Considered Service-specific journals were Journal of Service Research, Journal of Service Management, Journal of Services Marketing, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Service Industries Journal, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, and Service Science.
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Biesinger, B., K. Hadwich and M. Bruhn (2024): Cultural change in servitization – a conceptual review and framework, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 34(3917), pp.361-398
Purpose (Digital) servitization, referring to service-driven strategies and their increasing implementation in manufacturing, is one of the most rapidly growing areas in industrial service research. However, the cultural change involved in successful servitization is a phenomenon that is widely observed but poorly understood. This research aims to clarify the processes of social construction as manufacturers change their organizational culture to transform into industrial service providers. Design/methodology/approach This research takes a systematic approach to integrate disparate literature on servitization into a cohesive framework for cultural change, which is purposefully augmented by rationale culled from organizational learning and sensemaking literature. Findings The organizational learning framework for cultural change in servitization introduces a dynamic perspective on servitizing organizations by explaining social processes between organizational and member-level cultural properties. It identifies three major cultural orientations toward service, digital and learning that govern successful servitization. Originality/value This research contributes to the servitization literature by presenting a new approach to reframe and explore cultural change processes across multiple levels, thus providing a concrete starting point for further research in this area.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-03-2023-0074 [Google]
Grönroos, C. (2024): Business model innovation through the adoption of service logic: evolving to servification, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 34(3918), pp.347-360
Purpose In servitization research, there has been a call to move further toward the development of business models based on a service approach. This article aims to answer this call by adopting service logic (SL) and developing strategies and organizational resources and processes to create a service-centric business model called servification, defined as the process of identifying and developing strategies and organizational resources and processes to create a business model based on SL. Design/methodology/approach This article is conceptual and extends servitization in the direction of service-centric business model innovation by drawing on and extending SL. Findings The article defines service as a higher-order concept according to SL and develops the concept of a helping strategy as the foundation for a service-based business model. Further, it develops a typology of organizational resources and processes that must be developed for the emergence of such a business model. Research limitations/implications Since this article is the first to conceptually develop servification, more both theoretical and empirical research is naturally required. The development of servification takes servitization in the direction of service-based business model innovation and also contributes to the research on SL. Practical implications Servification enables the development of service-centric strategies and organizational resources and processes and service-based business models. Originality/value This article is the first to adopt SL in studies of business model innovation.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-12-2022-0295 [Google]
Hogg, J. (2024): Exploring power strategies for transformation in a service-ecosystem, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 34(3919), pp.399-419
Purpose The paper covers the topic of power strategies between actors and the interplay between the service ecosystem and the actor(s), and vice versa. The paper addresses the lack of conceptual development concerning power considerations beyond dyadic, rigid and role-based models found in general marketing literature. Further, the paper opens the area of power relationships, using the service ecosystem as conceptual framework. Design/methodology/approach The paper has a systemic and sociological view on service-ecosystems using mainly Giddens’ structuration theory. Service-dominant logic literature from 2004 to 2021 is systematically reviewed for power issues and qualitatively analyzed. Mayring’s step model of, firstly, inductive and, secondly, deductive category development is applied. Subcategories were identified, subsumed and finally grouped into five categories to increase the level of abstraction. Findings The article investigates power considerations and enables marketers to create power through (1) imbalance, to find strategies and counterstrategies for (2) actor’s behavior, to understand the (3) actor’s embeddedness within a service ecosystem and its dynamic nature, to learn about (4) institutions and actor’s institutional work. A set of seven propositions is presented for the conceptualization of power strategies in a service ecosystem. Research limitations/implications The consideration of power on different levels supports both the zooming-in and zooming-out to observe and understand the power phenomena in a service ecosystem. Seven propositions about episodic as well as systemic power relations are presented. Power is conceptualized in service ecosystem as transformative capability of an actor to intervene on institutions and in some way alter them, recognizing that power relations are co-created, dynamic and context-dependent. Practical implications The article recognizes different levels (micro-meso-macro) of power considerations and helps practitioners and marketers to create power through (1) imbalance, find strategies and counterstrategies for (2) actor’s behavior, understand the (3) actor’s embeddedness within a service ecosystem and its dynamic nature, learn about (4) institutions and actor’s institutional work. This enables managers to find an appropriate choice of action in their specific context to transform the service ecosystem(s) they are embedded in. Social implications As all social systems are power systems, a service ecosystem can only be fully understood by integrating the elementary concept of power. As such, power considerations within actor strategies and the service ecosystem are relevant to improve the understanding of transformation of the service ecosystem. Power, in the sense of the transformative capability of actors, changes the social and material world. Originality/value Power issues are important to understand the “hows” of resource integration in service ecosystems and its transformation or stability.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-01-2023-0023 [Google]
