Towards an ontological foundation of service dominant logic

Abstract

The development of service science requires an appropriate theoretical foundation; S-D logic has been proposed as a candidate. Nevertheless, the application of the principles of S-D logic in service science suffers from inconsistencies and misunderstanding. In this paper we provide an ontological representation of S-D logic in order to clarify its key concepts and analyze their relationships. The paper contributes in the establishment of S-D logic as the foundational theory of service science, the resolution of inconsistencies and misunderstandings, the improved understanding of the concepts of S-D logic and the improved communication of experts from diverse areas in the multidisciplinary field of service science.