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Learning outcomes

By attending the online course, participants will acquire a conceptual toolbox enabling them to better understand the core concepts of service management and to embrace recent developments in service business. In particular, after having attended the course, participants will be better able to measure and manage (electronic) service excellence, to initiate and lead customer co-creation, to integrate digital technologies in service design and delivery, and to address sustainability and wellbeing aspects in service contexts. Overall, the course aims at providing students with a solid foundation for managing service businesses as well as conducting scientific research in this domain.

Content

The module is designed as an hybrid online course that consists of various forms of independent self-learning and online group work. The course is built around four thematic study packages, incorporating seminal service research articles, case studies, online videos and other material offered by the teacher. In addition, an accompanying text book will provide additional guidance.

The course starts with approaching the emergence of service industry and foundations of service business value creation. Next, to understand evaluation of service excellence, key issues concerning the management and measurement of service performance and customer satisfaction are introduced. After that, we turn our gaze towards the recent developments in the service field. Digital service encounters, ranging from self-service technologies to AI, and service design as a basis of innovation strategy are presented as new fundamentals of service viability in the complex service networks of today. In addition, services are approached from ecosystem perspective and service strategies oriented to environmental and societal impact are discussed.

Teacher

Henriikka Seittu

Study material

Coursebook (optional): Lovelock, C.H., Wirtz, J., & Chew, P (2012). Essentials of services marketing, 2nd edition.

Collection of articles and other material provided by the lecturer.

Online learning environment for the course & Activating Aalto ID

MyCourses online learning environment is a tool for both students and teachers for communication and managing everyday course work. You need an Aalto User ID to log in to the course's MyCourses workspace and participate in teaching. You can activate your Aalto User ID the day after the registration and you should activate it no later than the day before the start of the course. Instructions for activating your Aalto User IDDigital workspace of the course:

More details on completing the course will be available at MyCourses closer to the start of the course.

Workload

6 credits, 160 hours:

• Independent work (Starting assignment & self-study of four thematic study packages) 96 h
• Group work (Lean Service Creation project including online workshop sessions) 64 h

The online course does not include weekly lectures and the students may conduct the independent work part at their own pace, in compliance with the given course deadlines. To successfully complete the group work (Lean service creation project), students are expected to participate on the workshop sessions.

Mandatory workshop sessions are held 11 June at 9:15-11:45 and 18 July at 9:15-11:45.

Prerequisites
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Evaluation

Starting assignment
Individual reflection notes 
Case study report
Group work

Teaching time and location

9.6. - 18.7.2025

Mandatory workshop sessions are held on Wednesday 11 June at 9:15-11:45 and Friday 18 July at 9:15-11:45.
The course can be completed fully online.The online course does not include weekly lectures and the students may conduct the independent work part at their own pace, in compliance with the given course deadlines. To successfully complete the group work (Lean service creation project), students are expected to participate on two mandatory workshop sessions.

Registration and course fee

Registration for Open University courses is done via the link below: 

Registration for this course starts on 17.3.2025 at 9.00  
Registration for this course ends on 2.6.2025 at 23.59

It is not possible to register before the registration period has started or after it has ended.

The course fee is paid upon registration for each course at a time and it is binding. Familiarize yourself with registration and payment rules as well as other guidelines for students:
Registration, payments and rules

If you are an attending degree student at Aalto University, it is possible for you to complete this course for free of charge during summer 2025. Registration is done normally in Sisu. Please make sure that you have the correct course code in your study plan before registering to the course. You can check the course code from the top of this page.
Instructions for course registration (for Aalto degree students)

This course is organized by the Aalto University Open University.

Equivalences to other courses

Service Business Strategy (A23E10000, 23E10000), Technology-driven Service Strategy (MARK-E0010)

Individual study arrangements

If you need individual study arrangements in order to attend a course, contact the Open University in good time, at least 14 days before the start date of the course or the examination date. Further information and instructions for applying  individual study arrangements can be found here:
Individual study arrangements at Open University