Kemppainen, T. and T. E. Paananen (2024): Dualities of digital services: everyday digital services as positive and negative contributors to customer well-being, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 34(3920), pp.464-490
Purpose This study examines the dualities of digital services – that is, how customers’ favorite everyday digital services can positively and negatively contribute to their well-being. Thus, the study describes the meanings of favorite digital services as part of customers’ everyday lives and the types of well-being to which such services can contribute. Design/methodology/approach We used a qualitative research approach through semi-structured interviews conducted in 2021 to collect data from 14 young adults (22–31 years old) who actively used digital services in their daily lives. Findings Our findings revealed that customers’ favorite everyday digital services can contribute to their mental well-being, social well-being, and intellectual well-being. Within these three dimensions of well-being, we identified nine dualities of digital services that describe their positive and negative contributions: (1) digital escapism versus digital disruption, (2) digital relaxation versus digital stress, (3) digital empowerment versus digital subjugation, (4) digital augmentation versus digital emptiness, (5) digital socialization versus digital isolation, (6) digital togetherness versus digital exclusion, (7) digital self-expression versus digital pressure, (8) digital learning versus digital dependence, and (9) digital inspiration versus digital stagnation. Practical implications These findings suggest that everyday digital services have the potential to contribute to customer well-being in various aspects – both positively and negatively – accentuating the need for service providers to decipher the impacts of their offerings on well-being. Indeed, understanding the relationship between digital services and customer well-being can help companies tailor their services to customers’ needs. Companies that prioritize customer well-being not only benefit their customers but also create sustainable growth opportunities in the long run. Further, companies can use the derived information in service design to develop marketing strategies that emphasize the positive impacts of their digital services on customer well-being. Originality/value Although prior transformative service studies have investigated the well-being of multiple stakeholders, such studies have focused on services related to the physical and healthcare domains. Consequently, the role of everyday digital services as contributors to customer well-being is an under-researched topic. In addition, the concept of well-being and its various dimensions has received limited attention in previous service research. By investigating everyday digital services and their multidimensional contribution to customer well-being, this study broadens the perspective on well-being within TSR and aids in refining a more precise conceptualization.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-03-2023-0075 [Google]
Robledo, M. A. (2024): Customer transformation in services: conceptualization and research agenda, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 34(3921), pp.420-431
Purpose Customer transformation is currently overlooked in service research. This article aims to conceptualize customer transformation and develop a research agenda to encourage more exploration in this area. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual article builds on the literature on transformation and related topics in psychology, sociology, education and anthropology. Findings The presented definition of customer transformation distinguishes itself from other related concepts such as minor change. The research agenda, structured around five themes, reveals four distinctive attributes of customer transformation that warrant academic investigation. These include the inability of businesses to guarantee transformations, the potential tension between transformational aspirations and immediate needs and well-being, the imperative of cultivating long-term engagement and the likelihood of encountering customer resistance. This highlights the criticality of embracing a customer-centric approach in transformational services. Research limitations/implications Given the vastness of the topic, the literature review is limited and the research agenda could be widened. Furthermore, the dynamic nature of the subject introduces the possibility that the conceptual framework and research agenda may become outdated. Lastly, the universal applicability of the findings and the proposed conceptual framework are uncertain, necessitating potential validation across diverse contexts. The practical implications may also fall short of addressing the specific challenges encountered by different industries or businesses. Practical implications The article provides insights on customer transformation and strategies for businesses to support ongoing transformations, emphasizing personalized engagement and co-creating value to meet evolving customer aspirations. Social implications The need for development and growth is more pressing and decisive than ever. This need is often not well understood and, as a result, is not addressed by either scholars or companies. This paper helps address that social need. Originality/value The research enriches the service literature by paving the way for a crucial subfield in service research. Additionally, it establishes a shared understanding of customer transformation by highlighting its distinct characteristics and analyzing their implications for service management, proposing a conceptual framework and research agenda.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-01-2023-0012 [Google]
Ungaro, V., L. Di Pietro, R. Guglielmetti Mugion and M. F. Renzi (2024): A systematic literature review on transformative practices and well-being outcomes in healthcare service, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 34(3922), pp.432-463
