Course syllabus

Service Management (TEK 590) -- 2024

7.5 he credits Study period 2

 

Syllabus -- version 21 October 2024

Can be subject to minor amendments

 

Examiner: Árni Halldórsson, arni.halldorsson@chalmers.se

Lecturers: Árni Halldórsson (Professor), Sanne Ollila (Professor), Siri Jagstedt (PhD, lecturer), Carolin Behrens (PhD student), guest speakers from industry (automotive, batteries, management consulting, energy).

 

Course admin contact: carolin.behrens@chalmers.se

Homepage: Canvas -- https://chalmers.instructure.com/

Teaching language: English

 

Background and aim

Services have increasingly become a key part of value propositions in a range of private and public sector organisations; this relates both to enhancement of current business models and service innovations. The principles supporting this development can to some extent build further on product-centered logics and frameworks, but new principles are needed to navigate activities that range from service innovation/design, service sourcing/delivery and service improvement. Further, these activities do not take place within the boundaries of the individual organisation, rather, services, and subsequent customer satisfaction, is a result of a co-created activity among different actors, e.g. suppliers, their customers, and end-users. On the backdrop of this, the aim of this course is to provide students with appreciation of service growth and servitization in general, and particular an understanding of key principles, frameworks and theories of developing, delivering and improving services in contemporary organisations, and in their wider service networks.

 

Learning outcomes

1. Having successfully completed the course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of principles and practice of service management in contemporary organisations in general, and in particular to:
2. Describe and elaborate upon the role and importance of services in contemporary organisations in various sectors
3. Describe and explain concepts and assumptions on which service management is based
4. Identify and evaluate relevant established and emerging principles, frameworks and theories in service management (covering service innovation/design, sourcing/delivery and improvement)
5. Appreciate how societal challenges (e.g. digitalization and sustainability) as well as technological development affects, and is affected by, service management.
6. Analyse managerial challenges, and provide a structured solution to these, with clear implications for relevant stakeholders
7. Appreciate the role of technology as enabler in service management

 

Content -- the course focuses on six key themes

1. Role and relevance of service management in contemporary organisations, driving forces of increased servitization, and sustainability of services.
2. Service innovation
3. Sourcing strategies and -deliveries in service networks
4. Service technology
5. Customer touchpoints and end-user involvement
6. Organization and professional services

Game changers include but are not limited to: Digitalization and connectivity; Battery as a service; Circularity as a Service; New revenue touchpoints and how to involve the supplier base / ecosystem?!

 

Literature

• Academic journal articles, handouts (slides) from lectures, seminar and Action Labs, and other relevant practice- oriented material.
• The ‘Core reading’ referred to below and handouts (slides) from lectures, seminar and Aciton Labs are subject to examination.
• ‘Suggested further reading’ is not part of the examination:
  • Academic articles
  • Selected pages or chapters from: Wirtz, J., & Lovelock, C. (2022). Services marketing: People, technology, strategy(9th ed.). World Scientific Publishing.

 

Teaching and learning activities

Lectures, guest lectures, group work, hand-in assignments, seminars, action labs and a learning log.

 

The course will be delivered as a series of presentations and discussion sessions of theoretical concepts, their implications for managers and application in various contexts. Students are expected to read material and make themselves familiar with key concepts prior to the particular lecture, and prepare for discussions of theoretical concepts and their applicability in a particular situation.

 

Examination and assessment

Written and oral examination. Grading: Not Passed, 3 (equal or more than 40%), 4 (equal or more than 60%), 5 (equal or more than 80%). Course examinations in total correspond to 100 points.

 

All compulsory course elements must be completed and passed to pass the course overall. Group members must contribute equally to group work in order to receive the same grade. If illness prevents participation in any compulsory part of the course, please contact the examiner or course administrator via email to arrange a complementary task. Absence from compulsory activities not due to illness will not automatically result in a complementary assignment. Such exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis and will only be graded as pass/fail. To be eligible for the final examination, all compulsory elements (except for the learning log submission, due after the exam) must be passed.

Compulsory elements

• Written work and presentations/discussions:
  • Action Lab I: 0 or 2 points (individual)
  • Action lab II: 0-20 points (group work)
  • Action lab III: 0-20 points (group work)
  • Seminar 1: Servitization and organization: 0-10 points (group work)
• Written work: Individual learning log: 0-4 points (individual)
• Individual oral examination (Will be announced on the course website, and discussed in the first lecture): 0-42 points (individual)

Guidelines for seminar and Action Labs

Detailed instructions are handed out on Canvas in due course.

 

Guidelines for learning log

The learning log is a reflective paper that aims to engage you in the process of self-evaluation where you identify your goals and development through the course as well as your strengths, weaknesses and personal interests. Emphasis should be put on reflecting upon your learning.

Objective:

• Self-assessment and reflection of own learning relative to your interests and future career plans.
• Make a personal sense of selected topics in the course
• Reflective and personal. Academically rigorous.
• Length: max 500 words + a diagram/figure.

Task:

In relation to the course content, you should refer to concepts, ideas and thoughts put forward in the class discussion and the reading material. You do not have to refer to the literature or other material: this is your personal paper! The reflective paper should be structured around each of the four questions:

1. What did you learn about yourself?
2. What may you as a professional within service management want to do differently?
3. Do you view service management in a new or different way?
4. Have you developed new appreciations? New skepticism?

 

Format:

• Name
• Title of reflection
• Body of text
• At least one figure/diagram/table that summarises your key ideas.
• Submission: No later than Monday 23 December at 12.00 noon.

 

Course schedule Fall 2024 will be published in "Files" and sub-folder "Syllabus" in due course.