Service Productivity Management – Status Quo and Directions for the Design of Conceptual Modeling Grammars.

Becker Jörg, Beverungen Daniel, Knackstedt Ralf, Rauer Hans Peter, Sigge Daniel

Abstract

The emergence and proliferation of the service economy greatly amplifies the need to thoroughly manage service productivity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the expressiveness of conceptual modeling grammars for service productivity management as well as to provide directions for future research. Based on authoritative theories on service productivity, we identify a set of evaluation criteria with which we benchmark a selection of conceptual modeling grammars. Our analysis yields two major insights: First, literature on service productivity provides only limited theoretical support for designing conceptual modeling grammars. Second, the concepts contained in service productivity theories have found little recognition in the grammars’ meta models. We derive two core implications: First, extended theory support is needed to inform the design of conceptual modeling grammars. Second, additional constructs need to be included in conceptual modeling grammars to facilitate productivity-oriented analysis and design in the service sector.