| Abstract: | This paper presents a personal perspective on the history, current research, and emerging topics in the field of Service Operations Management. I see research in the field evolving from a focus on classifications and operations research models in the 1970s and 1980s, to a current focus on laboratory studies, and survey- and case-based research. Selected current research is presented under the following headings: Service encounter design, service quality, drivers of service competitiveness, yield management, and the information revolution and the globalization of services. Examples of creativity in service delivery and some whimsical characteristics of service junkies are also presented. |
