1. Introduction
75% of the Dutch Gross Domestic Product is realized through services, and around 80% of the Dutch working society is employed in this industry (CBS, 2008). An equivalent distribution is visible throughout Europe (Figure 1, CBS, 2008). Despite the widely acknowledged importance of the service industry, it is the least studied and understood part of the economy (Flikkema & Jansen, 2004).
Services have been around since the start of human life and diversity has always been high. Due to this diversity, services cannot be viewed as a “common” phenomenon, instead a differential view, highlighting their operational differences is required.