Sustainability in Services – A Review and Research Agenda

The sustainable development of organizations is a requirement for securing long-term business operations now, and in the future. Pressing demands from stakeholders urge companies to rethink their business models and incorporate environmental and social aspects. In practice, service companies from different industries have begun to implement sustainable practices in services. Yet, sustainability in services remains a complex issue – given the required involvement of customers for value creation in service delivery and other service characteristics. In comparison with research on sustainability in material goods, scholarly discussion on sustainability in the service context is less advanced. Therefore, this literature reviews examines dynamics and factors of sustainability in services with a strong focus on the actors involved and their roles. Academic state-of-the-art research is presented and analyzed to develop a conceptual framework for sustainability in services and to outline research gaps and future research opportunities.