Purpose The paper aims to investigate the practices facilitating the transformation of healthcare services, understanding the resulting outcomes in terms of well-being and uplifting changes. a systematic literature review (SLR) focusing on analyzing the healthcare sector under the transformative service research (TSR) theoretical domain is conducted to achieve this goal. Design/methodology/approach Employing a structured SLR developed based on the PRISMA protocol (Pickering and Byrne, 2014; Pickering et al., 2015) and using Scopus and WoS databases, the study identifies and analyzes 49 papers published between 2021 and 2022. Content analysis is used to classify and analyze the papers. Findings The SLR reveals four transformative practices (how) within the healthcare sector under the TSR domain, each linked to specific well-being outcomes (what). The analysis shows that both practices and outcomes are mainly patient-related. An integrative framework for transformative healthcare service is presented and critically examined to identify research gaps and define the trajectory for the future development of TSR in healthcare. In addition, managerial implications are provided to guide practitioners. Originality/value This research is among the first to analyze TSR literature in the context of healthcare. The study critically examines the TSR’s impact on the sector’s transformation, providing insights for future research and offering a roadmap for healthcare practitioners to facilitate uplifting changes.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-03-2023-0071 [Google]
Barone, A. M., E. Stagno and C. Donato (2024): Call it robot: anthropomorphic framing and failure of self-service technologies, Journal of Services Marketing, 38(3923), pp.272-287
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to test the effect that anthropomorphic framing (i.e. robot vs automatic machine) has on consumers’ responses in case of service failure. Specifically, the authors hypothesize that consumers hold an unconscious association between the word “robot” and agency and that the higher agency attributed to self-service machines framed as robots (vs automatic machines) leads, in turn, to a more positive service evaluation in case of service failure. Design/methodology/approach: The authors have conducted four experimental studies to test the framework presented in this paper. In Studies 1a and 1b, the authors used an Implicit Association Test to test for the unconscious association held by consumers about robots as being intelligent machines (i.e. agency). In Studies 2 and 3, the authors tested the effect that framing technology as robots (vs automatic machines) has on consumers’ responses to service failure using two online experiments across different consumption contexts (hotel, restaurant) and using different dependent variables (service evaluation, satisfaction and word-of-mouth). Findings: The authors show that consumers evaluate more positively a service failure involving a self-service technology framed as a robot rather than one framed as an automatic machine. They provide evidence that this effect is driven by higher perceptions of agency and that the association between technology and agency held by consumers is an unconscious one. Originality/value: This paper investigates a novel driver of consumers’ perception of agency of technology, namely, how the technology is framed. Moreover, this study sheds light on consumers’ responses to technology’s service failure.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-05-2023-0169 [Google]
Bourdeau, B. L., J. J. Cronin, D. T. Padgett, C. M. Voorhees and K. White (2024): The other extreme of the circumplex of emotion: an investigation of consumer outrage, Journal of Services Marketing, 38(3924), pp.312-325
Purpose: All hypothesized relationships were significant. Specifically, H1 was supported as disconfirmation and surprising consumption were significantly correlated. Moreover, arousal (H2) and outrage (H4a) were functions of surprising consumption and negative affect (H3) and outrage (H4b) were functions of arousal. H4c was also supported as negative affect had a significant direct effect on consumer outrage. In addition, disconfirmation had negative direct effects on both negative affect (H5) and dissatisfaction (H6a) and dissatisfaction was a function of negative affect. Finally, both outrage (H7a) and dissatisfaction (H7b) had significant negative effects on behavioral intentions. Design/methodology/approach: Respondents were recruited to participate in the data collection in a “college town” in the Southeastern United States. Respondents were provided a paper and pencil data collection instrument that include complete survey instructions and the balance of the research design. To adequately test all hypotheses, the researchers developed a unique scenario that described an extreme service failure that takes place during a hotel check-in. Each respondent was asked to read the scenario and then reflect upon it as they responded to items that assessed their feelings toward the hotel check-in experience. Findings: The results provide additional evidence in support of the existence of the satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum, as well as specifically identifying the affective nature of levels of satisfaction that fall surprisingly well-below the zone of tolerance. The authors feel that the present study is a necessary step to provide a more comprehensive view of the satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum. Likewise, the authors posit initial evidence of the antecedents and consequences of consumer outrage. This research supports the prior assumptions of Westbrook (1987) about the vast detrimental effects of negative affective responses to service or product failures. Research limitations/implications: Future research needs to discover just how extremely deficient service has to be to elicit outrage. Is outrage a personal phenomenon with every consumer experiencing it to different degrees? As such, is outrage triggered at different points on the satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum? The zone of tolerance seems to suggest this, but it would be interesting to discover if at some collective level of dissatisfaction consumers generally begin to show signs of outrage. Likewise, it would be interesting to understand how the level and pattern of outrage results in customers exiting the relationship but also results in loyal customers becoming enemies (e.g. Gregiore et al., 2009; Gregiore and Fisher, 2008). Originality/value: The motivation for the current study is both pragmatic and theoretical. As alluded to above, it is evident that the level of service customers’ emotional responses to their service experiences are increasing in frequency and intensity. These negative emotions affect the efficacy of service workers and impede the financial performance of service providers. The popular mantra of “anti-woke” consumers, “Go Woke, Go Broke,” is indicative of the importance of negative emotion. Sometimes referred to as “brand activism” (Moorman, 2020; Sarkar and Kotlet, 2019), recent public stances on social and political issues have led to a boycott of Gillette razors, the burning of Nike shoes, and the canceling of Costco Memberships in what has been called “virtue signaling” (Vredenburg et al., 2020). While none of these actions are desirable, the importance of investigating the impact of strong negative emotions (i.e. outrage) is further demonstrated in reports that 65% of consumers expect companies to authentically support such issues (Barton et al., 2018; Edelman, 2018; Larcker and Tayan, 2018; Moorman, 2020).
