Hanken's Centre for Relationship Marketing and Service Management (CERS) celebrated its 30th anniversary
Professor Jochen Wirtz, a close collaborator and colleague, extended heartfelt congratulations.
“CERS has become one of the top global research centres, it has constantly been engaged in pioneering and innovating service research that truly pushes the boundaries of knowledge.”
The centre we know today has undergone many changes over the past years. This was illustrated by both the former Director, Professor Kristina Heinonen (2010-2023), and a video summarizing the developments the centre experienced from 2019-2024. Professor Heinonen reflected on the centre’s achievements.
“As we celebrate 30 years of CERS, we reflect on how our focus has evolved to address critical societal challenges such as well-being, behavioral change, and service innovation. Through our commitment to forward-thinking collaboration, we are driving progress and contributing to positive change in markets and society broadly.”
The 30th anniversary event was hosted by Director and Professor Johanna Gummerus, with Assistant Professor Larissa Becker serving as the event’s conferencier. Director Gummerus shared her vision for the future of the centre.
“In the next decade, we will continue to do research in the spirit of the Nordic school: daring to be different and pushing marketing research forward. We will emphasize creating projects that allow us to work with businesses and contribute to society. My strong belief is that the only way we can thrive is by working together across disciplinary boundaries, backed up by solidarity among us at CERS, at Hanken, and in academia.”
A keynote speech was delivered by Per Kristensson, professor of psychology and director of CTF at Karlstad University. He reviewed service research over the past 30 years and highlighted CERS' ongoing impact on the community. Additionally, Deirdre O’Loughlin, professor of marketing at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, offered insights on the future of consumer services research in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.
During the event, the 2024 Grönroos Service Research Award was presented to Professor Per Kristensson.
Read more about CERS here:
CERS - Centre for Relationship Marketing and Service Management
Photo: Frej Vuori