J. E. Cairnes School Of

Services Marketing Theory

J. E. Cairnes School of

Business & Economics

E. Wallace | Service Marketing Theory – Semester I Page 1 of 4

Services Marketing Theory

- Course Outline -

Objective / This course builds on the student’s understanding of services at undergraduate level. It also introduces contemporary issueswhich influence the evolution of services both academically and in practice. The course addresses recent developments in the services literature such as the concept of Dramaturgy and the role of the front line employee as service creator.
Lecturer(s) / Name / Office / Ext / E-mail
Dr. Elaine Wallace / Room 302 Cairnes School / 2603 /
Times / Day / Time / Venue
Lectures / Wednesday / 9-11am / BS116, Cairnes Building
Overall Learning Outcomes / Upon completion of this course, students will have achieved the following:
Knowledge based outcomes:

A comprehensive understanding of services marketing theory.
Further understanding of the Gaps model as a conceptual framework.
A greater understanding of the relevance and role of both the employee and the customer in the service encounter.
An opportunity to build upon course material for dissertation purposes.

Skills based outcomes:

An insight into literature searches and reviews, and a full understanding of accessing material through the library databases.
An understanding of the requirements of writing and referencing a report for assessment, and presenting key points in a concise way.
An ability to critically evaluate academic publications.
An ability to synthesise material from the core text, select the key points, and explain the material to others.
Experience of working in groups, to specific deadlines.
Greater experience in presentation skills, both through the use of audiovisual media and oral presentation.

Format / This course comprises one two-hour lecture across 12 weeks.
Programme / MSc in Marketing
Assessment / The grade will be calculated as follows:

20% Chapter Presentation (Group)
20% Group Project
10% Class participation
50% Written Exam

Chapter Presentation (20%) (Weekly, running order TBC)

Working in groups of 2, students are required to lead the class by presenting chapter material each week.
Presentations should be no longer than 20 minutes in duration, prepared and presented using PowerPoint.
Presentations should include the following:
An overview of the theory in the chapter
A critique of ONE journal paper (post 2000) which addresses the theory discussed in the chapter.
An example of a service which students are familiar with to illustrate the theory from the chapter.

Group Project (20%) (Deadline 14th October, 2009)

Working in groups of 2, students are required to select a service experience.
Students should describe their prior expectations of the service, and how these expectations were formed.
Students should then discuss their experience of the service, and evaluate the extent to which expectations were met.
On the basis of their evaluation, students should offer three feasible recommendations for the service.
The evaluation and recommendations will be presented in class. Presentations will last for 10 minutes. Presentations should be emailed to E. Wallace, no later than 2pm on October 13th.

Class Participation10%
Class participation marks will be allocated according to the student’s knowledge of the topic, and involvement in class discussion
Written Examination: 50%
All candidates are required to complete a written examination. The exam will be two hours in duration and candidates will be required to answer three questions. All questions will carry equal marks. Candidates must pass the written examination to be awarded marks for assignments/class participation.
Note: A minimum of 35% is required in the final written examination before marks for continuous assessment can be included in the determination of the overall mark for the subject.
Workload / Credit weighting: 5 ECT
Lecture hours: 24
Assignment work and independent study: 99
Examination: 2
Total Student Effort: 125 Hours
Course Readings / Required Reading:
Core Text: Wilson, A., Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M.J. & Gremler, D. (2008) Services Marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm, 1st European Edition, London: McGraw Hill.
Recommended Reading:

Fisk, R.P., Grove, S.J., John, J. (2008) Interactive Services Marketing, 3rd Edition, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
de Chernatony, L. and M. McDonald (2003) Creating Powerful Brands in Consumer Service and Industrial Markets, 3rd Edition, Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.

In addition, you will be required to read academic journal articles which will support or address the material in your core textbook. The articles can be sourced on the library database: Students are expected to read assigned course material in advance of class.

Reading Schedule:

Students are expected to read all course material assigned. Each week, a group of 2 will be required to lead the class with a presentation summarising the chapter contents.

Date / Discussion / Readings
Part 1: Foundations for Services Marketing
September 9 / Ch 1 Introduction to Services
September 16 / Ch 2 Consumer Behaviour in Services
September 23 / Ch 3 Customer Expectations of Service
September30 / Ch 4 Customer Perceptions of Service
October 7 / Ch 5 Conceptual Framework: the GAPS model
October 14 / Assignment 1 presentations

Part 1 Outcomes: You will be able to …

Explain what services are, recognise important trends in services, and identify resulting challenges and opportunities for service businesses
Understand the philosophy of customer focus
Describe the servuction system model and the concept of the services triangle
Understand how consumers choose and evaluate services
Identify the role of consumer behaviour and its application for service firms
Recognise the role of customer expectations in service delivery and evaluation
Discuss the nature, influencers and outcomes of customer satisfaction
Critically evaluate the components of service quality: reliability, responsiveness, empathy, assurance and tangibles
Explain the concept of the gaps model as a framework for understanding service quality.
Demonstrate (in presentation form) the application of the gaps model in a service business

Part 2: Understanding Customer Requirements
October 21 / Ch 6 Listening to Customers through Research
October 28 / Ch 7 Building Customer Relationships

Part 2 Outcomes: You will be able to …

Present and evaluate the types of market research available for services
Show how market research information can be used for services
Describe ways that companies can facilitate interaction and communication between management and customers, and between contact people and management
Explain relationship marketing, its goals and the benefits of long term relationships for firms and customers
Describe how firms estimate customer relationship value
Evaluate relationship development strategies

Part 3: Aligning Service Design and Standards
November 4 / Ch 11 Employees’ roles in Service Delivery
November 11 / Ch 12 Customers’ roles in Service Delivery
November 18 / Guest Speaker – The role of Dramaturgy in Services Marketing (date TBC)
November 25 / Course Review

Part 3 Outcomes: You will be able to …

Discuss the importance of a service culture, and the critical importance of employees in creating customer satisfaction and service quality
Identify the challenges inherent in boundary-spanning roles
Describe the service encounter as a performance, and explain the use of dramaturgy in training service employees
Illustrate the roles played by customers in the co-creation of a service

Course Material / A course web is available at

E. Wallace | Service Marketing Theory – Semester I Page 1 of 4