The publication of Service MArketing is very timely. Marketing practice in the service sector continues to evolve rapidly and more and more business schools are offering course in services marketing. At the same time, a growing number of service industries now find themselves competing in an international environmental. With grater academic commitment to the field has come increased student interest in understanding management issues in services. Meanwhile, managers working in the service industries report that manufacturing-based models of business practice are not always useful and relevant to them in their work.