Short answer

Rethink service marketing and quality frameworks to move beyond product-centric thinking and embrace a service-dominant logic that emphasizes customer interaction and value co-creation.

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences (PEN) (2018)
Method: Literature Review
Evidence: Moderate effect

Traditional service marketing strategies, often derived from product manufacturing perspectives, are fundamentally misaligned with the unique characteristics of services and require a shift towards a service-dominant logic. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2018 study published in Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences (PEN). Using Literature review, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Rethink service marketing and quality frameworks to move beyond product-centric thinking and embrace a service-dominant logic that emphasizes customer interaction and value co-creation.

Study

Innovation & MarketsHigh ImpactModerate effect

Service Marketing Strategies Need a Paradigm Shift from Product-Centric Models

Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences (PEN) · 2018

Key Findings

01The core characteristics of services (inseparability, heterogeneity, intangibility, perishability) are not adequately addressed by strategies derived from product manufacturing.
02Existing service marketing and quality strategies often adopt inappropriate and normative approaches.
03A service-dominant logic offers a more suitable foundation for developing effective service marketing strategies.

Application

Design takeaway

Rethink service marketing and quality frameworks to move beyond product-centric thinking and embrace a service-dominant logic that emphasizes customer interaction and value co-creation.

How to apply

When designing or marketing a service, focus on the customer's experience and their active role in creating value, rather than solely on the features of the service itself.

Project actions

01When researching a service-based design project, consider how the service is delivered and experienced by the user.
02Analyze how customer interaction shapes the perceived value of the service.

Method & Evidence

AimTo critically evaluate existing service marketing and quality strategies and propose a more appropriate approach based on service-dominant logic.

MethodLiterature Review

ProcedureThe authors reviewed existing literature on service marketing, identifying common strategies and their origins in product manufacturing. They then analyzed these strategies against the distinct characteristics of services (inseparability, heterogeneity, intangibility, perishability) and argued for a new framework based on service-dominant logic.

ContextService Marketing and Business Strategy

Variables

IVMarketing strategy origin (product-centric vs. service-dominant logic)

DVEffectiveness of service marketing and quality strategies

CVCharacteristics of services (inseparability, heterogeneity, intangibility, perishability)

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides a critical review of existing service marketing theories.
+Offers a clear theoretical alternative (service-dominant logic).

Limitations

The study is a review, so it relies on the quality and scope of the existing literature. It doesn't provide new empirical evidence.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of this review depends on the comprehensiveness of the literature surveyed. Validity is strengthened by the logical critique of existing models and the proposal of an alternative theoretical framework.

Think critically

To what extent are the proposed 'distinctive features' of services truly unique, and can they be observed in complex product-service systems?

Design Principles

"Value in service exchange is co-created through interaction, not embedded in a tangible offering."

Understanding the inherent differences between products and services is crucial for developing effective marketing and quality strategies. A failure to do so can lead to misallocated resources and ineffective customer engagement.

What This Means for Your Design

Marketing for services is often done using old rules for selling physical products, but services are different. We need new ways to market and ensure quality for services that focus more on the customer and how they are involved.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify a shift in your design approach if your project involves a service component, moving away from product-focused features to user experience and interaction.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The research by Hole, Pawar, and Bhaskar (2018) suggests that traditional service marketing and quality strategies, often derived from product manufacturing paradigms, are inadequate due to the inherent characteristics of services such as intangibility and inseparability. They advocate for a shift towards a service-dominant logic, emphasizing co-creation and customer interaction as the basis for value, which is crucial for informing the design and marketing of service-based solutions.

Source

Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences (PEN)

Service marketing and quality strategies

journal · 2018

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about service marketing strategies need a paradigm shift from product-centric models?: Rethink service marketing and quality frameworks to move beyond product-centric thinking and embrace a service-dominant logic that emphasizes customer interaction and value co-creation. Evidence: Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences (PEN) (2018).
Why does "Service Marketing Strategies Need a Paradigm Shift from Product-Centric Models" matter for design?: Understanding the inherent differences between products and services is crucial for developing effective marketing and quality strategies. A failure to do so can lead to misallocated resources and ineffective customer engagement.
How can designers apply this research?: Rethink service marketing and quality frameworks to move beyond product-centric thinking and embrace a service-dominant logic that emphasizes customer interaction and value co-creation.
What were the main findings?: The core characteristics of services (inseparability, heterogeneity, intangibility, perishability) are not adequately addressed by strategies derived from product manufacturing.. Existing service marketing and quality strategies often adopt inappropriate and normative approaches.. A service-dominant logic offers a more suitable foundation for developing effective service marketing strategies.
What research method was used?: Literature Review.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2018 journal from Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences (PEN).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing or marketing a service, focus on the customer's experience and their active role in creating value, rather than solely on the features of the service itself.
What are the limitations?: The review is based on existing literature and does not present new empirical data.