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2014/2015  BA-BSSIO1206U  Service Economics: Service and Innovation

English Title
Service Economics: Service and Innovation

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Quarter
Course period Second Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc in Service Management
Course coordinator
  • Ana Maria Munar - Department of International Economics and Management (INT)
Main academic disciplines
  • Experience economy and service management
Last updated on 15-08-2014
Learning objectives
  • Explain concepts and theories about the nature and role of services in the economy
  • Apply the different economic theories with special focus on the management conditions of service firms.
  • Provide a critical analysis of the characteristics of a service operation and present solutions to management problems.
  • Critically discuss the competitive environment of services and apply theoretical frameworks to examine the competitiveness of service firms.
  • Examine service design, innovation processes and quality management in services applying theoretical models and new service development tools.
  • Work in teams and apply academic knowledge to practical cases in services
Course prerequisites
Students not enrolled in BSc in Business Administration & Service Management must document a level in English equal to TOEFL 575, and A level in mathematics equal to Danish level B
Examination
Service Economics: Service and Innovation:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance.
Individual or group exam Group exam, max. 3 students in the group
The group size should be max. 2 - 3 students
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Project
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Preparation time No preparation
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Winter Term
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure
The final exam is a 72-hour group project. The individual oral exam takes its point of departure in the group project, but also natural relations to theory and models from syllabus. The individual assessment is based on a combined evaluation of the written group project and the individual oral exam.
Course content and structure

Course aim: Service industries play a central role in the world economy. This course aims to provide students with economic and business theories, analytical tools and practical methods to understand the specific characteristics and conditions of the service economy and to provide solutions to improve the management of service firms.

Course content: The course consists of different knowledge areas of the service economy: the economic role and specific characteristics of services, the design of the service enterprise and the managing of services. The first part of the course focuses on understanding services’ characteristics, their relation to economic evolution and it discusses competition and strategy issues in services. The second part focuses on theories, tools and methods for designing the service firm and deals with the areas of innovation, quality and new service development. The third part introduces strategies for process improvement and facility and location considerations relevant to the management of service firms. The final part analyses models and methods to manage capacity and demand, capacity planning and queuing systems. The different theories and tools are applied using interactive exercises and practical case studies of (1) service innovation, (2) tourism and hospitality, and (3) culture and the arts.

Teaching methods
The course comprises of lectures and structured class activities. In the lectures the different theories and models are presented using cases of the service industries and interactive exercises. The course involves the preparation of a case in one of the following specializations (1) service innovation, (2) tourism and hospitality, and (3) culture and the arts. Students work in teams, choose a problem statement related to the management of a service corporation of their specialization and present their case analysis in class. There will be a peer evaluation of the cases. Guidelines for the development of the case will be introduced as a preparation for the student activities.
Student workload
Classes 30 hours
Cases workshop 6 hours
Preparation for class 85 hours
Home assignment 14 hours
Exam 72 hours
Expected literature

Fitzsimmons, James A. & Fitzsimmons, Mona J. (2008) Service Management – Operations, Strategy, Information Technology, 6th edition. McGraw-Hill, Boston.

Fitzsimmons, James A. & Fitzsimmons, Mona J., eds. (2002), New Service Development – Creating Memorable Experiences, Sage Publications, London.

Please note, minor changes may occur. The teacher will upload the final reading list to LEARN two weeks before the course starts.

Last updated on 15-08-2014