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Operating without operations: how is technology changing the role of the firm?

Operating without operations: how is technology changing the role of the firm? The purpose of this paper is to analyze the history and future of service operations, with the goal to identify key theoretical and technological advances, as well as fundamental themes that can help to imagine the future of service operations in 2050.Design/methodology/approachA review of the service operations literature was undertaken to inform a discussion regarding the role that technology will play in the future of service operations.FindingsThe future of service operations is framed in terms of three key themes – complexity, orchestration, and elasticity. The paper makes three contributions to the service science literature by: reviewing key themes underpinning extant service operations research to frame future trajectories of service operations research; elaborating a vision of service operations in 2050 based on history and technology; and outlining a research agenda for future service operations.Practical implicationsThe case of service automation is used to provide an illustration of how the three themes converge to define future service operations, and in particular, to show how technology is recasting the role of the firm.Originality/valueService operations in the next 30 years will be very different from what it was in the past 30 years. This paper differs from other review papers by identifying three key themes that will characterize and instill new insights into the future of service operations research. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Service Management Emerald Publishing

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References (167)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
1757-5818
DOI
10.1108/josm-05-2018-0127
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the history and future of service operations, with the goal to identify key theoretical and technological advances, as well as fundamental themes that can help to imagine the future of service operations in 2050.Design/methodology/approachA review of the service operations literature was undertaken to inform a discussion regarding the role that technology will play in the future of service operations.FindingsThe future of service operations is framed in terms of three key themes – complexity, orchestration, and elasticity. The paper makes three contributions to the service science literature by: reviewing key themes underpinning extant service operations research to frame future trajectories of service operations research; elaborating a vision of service operations in 2050 based on history and technology; and outlining a research agenda for future service operations.Practical implicationsThe case of service automation is used to provide an illustration of how the three themes converge to define future service operations, and in particular, to show how technology is recasting the role of the firm.Originality/valueService operations in the next 30 years will be very different from what it was in the past 30 years. This paper differs from other review papers by identifying three key themes that will characterize and instill new insights into the future of service operations research.

Journal

Journal of Service ManagementEmerald Publishing

Published: Nov 8, 2018

Keywords: Technology; Operations management; Service operations; Operations strategy; Service systems

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