Service Supply Chains: Introducing the Special Topic Forum

Abstract

This article introduces the Special Topic Forum (STF) on Service Supply Chains (SSC). A fundamental purpose of the STF is to more clearly define the field of SSC research and to provide conceptual foundations, as well as empirical observations. A review of SSC literature shows three perspectives of SSC research that correspond to the source‐make‐deliver processes from the well‐known supply chain operations reference (SCOR) model. The STF contains articles that assume each of the three SSC perspectives: sourcing of services, making services, and services involved in product delivery. A fourth paper introduces a newer perspective in which the customer is the center of a network of interrelated service providers. This STF can serve as a springboard for future SSC research.