findings First, this paper outlines the positive and negative consequences of the radical changes in the services markets over the past 30 years. Next, all three papers included in the special section explore the distinctive customer perspective of services marketing. Finally, this paper discusses the specific relationship building environment of the Post-Soviet reality and how its unique do-it-yourself background contributes to the existing discussion on consumers’ involvement in the co-creation of value. Research limitations/implications The findings from this special section have valuable implications for future research on services marketing in the CESEE markets, although these may not always be generalizable beyond the unique context of the research detailed in each of these papers. Practical implications This research, along with the three papers, presents some useful directions for services marketing managers cooperating with the CESEE markets, such as understanding and managing the expectations of their customers or employees. Originality/value This paper is one of the first attempts to understand the uniqueness of the under-researched area of services marketing in the CESEE and Post-Soviet States, both from a theoretical and empirical point of view. This also provides previously under-represented authors from the region the opportunity to present their perspective to an international service community.

Retrospective: compatibility management: customer-to-customer relationships in service environments

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles L. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Services Marketing ◽  
Customer Relationships ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Napa Valley ◽  
Service Environments ◽  
Service Experiences ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to revisit Martin and Pranter’s (1989) Journal of Services Marketing article, “Compatibility Management […]”, and by doing so, heighten service scholars’ and practitioners’ awareness of the historical and ongoing relevance of customer-to-customer (C2C) encounters, the challenges C2C encounters pose and the opportunities for future research. Design/methodology/approach A combination of review and commentary approaches is taken to summarize the 1989 article, the circumstances of its conception, the topic’s intersection with contemporary service topics and to illustrate the multi-faceted nature of C2C encounters and the challenges faced in their management. Findings Investigated in a number of service contexts, C2C encounters continue to be relevant in a multitude of service environments where customers converge. Research limitations/implications Because the evolution of service scholarship and practice is collectively shaped by an infinite number of people, events and sources, the attribution of effects to only one or a few influences is a highly subjective matter of interpretation. Practical implications Because C2C encounters are part of customers’ service experiences and can affect their satisfaction and patronage behaviors, service organizations can benefit by their efforts to influence C2C encounters. Social implications The criteria customers use to react to other customers and the bases used by service organizations/personnel to manage C2C encounters may not always be morally, ethically or legally defensible. For example, the Napa Valley Wine Train incident of 2015 involved allegations of racial discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Originality/value The retrospective analysis contributes to the field’s understanding of the historical development of services marketing and provides fodder for future research.

Service research: progress toward interdisciplinary collaboration

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-371
Author(s):  
G. Tomas M. Hult ◽  
Travis A. Walkowiak ◽  
Jonathan M. Beck
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Interdisciplinary Collaboration ◽  
Services Marketing ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
Unique Framework

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to promote a broadened view of service research and to demonstrate a path for integrating interdisciplinary perspectives with services marketing. Design/methodology/approach Two major streams of service literature are reviewed, highlighting key conceptual developments in each. Through synthesis of prior literature, a research framework and agenda are developed. Findings The findings indicate that major service research areas have been extensively explored, yet service literature is fragmented on key concepts. This can make it challenging to collaborate across disciplines. This work develops a framework for integrating concepts across disciplines to foster more impactful work. Originality/value This work presents a unique framework for integrating interdisciplinary perspectives with services marketing. Moreover, a research agenda for the specific purpose of promoting collaboration across disciplines is presented.

Transformative service research, service design, and social entrepreneurship

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Alkire (née Nasr) ◽  
Christine Mooney ◽  
Furkan A. Gur ◽  
Sertan Kabadayi ◽  
Maija Renko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Service Design ◽  
Service Organizations ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Prosocial Motivation ◽  
The Core ◽  
Human Wellbeing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an interdisciplinary framework bridging service design and social entrepreneurship with transformative service research (TSR) to create greater synergetic effects to advance wellbeing and drive social impact. Design/methodology/approach This research provides an interdisciplinary review and synthesis of literature to establish a basis for a conceptual framework advancing human wellbeing and driving social impact. Findings The overarching framework created incorporates various concepts, methods and tools across the three research domains. At the core of the framework is the ultimate goal of multilevel wellbeing and social impact. The core is subsequently supported by established social entrepreneurship concepts and strategies: prosocial motivation, hybrid identity, social bricolage, entrepreneurial thinking, community engagement, business model design and innovative delivery. The implementation of these concepts could benefit from the methods and tools used in service design, such as: design probes, service blueprints, appreciative inquiry, contextual interviews, actor maps, sustainable business model canvas and service prototyping. Practical implications The paper uses the refugee crisis as an illustrative example of how the proposed framework can be put into action by service organizations. Originality/value By bridging literature in TSR, service design and social entrepreneurship, this paper provides service managers with a framework to guide scalable systemic solutions for service organizations interested in advancing human wellbeing and driving social impact.

Editorial: the changing nature of data

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 673-675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Baron ◽  
Rebekah Russell-Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Services Marketing ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Data Handling ◽  
Large Problem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovative Methods ◽  
Existing Data

Purpose The purpose of this paper it to highlight the challenges of managing and handling data for services marketers that have been brought about by the contemporary environment and emerging schools of thought. Design/methodology/approach A comparison is made between conventional data collection and statistical analysis, and the need to glean information from large, pre-existing data sets for future contributions to service research. Findings For service marketers to tackle real world, large problem areas, there will be a need to develop methods of dealing with data which pre-exist in many forms, as well as data that are collected via well-established procedures. Originality/value The study should be an encouragement for services marketing researchers to develop innovative methods of data handling which recognize a world of burgeoning data sources and types.

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