article published yes Daniel Beverungen author Jens Poeppelbuss author Simon Hemmrich author Taskeen Iqbal author 195 department 534 department SHAPE : Gestaltung von Dienstleistungsentwicklungsprozessen und lnnovationspartnerschaften mit Unternehmen project Service research has evolved into an interdisciplinary research field that bridges diverse disciplines, including information systems (IS) and marketing. Nearly two decades ago, the service system concept was introduced as a foundational abstraction in service research, drawing on ideas from the service-dominant logic (S-D logic) of marketing. Despite its widespread adoption in service research, particularly in the IS discipline, the service system concept lacks a solid theoretical foundation. This has resulted in conceptual ambiguity and overlap with related constructs, such as service ecosystems. Moreover, it has largely remained a static analytical lens, insufficiently capturing dynamic service phenomena, including value co-creation and co-destruction, as well as the emergence of institutional arrangements. To address these limitations, we propose Luhmann’s systems theory (LST) as a robust framework for conceptualizing service systems as autopoietic (self-creating) systems, in which communication serves as the fundamental mechanism that drives value co-creation. We derive five theoretical propositions from this re-conceptualization that clarify conceptual ambiguity and allow researchers to explore dynamic service phenomena in greater depth. Given LST’s general approach, our conceptualization provides a theoretically grounded, interdisciplinary foundation for advancing service research. https://ris.uni-paderborn.de/download/65476/65477/Service is Communication - EM Paper.pdf application/pdf Springer Science and Business Media LLC2026 eng Service systemService ecosystemSystems theoryService research 1019-6781 1422-889010.1007/s12525-026-00889-w 361 Beverungen, Daniel, Jens Poeppelbuss, Simon Hemmrich, and Taskeen Iqbal. “Service through Communication—Conceptualizing Service Systems with Luhmann’s Systems Theory.” <i>Electronic Markets</i> 36, no. 1 (2026). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>. D. Beverungen, J. Poeppelbuss, S. Hemmrich, and T. Iqbal, “Service through communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory,” <i>Electronic Markets</i>, vol. 36, no. 1, Art. no. 37, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>. Beverungen D, Poeppelbuss J, Hemmrich S, Iqbal T. Service through communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory. <i>Electronic Markets</i>. 2026;36(1). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a> Beverungen, D., Poeppelbuss, J., Hemmrich, S., &#38; Iqbal, T. (2026). Service through communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory. <i>Electronic Markets</i>, <i>36</i>(1), Article 37. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a> D. Beverungen, J. Poeppelbuss, S. Hemmrich, T. Iqbal, Electronic Markets 36 (2026). @article{Beverungen_Poeppelbuss_Hemmrich_Iqbal_2026, title={Service through communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory}, volume={36}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>}, number={137}, journal={Electronic Markets}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Beverungen, Daniel and Poeppelbuss, Jens and Hemmrich, Simon and Iqbal, Taskeen}, year={2026} } Beverungen, Daniel, et al. “Service through Communication—Conceptualizing Service Systems with Luhmann’s Systems Theory.” <i>Electronic Markets</i>, vol. 36, no. 1, 37, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2026, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>. 654762026-04-21T13:13:02Z2026-04-21T13:18:35Z