Analysis of Service Processes Characteristics across a Range of Enterprises英文文献资料.docVIP

J. Serv. Sci. Management, 2009, 2: 29-35 Published Online March 2009 in SciRes (www.SciRP.org/journal/jssm) Analysis of Service Processes Characteristics across a Range of Enterprises John Maleyeff 1 1 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Hartford Campus. Email: maleyj@ Received November 10 , 2008; revised January 15 , 2009; accepted February 13 , 2009. th th th ABSTRACT The structure of services processes was explored using a database of 168 service processes that existed within a wide range of enterprises. The results indicate that applications within service science are not limited to the service industry and that service processes have many similar characteristics. The similarities exist across industry sectors (i.e., manu- facturing, service), customer types (i.e., internal, external) and enterprise size (large, SME). A few differences exist and their importance is discussed. It is suggested that an important field within the multidisciplinary umbrella of service science is organizational behavior. Keywords: service science, internal services, service marketing 1. Introduction Service delivery dominates activities performed by the workforce in the United States and other developed countries. For example, in July 2008, 79% of the U.S. workforce was employed in a service enterprise that was classified as one of the following: retail, government, education, health services, professional, business services, hospitality, leisure, or other services. The remaining 21% of the U.S. workforce was employed in enterprises clas- sified as farming, manufacturing, construction, or other goods producing [1]. But, of these “goods producing” workers, a significant number are also engaged in service delivery. For example, many workers within manufac- turing enterpri