The Center for Service Research (CTF) at Karlstad University researches services and value creation from a user perspective – often with the customer experience in focus. In collaboration with The Hamrin Foundation, CTF is now releasing a new seminar series.
In Value-Creating Conversations, research and business meet in conversations about the societal challenges of our time.
“The focus is to develop and contribute new knowledge”, says Per Kristensson, professor of psychology and director of CTF. “This work is done in collaboration with actors in business, politics, academia as well as non-profit and public organisations. When academia and practice meet, research works together at its best and is beneficial. Because that requires new and different types of arenas to meet, talk and share experiences and challenges.”
The purpose of the seminar series Value-creating conversations – which is carried out in collaboration with The Hamrin Foundation – is to present, discuss and disseminate socially important research results in a wider context and encourage conversations between researchers and others who are affected by the results.
“We at The Hamrin Foundation believe that it is in the fusion between academia, business and society that answers to social issues are found. In order to create conversations and meetings between the actors, new communicative approaches are required and we see Value-Creating Conversations as such a way”, says Lovisa Hamrin, chair of The Hamrin Foundation.
Researchers present results on a current topic and meet practitioners in a conversation in front of an audience. Practitioners can, for example, be politicians, representatives from organizations or from media that are in some way affected by or engaged in the subject.
“This is a good way to add other perspectives”, says Per Kristensson. “The academy has historically had difficulty getting its messages out to the surrounding society and, in addition, has had difficulty understanding the challenges that exist outside the academy.”
The first part of the seminar series Value-creating conversation took place on March 21, when Peter Santen, principal innovation manager at Volvo Group, and Maria Åkesson, researcher and lecturer in business administration at CTF and the School of Economics, met in a conversation about service creation and service logic.
