(EMAILWIRE.COM, May 06, 2009 ) LOS GATOS and SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 6, 2009 -- The Service Research Innovation Institute (SRII) today announced results of the inaugural Service Science and Service Research Innovation Awards Program. Rambam Hospital, Technion (Israel Institute of Technology), and IBM Research were named the joint winner of the Services Partnership Award for the best collaborative practice between industry, academia, and government. The award was established to highlight service research and innovation efforts by individuals, institutes, academia, and organizations from around the globe.

The objective of this multi-disciplinary project applied service science in hospitals in order to innovate and fundamentally improve the quality and efficiency of patient-care processes, while disseminating and archiving the science-based knowledge acquired during the project.

“Rambam Hospital, Technion (Israel Institute of Technology), and IBM Research successfully demonstrated a practical example of collaboration among industry, academia, and government to bring innovative ideas and practices to fruition in order to solve real-world business challenges,” said Denise Villamil, vice president of member programs for SRII. “Examples like this demonstrate the value proposition of strategic partnerships, especially in today’s economic climate.”

The three finalists for this program included Gaylord Hotels and the University of Central Florida; Xerox and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT); and IBM, Rambam Hospital, and Technion (Israel Institute of Technology).

The three finalists were honored today at an awards luncheon held at the Technology Services World (TSW) conference in Silicon Valley. Produced by the Association for Services Management International (AFSMI), the Technology Professional Services Association (TPSA), and the Service & Support Professionals Association (SSPA), Technology Services World is the largest gathering of service executives and management in the industry. Attendees at this spring’s conference came together to focus on breakthrough service economics that impact efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction.

The SRII launched this first-of-its-kind awards program in conjunction with leading global organizations and academia, including the Center for Excellence in Service at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, the Journal of Service Research, AFSMI, TPSA, and SSPA.

The award includes a $2,500 cash prize value. Additionally, award winners and finalists may submit their research paper to the Journal of Service Research for an opportunity to be published.

About the Service Research Innovation Institute
Jointly founded by IBM, Oracle, the Association for Services Management International (AFSMI), Technology Professional Services Association (TPSA), and the Service & Support Professionals Association (SSPA), SRII is an established and world-renowned community that focuses on enabling industry, government, and academia to share information, connect with peers, and collaborate around service research and innovation ideas and best practices. For more information, visit www.theSRII.org.

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Contact Information:
SRII
Suzanne Hite
Tel: 410-774-5322
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