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-03-2023-0067 [Google]
Carlini, J., R. Muir, A. McLaren-Kennedy and L. Grealish (2024): Transforming health-care service through consumer co-creation: directions for service design, Journal of Services Marketing, 38(3925), pp.326-343
Purpose: The increasing financial burden and complexity of health-care services, exacerbated by factors such as an ageing population and the rise of chronic conditions, necessitate comprehensive and integrated care approaches. While co-created service design has proven valuable in transforming some service industries, its application to the health-care industry is not well understood. This study aims to examine how health consumers are involved in health-care service co-creation. Design/methodology/approach: The study searched 11 electronic databases for peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2019. Additionally, hand searches of reference lists from included studies, Google© citation searches and searches for grey literature were conducted. The Whittemore and Knafl integrative framework guided the systematic review, and Callahan’s 6 Ws framework was used to extract data from the included articles, facilitating comparisons. Findings: The authors identified 21 articles, mainly from the UK, North America and Australia. Despite the need for more research, findings reveal limited and geographically narrow empirical studies with restricted theory and method applications. From these findings, the authors constructed a conceptual model to enhance nuanced understanding. Originality/value: This study offers four contributions. First, it introduces the Health Service Design Transformation Model for Comprehensive Consumer Co-Creation, illustrating health consumers’ multifaceted roles in shaping services. Second, consumer vulnerabilities in co-creating services are identified, linked to diverse consumer groups, power dynamics and decision complexity. Third, this study suggests broadening participant inclusion may enhance consumer-centricity, inclusivity and innovation in service design. Finally, the research agenda explores consumer experiences, organizational dynamics, value outcomes and co-creation theory for health-care service advancement.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-12-2022-0373 [Google]
Coker, K. K. and R. Thakur (2024): Alexa, may I adopt you? The role of voice assistant empathy and user-perceived risk in customer service delivery, Journal of Services Marketing, 38(3926), pp.301-311
Purpose: Powered by artificial intelligence, voice assistants (VAs), such as Alexa, Siri and Cortona, are at early-stage adoption rates in service contexts. Customers express hesitance in using the technology. Furthermore, the effect of a relevant variable (VA empathy) as a determinant of VAs is not widely researched. This study aims to extend the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and social response theory (SRT) to propose and test a conceptual model of the role of customer perceptions of VA empathy and risk on VA adoption and usage intensity. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, data were collected from 387 VA users in the USA using a survey administered through Amazon MTurk. Data cleaning retained a final n = 318 for structural equation modeling analysis. Findings: Findings show that perceived VA empathy enhances customers’ attitude toward VA and drives adoption, thereby increasing VA usage intensity. Perceived risk is a moderator; users with high perceptions of VA empathy have greater VA adoption rates when they have high (vs low) risk perceptions of using VA. Originality/value: This research is one of the first known studies to provide empirical evidence of the role of customer perceptions of VA empathy and risk on VA adoption in service delivery. It goes beyond VA adoption research to provide empirical evidence of the impact of VA adoption on actual usage intensity. By extending the UTAUT and SRT, this research adds to the theoretical foundation for research on VA adoption, offering practical insights for firms regarding empathetic VA design to enhance customer service delivery.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2023-0284 [Google]
Jagani, S., V. Saboorideilami and S. Tarannum (2024): Shaping brand attitudes through sustainability practices: a TSR approach, Journal of Services Marketing, 38(3927), pp.369-382
Purpose: This study aims to investigate the conditional relationships among sustainability implementation, brand awareness, brand attitude and brand loyalty through the lens of transformative service research (TSR). The research also aims to explain how brand loyalty moderates the mediated effect of brand awareness and attitude in the context of social and environmental sustainability initiatives. Design/methodology/approach: Using both primary and secondary data sources from 31 prominent service companies and their 6,891 customers, this paper investigates the impact of sustainability practices and brand awareness on customer attitude. The paper also examines the moderated mediation effect of brand loyalty, explaining how it alters brand attitudes in the context of sustainability implementation. Finally, the study conducts a comparative analysis of how environmental and social shape brand attitudes in loyal customers. Findings: Sustainability implementation has a negative impact on both brand awareness and customer attitude. However, this negative influence is mitigated for highly brand-loyal customers, resulting in a positive brand attitude. Further, the comparative analysis reveals that social implementation positively influences brand attitude in high-loyalty contexts. Research limitations/implications: This research uses subjective judgments of researchers regarding companies’ sustainability practices, combining them with customer attitudes gathered through survey questionnaires. Additionally, the data set comprises data from 31 large service companies, potentially limiting the generalizability of findings to large service companies. Nevertheless, this paper extends TSR into the realm of sustainability and branding. Practical implications: The positive outcomes of sustainability implementation practices are most pronounced when customer loyalty toward a brand is strong. Social implementation has a more potent effect on brand attitude, particularly among loyal customers. Companies can tailor their sustainability efforts more effectively. Originality/value: With the lens of TSR, this research deepens our understanding of how sustainability affects consumer psychology but also offers a methodological advancement by using advanced statistical models and a variety of data sources. The distinctiveness of this research is also highlighted in the examination of how environmental and social sustainability initiatives influence brand attitude, especially among customers who exhibit strong brand loyalty.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-03-2023-0083 [Google]
