Conceptualizing service exclusion through service-dominant logic

There is a need to build more inclusive service marketing theories that acknowledge the needs of underrepresented consumers like the impaired, the financially vulnerable, the elderly and the sexual minorities. To this end, service exclusion seeks to shed light on ‘how’ underrepresented consumers are inhibited from effectively engaging in the resource integration process due to actions of more powerful actors in a service ecosystem. By drawing from service-dominant logic and institutional work literature we conceptualise service exclusion as the enactment of institutional arrangements by more powerful actors, either intentionally or unintentionally, to inhibit less powerful actors from effectively engaging in the resource integration process; thus, resulting in a demeaning experience. In so doing, we contribute to advance inclusive service marketing theories by expanding the service marketing foundation to include how underrepresented consumers are being inhibited by more powerful actors (e.g.: service providers, frontline employees, regulatory agencies, or technology) from effectively engaging in the resource integration process.