Legitimizing SSME in Academia: Critical Considerations and Essential Actions

Abstract

Legitimizing Services Sciences, Management, and Engineering (SSME) in the global academic community necessitates delineation of the critical considerations and professional actions associated with spawning any new field. For Services Science, the broad set of academic disciplines that may be involved are identified in this paper. A set of seven major actions needed to bring clarity and credibility to those engaged in Services Science are described along with examples from Information Systems, Design, and Strategic Services Management and Sourcing. Academics who are pioneering in this highly inter-disciplinary field may use this paper to plan a course of action that will rapidly advance Services Science both within their specific disciplines and in building the global Services Science academic base.