It is our pleasure to invite you to join the School of Business and Economics at Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK for a special event taking place on Thursday 3rd April starting at 3.00pm.

The event will mark the official launch of the new research Centre for Service Management (CSM). CSM aims to develop new ideas, concepts, knowledge and practices in service management covering the private, public and third sectors.

In the two sessions, Centre Directors, Professor Thorsten Gruber, Professor Zoe Radnor, colleagues and invited guests will be showcasing some of the ground breaking research taking place at Loughborough and in practice.

The programme of speakers is shown below and we do hope that you will be able to join us for the whole event or one of the sessions. For further information and to book your place, please email Ruth Cufflin at R.Cufflin@lboro.ac.uk. The event is free but places are limited.

Kind Regards

Professors Thorsten Gruber and Zoe Radnor

www.lboro.ac.uk/csm

Programme:

Session 1 – Innovation, Quality and Transformation

15.00 – Welcome refreshments

15.20 – Welcoming address – Professor Myra Nimmo Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), Loughborough University

15.30 – Dr Ian Hodgkinson, Lecturer in Strategy, Loughborough University, “Strategy, Publicness and Service Provider Performance”

15.50 – Ms Cathryn Hart, Senior Lecturer in Retailing and Operations Management and Dr Mohammed Rafiq, Reader in Retailing and Marketing, Loughborough University “Transforming Consumer Perceptions – Insights From Town Centre Research”

16.10 – Dr Nicola Bateman, Senior Lecturer in Operations Management, Loughborough University, “Visual Management – A Shared Vision for Innovation”

16.30 – Enterprise Keynote Speakers – Philip Mayhew, Director of Business Transformation, Acting CEO, Solihull MBC and Kim Silcock, Business Transformation Directorate, Solihull MBC, “Going Lean – The Solihull Way”

17:00 – Enterprise Keynote Speaker – Jason Tipton, Head of Operations, Insurethebox, “Drive Safe & Save – Transforming the Car Insurance Industry with Telematics Technology”

17.30 – 18.00 Buffet and drinks

Session 2 – Service Directions and Developments

18.00 – SBE Address: Prof Angus Laing, Dean School of Business and Economics, Loughborough University

18.10 – CSM Directors Address (Prof Thorsten Gruber & Prof Zoe Radnor)

18:30 – Research Presentation by Professor Dr Gianfranco Walsh, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany, “Retailers’ Lenient Return Policies and Consumer Return Behaviour – Investigating The Role Of Online Retailers’ Reputation”

19.00 – Research Presentation by Professor David Bamford, University of Huddersfield, “Servicescape in Sports”

19.30 – 20.00 Networking and refreshments

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