Topic outline

  • Service Operations Management

    The meetings take place on Wednesday mornings, 09.30 -11.30 in TU6 - 1199. The first meeting is held 17.1.2024.

    The Service Operations Management course focuses on the analysis and design of services and service systems from the perspectives of the productivity and sustainability of service operations. For this purpose, the course develops the knowledge and skills needed to manage and develop operations in a world of advanced services. 

    The course is divided into seven modules, focusing on 1) the fundamentals of the service economy, 2) value creation by service, 3) customer-centric service systems, 4) scalable and efficiently implemented service solutions, 5) networked value creation by socio-technical service ecosystems, and 6) the institutional change of industries toward service-based value creation. Finally, the essay enables the application of what has been learned to the analysis of the selected service system. 

    Module

    Date

    Place

    Session theme (Host/Speaker)

    Article review group

    1: Service economy

    17.1.2024

    TU6

    Key concepts (Risto Rajala)

    No review. Pre-reading articles discussed in the session.

    24.1.2024

    TU6

    Service economy and service production (Paul Lillrank)

    No review. Pre-reading article discussed in the session.

    2: Value creation by service

    31.1.2024

    TU6

    Value propositions (Pekka Töytäri)

    Eggert et al 2018 (Laurila, Leinonen, Nieminen, Rytkönen)

    7.2.2024

    TU6

    Value realization (Tomas Myntti, Konecranes)

    Sandström et al 2008 (Focke, Honkanen, Tilli, Virtanen)

    Macdonald, Wilson, Martinez Toossi 2011 (Kerttula, Komulainen, Tuomisto, Usenius)

    3: Customer-centric service systems

    14.2.2024

    TU6

    Customer experiences in service (Mikko Heiskala)

    You can participate online or on site:

    https://aalto.zoom.us/j/65990270220

    Lemon Verhoef 2016 (Hagelstam, Lindberg, Salmela, Silvestri)

    Zoom Meeting ID: 659 9027 0220

    21.2.2024

    TU6

    NO session (Self-study)
    period III exam week

     

    4: Service solutions

    28.2.2024

    TU6

    Modularity of service solutions (Risto Rajala)

    Cabigiosu et al 2015 (Hyytinen, Korhonen, Minkkinen, Planting)

    6.3.2024

    TU6

    Case session on modularity in services (Risto Rajala)

    Cenamor, Sjödin Parida 2017 (Lehto, Mandlesara, Sedighi Khavidak, Wikström)

    Rajala, Brax, Virtanen Salonen 2019 (Arponen, Mustaniemi, Niiranen, Ruuska)

    5: Service ecosystems

    13.3.2024

    TU6

    Service ecosystems (Esko Hakanen)

    Adner 2017 (Lim, Lindgren, Maqsood, Saarinen)

    20.3.2024

    TU6

    Ecosystem design (Esko Hakanen)

     

    6: Service transformation

    27.3.2024

    TU6

    Service transformation as an institutional change (Jaakko Siltaloppi)

    Bhakoo Choi 2013 (Sjöberg, Toivakka, Vanhamäki, Vepsäläinen)

    3.4.2024

    TU6

    NO session (Spring break)

     

    7: Course essay

    10.4.2024

    TU6

    Industry example of an institutional change toward service-based value creation (Ilmari Veijola, Siemens)

    Course essay clinic to support conducting the course essay in the service context of your choice (Risto Rajala) Essay DL 24.4.2024

     


    Assignments and grading

    • Course essay (40 % of grade): A group project to write an essay on a topic that spans the course content. See instructions on the "MODULE 7: COURSE ESSAY" page. 
    • Learning diaries (20 % of grade)A structured reflection of each module. Done individually. One submission for each module (except for the essay module). See instructions on the "Learning diary instructions" page. 
    • Article review presentation (20 % of grade): A presentation that captures the key content and reviews the day's pre-reading article in groups of 3-4 students. During the first module, answer the "Participation in article review groups questionnaire." The review groups are formed based on your responses to this questionnaire. Review presentations are to be submitted ahead of the lecture. See instructions on the "Article review presentation & discussion." 
    • Discussion of article presentations (10 % of grade): Each participant of the course is expected to take part in the discussion of the presented articles. This activity is reported after each session as part of the participation self-assessment. 
    • Lecture quizzes (10 % of grade)An online questionnaire based on the day's online lecture content and materials. Done individually. See instructions on the pages of the individual modules. 

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