Principles: Business in a Services Economy, and Business Research MethodsLaajuus (5 ECTS)

Objective

The objective of this course is to understand the principles of the service-based economy as an alternative to the product-based economy, and outline the challenges and prospects of the service era for companies. Additionally, the course overviews business research methods and prepares the students for conducting independent research in their professional fields.

The students gain a general understanding of the principles of the service-based economy (service-dominant vs goods-dominant logic) and learn to appreciate new opportunities for businesses in the services society. The students also train to distinguish a range of research strategies, approaches, and techniques, and gain a comprehensive overview of various research methods in the business and management fields. The course equips the students for starting their own research project.

Content

Sessions of the course include:
01. Global economy and company strategic operating environment – challenge for the service business? • Shift from the manufacturing economy to a services economy • Globalization of businesses and ICT, and its impact on companies • Future of the services economy.
02. Dynamics of service business • Services as a business logic and implications of a service-dominant logic for value creation • Competing through services and profiting from the service chain.
04. Research methods: introduction to doing a Master’s thesis • Conducting a Master’s research project from A to Z: identifying a business problem; studying existing knowledge and best practices; developing a research design; data mining and analysis; suggesting a practical solution; testing or piloting the solution; reflection on feedback • Reporting the findings in a research paper.
05. Research methods: literature review and qualitative research methods • Literature search and content analysis; search for best practices; benchmarking • Research approaches: action research, case studies and constructive research approach • Research methods and techniques: surveys, interviews, questionnaires, inquiries, observations, metrics.
16. Dynamics of the service business in the telecoms sector • Business cases in telecoms and technology industries; a business game.
18. Transforming an organization toward the service business • Combining products and services: products + services hybrids • Strategic innovation for service business.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The following criteria are used for assessing the IM Master’s coursework (lecture involvement, discussion, written assignments and discussion leaders).

The coursework meets with many of the below criteria. The assignment meets more than three of the above criteria in a satisfactory manner.

• The student shows an understanding of the relevant course content in relation to the contents of the articles, lectures and discussion.
• The student's texts/presentations demonstrate an understanding of the article/lecture content and an ability to select, interpret and justify key messages in a grounded manner.
• The student shows interconnections between the proposed concepts and current business practice, showing abilities of reflection, evaluation and discussion.
• The student shows professional initiative, active participation and responsibility in both individual and team work.
• Student assignment is written in line with academic writing practice and instructions for Master’s Thesis, using the Harvard Referencing system, with references both in the text as well as reference list. The texts are written in coherent, fluent English.
• The student shows the ability to collect valid knowledge for his/her topic from outside the course sources by using scholarly search tools, by questioning current business practice and by practicing source critique.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The coursework meets with most of the above criteria. Additionally the assignment shows good quality performance in three or more of the criteria or otherwise good interpretation.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The coursework meets with all the above six criteria. Additionally the assignment shows excellence in three or more of the above criteria or otherwise deviating excellence.