Course syllabus for Service management

Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-19 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameLedning och förbättring av tjänsteverksamhet
  • CodeTEK590
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPMEI
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyIndustrial Engineering and Management
  • DepartmentTECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 26121
  • Maximum participants40 (at least 10% of the seats are reserved for exchange students)
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0117 Examination 7.5 c
Grading: TH		0 c7.5 c0 c0 c0 c0 c
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Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

General prerequisites for masters¿ programs within Industrial Engineering and Management

Aim

Services have increasingly become a key part of value propositions in a range of private and public sector organisations; this relates both to enhancement of current business models and service innovations. The principles supporting this development can to some extent build further on product-centred logics and frameworks, but new principles are needed to navigate activities that range from service innovation/design, service sourcing/delivery and service improvement. Further, these activities do not take place within the boundaries of the individual organisation, rather, services, and subsequent customer satisfaction, is a result of a co-created activity among different actors, e.g. suppliers, their customers, and end-users. On the backdrop of this, the aim of this course is to provide students with appreciation of service growth and servitization in general, and particular an understanding of key principles, frameworks and theories of developing, delivering and improving services in contemporary organisations, and in their wider service networks.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Having successfully completed the course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of principles and practice of service management in contemporary organisations in general, and in particular to:
- Describe and elaborate upon the role and importance of services in contemporary organisations in various sectors
- Describe and explain concepts and assumptions on which service management is based
- Identify and evaluate relevant established and emerging principles, frameworks and theories in service management (covering service innovation/design, sourcing/delivery and improvement )
- Appreciate how societal challenges (e.g. digitalization and sustainability) as well as technological development affects, and is affected by, service management.
- Analyse managerial challenges, and provide a structured solution to these, with clear implications for relevant stakeholders
- Appreciate how digital services and technology-driven transformation of product-service systems improve and enable new ways of creating value for customers and end-users

Content

The course focuses on five key themes:
1. Role and relevance of service management in contemporary organisations, driving forces of servitization, and sustainability of services.
2. Types of customer offerings (e.g. basic services and smart solutions)
3. Service innovation and design; and the role of technology as an enabler of service innovations
4. Sourcing strategies and customer interactions in service networks and value chains
5. Service improvement and service quality

Organisation

The course consists of lectures, guest lectures, group work, hand-in assignments, seminars, and a learning log.

Literature

Academic journal articles and other relevant practice-oriented material.

Examination including compulsory elements

Written and oral examination, case work, seminars and guest lectures.

All individual elements of the course must be passed to pass the course overall.


Normally, all examined activities take place within the taught part of the course.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.