A viewpoint from the trenches

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to present the author’s viewpoint on the developments in the Journal of Services Marketing (JSM) during the past 25 years of his association with the Journal. The paper documents the evolution in the Journal, highlights significant changes and makes some prognostications for the future. Design/methodology/approach The paper relies on the first-hand account of the author, which is supplemented by limited qualitative data analysis that consists of analyzing keywords and the abstract of articles published in JSM during the past 25 years. Findings The first-hand account shows that JSM has undergone changes that reflect changes that have taken place in the field of marketing. The issues/topics of manuscripts submitted and published in the Journal have become interdisciplinary and so are the analytical techniques. This expanding scope of the Journal positions it well for the future in which collaborative research will be more pervasive in the academy. Research limitations/implications This is a first-hand account with limited data analysis and therefore could suffer from the writer’s biases even though they might be unintended. Practical implications This paper documents the expanding scope of the Journal that may have been the result of explicit steps taken to make the Journal more successful in the future. Originality/value As a first-hand account, this study is original.