  The 2011 Grand Challenge in Service conference aimed to explore, analyse and
evaluate complex service systems, utilising a case scenario of delivering on
improved perception of safety in the London Borough of Sutton, which provided a
common context to link the contributions. The key themes that emerged included
value co-creation, systems and networks, ICT and complexity, for which we
summarise the contributions. Contributions on value co-creation are based
mainly on empirical research and provide a variety of insights including the
importance of better understanding collaboration within value co-creation.
Contributions on the systems perspective, considered to arise from networks of
value co-creation, include efforts to understand the implications of the
interactions within service systems, as well as their interactions with social
systems, to co-create value. Contributions within the technological sphere,
providing ever greater connectivity between entities, focus on the creation of
new value constellations and new demand being fulfilled through hybrid
offerings of physical assets, information and people. Contributions on
complexity, arising from the value co- creation networks of technology enabled
services systems, focus on the challenges in understanding, managing and
analysing these complex service systems. The theory and applications all show
the importance of understanding service for the future.
