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1 – 10 of over 162000This commentary seeks to enable service researchers in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) regions and those in other regions to pursue service research that addresses the many…
Abstract
Purpose
This commentary seeks to enable service researchers in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) regions and those in other regions to pursue service research that addresses the many difficult service system problems in the MEA.
Design/methodology/approach
This commentary is based on more than 40 years of service research experience and unique insights from a service research pioneer. The commentary addresses what service systems are and why they are important to human progress.
Findings
Three service wisdoms are offered to enable service researchers. Serving Human Needs focuses on the essential role of service because all human economies exist to serve human needs. It also provides the aspirational goal of improving human well-being by transforming service systems. The topic of Designing New Service Rules urges service researchers to design new service systems based on the win-win logic of mutualism. Collaborating With Each Other is the third service wisdom. With more than 7 billion humans living today, mutually beneficial collaborations are one of the best strategies for improving human well-being and the well-being of our crowded planet.
Practical implications
Practical ideas are offered for improving the human condition through collaboratively serving each other’s needs.
Social implications
Because service systems are both nonmonetary and monetary solutions to human needs, their social implications are profound. Human life itself depends on service systems.
Originality/value
This commentary offers service researchers guidance in understanding services, in designing better services, and in pursuing collaborative solutions to service system problems.
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This commentary describes ServCollab’s perspective on Elevating Human Experience and urges researchers to join in collaborating on research to reduce suffering and improve human…
Abstract
Purpose
This commentary describes ServCollab’s perspective on Elevating Human Experience and urges researchers to join in collaborating on research to reduce suffering and improve human well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
This commentary is based on ServCollab’s pioneering approach to building a serving humanity logic and growing service research capacity to work on the hardest service systems problems humanity faces.
Findings
ServCollab’s ongoing efforts to Elevate the Human Experience are described. First, ServCollab seeks to develop a serving humanity logic. Second, ServCollab seeks to coalesce divergent perspectives on service. Third, ServCollab seeks to build a serving humanity movement capable of addressing complex service systems problems.
Practical implications
Practical ideas are offered for serving humanity through collaboration.
Social implications
Because human life depends on service systems, this ServCollab commentary has broad application to all human experience.
Originality/value
This commentary offers a unique approach to building collaborative service research projects capable of addressing service inclusion, service language and climate change.
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Sergio Barile, Clara Bassano, Paolo Piciocchi, Marialuisa Saviano and James Clinton Spohrer
Technology is revolutionizing the management logic of service systems. The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), in particular, is challenging interaction between humans…
Abstract
Purpose
Technology is revolutionizing the management logic of service systems. The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), in particular, is challenging interaction between humans and machines changing the service systems’ value co-creation configurations and logic. To envision possible future scenarios, this paper aims to reflect upon how the humans’ use of AI technology can impact value co-creation.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is developed, at a conceptual level, using selected elements from managerial and marketing theoretical frameworks interested in value co-creation – Service-Dominant Logic, Service Science and Viable Systems Approach (VSA) – used as interpretative tools to reframe value co-creation in the digital age.
Findings
The interpretative approach adopted and, in particular, the new VSA notion of Intelligence Augmentation (IA), in the perspective of the information variety model, shed new light on value co-creation in the digital age framing a possible “IA effect” that can empower value co-creation in complex decision-making contexts.
Practical implications
The study provides insights useful in the design and management of service systems suggesting a rethinking of the view of AI as a means for mainly increasing the smartness of service systems and a new focus on the enhancement of the human resources contribution to make the service systems wiser.
Originality/value
The paper provides a refocused interpretative view of the interaction between humans and AI that looks at a possible positive impact of the use of AI on humans in terms of augmented decision-making capabilities in conditions of complexity.
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Raymond P. Fisk, Linda Alkire (née Nasr), Laurel Anderson, David E. Bowen, Thorsten Gruber, Amy L. Ostrom and Lia Patrício
Elevating the human experience (HX) through research collaborations is the purpose of this article. ServCollab facilitates and supports service research collaborations that seek…
Abstract
Purpose
Elevating the human experience (HX) through research collaborations is the purpose of this article. ServCollab facilitates and supports service research collaborations that seek to reduce human suffering and improve human well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
To catalyze this initiative, the authors introduce ServCollab's three human rights goals (serve, enable and transform), standards of justice for serving humanity (distributive, procedural and interactional justice) and research approaches for serving humanity (service design and community action research).
