Sage Publications Handbook of Services Marketing and Management

"What a rarity to see a who′s who of thought leaders on any subject create original material for an anthology. It′s a real collegial tribute to Teresa A. Swartz and Dawn Iacobucci that they have been able to assemble such a treasure of original material―including some of the last from our late friend and colleague, Eric Langeard―on topics important to services marketing and management." ―James Heskett, Harvard Business School "The Handbook of Services Marketing and Management provides an excellent introduction to the topics and issues that define service marketing today. Editors Swartz and Iacobucci have recruited many of the leading names in service research to write the chapters in the book, ensuring that the Handbook will be a valuable reference for years to come." ―Roland T. Rust, Journal of Service Research "This Handbook contains an impressive collection of cutting-edge contributions that should be of keen interest to service researchers and practitioners. It represents some of the best and most recent thinking on a wide range of service topics." ―A. Parasuraman, University of Miami, FL "Service business today constitute the largest sector in advanced economies. This new Handbook provides a wealth of stimulating ideas and guidelines for improving the quality and effectiveness of service offerings." ―Philip Kotler, S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, Northwestern University "Services, because of their intangibility, variability, and perishability, call for management and marketing skills of a high order. This new Handbook belongs in the working library of managers charged with managing and marketing the service offerings of hotels, restaurant chains, airlines, telecommunications companies, entertainment companies, professional services firms, and countless other services industries." ―Philip Kotler, S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, Northwestern University Despite the growth in services research and the dominance of services in the world economy, no one book has emerged as a comprehensive guide for researchers and professionals–until now! The Handbook of Services Marketing and Management presents state-of-the-art perspectives in the foundations of services, while simultaneously challenging and expanding current services practices. Editors Teresa A. Swartz and Dawn Iacobucci invited the world′s leading experts on services marketing and management to author individual chapters. The result is an experienced, international, eclectic, and cross-disciplinary mix of authors, all contributing cutting-edge material on the frontiers of service research. This handbook includes a unique mix of both in-depth chapters as well as shorter, more focused "mini" chapters, which treat emerging issues in the field of services. This structure makes the Handbook the most thorough reference possible. The Handbook of Services Marketing and Management should have a place on the bookshelves of every academic, graduate student, and professional in the critical area of services.