Service System (glossary)

A dynamic configuration of resources (people, technology, organizations and shared information) that creates and delivers value between the provider and the customer through services. (IfM NS IBM 2008)

Source(s)

IfM and IBM. 2008. "Succeeding through Service Innovation: A Service Perspective for Education, Research, Business and Government." University of Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing. Cambridge, UK. cited by Spohrer, J. and P. Maglio. 2010. "Service Science: Toward a Smarter Planet." In "Introduction to Service Engineering". Ed. G Salvendy and W Karwowski. 3-30. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Discussion

This dynamic configuration is illustrated in the system coupling diagram (Lawson 2010) where a situation (need for a service) is met by (interacts with) a respondent system (service system) based upon the use of system assets.

A service system can also be thought of as a collection of entities that performs the operations, administration, management and provisioning (OAM&P) of resources that together provide the opportunity to co-create value by both the service provider and the service consumer.

The Cambridge white paper defines a service system in this manner (IfM and IBM 2008).

• Service systems are dynamic configurations of resources (people, technology, organisations and shared information) that can create and deliver service while balancing risk-taking and value co-creation. The dynamics are in part due to the ongoing adjustments and negotiations that occur in all systems involving people. People are the ultimate arbiters of value and risk in service systems (in part because people are legal entities with rights and responsibilities). Service systems are complex adaptive systems.

IfM and IBM. 2008. "Succeeding through service innovation: A service perspective for education, research, business and government." University of Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing. Cambridge, UK. cited by Spohrer, J. and P. Maglio. 2010. "Service Science: Toward a Smarter Planet." In "Introduction to Service Engineering". Ed. G Salvendy and W Karwowski. 3-30. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Lawson, H. 2010. A Journey Through the Systems Landscape. London, UK: College Publications, Kings College.

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