Research implications
ServCollab seeks to advance the service research field via large-scale service research projects that pursue theory building, research and action. Service inclusion is the first focus of ServCollab and is illustrated through two projects (transformative refugee services and virtual assistants in social care). This paper seeks to encourage collaboration in more large-scale service research projects that elevate the HX.
Practical implications
ServCollab seeks to raise the aspirations of service researchers, expand the skills of service research teams and build mutually collaborative service research approaches that transform human lives.
Originality/value
ServCollab is a unique organization within the burgeoning service research community. By collaborating with service researchers, with service research centers, with universities, with nonprofit agencies and with foundations, ServCollab will build research capacity to address large-scale human service system problems. ServCollab takes a broad perspective for serving humanity by focusing on the HX. Current business research focuses on the interactive roles of customer experience and employee experience. From the perspective of HX, such role labels are insufficient concepts for the full spectrum of human life.
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Bevin Croft, Jami Petner-Arrey and Dorothy Hiersteiner
The United States’ National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems provides technical assistance to human service systems on person-centered thinking, planning…
Abstract
Purpose
The United States’ National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems provides technical assistance to human service systems on person-centered thinking, planning and practices. To apply for the Center's technical assistance, 33 state human service systems submitted applications and participated in interviews in which they detailed technical assistance needs. This technical paper examines themes that emerged from these technical assistance applications and interviews. These themes offer a view into barriers, obstacles and priorities for human service systems as they work toward more person-centered practices. Common themes point to key areas that, if enhanced, could result in a more person-centered system overall.
Design/methodology/approach
The application process generated 33 applications containing technical assistance goals and priorities, summaries of recent and ongoing initiatives to advance person-centered approaches, measurement methods and anticipated challenges. Using thematic analysis, the authors organized the information into seven themes.
Findings
Applicants identified seven themes to improve person-centered thinking, planning and practices: Staff Training and Competencies, Participant Engagement, Measurement and Quality Improvement, Cross-System Consistency in Planning and Practice, Payment and Managed Care, Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness and Other Practice-Related Goals. They also articulated contextual factors that help or hinder systems efforts and a vision for an ideal person-centered system.
Originality/value
The themes provide a unique window into human service system administrators' priorities for achieving more person-centered human service systems and the conditions that may promote or hinder systems change.
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Linda Alkire, Rebekah Russell-Bennett, Josephine Previte and Raymond P. Fisk
Profound economic, social, political and environmental problems are cascading across modern civilization in the 21st century. Many of these problems resulted from the prevailing…
Abstract
Purpose
Profound economic, social, political and environmental problems are cascading across modern civilization in the 21st century. Many of these problems resulted from the prevailing effects of rational economics focused on profit maximization. The purpose of this paper is to reframe the mindsets of scholars, firms and public policy decision-makers through enabling Service Thinking practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Marketing, service and allied discipline literature are synthesized, and Raworth's (2018) Doughnut Economics model is adapted to conceptualize and construct the Service Thinking framework.
Findings
Service Thinking is defined as a just, mutualistic and human-centered mindset for creating and regenerating service systems that meet the needs of people and the living planet. Service Thinking is enabled by five practices (service empathy, service inclusion, service respect, service integrity and service courage).
Practical implications
Actionable implications are presented for service ecosystem entities to uplift well-being, enhance sustainability and increase prosperity.
Originality/value
Service Thinking practices are shaped by influencing forces (marketing, education and law/policy) and operant service ecosystem resources (motivation–opportunity–ability or MOA), which makes Service Thinking applicable to four economic entities in the service ecosystem: the household, the market, the state and the commons.
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This article overviews some key contributions to service research from the organizational behavior/human resource management (OB/HRM) discipline with its strong focus on the role…
Abstract
Purpose
This article overviews some key contributions to service research from the organizational behavior/human resource management (OB/HRM) discipline with its strong focus on the role of employees. This focus complements the Marketing discipline’s heavy emphasis on customers, largely true of service research, overall.
Design/methodology/approach
Ten OB/HRM frameworks/perspectives are applied to analyzing the roles of people (with a focus on employees and modest consideration of customers as “partial” employees who co-create value) in a service organization context. Also, commentary is offered on how the frameworks relate to six key themes in contemporary service research and/or practice. The article concludes with five reflections on the role and status of employees in service research—past, present and future.
