This thesis aims at looking into the reactions and discussions regarding the proposed service-dominant logic (S-D logic) in more detail. Seven years after the initial publication in the Journal of Marketing, no comprehensive overview of the existing literature has yet been made. How did long-established scholars respond to the suggestions and findings of Vargo and Lusch? Was it rather positive or negative? What needs to be done in the future in order to actually implement a service-centered thinking? In the following chapters, I will introduce the basic ideas of S-D logic, followed by a detailed state-of-literature to capture the various publications that arose from the initial Vargo and Lusch article. The vast majority of marketing research (one could name it “mainstream” marketing research) is concerned with consumer, or B2C, marketing. But what about business-to-business relationships? It is interesting to figure out whether the concepts of a service-dominant logic display similarities with concepts of B2B marketing and whether they could successfully be adopted in B2B markets. This is what I am going to examine in the last part of this thesis.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Relevance of the Thesis
1.2 Objectives and Delimitations of the Thesis
1.3 Structure of the Thesis
2 The Service-Dominant Logic of Marketing
2.1 Special Characteristics of Services (IHIP)
2.2 How Current Research Challenges the Validity of an IHIP Paradigm
2.3 The New Dominant Logic According to Vargo and Lusch
3 State-of-Literature
3.1 Literature on Services Marketing prior to Vargo and Lusch
3.2 Dialog and Debate on Service-Dominant Logic
3.2.1 Critique on Vargo and Lusch’s New Dominant Logic
3.2.2 Implications for Marketing Practice and Research
3.3 Reactions and Refinements by Vargo and Lusch
4 Similarities with Business-to-Business Marketing
4.1 The Nature of Business Markets
4.2 Similarities of Business Markets with a Service-Dominant Logic
5 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This thesis examines the paradigm shift towards Service-Dominant (S-D) logic as proposed by Vargo and Lusch. It aims to provide a comprehensive literature review of the reactions, critiques, and developments surrounding this framework, while specifically investigating the parallels between S-D logic and Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing practices.
- The theoretical transition from a goods-dominant to a service-dominant logic.
- Critical academic discourse and responses to Vargo and Lusch’s Foundational Premises.
- The role of co-creation and customer value in modern marketing theory.
- The application of S-D logic concepts within B2B relationships and solution selling.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Special Characteristics of Services (IHIP)
Most authors of the augmenting literature on services marketing agree upon one matter: there are characteristics inherent in services which make their marketing unique. Although some scholars may only mention two or three, the prevailing opinion names intangibility, heterogeneity, inseparability of production and consumption, and perishability (IHIP) as attributes which distinguish services from tangible goods. Table 1 shows a summary of the unique characteristics of services and their implications for marketing.
Intangibility is universally cited as the fundamental difference. Because of their performance nature, services cannot be seen, felt, tasted, or touched like goods (Zeithaml, Parasuraman, and Berry 1985). The resulting challenges for marketers can be described as follows: since intangible services cannot be inventoried, it is difficult to manage fluctuations in demand. Furthermore, most services cannot be patented and are consequently easy to copy for competitors. Finally, it is hardly possible to determine the costs of production for one “unit” of service. Therefore, the pricing of services poses a challenge for service enterprises (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Defines the paradigm shift in marketing, highlighting the significance of Vargo and Lusch’s work and outlining the thesis structure.
2 The Service-Dominant Logic of Marketing: Details the traditional IHIP characteristics and introduces the foundational concepts of Vargo and Lusch’s service-centric approach.
3 State-of-Literature: Provides a chronological overview of literature preceding 2004, followed by a summary of the academic debate and the authors' subsequent refinements.
4 Similarities with Business-to-Business Marketing: Analyzes the intersections between B2B market features, such as collaborative relationships and solution-selling, and the principles of S-D logic.
5 Conclusion: Summarizes the current academic standing of S-D logic and suggests directions for future empirical research in practical settings.
Keywords
Service-Dominant Logic, S-D logic, Marketing Paradigm, Goods-Dominant Logic, Co-creation, Value-in-use, IHIP, B2B Marketing, Foundational Premises, Customer Value, Service Systems, Resource Integration, Relationship Marketing, Service Science, Solution Selling
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis explores the Service-Dominant (S-D) logic as a new marketing paradigm, reviewing its academic reception and its conceptual alignment with B2B marketing practices.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the critique of the traditional goods-dominant model, the evolution of S-D logic through Foundational Premises, and the integration of customers as co-creators of value.
What is the main objective of the study?
The primary goal is to provide a comprehensive literature review of the academic discourse initiated by Vargo and Lusch in 2004 and to evaluate whether S-D logic shares common ground with B2B marketing.
Which research methodology is applied?
The study employs a qualitative, chronological literature review, synthesizing diverse perspectives from academic journals and key publications in the field.
What is covered in the main section?
The main section covers the history of services marketing, the intense academic debate following the 2004 publication, and the specific application of S-D logic to business markets.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is defined by terms such as S-D logic, co-creation, value-in-use, and the paradigm shift from goods-centric to service-centric marketing.
How does this document define the "IHIP" paradigm?
IHIP refers to the traditional classification of services as Intangible, Heterogeneous, Inseparable, and Perishable, which Vargo and Lusch argue is an inadequate basis for modern marketing.
How is the concept of "value" treated in the context of S-D logic?
Value is not seen as something embedded in goods by the producer, but rather as something co-created with the customer during the usage process, referred to as "value-in-use."
- Arbeit zitieren
- Christina Anhäuser (Autor:in), 2011, The Service Dominant Logic of Marketing, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/175279
