Course info
Documents
The course gives an overview of the field of service management with a special focus on the service logic, service development and value creation through service.
Learning is based on active participation through careful individual and team preparation, team presentations, and group discussions of the assigned literature. The method resembles problem based learning in that the students are responsible for reading the assigned literature (and additional literature when needed), analyzing in in-depth and preparing answers to pre designed questions as well as pose critical questions themselves to the literature. Individual written analysis and team-based presentations of the articles are used to support learning and own reflections. The students in teams discuss and analyze together with the instructors.
Course goals
The course gives an overview of the field of service management with a special focus on the service logic, service development and value creation through service.
The course focuses on key concepts and models as well as specific areas such as the theoretical foundations for service research, service dominant logic, relationship dynamics, service innovation, co-creation of value with customers and service experiences. Challenges when developing, and managing both high-tech (technology-based) services and high touch (where the personal service encounter is key) services will be discussed. Empirical studies, representing both B2C and B2B service contexts will be discussed in the course.
Service management concepts, theoretical frameworks and models as well as empirical results will be discussed in the perspective of the service logic and value creation through service. Furthermore, issues related to the fact that services often are embedded in customer relationships and are dependent on other services and the service infrastructure will be discussed. The course addresses both subject matters and methodological issues when studying service. The course should give the doctoral students a good basis for formulating research problems within the field and conducting their own research.
Prerequisites
The course is targeted for doctoral students in Business Administration and related disciplines. The maximum number of participants is 20. If more apply, the selection is based on the course’s relevance to the applicants’ doctoral thesis topic and their previous
Examination
Students will be graded for two course elements:
1. Active and informed participation in class (individual and team work), including presentations and discussions.For each lecture the participants are expected to prepare three questions based on the literature that is covered. Each participant should be able to summarize the articles that are covered.
2. Quality of the team term paper, again including presentation and discussion in class. Students are expected to be present and active during the sessions.
The grades for passing the course (including session activity and term paper) are: Satisfactory, good, and excellent.
Presence in the class and active participating in discussions are prerequisites for passing the course. All course elements shall be completed and submitted by the end of the course in order to be accepted and graded. Course elements cannot be substituted or complemented during or after the course.
The student must write a paper (about 3.000 to 4.000 word) focusing on one topic covered in the course literature. The paper should be written as a journal article and the guidelines provided in Journal of Service Management (JOSM) should be used