Call for Papers for a Special Issue of the Journal of Services Marketing.
“Service Complexities in Latin American Countries”
Co-Guest editors: Barrios A, Del Giudice O & Rosenbaum M
Deadline: 31 March 2025
The purpose of this special issue is to contribute to the current body of services marketing research by identifying unique and distinct services marketing theories, models, and practices in LATAM countries (including Central America and the Caribbean). From a broad perspective, this special issue seeks to uncover how LATAM service organizations effectively promote and differentiate their intangible service offerings, deliver exceptional customer experiences, build long-term relationships with customers, and drive business growth and profitability while minimizing harm to people and the environment. We intend to demonstrate a global south perspective on services marketing and highlight fresh information from LATAM that can be applied to services marketing in other regions of the world.
Previous service research has demonstrated that LATAM has a particular service ecosystem (Bianchi, 2022), which is still dependent on buyer-seller relationships (Reynoso and Cabrera, 2019; Giraldo et al., 2020; Del Giudice et al., 2023; Lopez et al., 2024). Furthermore, LATAM consumers show unique trends in service consumption and acceptance (Bailey et al., 2022; Barrios et al., 2023). To thrive in these LATAM nations, organizations must examine, adapt, and incorporate LATAM principles and practices into their service models (Jara-Bertin et al., 2014, Mas-Tur et al., 2015). Yet, what are these principles and practices? Lastly, public policies are required to capitalize on competitive advantages and remove the barriers that impede the growth of LATAM service ecosystems (López et al., 2014), while ensuring that biodiversity and sustainability in the region are not disregarded.
Currently, the services sector is an especially strong economic force throughout all Latin American (LATAM) countries, accounting for more than 71% of GDP (WB 2024) and 67% of employment (ILO 2020). The region’s service sectors are distinct, and typical theoretical frameworks and conceptual models generated elsewhere may not apply to LATAM. Furthermore, the region’s difficulties have hampered the expansion of service industries, including significant underemployment and unemployment, informal/grey markets, corruption, terrorism, technological skill gaps, gender imbalances, discrimination, and vulnerability to climate change (WB 2024). This special issue therefore corresponds to the seven SDG service research themes identified in the JSM SDG special issue (Volume 38, Issue 2, 2024). Authors are encouraged to base their contributions on the relevant service theme from this special issue.
Proposed topics for this special issue dedicated to Services Marketing in Latin America include digital transformation, unique characteristics, customer experience, and best practices. Some key topics include:
- Unique characteristics of services marketing in Latin America
- Digital transformation of services (service design, system, processes) marketing in Latin America
- Customer experience, customer success, relationship ship marketing and business outcomes in LATAM contexts
- Best practice examples of services marketing in Latin America
- Voices from the global south – what matters in services marketing (bottom-of-the-pyramid to the luxury)?
- The relationship between front-line employees, decent work, and outcomes
- Service side-hustles in Latin America (black/grey markets in LATAM)
- Ethical and responsible services marketing practices in LATAM
- Service thinking practices in Latin America – a global south perspective
- Service marketing for the benefit of people and planet
- Regulatory compliance and governance for services marketing
- Consumer protection and rights in services marketing
- Controversial services marketing topics in Latin America
- Case studies
Key deadlines
– Informational workshop (non-mandatory): 25/11/24 at 5pm (GTM -5)
– Opening date for manuscripts submissions: 01/01/2025
– Closing date for manuscripts submission: 31/03/2025
Questions about the special issue, please email: andr-bar@uniandes.edu.co
