Information-Driven Framework for Collaborative Business Service Modelling

Service Science, Management and Engineering

The service economy refers to the service sector, which has become the most important economic sector, surpassing traditional sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing (Lusch et al., 2008). As the dominant role of the service sector has become obvious, there is a need for a new science of service systems, which aims to increase service innovation by applying scientific understanding, engineering discipline and management practices to understanding and working with service systems (Maglio et al., 2008).

Service Science, Management, and Engineering (SSME) is a term used to describe service science as a trans-disciplinary approach to the study, design, and implementation of service systems (Spohrer et al., 2007; Maglio et al., 2008). SSME is comprised of three elements: science, management and engineering. The science component deals with the structure of service systems and clarifies the process of service creation and the application of competencies in an economic entity for the benefit of other entities. The management component concerns techniques to improve business services through effective management. The engineering component covers the invention of new technologies to improve the quality of existing business services and create new, innovative ones.