Developing a science of services and systems

摘要

Manufactured products and manufacturing processes have benefited hugely from the application of scientific methods to their development and production. In contrast, service development is often treated as a black art, outside the scope of a scientific approach. Services now account for more than 75 per cent of both employment and GDP in developed economies. Services differ in a number of ways from manufactured goods. In particular, services are intangible, they often need to be adapted to meet individual needs (so there is a strong element of end-user involvement in their delivery) and they are consumed in real-time; a service is indistinguishable from the service delivery system. Yet most management theory and business models are based on manufacturing. A growing number of companies and universities across the world are interested in developing a science of services and service systems. It is expected that the development of a more scientific approach to service development and delivery will result in new and better services, increased service quality and reduced costs. Because the subject is at an early stage basic issues such as what should be its core concerns are still under debate This paper is an introduction to services and systems science. The aim is to discuss why a science of service systems is needed, outline its potential benefits and to contribute to the ongoing debate on the content and nature of this new field of study.