Call for Papers—Service Science Special Issue on Sustainability-Driven Service Innovations
Service systems, which operate at the very intersection between people, organizations, environment, and technology, offer unique opportunities to promote business and policy innovations for sustainable development. The goal of this special issue is to attract research that explores such opportunities in various service sectors. We particularly invite papers that study one or multiple of the following themes.
Theme 1: Service-Oriented Circular Business Models
The transformation of product-oriented businesses to service-oriented businesses through circular economy models is often regarded as a potential path toward more sustainable outcomes and has received extensive attention in the traditional manufacturing context in the past. We welcome papers that examine groundbreaking new developments in this domain. Sample topics include collaborative consumption such as fashion rentals or other unique sharing models; service-oriented business model innovations that attempt to create more equity and access, especially for marginalized and disadvantaged communities (e.g., community solar, rent-to-own models, financing options, healthcare services); and business models (e.g., sustainable agriculture, community services) that complement, support, and enhance ecosystem services.
Theme 2: Environmental and Social Impact of Service Industries
Whereas there has been extensive research studying the environmental and social impacts of product-oriented or manufacturing-based industries, there needs to be more research to evaluate and address the environmental and social impacts of service industries. We invite papers that explore such issues for service-oriented industries, including, but not limited to, hospitality, real estate, tourism, advertising, entertainment, financial services, and consulting. In these industries, impact is crucially driven and dependent on the actions/engagement of consumers and/or employees. Therefore, we welcome papers that explore how to influence consumers, clients, and employees to make more sustainable decisions, for example, food waste reduction, responsible investment, work-from-home, and travel policies, and promoting healthy consumer behavior and engagement and preventing addiction.
Theme 3: Platform and Technology Innovations for Improving Sustainability in Services
Modern service design and delivery heavily rely on digital technologies and platform innovations. We invite papers that investigate the environmental and social implications of the applications of technologies and platform design and propose solutions for more sustainable services. Sample topics include environmental and social impacts of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, new technology and business models for energy services, and corporate governance and workforce policies for platforms.
We welcome submissions that use a wide variety of methodologies, including, but not limited to, analytical, empirical, behavioral, experimental, and qualitative methods. We particularly encourage interdisciplinary studies that leverage knowledge and frameworks from different business domains and functions, such as operations, marketing, strategy, information systems, finance, and accounting, among others. Papers should not only demonstrate the impact of service innovations on sustainable development, but also discuss the implications of incorporating sustainability considerations for service theory, practice, and policy.
Authors who are considering whether their research project fits the scope of the special issue are encouraged to email a brief description (no more than one page) of their project to the special issue editors. This initial interaction is intended to provide feedback on the relevance of the project to the goals of the special issue. Although this step does not evaluate the quality of the research, it does serve to ensure alignment with the themes of the special issue. The quality and appropriateness of full submissions will be determined through a peer review process involving both the existing Service Science editorial board and additional experts as needed.
There is no obligation to submit a project description before submitting a full paper, but it is an available option for authors seeking preliminary feedback.
Submission Process and Timing
All submissions should be submitted via the Service Science online submission system: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/serv. All submissions will be subject to the journal’s standard peer review process. Criteria for acceptance include practical impact, originality, contribution, and scientific merit. For submission guidelines, please visit the journal’s home page to learn more: https://pubsonline.informs.org/page/serv/submission-guidelines.
The estimated timeline of this special issue is as follows:
Submissions being accepted: March 1, 2025
Deadline for submission: November 1, 2025
First-round decision and feedback: February 1, 2026
Second-round submission (for those papers invited to revise): September 30, 2026
Final decisions (subject to minor revisions): December 31, 2026.
We look forward to receiving your submissions and advancing the state of the art in service innovations as pathways toward sustainable development goals.
