Transformative service research: estrutura de conhecimento do campo e direções para pesquisas futuras

As humans and consumers, we spend much of our time immersed in an array of services and service systems (e.g., telecommunications, education, financial, government, and health care) that affect almost every aspect of our lives. Our continuous connection with and usage of services and the implications they have for our lives go far beyond questions related to traditional service dependent measures such as service quality, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. Service fundamentally affects our lives and our well-being as individuals, employees, families, and communities. Given this, we are honored to be the guest coeditors for this special issue on transformative service research (TSR). First conceptualized by Anderson (2010), today we regard TSR as any research, regardless of academic discipline, that, at its core, investigates the relationship between service and well-being. More specifically, TSR represents research that focuses on creating ‘‘uplifting changes’’ aimed at improving the lives of individuals (both consumers and employees), families, communities, society, and the ecosystem more broadly (Anderson et al. 2013). What distinguishes TSR from other service work is often the outcomes under investigation. With TSR, indicators of both increasing and decreasing well-being take center stage. These metrics may focus on assessing aspects of well-being, such as physical health (objective and subjective perceptions), mental health (e.g., resilience, stress, and burnout), financial wellbeing, discrimination, marginalization, literacy, inclusion, access, capacity building, and decreased disparity among others (Anderson et al. 2013; Rosenbaum et al. 2011). Although the term ‘‘transformative service research’’ is relatively new, prior service, consumer, and marketing research has emphasized service and well-being. In a review we undertook to examine prior research that we considered TSR (see Ostrom, Mathras, and Anderson 2014), we identified eight TSRrelated themes—cocreation, employee well-being, vulnerable consumers, social support, access, service literacy, service design, and service systems—highlighting the breadth of research that has investigated service and well-being. Since TSR was spotlighted as a research priority by Ostrom et al. (2010; i.e., ‘‘Improving Well-Being through Transformative Service’’), there has been increased interest in the service community in undertaking research that examines the intersection of service and well-being. Research has attempted to better conceptualize the domain (e.g., Anderson et al. 2013; Rosenbaum et al. 2011) as well as tackle important service-related issues centered on well-being (e.g., how organization socialization can promote coproduction behaviors that influence financial well-being [Guo et al. 2013]; how systemic restricted choice related to financial services affects minority business owners [Bone, Christensen, and Williams 2014]; customer healthoriented cocreation practice styles [McColl-Kennedy et al. 2012]). In the most recent service research priority-setting effort completed by Ostrom et al. (2015), not only was ‘‘Improving Well-Being through Transformative Service’’ spotlighted again as a research priority based on input from 23 roundtable discussions conducted by 19 different service centers/networks located around the world, but, in a global survey of academic service researchers, it was ranked as the most important of the 12 identified priorities by the largest percentage of respondents. Given the interest of the service research community, we hope that the emerging, interdisciplinary subfield of service, TSR, will lead to the investigation of important but understudied service contexts and issues and that it will be inclusive of diversity of discipline and method/approach as well as the unit of analysis, focusing not only on individuals but on collectives as well. In addition, we hope that the term ‘‘transformative service research’’ itself will make it easier to identify service research that makes contributions to our understanding of well-being. As we discuss subsequently, we want the impact of TSR to go beyond publications to measurable positive improvements in the lives of consumers. To advance these objectives, our goals for

PurposeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created a challenging, yet opportunistic, environment in which to conduct transformative service research (TSR) and assess research methodology. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and gain important new insights of a group interviewing method with vulnerable people and their support group, adapted and transferred online during COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachThis research examines the experiences of 35 participants (nine family groups composed of parents and young people), involved in a research project that explores a sensitive topic, youth alcohol consumption and family communication, that was moved online during lockdown. Researcher reflections on running group interviews face-to-face prior to COVID- 19 and online during lockdown are included in the data.FindingsThematic analysis of participant interviews and researcher reflections reveals four key benefits and three limitations of online group interviews with vulnerable people and their support group. The benefits include being comfortable, non-intrusive and safe; engaging and convenient; online communication ease and easy set-up. The limitations relate to lack of non-verbal communication, poor set-up, and privacy and access issues.Practical implicationsThe global environment is uncertain and being able to implement effective qualitative research online is essential for TSR and service research in the future. This paper provides a step by step procedure for an innovative online group interviewing technique that can be used by TSR and qualitative service researchers.Originality/valueConducting research during a pandemic has provided unprecedented insights into qualitative research approaches and methodology. This paper contributes to literature on service and TSR methodology by providing a framework for researchers to investigate vulnerable groups online in an effective, safe and non-intrusive way. The framework also has the potential to be applied to other service contexts.