Lee, K. and T. Gong (2024): How customer incivility affects organization citizenship behavior: roles of depersonalization, resilience, and caring climate, Journal of Services Marketing, 38(3928), pp.252-271
Purpose: Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, this study aims to identify the mediating effects of depersonalization and resilience on the relationship between customer incivility and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). It further posits that these indirect effects vary depending on the caring climate and achievement orientation. Design/methodology/approach: A field survey among 622 service employees (Study 1) and a three-wave field survey of 315 service employees and their managers (Study 2) from various service organizations were conducted. Findings: This study confirms that depersonalization operates as a negative mediator in the relationship between customer incivility and OCB. Simultaneously, resilience emerges as a positive mediator, underscoring the contrasting pathways through which customer incivility affects OCB. Furthermore, a caring climate plays a pivotal role in mitigating the detrimental impact of depersonalization on OCB and weakening the positive impact of resilience on OCB. Additionally, this study identifies achievement orientation as a significant moderator between customer incivility and resilience. Originality/value: This study advances theoretical foundations by investigating depersonalization and resilience as critical mediators in the intricate relationship between customer incivility and OCB. It goes beyond the conventional understanding of customer incivility’s impact by shedding light on the dual roles of a caring climate, demonstrating its potential to alleviate both positive and negative consequences of customer incivility. Moreover, its identification of achievement orientation as a moderator adds a novel dimension to the discourse, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to harness employee resilience in the face of customer incivility.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-03-2023-0099 [Google]
Palakshappa, N., S. Dodds and L. M. Stangl (2024): Understanding sustainable service ecosystems: a meso-level perspective, Journal of Services Marketing, 38(3929), pp.288-300
Purpose: The world continues to grapple with grand challenges – climate change, pandemic, poverty, social injustice and diminishing resources – requiring mitigation if we are to focus on well-being and move towards a more sustainable future. Cultivating sustainable ecosystems offers a possible solution. The purpose of this paper is to understand how sustainable organizations at the meso level can nurture sustainable service ecosystems that provide the potential for greater well-being outcomes for individuals, business, society and the planet. Design/methodology/approach: Case study data is gathered from 11 sustainable fashion organizations operating at the meso level within a complex ecosystem. The analysis includes interviews with founders and/or key managers and secondary information from company websites and publicly available reports. Findings: The findings identify key value co-creation sustainable practices at the meso level that facilitate the function of the service ecosystem to create well-being outcomes. Value co-creation practices include – embedding a sustainable ethos; implementing sustainable strategies that embrace innovation, transparency and stakeholder collaboration; and incorporating sustainable communication practices that engage. Originality/value: Encapsulating sustainability within macromarketing and service ecosystems enables the development of a sustainable service ecosystems framework that has the potential to offer enhanced well-being. Implications for marketing practice in terms of important factors that facilitate service-sustainable ecosystems to enhance well-being are considered.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-02-2023-0054 [Google]
Vilnai-Yavetz, I., S. Gilboa and V. Mitchell (2024): Malls designed for inclusion? Emotional experience of irritating aspects of the mallscape that distance consumers with disabilities, Journal of Services Marketing, 38(3930), pp.344-368
Purpose This study aims to identify the irritating aspects in the mall environment that impact shoppers with disability and explore the opportunities to design inclusive mall environments. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods design was used in which data collected using a survey (n = 1,434 shoppers with and without disability) were analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM) and repeated-measures two-way ANOVA. In addition, qualitative data were obtained from critical incident technique (CIT) stories (n = 521) from shoppers with and without disability. Findings Mall environmental irritants evoke feelings of irritation that mediate the impacts of “inconvenient ambient conditions,” “the annoying socialscape” and “overwhelming design and atmospherics” on decreased mall-visit frequency. Compared with shoppers without disability, shoppers with disability suffer more from these irritating aspects of the mall environment, as evidenced by significantly greater high-activation unpleasant emotions. The “poor access and accessibility” category of irritants mainly affects the mall experiences of shoppers with disability. Practical implications Based on the findings, this study offers spatial-, temporal-, social-, material- and virtual-oriented recommendations for the design of inclusive retail spaces. The authors suggest that people with disability have a unique “lived experience” perspective on retail environments and that solutions should be co-created based on ongoing consultations with shoppers and employees with disability. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study offers the first systematic, comprehensive comparison of the impact of environmental irritants on shoppers with and without disability and extends the literature on irritating aspects of retail environments from individual stores to malls.
