Study Guide

Description

The objective of the master’s degree programme is to educate experts of service business management. By using diverse development methods students deepen their knowledge of different management sectors, such as profitability and responsibility, cooperation, and future anticipation. After graduation they have both theoretical and methodological readiness to work as researchers, planners, developers, implementers and evaluators of service business management.

Customer-oriented development of services will increase strongly in the future. Economic growth is a precondition for development of services but attention must be paid on turnover, profitability, and occupational wellbeing. Service innovations increase economic effectiveness in Finland, produce cost savings, and generate new activity. Our country needs more practical management, research and development of service business. Among others, internationalisation, technological development, and pressure for cost savings affect competence needs in the accommodation and catering field. The pressure for cost savings is a challenge for service business development as the need for user-centred and individual services increases. Success factors are continuing development, inclusion of customers in service development, comprehensive business competence, utilisation of staff’s multidisciplinary and special know-how, readiness for change, and anticipation of the future.

Basic values of the degree programme are wellbeing, aesthetics, networking and hospitality competence whose basis is formed by the ability to identify the principles of customer experience and changes in behaviour. Wellbeing competence includes production of healthy, safe and economic services to promote the wellbeing of customers and work communities. It is essential to know the branch, pay attention to aesthetic viewpoints in service, and understand hospitality as a key value and success factor in the branch.