ARC: Community: ELMAR: Posting

areas: services: call

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Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2007 00:27:42 -0500
From: "David John Oliver" <d.oliver@cqu.edu.au>

CALL FOR CHAPTERS

SELF-SERVICE IN THE INTERNET AGE: EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES

A book edited by;
Dr. Dave Oliver, Central Queensland University, Australia;
Dr. Celia Romm Livermore, Wayne State University, USA, and
Dr. Fay Sudweeks, Murdoch University, Australia

Introduction
Self-service is not a new phenomenon. As an ideology and a practice it has been around since the beginning of the previous century in industries such as cafeterias and gas stations, where for many years customers have been serving themselves rather than being served. Today the concept of self-service is fundamental to the establishment and operation of many websites in a vast range of commercial and government organizations. Whilst self-service on the Internet is relatively established in some areas, in others it is still emerging.

In our own studies of self-service on the Internet, we have focussed on the transfer of work from the supplying organization to the customer and have explored the many different forms this “work” can take [1-3]. We have also observed that Internet based Grocery shopping transfers work back from the customer to the supplier, and in the process presumably creating employment [4].
 
Richardson observes a contradiction between the apparently time saving nature of e-shopping and the stresses produced by inconvenient delivery times and wrongly delivered items [5].
 
Web based self-service has also entered the arena of public administration. How this influences democratic practices and the supply of government services is another area deserving critical examination.
 
We believe there is a need and an opportunity to examine a range of areas where web based self-service has been introduced, giving particular regard to those studies that illuminate social aspects of this transformation from being served to self-service.

The Overall Objective of the Book

This book aims to explore experiences of Internet based self-service from a broad spectrum of contexts, with an emphasis on the social perspective. We seek to explore the expectations of the organizations that promote Internet based self-service; the experiences that have been created and the social consequences that have ensued from this interaction between organizational websites and the broad mass of consumers.

The book will build on the work that has been done to date in eCommerce in that it will focus on the way in which the Internet is used by organizations to support customer service. We particularly wish to highlight how the relationship between organizations and consumers is changed by Internet based self-service. We also seek insights on how social habits and practices are influenced by the phenomenon.

Accordingly we invite scholars who have undertaken research into Internet based self-service, and who can present interesting accounts of expectations and experiences in this area, to contribute conceptual or case studies that can further illuminate the field.

The Target Audience

The book will serve as a supplementary text for courses on electronic commerce, electronic marketing, business studies, cultural studies and social studies. It will also serve as support text for courses in Marketing, Business Strategy, Management of Information Systems and Social Studies. It could be used as a source for theory development and empirical research for researchers in areas such as Information Systems, Organizational Change, Psychology, Sociology and Management Studies. Finally, because Internet based self-service is so wide reaching the book is also expected to be of interest to a general readership.

Recommended topics include but are not limited to, the following:  We solicit chapters on the impact of Internet based self-service practices from diverse fields and countries from around the world. Chapters could focus on Internet based self-service in areas such as:

• eShopping;
• eBanking and Financial and Insurance services;
• eTourism and transport, hospitality and real estate areas;
• eEducation and personal development, gaining qualifications;
• eHealth – diagnosis, treatment, fitness and well being;
• eGovernment – legislation, services, taxes, documents, licenses etc
• Manufacturing industries – appliances, motor vehicles etc;
• Primary industries – agriculture, resources etc;
• Utilities – electricity, gas, water etc; 

Submission Procedure

Outline proposals from academics and researchers are required by March 19, 2007. This should consist of a 2-5 page proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of the proposed chapter and the names and affiliations of the authors.

Notification of accepted proposals will be sent by April 23, 2007. Chapter proposers will be notified as to the status of their proposals and sent chapter organizational guidelines but broadly it is anticipated that final chapters will be 7000-12000 words.

Full chapters are expected to be submitted by July 2, 2007. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. The book is scheduled to be published by Springer Group Inc., www.springer.com, in the Computer Supported Cooperative Work series in early 2008.

Inquiries and submissions (Word document) can be forwarded electronically to any of the editors:

Dave Oliver, Faculty of Business and Informatics, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 4702.
Telephone: (W) + 61 7 49309425
Fax: + 61 7 49309729
E-mail: d.oliver@cqu.edu.au

Celia Romm Livermore, School of Business Administration, Wayne State University, Detroit, 48202 MI, USA.
Telephone: (H) 248-661-0625 (cell) 248-444-9592
Fax: 313-577-4880
E-mail: celia_romm@hotmail.com

Fay Sudweeks, School of Business Administration, Murdoch University,  F.Sudweeks@murdoch.edu.au

1. Romm Livermore, C., N.A. Farag, and D. Oliver (2005), Turning Customers Into Employees – Research In Progress, in Proceedings of 6th Annual Global Information Technology Management Conference (GITM). Alaska, USA.
2. Romm, C., N. Farag-Awad, D. Oliver, and A. Sultan (2006), Turning Customers into Employees – Preliminary Results, in Proceedings of Sixth Annual Global Information Technology Management World Conference (GITM). Orlando, Florida, USA.
3. Oliver, D., C. Romm Livermore, and N.A. Farag (2005), Are You Being Served? – Exploring the Role of Customers as Employees in the Digital World, in Proceedings of CollECTeR Europe. Furtwangen, Germany.
4. Oliver, D. and C. Romm (2006), Grocery Shopping: – Down the Virtual Aisle in Proceedings of Internet Research 7.0: Internet Convergences. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
5. Richardson, H., (2005) Consuming Passions in the ‘global knowledge economy’, in Handbook of Critical Information Systems Research: Theory and Application  (eds) D. Howcroft and E.M. Trauth, Edward Elgar: Cheltenham, UK – Northampton, MA, USA. p. 272-298.

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