Who is responsible for well-being? Exploring responsibilization in transformative service research

Abstract

The improvement of well-being in society has moved away from centralized and government-led configurations to more market-based and individual solutions, where consumers are expected to take on more responsibility for their well-being. This shift also calls market actors to assume more central roles in providing service for well-being. This article uses literature on neoliberal responsibilization and an integrative literature review of transformative service research to conceptualize a framework of responsibilization in transformative service. The framework provides a critical examination of the relationship between actors’ responsibilities and consumer well-being. Based on the framework, the article provides implications for research and practice on how service can uplift consumer well-being.