Published in:
Journal of Services Marketing, 36 (2022) 3, Seite 340-363
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1108/jsm-04-2020-0122
ISSN:
0887-6045
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title>
<jats:p><jats:italic>Journal of services marketing</jats:italic> (<jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic>) is a leading journal that has published cutting-edge research in services marketing over the past 34 years. The main objective of this paper is to provide a retrospective of the thematic structure of papers published in <jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic> over its publication history.</jats:p>
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<jats:sec>
<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title>
<jats:p>This study uses bibliometric methods to present a retrospective overview of <jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic> themes between 1987 and 2019. Using keywords co-occurrence analysis, this paper unveils the thematic structure of <jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic>’s most prolific themes. Bibliographic coupling analysis uncovers the research trends of the journal.</jats:p>
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title>
<jats:p>Leading authors, leading institutions, authors’ affiliated countries and critically, the dominant themes of <jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic> are identified. As its founding, <jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic> has published approximately 40 papers each year, with 2019 being its most productive year. On average, lead <jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic> authors to collaborate with 1.30 others. Keywords co-occurrence analysis identifies nine prominent thematic clusters, namely, “marketing to service”, “quality, satisfaction and delivery systems”, “service industries”, “relationship marketing”, “service failure, complaining and recovery”, “service dominant logic”, “technology, innovation and design”, “wellbeing” and “service encounters”. Bibliographic coupling analysis groups <jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic> papers into four clusters, namely, “brand & customer engagement behaviour”, “service co-creation”, “service encounters & service recovery” and “social networking”.</jats:p>
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Research limitations/implications</jats:title>
<jats:p>This study is the first to analyse the thematic structure of <jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic> themes over its history. The themes are analysed across time periods and then compared to dominant themes identified in contemporary service research agendas. Recommendations are made based on the gaps found. This retrospective review will be useful to numerous key stakeholders including the editorial board and both existing and aspiring <jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic> contributors. The selection of literature is confined to Scopus.</jats:p>
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title>
<jats:p><jats:italic>JSM</jats:italic>’s retrospection is likely to attract readership to the journal. The study’s recommendations regarding which areas have matured and which are still ripe for future contributions will offer useful guidelines for all stakeholders.</jats:p>
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