Strategic Service Management is a new approach for competitive success which embraces the major developments in service management thinking over the 1980s. In this volume case studies from a wide variety of industries, both in the private and public sector, focus on the main areas of this approach: creating competitive strategies for a service oriented business, and the process of successful and accelerated strategy implementation. The authors provide valuable ideas and techniques for the service business aiming for market leadership and profit growth, and for all companies where adding value with service and motivating employees towards business goals is vital. This is the 7th volume in the Best of Long Range Planning series which brings together the best articles on a particular topic from the Long Range Planning journal so that readers wishing to study a specific aspect of planning can find an authoritative and comprehensive view of the subject, conveniently published in one volume.