The service research community is a global network of service academics who are interested in topics ranging from co-creation of value, the customer experience, transforming lives through service, service innovation and service systems.
This community started from a few academics in the 1970s to become a thriving group of thousands of researchers in over 100 countries. Part of the success of the service field of research can be attributed to the efforts by senior scholars in nurturing junior colleagues and students, providing critical advice on manuscripts, editorial roles and hosting events and conferences.
The Journal of Services Marketing (JSM) seeks to recognise scholars who play a key role in mentoring others in the field and in helping young scholars become leaders in the services field. JSM has initiated this award in the name of the former editor, Professor Steve Baron, from Liverpool University, UK (now retired). Steve was not only a leading scholar in the field of services with contributions made over a 25-year period, but he is someone who typified altruism in helping others with scholarly service. He is the epitome of gentleman and a scholar.
The award
The award is bi-annual commencing in 2018 and is announced at the AMA ServSig conference. The ethos of the award is therefore to recognise the altruistic behaviour of service scholars that may go unnoticed in the quest for journal rankings and output but that is essential for the wellbeing of scholars in the services community and the growth of the discipline.
Award winners
For a list of previous award winners visit this page: Previous award winners of the Steve Baron Award
2026 Nomination Process
- Call for nominations issued on the SERVSIG website and Facebook page in even numbered years i.e. 2024, 2026, 2028, 2030, 2032
- Nominations to be made by a colleague or students of the nominee via an email to the JSM editors with a link to the nominee’s online profile, one paragraph explanation of the reason for nomination and the email address of the nominee. Send to Mark Rosenbaum [email protected] and Kristina Heinonen [email protected] by the deadline for nominations of 30 March 2026.
- The JSM editors will contact the nominee to advise of their nomination by 15 April 2026 and request the nominee provide a one page summary of service and their CV to the JSM senior co-editor [email protected]
- Nominations to be assessed by judging panel
- Recipient announced at SERVSIG conference awards event.
Ineligibility:
Current co-editors and associate editors of JSM, current chairs of SERVSIG
Judging criteria:
Minimum length of academic service: ten years
Evidence of consistent service to the community (e.g. hosting events, mentoring junior colleagues, developing initiatives that support the service community)
One page testimonial from a service scholar(s) to demonstrate how the nominee has impacted others: could be from a single person or multiple people
2026 Judging panel:
Co-editors of JSM; Mark Rosenbaum and Kristina Heinonen
SERVSIG co-chairs: Kristina Heinonen and Harrison Pugh
Steve Baron