Service Business Management (5 cr)

Learning outcomes

The student is able to
- use planning, analysis and decision-making tools and techniques in strategic planning
- analyze financial statements and business reports and use them as a basis for decisions
- make business decisions in various business contexts
- apply data in decision making

Location and time

Schedule to be confirmed on the first Contact day.
Attendance on the first Contact day is mandatory. By being present at the first contact session the student is ensuring his/hers seat on the course. After the first contact day no new students are accepted on the course.

Materials

Recommened reading:
1. Service Management: An integrated approach
Van Looy, B., Gemmel,P & Van Dierdonck, R. 2013. Essex:Pearson Education Limited.
Chapters 1-7.
2. Wilson et al. (2012): Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm, 2nd ed.
3. Alan Wilson, Valarie A. Zeithaml, Dwayne D. Gremler: Customer Focus Across the Firm (European Edition).
McGraw Hill Education Europe, 2013, (9780077131715 ).

Teaching methods

On-line lectures, Optima- learning space, Assignments. This study unit includes individual work (and working in teams). The Implementation parts can be subject to change and will be defined in the beginning of the course.
Students are themselves responsible for grour forming. The lecturer will not take part into group forming. Inability of a student to join a group will lead to failure in a possible group assignment.

Exam schedules

Attendance on the first Contact day is mandatory. By being present at the first contact session the student is ensuring his/hers seat on the course. Force majeur or an obligatory absence are exceptions, but you need to inform the lecturer at least two days ahead. You will be designated with an reading assignment supplemented with written assignment or equavalent on-line exam. After the first contact day no new students are accepted on the course. Mandatory attendance also on team presentation days. Non-attendance will lead to a reading assignment supplemented with written assignment or equavalent on-line exam.

Students are themselves responsible for grour forming. The lecturer will not take part into group forming. Inability of a student to join a group will lead to failure in a possible group assignment.

Completion alternatives

Completed higher education studies can be accredited based on the degree certificate and transcript of records as studies substituting compulsory core competence or as studies included in complementary degree studies. Certificate-based accreditation of prior learning only applies to degree students.

The content of prior studies is assessed in relation to the learning outcomes of the degree. Studies completed over ten years ago usually cannot be accepted in the degree based on certificates alone. Instead, another demonstration of competence is also required.

As a rule, leadership studies completed during military service can be recognised in a degree offered by a university of applied sciences. Those who have completed the non-commissioned officer course can get studies worth 3 credits accredited and those who have completed the reserve officer course can get studies worth 5 credits accredited in their degree.

https://laureauas.sharepoint.com/sites/linken/studypath/planningofstudies/recognitionofpriorlearning/Pages/default.aspx

Content scheduling

Service business is a vital source of growth and competitiveness for companies in diverse industries. This course discusses the principles of service-based business logic and its implications on transforming and developing offerings and business models, and creating value. Students are engaged to solve practical business cases through applying the newly acquired knowledge.
After the study unit the student is able to:
- use planning, analysis and decision-making tools and techniques in strategic planning
- analyze financial statements and business reports and use them as a basis for decisions
- make business decisions in various business contexts
- apply data in decision making.
- identify Basic Characteristics of Services.
- apply Service Management through the Three Stages of Service -model
- understand Expanded Marketing Mix.
- understand Gap Theory.
The above mentioned goal(s) will be achieved through the content of the study unit and by answering questions like:
How do we define and classify services?
How do they differ from goods?
What are the new services realities?
How can we achieve excellence in services marketing?
How can we improve service quality?
How can goods marketers improve customer support services?
How are services managed?
To reach the learning objective individual/pair/team assignemts are part of the leaning process.

Evaluation scale

H-5