Discipline Comparison of SSME with IS and its Education Implications

Service economy and service computing are taking a surge in interest in what is being called SSME (Service Science, Management, and Engineering). From the historical perspective, this paper compares the birth and research object of SSME and IS disciplines, proposes that SSME has much similarity with IS discipline, fundamental change comes from the digital societypsilas evolution. There is a leap in the process of IT-driven social evolvement between IS and SSME, that is from IS solution to digital service system. A comprehensive comparison shows their essential differences. Then three issues are proposed according that of the IS. They will help explain the SSME research field. Some suggestions on the education issues and curricula design for SSME are made referring those of IS.