Editorial: Marketing and consumer research at the intersection of services and public policy

An upcoming special issue of Journal of Services Marketing (submissions due January 2026) will focus on the intersection of service research and public policy − in essence, research exploring services marketing with a policy perspective or public policy through a services marketing lens. The team of guest editors recognize that service has been defined as deeds, processes, or performances (Zeithaml et al., 2010) or as offerings that provide access and do not result in transfer of ownership (Lovelock and Gummesson, 2004), and service can also be used as “help someone” (Grönroos, 2024, p. 34). It is in this vein that we believe there is a unique relationship between services marketing and public policy that poses relevant research questions about changes in society that align with transformational concepts in marketing. Key service issues across the globe have important policy or regulatory components warranting further explanation, as does marketing and public policy research within service contexts. Given the relationship between the focal disciplines and well-being, this special issue has the potential to answer calls for work that addresses transformative service research (TSR) and beyond (Anderson et al., 2012). The goal of this special issue is for authors to think deeply about relevant and timely connections between services, marketing and public policy in ways that ultimately offer creative and transformative insights for policymakers, service industries, communities, nations and beyond.The service industry is affected by public policy in numerous ways, with both positive and negative consequences. Consider the public policy decisions made in the USA at the federal and state levels around the minimum wage and how these influence hiring and pricing decisions for companies and organizations. Federal policies enacted, such as the Federal Labor Standards Act (USAGov, 2025) set the federal minimum wage, currently $7.25 per hour, while some states and cities establish different minimum wage requirements. As of 2025, 34 states have minimum wages above the federal level, with New York and California at the highest levels of $16.50 and set to increase in 2026 (NCSL, 2025). For many service industries, which may rely upon tipped- or commission-based pay, navigating these regulations can be complex. Nuance in minimum wage policies influence a myriad of service-related operations, employee matters, and consumer-facing decisions made by organizations. Understanding how public policy decisions such as these affect services marketing is critical.Conversely, public policy is affected by the service industry. This is particularly apparent in the “new service marketplace” where technology plays an important role, especially as it affects consumer intentions in service exchanges (Rosenbaum et al., 2022). Point-of-sale systems have evolved from analog cash registers to electronic systems, to software-based systems, and ultimately to cashless cloud-connected platforms or SaaS (software-as-a-service) with tap capability for added convenience. These technological changes to how consumers pay for services have direct impact on public policy development (even if it lags) around data privacy and security, tax compliance, consumer protection, labor management, and beyond. Considerations of the back-and-forth flow and dynamics between service organizations and policymakers are essential in service and consumer scholarship.Situated at the intersection of robust fields, the special issue is open to a wide swath of research. Submitted work could address regulatory and policy impacts on services marketing, including how regulations influence service design, customer experience, and firm strategies. Or, research could address sustainability and social responsibility, focusing on the role of service firms and policymakers in driving these initiatives. Further, scholarship could emphasize public-private partnerships in service, recognizing how collaborations between various stakeholders can enhance service quality, accessibility, and policy compliance. Another avenue is consumer protection in services, examining deceptive practices, service failures, consumer vulnerability, and ethical concerns. Service research in the space of technology, artificial intelligence, and public policy can take a deeper look into their roles in service delivery and marketing. Additionally, ripe for examination are highly regulated service industries (see suggestions below), which pose challenges and opportunities for a variety of stakeholders. Even if your work expands beyond these potential areas, this special issue is open to other ideas that lie at the intersection of public policy and service research and that uphold the quality and rigor expected by the Journal of Services Marketing.Marketing research around services and public policy both originated in the 1980s, as marketing faced new challenges and the scholarly knowledge diversified (Wilkie and Moore, 2003). Both specialized areas of marketing have seen a growth in relevance and interest since then. As Ostrom et al. (2021) noted, the science of service-research priorities saw a shift in calling for “big solutions and innovative thinking” (p. 348) due to technological innovations and changes. Around the same time, public policy researchers observed a need for consumer-centered policy inquiries that focused on consumer environments as research elements and contexts, especially with changes in the environment (Block et al., 2022). While each saw similar needs, neither specifically recognized the important role that public policy plays in shaping services nor how service contexts influence public policy.Some research in both services and policy research makes mention of the other or alludes to its nature. For instance, services