The Service Research Center (CTF)

What does it actually mean to be a sustainable consumer? And why is it so hard to live up to the ideals, even when the willingness is there? In her doctoral thesis, Anne-Charlotte Paas, who recently completed her PhD in Business Administration at Karlstad Business School, wanted to know more about why it is so difficult to lead a sustainable life despite the threat of our planet’s collapse.

The doctoral thesis “Of Course I Want to Be Sustainable, but… : A Qualitative Study on Sustainable Consumption and Identity Construction” highlights the challenges of making everyday life as sustainable as possible. Household waste needs to be sorted, cycling or public transport should be the first choice, electronics should be switched off when not in use and food should ideally be organic. There is a lot to stay on top of to keep a clear conscience. These are the challenges that Anne-Charlotte Paas wanted to explore in her doctoral thesis.

“Hävstång Hälsa – systemledning för klimat och social hållbarhet (Hävstång Hälsa – System Leadership for Climate and Social Sustainability) is a research project you’re currently involved in. What’s it all about?

– It’s about sustainable societal development and is a collaborative project between Karlstad Municipality, Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), and CTF. The project focuses on behavioural change for improved health and climate, and we aim to explore how societal structures can be transformed to make health-promoting activities easier – enabling new solutions that benefit the people of Karlstad, with a focus on health and climate.

How can digital solutions truly benefit patients? And what sustainable reimbursement models are needed to implement them in healthcare? These were the main questions at the second partner meeting of the EU project DigiH4A – Digital Health for All, where Maria Åkesson, Linda Bergkvist and Erik Wästlund took part.

“It was a rewarding meeting with presentations, workshops and a study visit to a hospital in Hamburg,” says Maria Åkesson, Senior Lecturer in Business Administration. “It was particularly interesting to see how the hospital uses digital tools for documentation and decision support.”

Muhammad Murtaza Ali recently presented his licentiate thesis in business administration, where he identifies connections between the digitalisation of the music industry and educational initiatives for street children.
– Services shape human capabilities and well-being and it’s often the practical details that determine if a service actually is inclusive, says Muhammad.

What led you to focus on the connection between the music industry and educational initiatives for street children?

Robots guiding tourists, textile garment renovation, and the Ängsbacka course center in Molkom were among the highlights of Customer Innovation Day 2025.

The Swedish Innovation Index is based on responses from customers who rank companies and organizations based on their innovation capabilities and how attractive these innovations are perceived to be. Customers evaluate offerings, delivery, service, and interactions.

Why is customer-based innovation interesting? asked Per Kristensson, Director of the Service Research Center (CTF) at Karlstad University, to the audience.

An intense and eventful half-year is coming to an end – and there is much to be proud of. Recently, I had the privilege of leading the international conference, QUIS19 – The 19th International Research Symposium on Service Excellence in Management, in Rome. Over 275 participants from around the world gathered to be inspired and to discuss how research can help address the major societal challenges of our time – such as AI development and sustainability. It was a meeting marked by engagement, optimism for the future, and important conversations.