Physical space matters

While trusted spaces and place-based approaches are common considerations in relation to service delivery, the relationship between a service and physical material space often remains neglected.

In their new article “Spatiality of Service Delivery in the Covid19 Pandemic: Transcending Spatial Boundaries or Accommodating Logistical Challenges?”, Dr Katharina Sarter and Elizabeth Cookingham Bailey argue that the relationship between a service and requirements relating to physical space is vital for understanding service delivery.

Distinguishing between physicality-bound and not-physicality-bound services, the article investigates the experiences of voluntary sector organisations delivering services during the Covid-19 pandemic and shows that spatial requirements were crucial for shaping strategies and experiences of service delivery, especially as spatial requirements may open or foreclose opportunities for digitalisation.