This article presents a review of published articles on Transformative Service Research (TSR), incorporating insights from user-led research to further understand how collaboration within the TSR process can improve wellbeing. Our analysis of 111 articles reveals mixed approaches to the way user collaboration has been documented, with only a small number of articles reporting extensive collaboration across every stage of the TSR process. We posit that this has led to missed opportunities for more effective TSR and make two significant contributions to the development of subsequent TSR. First, by highlighting inconsistencies in the TSR research process, we elucidate the need for the reflexive application of TSR knowledge and open dialogue on embedding collaboration within the research process itself. Second, we propose five avenues for progress to enhance the potential for future TSR to uplift service provision for service users and stakeholders.

Purpose The transformative service research (TSR) literature is continually expanding its scope across various academic streams. One of the key factors is prioritizing both individual and societal well-being. The purpose of this paper is to map TSR development and its alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by considering place-specificities to understand factors, barriers and strategies that enhance individual well-being. Design/methodology/approach This study used the systematic literature review approach, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. The Scopus and Web of Science databases were used to scrutinize, categorize and briefly synthesize 164 peer-reviewed journal articles, aiming to identify key domains, factors, barriers and strategies for advancing well-being in various places and meet the Agenda 2030. Findings The study proposes an integrated, place-sensitive framework that maps the interconnections between service entities, consumer entities and individual well-being outcomes across urban and rural contexts. It shows that in TSR, well-being is contextually embedded: rural contexts emphasize emotional, cultural and eudaimonic aspects of individual well-being, while urban settings prioritize the economic, social and infrastructural dimensions. The framework advances the TSR debate by aligning TSR concepts and domains with the SDGs. The findings indicate that TSR tends to prioritize certain SDGs while overlooking others, with a predominant focus on individual well-being, and this is also the case in different places. Finally, this review summarizes the key knowledge gaps into a clear and actionable future research agenda to guide research on SDGs related to service research. Practical implications This review highlights key research limitations and synthesizes these gaps into a practical future research agenda. This agenda is organized into four main categories: multilevel societal change, ensuring equity, environmental resilience and institutional dynamics, which directly address overlooked areas in the literature. This clear roadmap provides immediate practical value by guiding researchers, policymakers and practitioners toward targeted interventions needed to promote effective and sustainable transformative services. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature by examining the key domains of TSR literature through the place-based lens and the SGDs and Agenda 2030 policy framework. It offers a novel perspective on how and whether service research contributes to the transformative power of services in diverse social contexts.

PurposeThe paper aims to investigate the practices facilitating the transformation of healthcare services, understanding the resulting outcomes in terms of well-being and uplifting changes. a systematic literature review (SLR) focusing on analyzing the healthcare sector under the transformative service research (TSR) theoretical domain is conducted to achieve this goal.Design/methodology/approachEmploying a structured SLR developed based on the PRISMA protocol (Pickering and Byrne, 2014; Pickering et al., 2015) and using Scopus and WoS databases, the study identifies and analyzes 49 papers published between 2021 and 2022. Content analysis is used to classify and analyze the papers.FindingsThe SLR reveals four transformative practices (how) within the healthcare sector under the TSR domain, each linked to specific well-being outcomes (what). The analysis shows that both practices and outcomes are mainly patient-related. An integrative framework for transformative healthcare service is presented and critically examined to identify research gaps and define the trajectory for the future development of TSR in healthcare. In addition, managerial implications are provided to guide practitioners.Originality/valueThis research is among the first to analyze TSR literature in the context of healthcare. The study critically examines the TSR’s impact on the sector’s transformation, providing insights for future research and offering a roadmap for healthcare practitioners to facilitate uplifting changes.

PurposeTo analyze and discuss the research on the public healthcare services (PHCS) through the lenses of coproduction/creation by systematizing the antecedents, the process enablers and the outcomes of coproduction/creation in terms of organizational and individual/patients factors.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review was performed based on 46 papers found in ISI Web of Science and Scopus databases following the Prisma Protocol for the search.FindingsThe results show that antecedents of coproduction/creation are connected to organizational/institutional capabilities (e.g. codesign of services or trust development) or patient/individual factors (e.g. physical and mental capabilities). The process of coproduction/creation relates with enablers, such as interactive and dynamic relationships between public care service providers and users. Finally, outcomes have diverse nature, namely quality of life, compliance, behavioral intentions, among others.Research limitations/implicationsThis study addresses the overlooked topic of coproduction/creation of value within PHCS. It contributes to public healthcare services literature wherein concepts of coproduction and cocreation of value are still on debate. It contributes to the transformative service research (TSR) by underlining that healthcare factors, processes and approaches may have a positive or negative (value codestructing) influence on the well-being. It yields crucial implications for PHCS.Originality/valueIt is the first attempt to systematize scientific knowledge on this topic, therefore conferring some novelty potential.

