Service Ecosystem Design: Propositions, Process Model, and Future Research Agenda

Abstract

While service design has been highlighted as a promising approach for driving innovation, there are often struggles in realizing lasting change in practice. The issues with long-term implementation reveal a reductionist view of service design that ignores the institutional arrangements and other interdependencies that influence design efforts within multi-actor service systems. The purpose of this article is to build a systemic understanding of service design to inform actors’ efforts aimed at intentional, long-term change in service systems. To achieve this aim, we inform the conceptual building blocks of service design by applying service-dominant logic’s service ecosystems perspective. Through this process, we develop four core propositions and a multilevel process model of service ecosystem design. The conceptualization of service ecosystem design advances service design theory by illuminating previously taken for granted aspects; explaining how intentional, long-term change emerges; and expanding the scope of service design beyond projects. Furthermore, this research offers a foundation for future research on service design that involves extending the systemic conceptualization of service design, conducting more holistic empirical investigations, and developing practical methods and approaches for the embedded, collective processes of designing.

New development: ‘Appreciate–Engage–Facilitate’—The role of public managers in value creation in public service ecosystems

“…A core element of this reorientation is the service ecosystem. This situates value creation not as the purview of individual service firms, or even networks of such firms but, rather as occurring within complex and interactive service ecosystems, comprising the key actors and processes of value creation, as well as societal institutional values and rules (Vink et al, 2020).…”

ActS – Service design based on human activity sets

“…These methods offer different ways to map the complex system of actors and technologies (and the links between them) involved in enabling a service. More recently, inspired by the service ecosystem concept (Vargo and Lusch, 2016), service design methods have also included the institutional arrangements that guide value co-creation between actors (Vink et al, 2019(Vink et al, , 2021.…”

Co-creating dementia care: manoeuvring fractured reflexivity in service design

“…This issue, we argue, requires a more refined understanding of vulnerability than what is covered in the consumer vulnerability concept (Baker et al , 2005). We contribute to this refinement by linking vulnerability to theories on reflexivity modes (Archer, 2007) since reflexivity is seen as paramount to service design (Vink, 2019; Vink et al , 2021; Wetter-Edman et al , 2018).…”