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSM-09-2023-0352 [Google]
Dieteren, N. and B. Neuhofer (2024): Transformative Experiences: Exploring the Role of Experience Facilitators, Service Industries Journal, (3931), pp.1-24
This paper presents a theoretical framework, which identifies the roles and competencies a transformative experience facilitator (TEF) requires to guide and contribute to human transformation. A qualitative research design rooted in the tour guide’s Experience Broker framework and phases of memorable tourist experiences was used to conduct 31 in-depth interviews with TEF experts, followed by a thematic template analysis. The analysis revealed a novel theoretical framework of TEFs including their shaping role with seven accesses, further nuanced with nine categories of competencies. This study contributes a transformative experience guiding model for a variety of practitioners, opens a new avenue of research into the providers’ perspective in the field of human transformation, and contributes to a better understanding of the distinct TEF’s role. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2024.2346241 [Google]
Fan, Y., E. Goh, S. M. Isa and S. Yang (2024): 30 years of healthy ageing research in tourism and hospitality: research trends and implications for future research, Service Industries Journal, (3932), pp.1-38
The ageing population research has gained momentum in tourism and hospitality which considers seniors as a marketing force and travelling as part of healthy ageing. This study commissioned the usefulness of bibliometric analysis and thematic content analysis based on the four–stage (identification, screening, eligibility, and study inclusion) PRISMA technique which analysed 333 articles published in 23 reputed tourism and hospitality journals. The bibliometric analysis shed light on the visualisation of the leading authors, outlets, countries/regions and articles of healthy ageing research over 30 years (1989–2023). The thematic content analysis illustrated 7 major themes regarding healthy ageing topic. This study advances the bibliometric methodology by adopting a mixed intellectual structural approach to reduce method bias and enhance objectivity. Findings provide a holistic overview of healthy ageing research, demonstrate the topic’s intellectual development, and detect further promising directions for future research. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2024.2334775 [Google]
Lin, K. J., K. Zhang, S. Chen, H. Ye, X. Li and R. Law (2024): Value formation in AI-integrated service system: review and implications on hospitality and tourism research, Service Industries Journal, (3933), pp.1-22
The ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and other disruptive technologies, has attracted a surge of AI studies. Previous reviews primarily offered a bird’s view of AI research and were somewhat one-sided focusing on AI’s bright sides. Reviews on the networks of resources, process dynamics, and divergent outcomes of this complex system are rare, if any. This review article aims to fill this research gap by deconstructing how value is formed in the AI-integrated service system. Guided by the SPAR-4-SLR protocol and interactive value formation framework, this study reviewed and analyzed state-of-the-art AI studies (i.e. 2019–2023) published in six selected top-tier hospitality and tourism journals. This review makes contributions by outlining the resource orchestration, resource integration practices, and divergent outcomes of value formation in the AI-integrated system in hospitality and tourism. Future research directions and implications were also provided to advance the field. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2024.2346235 [Google]
Rasheed, M. I., S. Saleem, M. Altaf, A. M. W. Leong and F. Okumus (2024): Workplace hazing and employee turnover intention in the hospitality industry: a person-environment fit perspective, Service Industries Journal, (3934), pp.1-30
This research examines how workplace hazing contributes to employee turnover intention through the intervening role of person-environment fit in its two forms, including person-organization fit (P-O fit) and person-job fit (P-J fit). A three-wave survey was executed to collect matched data from 347 employees of 4-star and 5-star hotels in Pakistan. Results reveal that workplace hazing relates positively to hospitality sector employees’ turnover intention. In addition, workplace hazing associates negatively to P-O fit as well as P-J fit, both of which are subsequently related negatively to turnover intention. The findings establish that P-O fit and P-J fit, in parallel mediation, underlie the association between hazing and turnover intention. This study stands out as one of the pioneering research studies examining the impact of hazing on employee turnover intention in the hospitality industry. The underlying mechanism of person-environment fit adds novelty as it is unique against the backdrop of workplace hazing. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2024.2344730 [Google]
Trincado-Munoz, F. J., C. Cordasco and T. Vorley (2024): The dark side of AI in professional services, Service Industries Journal, (3935), pp.1-20
The introduction and widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the professions has the potential to deliver a number of critical public goods, such as widening access to justice and healthcare through AI-powered professional services. Yet, the deployment of AI in the professions does not come without challenges, exemplified by the concerns about explainability, privacy, and human agency. In this paper, we explore how these issues may give rise to dark sides of AI in professional services and illustrate how an uncoordinated process of adoption and deployment can threaten the scope of AI-powered services. In particular, we illustrate how the adoption and deployment of AI in services may undermine the fiduciary duty between clients and professionals that, so far, has safeguarded the relationship between them, creating a ‘market for lemons’ of professional services. We conclude with a reflection on plausible ways forward to facilitate and smooth the transition to AI-powered services. (English)
