Includes index, bibliography and appendix.

Contents: Nature and scope of service marketing: Definition of service -- Components of a service -- Understanding the service customer: Consumer decision process -- Managing customer participation -- Service brand communications: Integrating the service communication mix -- Brand loyalty benefits -- Service employment dynamics: Role of employees in service delivery -- Best human resource practices -- Managing and improving service quality: The Service blueprint -- Developing a marketing oriented service culture -- Service failures: Moment of truth encounters -- Service failure -- Nature and scope of corporate social responsibility & ethics: Social responsibility and corporate social responsibility -- Ethics and service businesses -- Service firm corporate social initiatives -- Community volunteering for service firms.