DSM01 - Leveraging technology on service inclusion and wellbeing

Supervisors: Dr Xia Zhu and Dr Matthew Higgins (Department of Strategy and Marketing, The Open University Business School, Faculty of Business and Law).

Project Description

Serving human needs and improving human wellbeing is the heart of service (Fisk, 2021; McColl-Kennedy et al., 2017). Despite improvements over the years, the world is still facing issues such as poverty, inequality, and global population aging; all challenges at the forefront of the Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations, 2024). These pressing issues have caused great concerns and lead to many questions in the marketing field, such as how to create inclusive service systems for customers with stigmatizing personal characteristics (e.g. physical disabilities, mental illness) and social characteristics (e.g. refugees and immigrants) (Rosenbaum et al. 2017; Fisk et al.2018). Marketing scholars have called for more inclusive service to tackle marketplace discrimination (Ali et al., 2022), reduce sufferings and improve the well-being of humanity (Anderson and Ostrom, 2015; Fisk et al.2018; Berry et al., 2022).

Technology plays a preponderant role in people’s wellbeing (Chang et al., 2022). For example, smart home technology not only provides opportunities for confidence, independence and safety for the elderly, disabled and people with complex needs but also offers peace of mind for the family and caregivers when they can remotely monitor and prevent emergency situations (Das, et al. 2015; Jamwal et al., 2020). Family members, supporting the elderly with technology, improve the elderly individual’s wellbeing (Bianchi, 2021). In the meantime, children’s time in hospital has been made more fun with virtual reality’s magic world (BBC News 2024). Digital technology has altered traditional healthcare services and provides opportunities for service innovation and the efficient use of health resources (Martinez-Martin and Costa, 2021), despite mixed views, concerns, resistance and challenges (Bolton et al. 2018; Chouk and Mani, 2019).

Wellbeing is a complex construct with different forms, e.g. emotional, psychological, social and spiritual well-being (Pawar, 2016). Technology may lead to senses of exclusion and alienation or evoke positive emotions and encourage cohesive relationships (Hernández-Ortega et al., 2022). For example, information and communication technologies have enabled a group of refugees resettled in New Zealand to participate in an information society, to communicate effectively, to be socially connected, to express a cultural identity and function effectively in a new society which promotes wellbeing and social inclusion (Andrade and Doolin, 2016). We welcome proposals that explore the role of technology (e.g. smart technology, assistive technology, wearable technology, immersive technology etc.) on wellbeing. For instance, how technology may impact consumers and influence their daily life and wellbeing; how digital technology may affect those people’s perceptions and interactions with others, and its impact on their relationships with families, friends and the wider world; how technology can be used for service inclusion, creating relational values and improving wellbeing for people with complex needs. We would encourage proposals to adopt an intersectional approach, especially taking perspectives from people with stigmatizing personal and social characteristics (e.g. people aging or physically challenged with hearing impairment, visual disabilities or mobility restrictions, female migrants, etc.).

The successful candidate will demonstrate a good understanding of related studies to their proposed research. We encourage developing this topic with a qualitative research approach. However, we are open to proposals that incorporate mixed method approaches as appropriate to research questions and strengths of the candidate.

References

Anderson, L. and Ostrom, A. L. (2015). Transformative service research: advancing our knowledge about service and well-being, Journal of Service Research, 18, 3 243-249.

Andrade, A. D. and Doonlin, B. (2016). Information and communication technology and the social inclusion of refugees, MIS Quarterly, 40, 2, 405-416.

Ali, A., David, M. K., and Channa, A. R. (2022). Improving service interactions through inclusive language for Sindh’s Sheedis, Journal of Services Marketing, 36, 7, 952-963.

BBC News (2024). Virtual reality’s magical world for young patients, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4nkj8dq9nxo (accessed 07/07/2024)

Berry, L.L., Attai, D. J., Scammon, D. L. and Awdish, R. L. A. (2022). When the aims and the ends of health care misalign, Journal of Service Research, 25, 1, 160-184.

Bianchi, C. (2021). Exploring how internet services can enhance elderly well-being, Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 35 No. 5, pp. 585-603. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-05-2020-0177

Bolton, R. N., McColl-Kennedy, J. R., Cheung, L., Gallan, A., Orsingher, C., Witell, L and Zaki, M. (2018). Customer experience challenges: bringing together digital, physical and social realms, Journal of Service Management, 29, 5, 776-808.

Chang, I.; Castillo, J.; Montes, H (2022). Technology-Based Social Innovation: Smart City Inclusive System for Hearing Impairment and Visual Disability Citizens, Sensors 22, no. 3: 848. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22030848

Chouk, I. and Mani, Z. (2019). Factors for and against resistance to smart services: role of consumer lifestyle and ecosystem related variables, Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 33 No. 4, pp. 449-462. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-01-2018-0046

Das, R., Tuna, G. and Tuna, A (2015). Design and Implementation of a Smart Home for the Elderly and Disabled, International Journal of Computer Networks and Applications, 2, 6, 242-246.

Fisk, R.P. (2021). Commentary: enabling service wisdom for MEA organizations and society, Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 35 No. 7, pp. 857-860. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-06-2021-0233

Fisk, R. P., Dean, A. M., Alkire (née Nasr), L., Joubert, A., Previte, J., Robertson, N. and Rosenbaum, M. S. (2018). “Design for service inclusion: creating inclusive service systems by 2050”, Journal of Service Management, 29, 5, 834-858.

Hernández-Ortega, B., Aldas-Manzano, J. and Ferreira, I. (2022). Relational cohesion between users and smart voice assistants, Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 36 No. 5, pp. 725-740. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2020-0286

Jamwal, R., Jarman, H. K., Roseingrave, E., Douglas, J., and Winkler, D. (2020). Smart home and communication technology for people with disability: a scoping review, Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 17(6), 624-644. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2020.1818138

Martinez-Martin, E and Costa, A. (2021). Assistive Technology for Elderly Care: An Overview, in IEEE Access, vol. 9, pp. 92420-92430, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3092407.

McColl-Kennedy, J. R., Snyder, H., Elg, M., Witell, L., Helkkula, A., Hogan, S. J. and Anderson, L. (2017). The changing role of the health care customer: review, synthesis and research agenda, Journal of Service Management, 28, 1, 2-33.

Pawar, B.S. (2016). Workplace spirituality and employee well-being: an empirical examination, Employee Relations, Vol. 38 No. 6, pp. 975-994. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-11-2015-0215

Rosenbaum, M. S., Seger-Guttmann, T. and Giraldo, M. (2017). Commentary: vulnerable consumers in service settings, Journal of Services Marketing, 31, 4/5, 309-312

United Nations (2024). The Sustainable Development Goals Report, The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2024.pdf (un.org) (accessed 05/08/2024)