[Excerpt] The first International Quality in Service Symposium (QUIS) that took place in 1988 in Karlstad, Sweden, represented a particularly important starting point and stimulus for the scientific discussion of service management issues. Since then, service management research has developed significantly, and a specific scientific community has evolved. At several prestigious universities all over the world, service research centers have been established and a growing number of service-related books have been published. Moreover, an increasing number of academic journals with a focus on services are gaining an international reputation.