research examined the two subfields in marketing − social marketing and transformative service research − and described them as “parallel but distinct subfields of marketing that share common interests” (Russell-Bennett et al., 2019, p. 633). Russell-Bennett et al. (2024) later focuses on the growing relevance of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and the pertinent themes for service research, stating that “collective well-being relies on sustainable service mechanisms within an integrated ecosystem, supported by policy, advocacy, and collaborative partnerships” (p. 149). Scott et al. (2022) found that policy research has predominantly impacted several SDG areas, highlighting health and well-being along with responsible consumption and production, poverty and financial decision making, and beyond. However, even with the mention of “policy” by Russell-Bennett (2024) and the transformational nature of public policy research examining areas related to the UN SDGs by Scott et al. (2022), neither overtly make a connection between services marketing and public policy. Addressing this gap is important, especially as we believe it is critical in the new services marketplace era (Russell-Bennett and Rosenbaum, 2022).As an editorial team, we are taking an intentionally expansive approach to this special issue. Beyond the expectation that the intersection of service and public policy be at the core of the research, there are few other constraints. In the call for papers, we invite submissions that consider policy at different levels, employ a variety of methodologies, and apply a diverse range of theories, across various sectors. In doing so, we uphold the Journal’s commitment to publishing papers that offer a “unique and interesting contribution on services marketing in a contemporary world” while also providing a platform for the examination of the increasingly relevant intersection with public policy.Authors are encouraged to consider all iterations of public policy in global contexts, from legislation developed at the national and state levels − sometimes referred to as “big P” policies − to norms enacted by societal institutions or nongovernmental agencies − or what has been called “little P” policies (House, 1991). Scholars have defined public policy in a myriad of ways, most of which emphasize the role played by government (Cochran and Malone, 1995; Kraft and Furlong, 2009). Scholars also recognize that public policy addresses societal issues (Kilpatrick, 2000) and therefore social welfare (Stewart, 2013). Another, more general, view of public policy is “a practice and discipline of making tangible written rules that govern a group of people or society at large” (Observatory of Public Sector Innovation, 2025). As an editorial team we embrace Andrews et al. s’ (2022) assertion that public policy research within the domain of marketing extends to nongovernmental agencies. Consequently, we open this special issue to submissions beyond investigations of governmental policies to those created and upheld by other entities, including but not limited to professional associations, religious institutions, charities, humanitarian organizations, advocacy groups, and industry regulatory bodies; effectively inviting research related to both “big P” and “little p” policy issues.Irrespective of the level of policy that is considered, submissions are expected to articulate the relationship with service processes and/or marketing. These relationships can be examined through any number of perspectives. Submitted works may consider identifying services marketing problems that can be addressed through public policy interventions; the development and selection of policy options to address identified problems; the implementation and administration of services related policies; and/or the evaluation of introduced policies (Andrews et al., 2022). We encourage work that is both conceptual and empirical and eagerly embrace the Journal’s agnosticism to methodology. Rather than the method employed, submissions will be evaluated based on the rigor of their examination of the relationship between services marketing and public policy.Policy, at macro, meso, and micro levels, can impact well-being in countless ways. From national law and local legislation to city planning and organizational processes, policy touches almost every aspect of life for people, firms, and environments. The upcoming special issue at the intersection of service research and public policy welcomes scholarship at any level of policy, across a wide array of contexts, and with any rigorous methodology. Ultimately, research in this special issue should make contributions to theoretical understanding, practical implications, and societal impact related to at least one stakeholder: service industries and nonprofit organizations, consumers of service, communities impacted by services, frontline service employees, or policymakers.The 17 SDGs as prescribed by the United Nations (United Nations, 2015) present opportunities to investigate the impact of policy, at the macro, meso or micro level, on services. These goals consider issues of human needs and well-being, protecting natural resources, economic and social prosperity, and global cooperation and peace. All UN goals influence and are influenced by policy created by governments, organizations, and firms around the world. Further, service provision, delivery, and access are central to many of the core issues addressed by these goals − healthcare services, education services, financial services, energy and utility services, transportation and mobility services, tourism and hospitality services, information and technology services, water and sanitation services, public administration and legal services, and environmental and sustainability services.Though countless services and industries are impacted by policy, and are welcome in