Christian Grönroos stands as a preeminent figure in the evolution of modern marketing theory with his foundational contributions to service and relationship marketing. Currently serving as Professor Emeritus of Service and Relationship Marketing at Hanken School of Economics in Finland, he has maintained an influential presence in academic circles since receiving his doctoral degree from the same institution in 1979. His doctoral dissertation 'Marketing of services: A study of the marketing function in service firms' established the groundwork for an entire field of marketing research that was previously underdeveloped. Following his doctoral work, Grönroos was appointed Professor of International and Industrial Marketing at Hanken in 1984, marking the beginning of a distinguished academic career that would span several decades. His leadership in establishing the Centre for Relationship Marketing and Service Management (CERS) further cemented his role as a pivotal figure in shaping contemporary marketing thought.
Grönroos revolutionized marketing theory through his development of service logic, fundamentally redefining marketing as 'promise management' and shifting the paradigm from goods-dominant to service-dominant logic. His seminal work has earned him recognition as the first non-North American scholar to be designated a 'Legend in Marketing,' with his research compiled in the prestigious 'Legends in Marketing' Series edited by Dr. Jagdish Sheth. Ranked as the second highest among marketing researchers globally according to Stanford University research, his publications have achieved remarkable citation impact, placing him among the top 200 scholars worldwide in business administration. Grönroos's conceptual framework for understanding service marketing has transformed how businesses approach customer relationships, influencing both academic research and practical applications across diverse industries. His intellectual contributions have been particularly significant in helping manufacturing firms transform into service-oriented businesses, creating new value propositions in increasingly competitive markets.
Beyond his theoretical contributions, Grönroos has profoundly shaped the global marketing community through his extensive international collaborations and academic leadership. Honored with prestigious awards including the Christopher Lovelock Career Contributions Award and the Evert Gummesson Outstanding Research Award, his influence extends through honorary professorships at Nankai University, Tianjin Normal University, and Oslo School of Management. As founder of CERS, he established a vital research hub that continues to advance relationship marketing and service management scholarship worldwide. Currently maintaining an active emeritus role, Grönroos continues to refine his service logic perspective, exploring how digital transformation impacts promise management in contemporary business environments, ensuring his foundational work remains relevant to emerging challenges in the marketing discipline.