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2024.2336208 [Google]
Kleinaltenkamp, M. (2023): The Resources–Processes–Outcomes Approach: A Spark That Could Not Escape a Black Hole, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(2), pp. 68-81.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-2-68
In May 1993, Werner H. Engelhardt, Michael Kleinaltenkamp, and Martin Reckenfelderbäumer published the paper “Leistungsbündel als Absatzobjekte – Ein Ansatz zur Überwindung der Dichotomie von Sach- und Dienstleistungen” (Products as Bundles of Processes and Outcomes—An Approach to Overcome the Dichotomy between Goods and Services) in Schmalenbachs Zeitschrift für betriebswirtschaftliche Forschung (ZfbF). This paper laid the foundation for the resources–processes–outcomes (RPO) approach (“Leistungslehre”). To date, the work remains one of the most-cited German-language articles in business research. The current article presents the RPO approach’s basic ideas and essential concepts. Furthermore, this article critically reflects on the approach’s contributions from a current perspective. This discussion includes a comparison with more recently developed ideas about the service-dominant (S-D) logic and the service logic that have addressed related issues like the integration of customer and supplier resources and the connected interactions.
Figl, K., C. Lehrer, J. Helder (2023): App-Device Fit Matters: Understanding User Perceptions of Apps on Smartwatches and Smartphones, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(2), pp. 82-98.
doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-2-82
The smartwatch market is rapidly expanding, with a diverse range of apps now available to users. This study examines users’ perceptions and attitudes toward apps on smartwatches and smartphones. Our experiment revealed that users did not generally perceive apps and the information they provide as more credible, timely, or of higher quality on smartwatches than on smartphones. Instead, the study identified app-device fit as the key factor that influences users’ perceptions. For apps that fit particularly well with smartwatches, such as body-related apps for health and sleep tracking, users rated app credibility, timeliness of data, information quality, and their overall attitude towards using the app higher on the specialized device (i.e., smartwatch) than on smartphones. However, no significant differences were found for sports-related domains, such as hiking and surfing. To optimize user experience, app developers should carefully consider the fit between the app and the device.
Alexander, M., K. Kils (2023): Working with ‘The Passionate Few’: the Indirect Benefits of Actor Engagement in Mundane Service Settings, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(2), pp. 99-111.
doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-2-99
The engagement concept has grown in importance in recent years with firms recognizing and seeking to leverage the latent potential within their customers and finding innovative ways to engage them. However, engagement has, to date, been explored within high contact service settings where benefits are largely dyadic (between firm and customer) or shared (within the customer community). This study contributes to literature on engagement by assessing the potential for engagement in low contact settings, between a firm and minority customer groups to have positive indirect effects on other ‘unengaged’ customers. To do so, we use multi-level modeling within a public transport setting where a firm has invited local community members to ‘adopt’ their local railway stations. We propose that neither a small number of passionate customers, nor low contact, ‘mundane’ service settings, should be an impediment to firms benefiting from engagement.
Kurtz J., C. Zinke-Wehlmann, N. Lugmair, M. Schymanietz, A. Roth (2023): Characterising smart service systems – Revealing the smart value, 7(2), Journal of Service Management Research, pp. 112-128.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-2-112
The increasing use of digital technologies is creating new values, which can be unfold in smart service systems (SSS). Although SSS offer multiple values in products and services, research is still struggling to fully capture the specific values of “smart” as result of digital technologies. Therefore, there is no all-encompassing value understanding of SSS. In our work, we derive values of SSS, especially the “smart” values, by a qualitative analysis of cases in an open coding approach. These cases are identified by a systematic literature review. The derived “smart” values are e.g. increasing system transparency and autonomy, increasing knowledge integration, and enabling ecological savings fostering value in context. The specific values of “smart” in SSS give rise to value in context as a representation of those specific values. In addition, the emergence of derived values in SSS is further illustrated with an SSS value continuum, which presents value in product, value in services, and value in context as characterisation of values in SSS. The derived values and the SSS value continuum developed are intended to promote a better understanding of SSS and its value manifestations, and provide a basis for further research into SSS as a theoretical lens for value co-creation.
