The Service Research Center (CTF) brought together researchers, alumni and partner organizations to celebrate its anniversary with reflections on the past and perspectives on the future.
From a small research group focusing on the emergence of the service economy to an internationally recognized research centre with significant impact on service research, innovation and value creation. As CTF at Karlstad University celebrates its 40th anniversary, it marks four decades of research that has followed and explained major societal changes.
Through close collaboration with businesses and the public sector, CTF has contributed new knowledge on everything from service quality and customer experiences to digitalization, AI and sustainable transformation.
– The fundamental ambition has remained the same since our founding in 1986: to create knowledge that makes a difference for people, organizations and society, says Per Kristensson, Professor of Psychology and Director of CTF. Co-creating knowledge together with companies and public organizations outside academia is tremendously rewarding, and something we will continue to do.
Through an anniversary film, participants were offered both reflections on the past and perspectives on the future of service research. Bo Edvardsson, Professor of Business Administration and founder of CTF, spoke about the early years, while current staff members shared memories and reflections on CTF’s significance and impact.
Collaboration between research and practice was also a central theme throughout the afternoon. Christer Johansson of Ica Maxi highlighted the value of working with CTF and how research can contribute to business development, while Margareta Friman described the growing importance of service research within academia. The anniversary concluded with Kristina Heinonen from CERS looking ahead and discussing the future opportunities and challenges facing service research.
During the day, Klas Hallberg provided entertainment.
A Few Words from the Speakers
Christer Johansson, Ica Maxi Bergvik
Why is service research needed today?
– When you want to understand things more deeply and explore them thoroughly together with researchers, you uncover many interesting insights. Research also leads to the discovery of other valuable and unexpected findings.
What do you think is the most important contribution CTF has made?
– In a broader context, it has meant a great deal for both Karlstad and the Värmland region to have a world-leading research centre that is widely recognized and talked about. On a personal level, it has been about working together with the people at CTF and identifying things we can do together with real customers in a real-world setting. We have been able to test all our ideas with our customers. It has been an amazing journey that continues to this day.
What would you like to congratulate CTF on for its 40th anniversary?
– CTF is world-leading, yet in a way that allows us to talk to each other and understand one another in my store. Thanks to that, we can turn ideas into action together.
Kristina Heinonen, Centre for Relationship Marketing and Service Management (CERS)
Why is service research needed today?
– It is needed because it is broad and flexible enough to understand societal challenges and identify solutions to them. Service research also offers new approaches and perspectives and fosters collaboration across disciplinary boundaries. It acts as a bridge.
What is the most important contribution CTF has made?
– I would say it is the continuity in challenging and answering the question of how value is created, and then co-creating solutions based on what customers need and demand.
What would you like to congratulate CTF on for its 40th anniversary?
– On behalf of everyone at CERS, I would like to say how delighted we are by our friendship with CTF, and how much we look forward to many more conversations around the coffee table in the years ahead.
