Study Guide

Objective

You can identify future phenomena related to service processes.
You can analyze future challenges and their effects on service processes.
You can think of practical solutions to future challenges of service processes.

Content

How to search for and interpret foresight information on the future service processes?
How will service processes change in the future?
How will technology change service processes?
The course involves a practical project with a case company or organization (3 ECTS credits).

Materials

The actual learning material to be studied can be found in the online learning environment Learn and it is also possible to study it independently as distance learning,

Teaching methods

This case course addresses the design and management of effective and efficient systems for proper conveyance of services. Customers expect and demand timely and correct deliveries, reliable logistical information, competitive prices, quick response to service calls, as well as friendly and collaborative behavior. Services require a "co-production" activity to take place through the involvement of both the customer and the service-provider in a significant part of realization of any service. Hence, service systems should be designed with careful consideration given to such unique characteristics that services have quality, economy and satisfaction. In this connection, behavioral/psychological, quantitative, physical, physiological, technological, as well as evolutionary perspectives will be explored towards developing a clear understanding of service operations.

Employer connections

The project could be done using material collected at the work place of the student or any “live” company example that students have access to or alternately, could be research based. Eg. you could consider a well-known company where there is a lot of information available in the public domain.

Student workload

The course is 5 ECTS.

Content scheduling

It is possible to complete the course entirely online. Students could plan and design a practical “real world” application project. Preliminary ideas will be given on the Learn course page. The project are to be presented to the class at the end of the course.

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment methods and criteria

Students can
- use professional vocabulary and concepts in different situations.
- evaluate information sources critically.
- work as team members in working life expert duties and identify and describe the problems of the professional field.
- evaluate operations in customer, user and target group situations.
choose appropriate models, methods, software and techniques according to the purpose and justify these choices.
- apply critically the ethical principles of the professional field in different situations.