þjónustuþjónustu

þjónustuþjónusta is a coined Icelandic term describing the practice of providing services that enable other services. Derived from the word þjónusta, meaning service, with a genitive form þjónustu and the recurring construction, the term signals a meta-level or recursive facet of service provision.

Etymology and usage notes

The word is a neologism in Icelandic and is not widely attested in standard dictionaries. The reduplicated form emphasizes a layer of services that supports, enables, or enhances other services rather than offering a standalone product.

Definition and scope

þjónustuþjónusta refers to the class of offerings that facilitate or sustain primary services. Examples include platform and infrastructure services such as cloud hosting or application programming interfaces that allow software-as-a-service providers to function; business process outsourcing and shared services centers that supply essential capabilities to multiple client firms; and consultancy or design services focused on improving how services are delivered, such as service design, customer experience, or process optimization.

Context and significance

In discussions of the service economy, service-dominant logic, and outsourcing, the term is used to describe the enabling layer that underpins other services. It highlights the growing importance of providers whose value lies in facilitating or enhancing service delivery rather than delivering a standalone end product.

Reception and critique

Some observers view the term as tautological or opaque marketing jargon, while others see value in naming a distinct layer of service provision that supports broader business models.

See also

Service design, platform as a service, service economy, outsourcing, shared services.