this special issue, there are a few critical industries we wish to highlight as having potential for impact. Anderson et al. (2013) note social services, financial services, and health care services as spaces ripe for TSR. TSR is a space that naturally lends itself to the intersection of service and public policy, due to its emphasis on consumer and societal well-being. Based on the SDGs from the United Nations (2015), we offer environmental and technological services as potentially fruitful contexts as well.Social service organizations and benefits exist along a continuum of regulation, from local grassroots organizations overseen by local boards or volunteers to state and federally governed organizations such as the Department of Veteran Affairs and programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and beyond. Organizations at all levels − local, state, federal, or global − often rely upon grant funding to support their missions and service programming, adding another layer of bureaucracy to how providers function. Some providers lie at the intersection of multiple service types requiring oversight. For example, the Department of Health Services, which delivers healthcare for uninsured and impoverished consumers, is both a social service and a healthcare service, meaning it needs regulatory input regarding social components such as who qualifies for service and how it is funded, as well as input on health components such as consumer privacy and continuity of care. At the intersection of social service and public policy, there exists the levers and mechanisms for delivering power, justice, and access via service to a broad variety of consumers and communities (Baker et al., 2020).Another industry of interest is the financial service sector. Banks, credit unions, financial advisors, accounting services, and other fiscal institutions are subject to oversight and intense scrutiny to work toward the financial protection of consumers. Despite these regulatory efforts, there are still major obstacles in service interactions, delivery, and access (Bone et al., 2014; Scott et al., 2023), which should be addressed through thoughtful policy reconsiderations and adjustments. Policies such as those covered by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation fair lending laws can improve consumer well-being through confidence, security, and inclusion in the economic realm of their lives.Healthcare is a gauntlet of a service context impacted by organizational policies (e.g. how to treat patients appropriately) and federal regulation around health data access and use (e.g. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) (Azzari et al., 2025). Making this context rich for examination is its existence within a complex service ecosystem and reliance upon countless auxiliary services. The healthcare ecosystem includes physicians, mental health professionals, insurance providers, pharmaceuticals − all which have their own sets of regulatory boards and policies governing their service relationships to patients. As cultural norms shift and service practices change, such as the responsibilization of consumers for their own health outcomes (Anderson et al., 2016), scholars have urged policymakers to attend to issues such as unintended consequences, consumer literacy in expert services, and customization of customer coproduction experiences (Azzari et al., 2021).The natural environment, and the ways in which humans and organizations are permitted to interact with it, are a key focus for government oversight globally. There are many potential approaches to the intersection of environment, service research, and public policy that could be relevant for this special issue (see Büttgen et al., 2023). Some organizations attempt to preserve and showcase the natural environment, such as the Environmental Protection Agency or National Park Service. In other cases, industries that exploit the environment (e.g. mining or fracking) or create pollution are heavily regulated to reduce impact. Other initiatives are created to incentivize positive practices, both for consumers and for corporations. For example, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifications have made their way into the mainstream for architectural and engineering services to design buildings that serve humans in more natural and efficient ways.Finally, technological services, broadly, are another rich space for inquiry at the intersection of public policy and service. From questions about consumer privacy and data protection (Walker, 2016) to the various uses of artificial intelligence services in marketing and social communications, technological services are pervasive in everyday human life. Further, the technological advancements touch all industries, including those listed above: new devices to detect or monitor health concerns, a plethora of financial planning and tracking tools, and technological advancements designed to reduce environmental impact. Thus, tech services have far-reaching effects in a variety of service types, each potentially existing within unique and, perhaps, overlapping regulatory environments. Important to note is that with the resources and capabilities required to advance technologies, there is often a policy lag (Andrews et al., 2022), as regulatory agencies struggle to keep up with rapid changes in technological innovations.Though we highlight these policy levels and industries, we welcome contributions using a variety of contexts, methods, and theories. This special issue will build upon and extend our understanding of the intersection of service research and public policy. The editorial team welcomes inquiries from potential author teams. The deadline for submissions to this special issue is January 15, 2026. The editorial team anticipates an average of two rounds of revisions, followed by acceptance notifications by October 2026.