Constructing the transformative wellness service framework: A phenomenological study

Purpose This conceptual study aims to advance the understanding of human thriving in business and service contexts by integrating Needs Theories (NT), Humanistic Management (HM) and Transformative Service Research (TSR). It addresses a critical unresolved issue of how services and service ecosystems can be reconfigured to support just, inclusive and transformative outcomes that promote human development. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducts systematic literature reviews, complemented by bibliometric and thematic content analyses, to explore the multiple intersections among NT, HM and TSR. The main insights are systematized into a novel, integrated multitheoretical framework. Findings The intersections among the selected theoretical domains reveal varying degrees of development and give rise to three core constructs: Business Ethics (NT–HM nexus), Holistic Service Management (NT–TSR nexus) and People-Centered Management (HM–TSR nexus). The framework integrates these conceptual linkages and fosters a nuanced, multilevel understanding of human thriving. Central to this integration is the recognition of human dignity as a common, emergent theme connecting all three streams and positions decent work as a vital, but partial, mediating construct. From these linkages, a set of testable propositions is derived to guide future empirical research. Practical implications The framework provides decision-makers with actionable insights to cultivate ethical organizational practices, design services that genuinely empower and include diverse stakeholders and foster equitable service environments. It underscores that prioritizing decent work is not only an ethical imperative but also a strategic driver for sustainable organizational success and broader societal well-being, directly contributing to Sustainable Development Goals related to well-being, employment and equality. Originality/value This study offers a novel interdisciplinary integration of distinct yet still emerging theories, relative to dominant service paradigms, to address human thriving from a human-centered, values-based perspective. By synthesizing their conceptual linkages, it provides an original multitheoretical and multilevel framework, highlighting the pivotal, mediating role of human dignity and decent work. The resulting propositions offer fertile ground for future empirical investigation, enhancing theoretical development in both service and business ethics research.

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the consumer's perspective regarding the relationship between services and well-being, contributing to the knowledge base in transformative service research (TSR). More specifically the aim was to understand consumers' perceptions of the relationship between services and well-being and their views about how companies can contribute (directly and/or indirectly) to achieve the well-being.Design/methodology/approachTo reach the research aim, the study adopts an explorative inductive design, carried out through a qualitative approach and grounded in 30 in-depth interviews with consumers.FindingsService sustainability represents the fundamental characteristic that determines the service ability to be transformative, requiring the implementation of the triple bottom line dimensions: social, environmental and economic. It emerged that, in the consumer's mind, the service categories that present a stronger relationship between service and well-being are as follows: healthcare, financial and transport.Originality/valueThe paper proposes a conceptual framework to describe the consumer perspective of the services' transformative role in promoting well-being, providing a theoretical lens for conducting future research and continuing to expand transformative service research (TSR).

Transformative service research: An agenda for the future

Purpose This paper develops a conceptual framework to theorise consumer-to-consumer (C2C) interactions in Islamic banking, integrating Service-Dominant Logic and Transformative Service Research within an institutional logics perspective to highlight how peer dynamics co-create, disrupt and legitimise financial value in religiously and culturally complex service ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach This study conducts a critical review of consumer literature on service co-creation, financial decision-making and Islamic banking to develop a conceptual framework for C2C interactions in financial services. Findings This paper conceptualises C2C interactions in Islamic banking as shaped by five institutional drivers – religious norms, community ties, digital platforms, market incentives and regulatory environments, each exhibiting both protagonist (enabling) and antagonist (disruptive) tendencies. Mechanisms such as social validation, informal education and interpretive guidance influence how trust is built, Sharia compliance is assessed and financial inclusion is achieved. The framework positions Islamic banking as a contested service ecosystem where value is co-created, challenged and negotiated through peer-led dynamics. Research limitations/implications As a conceptual paper, empirical validation is needed through quantitative studies and cross-market comparative analyses. Practical implications Islamic banks should integrate peer-driven financial literacy programmes, enhance digital peer validation mechanisms and collaborate with religious scholars to improve customer engagement and trust. C2C interactions play a vital role in financial inclusion, particularly for underserved communities, migrant workers and women in conservative societies, where access to formal banking services may be limited. Leveraging these peer networks can help bridge financial literacy gaps and foster greater participation in ethical banking. Originality/value This study extends S-D Logic to peer-driven service experiences, bridges TSR with financial inclusion and redefines trust in Islamic banking, offering new insights for service marketing and digital financial ecosystems.

