The service sector is now the dominant economic sector in developed countries, typically responsible for over half of gross domestic product and a large percentage of the workforce. Manufacturing organisations are increasingly enhancing or extending their product offerings through supplementary services ranging from product information services to life-time service and performance delivery agreements. In Cambridge, there is already a substantial amount of research being undertaken in this area – ranging from service system design, to service information systems to industrial support solution strategies and service organisational issues. An opportunity exists for a forum to draw together these activities, identify common interests and determine whether areas for collaboration exist. Additionally, the need for a greater coverage of service systems technologies, operations and strategies within Cambridge’s educational offerings has been encouraged and this forum can help shape these offerings.

The Cambridge Service Forum (CSA Forum) is developing momentum as the place in the UK to discuss ideas and innovations in this exciting new field. The Forum, jointly run between the Institute for Manufacturing and Judge Business School, meets monthly and also hosts occasional international workshops.

If you have something new, exciting or controversial to say on service book a slot with the forum organiser, Chris Pearson (cp349@cam.ac.uk).

Topics are structured around four themes:

• Service Design
• Service Operation
• Service Performance
• Service in Specific Domains