Skip to main content Skip to navigation

WMG helps managers become masters of service

WMG at the University of Warwick has used its unique position between academia and industry to launch a new MSc in Service Management and Design. Delivery of world class customer service and generating a slice of the vast business revenues that can be achieved by getting this right remains the goal of all companies wishing to survive and grow in today’s tough and uncertain economic climate.

WMG’s Service Systems group has gone back to industry to fully understand its needs and priorities for the education and development of its staff in the area of value-creating service systems. A steering group including organisations such as IBM, British Airways, Moog, S A Partners, Alexander and Rolls-Royce has also been established and continues to support the development of relevant material. WMG has combined its world leading research with academic excellence to provide a sector wide programme that will help companies to ‘master’ the complex area of service delivery.

The unique aspect of this Master’s Degree is that it combines management, design, technology and engineering in a trans-disciplinary way to gain insights into some of the most complex problems in service and product systems. It will be especially relevant for manufacturing companies who need to move forward from product-centric to service-centric thinking.

Professor Irene Ng, head of the Service Systems group at WMG said:

“Designers of services can learn from product design not just because of the many parallels of processes but because the future of services includes manufacturing, just as the future of manufacturing is also embedded in services. Boundaries are increasingly being crossed and many services are or will become a hybrid of material, social and technological resources. The risks of businesses and policy makers not understanding these rapidly emerging hybrid systems are profound and this course will equip managers with the knowledge they need to manage that risk.”

Mairi Macintyre, MSc course leader at WMG added:

“WMG has taken the time to listen to its many industry contacts around the world to develop this new MSc that is both highly relevant to service companies of all sizes and is also very much a first in its field. Students on this programme will gain exposure to world class business and academic leaders in service management and design and will engage directly with experienced practitioners, enabling rich engagement between students, expert practitioners and researchers.”

The course is being offered on a full-time and part-time basis. Through WMG’s Part-time Professional and Executive Programmes, Rolls-Royce - a member of the sector wide MSc steering group - has already committed to funding places for a number of their high-potential Services employees.

Mark Bailey, Director, Services Function at Rolls-Royce commented:

“Services are an increasingly important area of business and strong professional development is key in delivering industry leading services that are tailored to customer’s needs. The MSc will allow our experienced Services employees to put their knowledge into a broader, academic context and apply their learning back into the workplace”.

Peter Ward, IBM Client and Technical Advisor Programme Manager for EMEA also commented:

“It is essential that we drive improved effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability in the delivery of services. There is an urgent need for people who can apply a unique combination of skills, knowledge and experience to this emerging field; people who can coordinate global resources of all kinds in the delivery of services, who can identify and deliver a continuous stream of innovation in service systems in a repeatable and scientific way. This MSc addresses a key challenge facing businesses today: competiveness through service”.

The new Master’s Degree will commence in October 2012, if you are interested to find out more visit go.warwick.ac.uk/wmgptmasters or contact the Programme Administrator on 024 765 23976 or email wmgptmasters@warwick.ac.uk.

For further information please contact:

Lisa Barwick, WMG, University of Warwick
Tel: 024 76 524721

Peter Dunn, email: p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk
Head of Communications, Communications Office, University House,
University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 8UW, United Kingdom
UK Tel: 024 76 523708 Mobile 07767 655860
International +44 24 76 523708 Mobile +44 7767 655860
Twitter: @PeterJDunn

PR146 20th August 2012