Purpose Transformative service research (TSR) has predominantly examined regulated markets in developed economies, overlooking unregulated contexts in developing economies where institutional voids and informal systems prevail. This paper aims to address that gap by introducing a framework positioning regulation and country development as boundary conditions shaping service outcomes. It highlights how transformative outcomes emerge not only through top-down compliance but also through bottom-up, community-driven innovations in fragile service ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review of 67 peer-reviewed studies was conducted across leading service research journals. The analysis employed a theory-building approach, drawing on institutional theory and development studies, to identify recurring patterns and construct a 2 × 2 matrix positioning transformative service contexts along regulation and country development axes. Findings The review shows that regulation and country development jointly shape conditions under which services achieve transformative outcomes. In developed and regulated contexts, outcomes are enabled through compliance, professional standards and institutional oversight. In unregulated and developing contexts, however, outcomes emerge from bottom-up enablers such as community mobilisation, entrepreneurial adaptation and informal governance. These “Informal Frontiers” demonstrate how resilience, social capital and grassroots innovation compensate for institutional voids, reframing vulnerability as a potential source of agency and inclusion. Practical implications It offers guidance for policymakers, NGOs and service providers to design context-sensitive, inclusive models where institutions are weak, while calling for participatory and ethnographic methods to capture bottom-up innovations. Collectively, the paper advances a globally inclusive TSR agenda. Originality/value This study contributes theoretically by integrating macro-structural conditions into TSR and repositioning informal frontiers as fertile grounds for inclusive service transformation.

For long time a quantitative assessment of the productivity of Italian researchers has been lacking; the first and unique assessment was the Three-Year Research Evaluation for the period 2001-2003. Italian Law 240/2010, ruling the organization of research and universities, requires a system for the evaluation of the scientific productivity of Italian researchers. In 2011, both the National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes (ANVUR) and the National University Council (CUN) proposed a set of evaluation criteria based on a bibliometric approach with indexes calculated using the information from the Thomson Reuters Web of Science (WOS) or the Elsevier SciVerse SCOPUS databases. The aim of this study is twofold: (i) to present the results of an assessment of the global aggregated scientific productivity of the Italian forestry community for 1996-2010 using the SCOPUS data available from the on-line SCIMAGO system; and (ii) to compare the WOS and SCOPUS databases with respect to three indexes (number of publications, number of citations, h-index) of the scientific productivity for university forest researchers in Italy. Two subcategories of forestry were considered: AGR05 - forest management and silviculture, and AGR06 - wood technology. Out of a total of 84 authors, 76 were considered in the analysis because not affected by unresolved homonymity or duplication. Overall, the trend in scientific productivity for Italian forestry is promising. Italy ranked 10th in terms of the h-index with an increasing trend in importance relative to other European countries, though the scientific contribution of authors was largely heterogeneous. Both WOS and SCOPUS databases were suitable sources of information for evaluating the scientific productivity of Italian authors. Although the two databases did not produce meaningful differences for any of the three indexes, the advantages and disadvantages of the two sources must be carefully considered if used operationally to evaluate the Italian scientific productivity.

To present a scientometric analysis of the entire body of scientific publications in the field of vital pulp therapy (VPT) and analyse the research trends and popular topics. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the Web of Science and Scopus databases on 21 August 2020 to identify all articles related to VPT. The publications were reviewed and basic research parameters were collected, including publication year, patterns of authorship, geographical distribution of scientific productions, journals, h-index, study design and keyword analysis. Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were used for the citation analysis of the ten top cited articles. The data were analysed using VOSviewer and visualized by tables and diagrams. In total, 1197 VPT-associated items were identified from 64 countries in 176 journals. The majority of papers were published in the Journal of Endodontics. The United States of America was the leading country for number of publications, citations, h-index and collaborations. The distribution of articles based on study design was as follows: basic science (35%), clinical (27%), observational studies (26%) and review publications (12%). The most frequently occurring keywords were pulpotomy, mineral trioxide aggregate, calcium hydroxide and direct pulp capping. This scientometric analysis outlines the evolutionary trends and the productivity of researchers and countries in the field of vital pulp therapy. Research output is dominated by basic science articles involving innovative materials published in high impact factor dental journals.

This study investigates how the dimensions of service quality and providers’ supportive co-creation practices impact service satisfaction, which affects behavioral intentions and quality-of-life in a developing country. Customers in developing countries evaluate their co-creation efforts differently than those in developed countries. Hence, this study also explores the moderating effects of customer efforts in value co-creation activities on wellbeing enhancement. A transformative framework for healthcare services was developed using transformative service research (TSR) and value co-creation perspectives. Data collected from 421 healthcare customers were used to test the proposed model using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that timeliness, tangibles, technical quality, engagement facilitation, risk assessment, and relationship quality positively influence service satisfaction. The results also reveal that customer efforts in value co-creation activities bolster the effects of service satisfaction on behavioral intention and quality-of-life. The results offer important insights into how healthcare organizations can utilize supportive co-creation practices to enhance business and societal impacts. This study offers a transformative service framework depicting the enhancement of service outcomes through practical unification of the roles of service providers and customers in the healthcare context. Hence, this study contributes to the research agenda in TSR and, more importantly, healthcare management in developing countries.