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Service Ecosystem Design for Improving the Service Sustainability: A Case of Career Counselling Services in the Italian Higher Education Institution

Author

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  • Zichao Nie

    (Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano, No. 38, Durando Road, Bovisa, 20158 Milano, Italy)

  • Francesco Zurlo

    (Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano, No. 38, Durando Road, Bovisa, 20158 Milano, Italy)

  • Elisabetta Camussi

    (Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell’Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126 Milano, Italy)

  • Chiara Annovazzi

    (Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell’Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126 Milano, Italy)

Abstract

The call for further research on service sustainability at all levels has been increasingly stated within the past years. However, limited research has been conducted with regard to the macro level, in which services are inevitably influenced by social, cultural, economic and technological factors. This paper develops an ecosystem approach within the service context to design a service not only from a micro level (e.g., service experience, service encounters), but also from a social level in order to help businesses and public sectors to transform the relationship among individual, collective, social, and environmental systems and increase service sustainability. Then, it applies the developed Service Ecosystem Design (SED) model in a Career Counselling Service (CCS) in the University of Milano-Bicocca (Unimib) in order to demonstrate the usefulness of this model. The empirical data were collected from service providers to illustrate the current service system maps and from first-year undergraduates to understand their perceptions and expectations on campus CCS. The results show that the Unimib CCS is a research-oriented career service and the fundamental service improvements should focus on designing the peer counselling, follow-up, pre-service, a holistic online platform, law education, technology education, optional course, hands-on experiences and student activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Zichao Nie & Francesco Zurlo & Elisabetta Camussi & Chiara Annovazzi, 2019. "Service Ecosystem Design for Improving the Service Sustainability: A Case of Career Counselling Services in the Italian Higher Education Institution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-24, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:5:p:1427-:d:211970
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    2. Jianfeng Wu & Chuchu Jin & Lekai Zhang & Li Zhang & Ming Li & Xuan Dong, 2021. "Emotionally Sustainable Design Toolbox: A Card-Based Design Tool for Designing Products with an Extended Life Based on the User’s Emotional Needs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    3. Beatrice Villari, 2022. "Designing Sustainable Services for Cities: Adopting a Systemic Perspective in Service Design Experiments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-15, October.

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