Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the history and future of service operations, with the goal to identify key theoretical and technological advances, as well as fundamental themes that can help to imagine the future of service operations in 2050.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of the service operations literature was undertaken to inform a discussion regarding the role that technology will play in the future of service operations.
Findings
The future of service operations is framed in terms of three key themes – complexity, orchestration, and elasticity. The paper makes three contributions to the service science literature by: reviewing key themes underpinning extant service operations research to frame future trajectories of service operations research; elaborating a vision of service operations in 2050 based on history and technology; and outlining a research agenda for future service operations.
Practical implications
The case of service automation is used to provide an illustration of how the three themes converge to define future service operations, and in particular, to show how technology is recasting the role of the firm.
Originality/value
Service operations in the next 30 years will be very different from what it was in the past 30 years. This paper differs from other review papers by identifying three key themes that will characterize and instill new insights into the future of service operations research.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the history and future of service operations, with the goal to identify key theoretical and technological advances, as well as fundamental themes that can help to imagine the future of service operations in 2050.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of the service operations literature was undertaken to inform a discussion regarding the role that technology will play in the future of service operations.
Findings
The future of service operations is framed in terms of three key themes – complexity, orchestration, and elasticity. The paper makes three contributions to the service science literature by: reviewing key themes underpinning extant service operations research to frame future trajectories of service operations research; elaborating a vision of service operations in 2050 based on history and technology; and outlining a research agenda for future service operations.
Practical implications
The case of service automation is used to provide an illustration of how the three themes converge to define future service operations, and in particular, to show how technology is recasting the role of the firm.
Originality/value
Service operations in the next 30 years will be very different from what it was in the past 30 years. This paper differs from other review papers by identifying three key themes that will characterize and instill new insights into the future of service operations research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Peer-reviewed scientific journal | Journal of Service Management |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Pages (from-to) | 809-833 |
| Number of pages | 25 |
| ISSN | 1757-5818 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article - refereed |
Keywords
- 512 Business and Management
- Technology
- Operations management
- Service operations
- Operations strategy
- Service systems