Service Science: Research and Innovations in the Service Economy Global Perspectives on Service Science: Japan

The service industry accounts for approximately 75% of Japan's GDP. However, the service sector has long relied on experience and intuition for its operations, delaying the adoption of scientific, systematic approaches. This book is a collection of papers presenting Japanese service science research that addresses this global challenge directly. It consists of 21 chapters. The content covers eight domains: theoretical foundations, methodology, engineering, design, technology, industrial applications, education, and future prospects.
 
The book's primary academic significance lies in its reinterpretation of the Service-Dominant Logic (SDL) theoretical framework within a Japanese context. SDL views all economic activities as exchanges of services and positions customers as "co-creators" of value, not merely as consumers.
 
The book features an impressive case study of the conveyor-belt sushi chain Kura Sushi. Kura Sushi uses a "Time-Limited Freshness Management System," in which each plate is labeled with a QR code and the sushi is discarded automatically after 55 minutes. The company also analyzes five years of customer attribute data to determine the optimal combination of sushi to send to the conveyor belt, taking into account visit time and customer demographics.
 
The long-established ryokan Kagaya has introduced robots along its hundreds of meters of food delivery routes to improve efficiency and enable employees to focus on providing "omotenashi," or high-level hospitality. These examples embody the fusion of scientific methods and the Japanese spirit of service.
 
Methodologically, the book is unique in that it systematizes service engineering R&D into four stages: "Observation," "Analysis," "Design," and "Application," and specifies concrete technologies for each stage. The "observation" stage uses sensing technologies and IC tags to visualize behavior; the "analysis" stage uses Bayesian networks and data mining; the "design" stage uses agent-based simulation; and the "application" stage uses IT technologies.
 
The ground operations simulation at Haneda Airport, covered in Chapter 8, exemplifies the effectiveness of this framework.
 
Another notable aspect of the book is its contribution to education and human resource development. The MBA program at the University of Tsukuba has developed a method of learning about service system interactions through manga-based case studies. This method provides a concrete pathway for cultivating the next generation of leaders responsible for service innovation.
 
In terms of social significance, the book is important because it presents a perspective on applying service science to solve societal challenges in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The book also explicitly outlines technology adoption guidelines, which are particularly beneficial for enhancing the productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) via the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Service Engineering Roadmap. The book envisions a "Service Innovation Community," formed through collaboration between industry, academia, and government, to support the societal implementation of research outcomes.
 
This book is an excellent introductory text for examining the services present in every aspect of daily life through a scientific lens. Additionally, it provides a valuable opportunity to recognize that service science lies at the intersection of diverse academic fields, including engineering, information science, management, and psychology, and to cultivate interdisciplinary thinking skills.
 

(Written by AOYAMA Kazuhiro, Professor, School of Engineering / 2026)