Moving Forward and Making a Difference: Research Priorities for the Science of Service

Amy L. Ostrom, Arizona State University
Mary Jo Bitner, Arizona State University
Stephen W. Brown, Arizona State University
Kevin A. Burkhard, Arizona State University
Michael Goul, Arizona State University
Vicki Smith-Daniels, Arizona State University
Haluk Demirkan, Arizona State University
Elliot Rabinovich, Arizona State University

Given the significant, sustained growth in services experienced worldwide, Arizona State University’s Center for Services Leadership embarked on an 18-month effort to identify and articulate a set of global, interdisciplinary research priorities focused on the science of service. Diverse participation from academics in a variety of disciplines working in institutions around the world—in collaboration with business executives who lead organizations ranging from small startups to Global 1000 companies—formed the basis for development of the priorities. The process led to the identification of 10 overarching research priorities. In addition, for each priority, several important and more specific topic areas for service research emerged from the process. The intent is that the priorities will spur service research by shedding light on the areas of greatest value and potential return to academia, business, and government. Through academic, business, and government collaboration, we can enhance our understanding of service and create new knowledge to help tackle the most important opportunities and challenges we face today.

This article appeared in Journal of Service Research, “Moving Forward and Making a Difference: Research Priorities for the Science of Service,” 13 (1), 4-36.