Product Description

Over 75% of graduates currently find work in the service industries, but there are very few books that deal specifically with the subject of service management.
 
This second edition provides a comprehensive insight into the service management industry and it's importance in today's economies.  The book is based on three central strands of services management: customers, employees and operations.  The final part of the book addresses the issue of performance management and service strategy.

Based on a series of research workshops with academics and practitioners at the Service Management Centre, De Vlerick School of Management, University of Ghent, the authors have produced in-depth case studies and survey research to help students to develop a thorough understanding of the specific challenges and issues of service management today.

Services Management second edition is ideal for Service Management students within a Business or Tourism degree, but also of great interest to operations, management, marketing and general business students.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #398832 in Books
• Published on: 2003-07-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 555 pages

From the Back Cover

Over 75% of graduates currently find work in the service industries, but there are very few books that deal specifically with the subject of service management. This second edition of Services Management: An Integrated Approach provides a comprehensive insight into the service management industry, exploring the nature and importance of services in today’s economies. Van Looy, Gemmel and Van Dierdonk delve into the three central strands of services management; customers, employees, and operations, while maintaining an integrated approach to the processes involved throughout. The final part of the book addresses the issues of performance management and service strategy.

Based on a series of research workshops with academics and practitioners at the Service Management Centre, De Vlerick School of Management, University of Ghent, the authors have produced in-depth case studies and survey research to develop a thorough understanding of the specific challenges and issues of service management today. This second edition retains and builds on the original’s distinctive features:

• real-life examples and short case descriptions
• clear objectives and chapter summaries
• a guiding framework to translate the concepts into practice
• selected reading list

In addition to this, the content has been expanded to reflect industry advances in areas such as I.T., e-commerce and quality.

is an invaluable resource for both students and practitioners who wish to gain an understanding of this wide-ranging subject.

"…well-suited to management modules concerned with any form of service delivery…the book is well-structured, providing a robust academic framework in which the reader can grasp the main theories, principles and issues of service management."

- Mike Taylor, Brighton Business School

Customer Reviews

integrated, nononsense, well-structured, compelling overview
I'm quite new to the world of services management. I have been thinking a lot about amelioration of internal customer service and though I had some intuitive feeling and thoughts, it was hard to realize a well structured paradigm. I was very angry to find such a paradigm to provide a solid basis and proof to settle my intuitive feelings and thoughts. I first read only one chapter of this book, because my girlfriend thought it would interest me. The chapter was so well structured, so well written, with a sound compromise between theory and the real world, that I immediately bought the book. I have been reading many chapters now and I must say the book is quite amazing. It is a collection of the thoughts of some major thinkers in the service management domain. The list of contributors is quite impressive (for a poor Belgian youngster).