Findings
Employee roles in evolving service contexts; participation role readiness of both employees and customers; role stress in participating customers; an employee “empowered state of mind”; an emphasis on internal service quality; “strong” HRM systems link individual HRM practices to firm performance; service-profit chain with links to well-being of employees and customers; a sociotechnical system theory lens on organizational frontlines (OF); service climate as an exemplar of interdisciplinary research; emotional labor in both employees and customers; the Human Experience (HX); specification of employee experience (EX).
Originality/value
Service remains very much about people who still guide organizational design, develop service strategy, place new service technologies and even still serve customers. Also, a people and organization-based competitive advantage is tough to copy, thus possessing sustainability, unlike with imitable technology.
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Christoph Breidbach, Sunmee Choi, Benjamin Ellway, Byron W. Keating, Katerina Kormusheva, Christian Kowalkowski, Chiehyeon Lim and Paul Maglio
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the history and future of service operations, with the goal to identify key theoretical and technological advances, as well as fundamental…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the history and future of service operations, with the goal to identify key theoretical and technological advances, as well as fundamental themes that can help to imagine the future of service operations in 2050.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of the service operations literature was undertaken to inform a discussion regarding the role that technology will play in the future of service operations.
Findings
The future of service operations is framed in terms of three key themes – complexity, orchestration, and elasticity. The paper makes three contributions to the service science literature by: reviewing key themes underpinning extant service operations research to frame future trajectories of service operations research; elaborating a vision of service operations in 2050 based on history and technology; and outlining a research agenda for future service operations.
Practical implications
The case of service automation is used to provide an illustration of how the three themes converge to define future service operations, and in particular, to show how technology is recasting the role of the firm.
Originality/value
Service operations in the next 30 years will be very different from what it was in the past 30 years. This paper differs from other review papers by identifying three key themes that will characterize and instill new insights into the future of service operations research.
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Raymond P P. Fisk, Laurel Anderson, David E. Bowen, Thorsten Gruber, Amy Ostrom, Lia Patrício, Javier Reynoso and Roberta Sebastiani
The purpose of this paper is to create a movement within the service research community that aspires to help the billions of impoverished people across the world achieve better…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to create a movement within the service research community that aspires to help the billions of impoverished people across the world achieve better service from each other, from their communities, from corporations, from their governments, and from nongovernmental organizations. The authors believe every human being is worthy of being served properly. To achieve this purpose, understanding and learning from this huge low-income segment of society known as the base of the pyramid (BoP) is essential. There are myths about the BoP that need to be dispelled and there is a fundamental lack of service research on this important problem.
Design/methodology/approach
The existence of an extensive BoP literature combined with service research priorities has called attention to drafting research agendas. Human service systems are explored historically and systems theory provides a perspective for understanding and reducing poverty. Transformative service research, service design research, and community action research are presented to illustrate three research approaches that can contribute to understanding and then better serving the needs of the neglected billions of humanity.
Findings
First, the authors present a practical and meaningful call to action by making the case for the service research community to contribute to poverty alleviation with the creation of fresh ideas and research agendas. Second, the authors describe the ample opportunity for conducting service research in and with the BoP and thereby expanding service knowledge about the BoP. Third, the authors suggest a number of approaches for service researchers to join this new movement and help improve the well-being of billions of impoverished people.
Social implications
Most existing service research comes from highly developed Anglo-Saxon countries and concerns the service problems of customers in affluent societies. Therefore, there is a fundamental lack of service research at the BoP. The social implications are truly global. Poverty is a global service system problem that can be reduced. Effective poverty alleviation solutions in one part of the world can be adapted to other parts of the world.
Originality/value
This paper is a new and very original call to action to the service research community. First, with the exception of a few previous manuscripts calling for research on the BoP, this is the first time a collaborative effort has been made to start systematically changing this knowledge gap. Second, the service research community has never worked on a project of this magnitude. The authors hope to offer a role model to other academic communities as to how to marshal their resources to have a collective, positive impact on the well-being of the world’s impoverished.
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As information technology has become increasingly accessible and familiar, and as the benefits have become increasingly well understood, the public's expectations and demands for…
Abstract
As information technology has become increasingly accessible and familiar, and as the benefits have become increasingly well understood, the public's expectations and demands for information have grown. Nowhere is this more true than in the human services. A wide variety of professionals have found a need for systematic access to information about human service organizations in their communities and in response have developed resource files of varying degrees of sophistication. Whether the file is set up on a rolodex, in a printed directory, or in a complicated computerized system, those using it immediately recognize that they have to have a way of indexing and accessing the information that allows them to get to the right organization in a minimum of time.