Transforming theory into practice: the concept and development of a service science graduate program

The paper proposes an application of stakeholder theory and service science to the complex world of university aimed at understanding how theoretical models – namely correspondence analysis and service planning - can be applied to launch innovative graduate education programs that can promote competence building and, ultimately, economic development within the deep international economic crisis that we are living nowadays. Adopting these perspective Universities are conceived in their wider social role as facilitator of the development of their economic, human and social environment. The quality of human capital developed by universities is fundamental to direct society and economy in the medium and long term, particularly in business and finance fields. How can an education program be conceived, planed and executed following a service process management perspective? How can multiple stakeholders perspectives be included in Service planning and management? How can be developed a dashboard aimed at evaluating education program performance adopting a multiple perspective approach? The paper answers to these questions by developing an in depth case study using ethnography and unravelling the most hidden processes that turns ideas into service practices focussing on planning, implementation and course evaluation.