Service Science archive 

About: Service Science archive is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Service (business) & Service design. Over the lifetime, 114 publications have been published receiving 2578 citations.

Value Cocreation and Service Systems (Re)Formation: A Service Ecosystems View

Abstract: This article explores a service-dominant (S-D) logic, service-ecosystems approach to studying value cocreation and the (re)formation of service systems. We outline the central premises of S-D logic and elaborate the concept of a service ecosystem to propose a framework that focuses on resource integration as a central means for connecting people and technology within and among service systems. This ecosystems view emphasizes the social factors that influence, and are influenced by, service-for-service exchange. We draw on systems theory and a structurational model of technology to underscore the importance of networks of actors, as well as institutions---e.g., rules, social norms---as critical components of service systems. We argue that this service-ecosystems framework provides a robust and dynamic approach for studying resource integration, value cocreation, and the (re)formation of service systems, and provides important insights for systematically innovating service.

Smart Service Systems and Viable Service Systems: Applying Systems Theory to Service Science

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to review recent developments in service theory and systems theory with a view to identifying common features between the two. In particular, the study explores the issue of whether so-called 'smart service systems' can be understood in terms of the 'viable systems approach' of systems theory. The paper begins with a review of recent developments in service theory by examining the fundamental principles of service-dominant logic S-D logic and service science SS. The similarities and differences of the two are explored, with particular emphasis on the common feature of the service system. The study then moves to the realm of systems theory by exploring the main proposals of the viable systems approach VSA, which is an interdisciplinary systems theory that includes elements derived from resource-based theory, biology, sociology, and mechanics. The paper then draws together service theory and systems theory by examining whether 'smart service systems' can be best understood in terms of 'viable service systems.' The most important finding of the study is that the VSA provides valuable insights into the design and management of smart service systems, especially with regard to harmonisation, systems governance, and successful value co-creation processes. [Service Science, ISSN 2164-3962 print, ISSN 2164-3970 online, was published by Services Science Global SSG from 2009 to 2011 as issues under ISBN 978-1-4276-2090-3.]

A Brief Review of Systems Theories and Their Managerial Applications

Abstract: [Modified excerpt] Systems theory is an interdisciplinary theory about every system in nature, in society and in many scientific domains as well as a framework with which we can investigate phenomena from a holistic approach. Systems thinking comes from the shift in attention from the part to the whole, considering the observed reality as an integrated and interacting unicuum of phenomena where the individual properties of the single parts become indistinct. In contrast, the relationships between the parts themselves and the events they produce through their interaction become much more important, with the result that system elements are rationally connected towards a shared purpose. The systemic perspective argues that we are not able to fully comprehend a phenomenon simply by breaking it up into elementary parts and then reforming it; we instead need to apply a global vision to underline its functioning. Although we can start from the analysis of the elementary components of a phenomenon, in order to fully comprehend the phenomenon in its entirety we have to observe it also from a higher level: a holistic perspective. [Service Science, ISSN 2164-3962 print, ISSN 2164-3970 online, was published by Services Science Global SSG from 2009 to 2011 as issues under ISBN 978-1-4276-2090-3.]

Understanding Online Hotel Reviews Through Automated Text Analysis

Abstract: Customer reviews submitted at Internet travel portals are an important yet underexplored new resource for obtaining feedback on customer experience for the hospitality industry. These data are often voluminous and unstructured, presenting analytical challenges for traditional tools that were designed for well-structured, quantitative data. We adapt methods from natural language processing and machine learning to illustrate how the hotel industry can leverage this new data source by performing automated evaluation of the quality of writing, sentiment estimation, and topic extraction. By analyzing 5,830 reviews from 57 hotels in Moscow, Russia, we find that i negative reviews tend to focus on a small number of topics, whereas positive reviews tend to touch on a greater number of topics; ii negative sentiment inherent in a review has a larger downward impact than corresponding positive sentiment; and iii negative reviews contain a larger variation in sentiment on average than positive reviews. These insights can be instrumental in helping hotels achieve their strategic, financial, and operational objectives.

Customer Satisfaction as Mediator Between Website Service Quality and Repurchase Intention: An Emerging Economy Case

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to develop a research model to understand the important dimensions of website service quality and its influence on repurchase intention. The study also analyzes the mediating effect of customer satisfaction on repurchase intention. The results of empirical analysis confirmed that website quality can be conceptualized as a composite of navigation, ease of understanding, information usefulness, website design, ease of use, security and privacy, ease of ordering, and customization. Second, website quality positively affects repurchase intention and customer satisfaction. Third, website service quality can affect repurchase intention by enhancing mediators like customer satisfaction, as it has full mediating effect on repurchase intention. This study has developed the instrument dimensions of website service quality in online shopping context. The study has also refined the scale of repurchase intention by including "cash-on-delivery" COD mode of payment as a new dimension to inculcate confidence for online shopping in emerging economies. The online appendix is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.2016.0159 .