Fehrer, J. A., S. L. Vargo (2023): Rethinking service in a circular economy, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(3), pp. 130-146.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-3-130
The circular economy (CE) narrative promotes closed-loop systems to decouple economic activity from resource depletion. However, despite increasing scholarly interest, CE remains theoretically under-explored, often guided by practical issues and theories-in-use, that are implicitly embedded in the industrial paradigm of linear value chain thinking. There is a growing number of CE scholars calling for a ‘Great Reset’ of traditional economic frameworks, suggesting a departure from capitalism. Instead of a reset, this paper proposes a recalibration of assumptions foundational to traditional economic thought and suggests an alternative economic exchange model for CE—a service-dominant (S-D) logic. S-D logic offers a holistic framework of value cocreation and provides guidance to navigate change in complex service ecosystems. The paper demonstrates that S-D logic is not only compatible with the CE narrative but also reconciles the divergent strands of CE research. It concludes by offering strategic considerations to aid firms and entrepreneurs in navigating CE transitions.
Büttgen M., J. Hogreve, F. Zechiel, S. Bartsch, T. Lorz, J. Trischler, J. Westman Trischler, J. Kuusisto, P. Svensson, T. Keiningham, L. Aksoy, B. Porco, T. Hedley, L. A. Statuto, B. F. Dortignacq (2023): Sustainability in Service Research, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(3), pp. 147-173.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-3-147
Within service research, sustainability has emerged as a subject of increasing prominence in recent years, with its foundational roots tracing back to the hospitality context. To provide a comprehensive overview of the various topics of sustainability within the field of service research, we invited a group of renowned scholars from different academic fields to share their view on this emerging topic. In this Special Research Paper, we start with a systematic literature review on the topic of sustainability within the service sector, followed by individual commentaries and conceptual contributions from diverse research groups. These contributions draw upon different theoretical and conceptual perspectives, including managerial implications for service companies, as well as forward-looking recommendations for further research.
Kari, A., T. Schurig, M. Gersch (2023): The Emergence of a New European Data Economy: A Systematic Research Agenda for Health Data Spaces, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(4), pp. 176-198.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-4-176
Data space initiatives, including Gaia-X and the European Health Data Space (EHDS) regulation proposal, aim to establish a decentralized infrastructure for data exchange following European values such as citizen-centricity, transparency, and data sovereignty. European regulators did not only set statutory framework conditions but actively combined technical and regulatory aspects to initiate the co-development of a supranational reference architecture. This frames a novel direction towards a European data economy and is therefore supported with public funding of (research) projects in nine domains, starting with healthcare. Health data spaces represent a transformational endeavor that could fundamentally alter the established platform strategies of dominant organizations. We contribute a systematic research agenda that examines how scholars can harness research opportunities afforded by health data spaces. We propose abduction, action design research, design science research, and behavioral science research as promising approaches to study this phenomenon at different levels of analysis.
Zechiel, F. (2023): Beyond Efficiency and Consistency – Achieving Sustainability through Service-enabled Sufficiency, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(4), pp. 199-212.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-4-199
Sustainability is one of the central topics in service research. The principle of sufficiency is an important driver of sustainability and can inform the development of services. This conceptual paper takes a business actors’ perspective by developing a services for sufficiency framework that integrates different sufficiency categories with relevant categories of resource-intensive goods and goods-related services. It shows how service offerings can promote sufficiency and identifies main clusters of services for sufficiency. This framework offers a starting point for business development and a rapid overview of concrete services for sufficiency.
Marx, E., R. Daudrich, T. Pauli, M. Matzner, D. Beverungen (2023): Standardization as a Catalyst for Extending Resources and Capabilities in Service Systems Engineering: Findings from the omlox case, Journal of Service Management Research, 7(4), pp. 213-231.
https://doi.org/10.5771/2511-8676-2023-4-213
(Smart) service systems have inspired the emergence of a new research area that builds on smart, connected products and networked business models with smart services and brings together various social-science and technological disciplines. However, the factors that lead to successful service systems engineering initiatives have remained under-explored, despite their increasing significance in industry. In particular, the role of standardization is unclear, even though it seems to be central to making smart products interoperable and to establishing innovative (smart) service systems. In an exploratory case study of the standardization initiative omlox, we set out to identify and investigate empirically the effects that standardization can have on engineering (smart) service systems. Our focus is to determine how standardization can assist a company in accessing external resources and capabilities for recombinant service innovation. The results reveal that compliance with a standard enables companies to tap into compatible solutions, data, and knowledge from external stakeholders and that participation in standardization initiatives can be a platform for identifying potential collaboration partners. We conclude that standardization plays a major role in all phases of service systems engineering, from analysis to design and implementation.
