2008/09 Offerings as Commitments and Context: Service Systems from a Language Action Perspective

1st Sep 2008

Author

David Ing

Abstract

The rise of the service economy contributes to turbulence in today’s world of business. This paper responds to the call for a new science of service systems with an approach based in the language-action perspective.

This understanding of service systems is founded on the concepts of offerings and co-production developed by Richard Normann and Rafael Ramirez. It is extended with a model of conversation for action by Fernando Flores and Terry Winograd, and a commitment management protocol by Stephan Haeckel.

Commitments to four types of obligations based in language-action are described, and placed in a larger context of peripheral events, language and action.

Keywords: service systems, offerings, co-production, language-action, commitments, context

Citation

David Ing, "Offerings as Commitments and Context: Service Systems from a Language Action Perspective ", Systemist, volume 30, number 2 (Christine Welch and Jennifer M. Wilby, editors), pp. 154-172, presented at the UK Systems Society International Conference, St. Anne's College, Oxford, September 1, 2008.