Human Judgment in Democratic Service Systems: A Knowledge–Values–Thinking Capability Framework

Abstract

Service systems in democratic societies fundamentally depend on human judgment, yet the mechanisms through which such judgments are formed remain insufficiently understood. In pluralistic societies, actors often hold different interpretations of benefit, fairness, and social good. Under such conditions, service provision and acceptance cannot be fully determined by predefined procedures or centralized coordination; instead, service interactions rely on judgments formed by both providers and receivers. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that places human judgment at the center of service co-creation. The framework assumes that judgment emerges from the interaction of three fundamental human resources: knowledge, values, and thinking capability. The paper also outlines a research program consisting of (1) analytical research based on oral-history interviews with key participants who have initiated service innovations and (2) constructive modeling of judgment formation at individual and organizational levels. By clarifying how knowledge, values, and thinking capability interact to shape human judgment, this study aims to contribute to a democratic foundation for service innovation and to the design of service systems that rely on responsible human judgment.

Keywords: Democracy, Service Innovation, Service Science, Judgment, Decision Making, Knowledge, Values, Thinking Capability

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007705