Let's Talk About Service

December 7-9, 2022
Hasselt, Belgium

The aim of the Let’s Talk About Service (LTAS) conference is to introduce young scholars to the wonderful world of service research and guide them through their journey in academia.

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About

The Let’s Talk About Service (LTAS) conference was founded in 2012 by Wafa Hammedi (University of Namur), Annouk Lievens (Antwerp University), and Bart Larivière (UGent, KU Leuven). In 2016 Sertan Kabadayi (Fordham University) hosted the anniversary edition in New York.

In 2022 LTAS will be hosted by Hasselt University (Sara Leroi-Werelds, Sandra Streukens, and Allard Van Riel).

LTAS aims to introduce young scholars to the wonderful world of service research and guide them through their journey in academia. This initiative is unique in its kind since the target audience is the new generation of service researchers, including both PhD students and junior faculty. For each edition, a workshop on a particular emerging topic is selected and participants have a chance to learn something new regarding research and publications in the field of services.

LTAS is much more than the typical conference or doctoral consortium you are familiar with. LTAS keynote speakers and mentors have guided young scholars to start collaborating and write papers together. With great success, since various papers published in top journals (e.g., Journal of Service Management, Journal of Service Research among others) and long-term friendships in our service community originate from LTAS.

We are very grateful to the wonderful keynote speakers, participants and workshop coaches that shaped LTAS to what it is today. We are also very proud that LTAS is empowered and supported by AMA SERVSIG.

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Conference theme

SERVICE AGILITY: MOVING THE DISCIPLINE FORWARD

External forces (e.g., climate change, pandemics, natural disasters, inflation, technological developments) demonstrate the need for service agility as a key priority for service providers to thrive and survive. Service agility refers to the degree to which service providers can quickly iterate between detecting market signals and executing decisions to adjust to these signals.

The LTAS 2022 theme "service agility: moving the discipline forward" aims to enhance our understanding of how external forces impact the future of service research and management. What are the key lessons that we can learn in order to help service providers succeed in a turbulent business world?

Confirmed speakers

  • Prof. dr. Gaby Odekerken-Schröder
  • Prof. dr. Mark Rosenbaum
  • Prof. dr. Marianna Sigala
  • Prof. dr. Jay Kandampully
  • Prof. dr. Mike Brady
  • Prof. dr. Martin Wetzels

Venue

Hasselt University

Hasselt University is a young and innovative university with a pronounced international orientation. It focuses on excellence in education, top research in spearhead fields and active commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. The overall aim is to combine academic excellence with economic and social relevance. Hasselt University has an extensive international network and is a partner in a variety of international research and education projects.

As a civic university, it is committed to advance society through education, research and knowledge transfer. It provides the region with a highly qualified workforce, knowledge and expertise to tackle global challenges.

Hasselt University, with nearly 6,700 students and 1,600 employees, has two campuses: one in the city center of Hasselt and one in Diepenbeek.

More information about Hasselt University: https://www.uhasselt.be/en/about-hasselt-university

Hasselt

Hasselt is known as the ‘Capital of Good Taste’. From breakfast to dinner: there is no shortage of delicious places to go. Furthermore, Hasselt offers various tasty regional specialties such as Jenever, speculaas, and chocolate.

In addition, Hasselt is one of the most exclusive shopping and fashion cities in Belgium. From small streets with exclusive boutiques to large shopping streets and the brand-new shopping boulevard Quartier Bleu, Hasselt provides something for everyone’s style, taste, and budget.

The museums in Hasselt are as diverse as the city. You can taste Jenever in the Jenever Museum, marvel at beautiful dresses in the Fashion Museum or visit the arts institution Z33.

More information about the city of Hasselt: https://www.visithasselt.be/en

Limburg

Limburg is known as the greenest province of Flanders and offers a wide variety of activities and attractions. Cycling, walking, lots of nature, shopping, adventure, art, culture, heritage, and of course great food and drinks. Limburg has so much to offer.

More information about Limburg: https://www.visitlimburg.be/en

Preliminary program

Timing

Description

18:00 - 20:00

Registration and opening reception

Location: Hasselt University – Campus Hasselt (Old Prison)

20:00 - …

Those who want can hit the town

Thursday, December 8

Timing

Description

08:30 - 09:00

Coffee and late registration

Location: Hasselt University – Campus Hasselt (Old Prison)

09:00 - 09:30

Welcome to LTAS2022: Opening remarks

09:30 - 10:00

Mike Brady: “Introduction to LTAS2022: Service agility”

10:00 - 10:30

Coffee break

10:30 - 12:00

Meet the editors:

  • • Jay Kandampully (Editor of Journal of Service Management)
    “Service research: What does the future hold?”

  • • Mark Rosenbaum (Co-Editor of Journal of Services Marketing)
    “Societal challenges and service research: How to make the world a better place?”

  • • Marianna Sigala (Co-Editor of Journal of Service Theory and Practice)
    “Technology forward: What is next in service and service research?”

  • • Martin Wetzels (Co-Editor of Journal of Service Research)
    “New (types of) data and research methods: Which developments are critical in the context of service agility?”

12:00 - 13:30

Lunch & networking

13:30 - 15:00

Gaby Odekerken-Schröder

“How to get your academic career started in an agile world?”

As a junior scholar you know you have to teach, do research and publish. The big question is how to combine these responsibilities with your social life and responsibilities, while still being agile? In a personal reflection and interactive session Gaby Odekerken-Schröder will reflect on her successful career that she combines with a happy marriage, her parental role, active social life and entrepreneurial ideas, while taking care of her own well-being. She will teach you when to say ‘yes’ and how to say ‘no’, encourage you to think about your personal values and share some publication experiences with you.

15:00 - 15:30

Coffee break

15:30 - 17:00

Gaby Odekerken-Schröder: Workshop service design for service agility

17:00 - 19:00

Social event

19:00 - 21:30

Conference dinner

Location: Het Smaaksalon

Friday, December 9

Timing

Description

08:30 - 09:00

Coffee

Location: Hasselt University – Campus Hasselt (Old Prison)

09:00 - 09:30

Opening remarks and formation of teams:

  • • Teams will be determined based on research interests (e.g. service technologies, healthcare, transformative service research, smart services, …)
  • • Each team will be assigned to a classroom.
  • • Each team will be guided by academic coaches/mentors.
  • • Each team combines the insights from the keynotes and the service design workshop to develop a research proposal.

09:30 - 10:30

Teamwork: Each team works on a research proposal.

10:30 - 11:00

Coffee break

11:00 - 12:30

Teamwork: Each team works on a research proposal.

12:30 - 13:30

Lunch

13:30 - 15:30

Teamwork: Each team works on a research proposal.

15:30 - 16:00

Coffee break

16:00 - 18:00

Presentation research proposals and Q&A

18:00 - 18:30

LTAS organizing team: Closing remarks

18:30 - 20:30

Closing reception

Location: Hasselt University – Campus Hasselt (Old Prison)

Application

PhD Students and Junior faculty are welcome to apply.

Applications should include:

  1. Curriculum Vitae (in English)
  2. Brief statement of why attending LTAS2022 would be beneficial for you and your career (200-250 words)
  3. One paragraph about your area of expertise that includes the research topics that you are focusing on and/or interested in

Participation is contingent upon notification of acceptance by the LTAS chairs.

Applications should be submitted in one pdf file to sara.leroiwerelds@uhasselt.be

Application deadline: September 10, 2022 (5:00 P.M. – CET)

Notification of acceptance: October 1, 2022

Fee: €500

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