"The Internet, for example, is a common platform, one for which companies build individual products and technologies that connect to it," Mr. Singh says. "We can build a similar architectural framework for the service industry."

SRII's strategy for its goals is ambitious. The organization has created focus teams to study service industry verticals, such as health care, financial, energy, transportation, telecom and government, as well as teams to study such major domains and disciplines as service operation management and "human factor" engineering. It is also creating international chapters, working with governments around the world as well as forming partnerships with organizations and universities.

Science research is focused on the practical, not the theoretical. "To me services science is basically a collection of problems between computing science, engineering, business, human resources and all the different kinds of soft problems involved in the implementation of software in an environment that will allow us to improve human processes," says Eleni Stroulia, professor, NSERC/iCORE IRC on Service Systems Management, Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta. "It focuses on problems that were traditionally thought of as people problems."

For example, since the early days of the IT revolution, much has been discussed about the productivity gap. Most assumed the technological advancements would have resulted in a sharp increase in productivity. This hasn't happened.

"When you look at these issues," Prof. Stroulia says, "you very quickly become aware of the importance of motivation. People have to be motivated and involved in the process, otherwise the system will break down. We cannot automate everything. So if you have a hybrid system that requires interaction of software and people, you have to make sure people are motivated to do what they're supposed to be doing."

In the years to come, Prof. Stroulia believes services science researchers will work across disciplines to crystallize the key challenges that belong in the interdisciplinary area of the field.

"And then through our individual work, we'll be addressing the problems that are owned by our own disciplines and that will be our contribution to making our world a little smoother."