Opetussuunnitelmat

Objective

Upon completion of this course students will be able to
• Explain the importance of services design as a distinctive and vital part of success in the current global economy for business.
• Describe the gaps model of services quality and the relationship between customer expectations and customer perceptions of service.
• Develop services design frameworks for understanding customer requirements, building customer relationships, and solving service quality problems.
• Construct and align services design frameworks with customer defined standards.
• Explain the role of management, employees and customers in delivering and performing the service process.
• Identify strategies for alignment of demand and capacity in services business.
• Describe strategies to manage services design promises and the role that pricing plays in services design.

Content

This course introduces the distinctive design of service industries, service as a product, customer service and derived service and their importance in the economy for both profit and non-profit organizations. Included is the introduction of the gaps model of service quality and a detailed explanation of causes of the gaps and introduces strategies to create a sustainable competitive advantage by managing the gaps. Throughout the course, the importance of technology in the delivery and marketing of services is emphasized.

Location and time

Monday 2 June - Wednesday 18 June, 2025
Class times and locations to be advised by your educator.

Oppimateriaali ja suositeltava kirjallisuus

All materials for the course will be available on the course shell on Moodle

Teaching methods

This course introduces professional service industries, their importance to your career, and to the economy for both profit and non-profit organizations. Students will learn the model of services design. The course methodology allows students to work in teams to apply their learning to a service organization of their choice. Students will apply theory to conduct a services design audit of the chosen service organization and make recommendations for improvement. Students using this experiential learning will better understand how a service can develop a sustainable competitive advantage through services design.

The services design course is designed to implement experiential learning. Face-to-face interaction involves, students working in teams to choose a service organization within the Jyvaskyla region and conduct a Services Design audit. The teaching method allows students to work together and learn more about the Finnish business culture through the lens of the Services design model.

Employer connections

Students that successfully understand the Services Design model will acquire skills to allow them to find work in those service industries that heavily rely on the combination of an intangible diverse experience and tangible products. As an example, students in Canada have found broad employment in online services, tourism & hospitality, professional service firms including transportation, management consulting, government services, and the retail services industry.

Exam schedules

There is no exam for this course

International connections

This course is offered as part of the Jamk Summer School in Leadership: A Nordic Experience. It attracts 150 students from around the world and offers excellent international student networking for Finnish student and exchange students.

Vaihtoehtoiset suoritustavat

No

Student workload

The class schedule will be listed on the Course Shell on Moodle on Jamk's website
There is a total of 15 hours of classes.

Further information

The course has the following components which will form the basis for the evaluation.

Applied Project Parts I-VI Final Report (team grade) .6
Applied Project Presentation (individual grade) .3
Class Participation (individual grade) .1
Total 1.0

Student Evaluation Criteria: Each student will be assessed on a grade scale of 1-5 as outlined below.

Adequate 1
Knowledge and Understanding: The student can demonstrate the basic theoretical and conceptual knowledge. Central concepts have been defined vaguely. The student is able demonstrate command of the key concepts of subject area.
Transferable skills: The student ability to communicate in English both in oral and written format is very limited and is not able to prepare and present reports in an effective manner.
Satisfactory 2
Knowledge and Understanding: The student is able to give some evidence on his/her theoretical and conceptual knowledge. Central concepts have been defined partly. The student displays only superficial knowledge of the subject area.
Transferable skills: To a limited extent the student can communicate in English both in oral and written format and is able to prepare and present reports well.
Good 3
Knowledge and Understanding: The student knows the theoretical and conceptual frameworks related to international marketing communications. Central concepts have been defined well. The student displays a good command of the subject area.
Transferable skills: With some assistance, the student can communicate in English both in oral and written format and is able to prepare and present reports adequately.
Very Good 4
Knowledge and Understanding: The student demonstrates solid and right theoretical and conceptual knowledge. Central concepts have been defined with accuracy. The student displays a good command of the subject area.
Transferable skills: The student possesses very good skills in communicating effectively in English both in oral and written format and can prepare and present reports very well.
Excellent 5
Knowledge and Understanding: The student demonstrates his/her theoretical and conceptual knowledge in detail. Central concepts have been defined with precision. The student displays a clear command of the subject area.
Transferable skills: The student possesses advanced skills in communicating effectively in English both in oral and written format and can prepare reports and present them fluently.

Evaluation scale

0-5

Arviointikriteerit, tyydyttävä (1-2)

Fail 0
Knowledge and Understanding: The student is unable to demonstrate the basic theoretical and conceptual knowledge. Central concepts of service design are not understood.
Transferable skills: None. The student in incapable of understanding the basic theory behind service design and has no ability to present is unable to present in writing or orally on the elements of services design.

Inadequate 1
Knowledge and Understanding: The student is able to demonstrate a superficial understanding of theoretical and conceptual knowledge. The comprehension of central concepts of service design remain vague or are largely incomplete. The ability to apply the concepts of services design to business are limited in scope and content.
Transferable skills: Negligible. The student is unable to apply the central concepts of services design to an applied business scenario; and the student has very limited abilities to communicate in English both orally and in written format on the elements of services design.

Arviointikriteerit, hyvä (3-4)

Satisfactory 2
Knowledge and Understanding: The student is able to demonstrate a basic theoretical and conceptual knowledge of services design. The majority of the central concepts of services design can be defined and the student has a rudimentary ability to apply these concepts to service businesses.
Transferable skills: The student understands the basic theory and possesses a limited ability to apply the concepts in a practical manner to service businesses. The student is able to communicate in English both in oral and written format and is able to prepare and present reports with a significant amount of direction.

Good 3
Knowledge and Understanding: The student knows the basic theoretical and conceptual knowledge of services design. Central concepts have been defined with clarity and accuracy The student displays a fairly good command of the subject area and is able to demonstrate basic applications to service businesses.
Transferable skills: The student can explain the theory of services design and with assistance, can apply the theory to services businesses. The student is able to communicate in English both in oral and written format and is able to prepare and present reports with limited amount of direction

Very Good 4
Knowledge and Understanding: The student demonstrates a thorough and consistent theoretical and conceptual knowledge of services design. Central concepts are defined with clarity, accuracy and logic. The student is able to demonstrate complete applications to service businesses.
Transferable skills: The student can explain the theory of services design and with minimal assistance, can apply the theory to services businesses. The student possesses very good skills in communicating effectively in English both in oral and written format and is able to prepare and present reports at a high level of proficiency and with almost no direction.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent 5
Knowledge and Understanding: The student demonstrates an exceptional theoretical and conceptual knowledge of services design. Central concepts are defined with clarity, accuracy, logical and persuasiveness and as well contain innovative content. The student displays a command of the subject area that befits a professional practicing in the service business.
Transferable skills: The student possesses advanced knowledge in services design and can communicating in a superior manner in English both in oral and written format and is able to prepare reports and present reports at a level of proficiency matching a service professional.

Qualifications

An introductory course in marketing.

Further information

Teacher- Professor Dr Blair Baldwin from Okanagan College, Canada