The book presents an innovative perspective on how human settlements should evolve in response to profound economic, social, and environmental transformations. The authors argue that traditional sustainability approaches alone are no longer sufficient to address today's interconnected global challenges. Instead, the book introduces an evolutionary framework for understanding the future of human settlements, emphasizing the growing importance of the service economy, post-industrial development, and the integration of economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Through theoretical insights and practical case studies, the monograph proposes six strategic pathways for designing more resilient, adaptive, and future-oriented settlements.
The publication addresses a significant research gap by examining the implications of the service economy for the evolution of human settlements. While service-based business models have received increasing attention in recent decades, their broader societal and spatial impacts have remained relatively underexplored. By combining interdisciplinary research with practical examples, the monograph offers valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, urban and regional planners, and all those interested in sustainable territorial development and the future of communities.
Vidickienė, D., Lankauskienė, R., Melnikienė, R., Gedminaitė-Raudonė, Ž., Chmieliński, P., Simonaitytė, V., & Lukoseviciute, G. (2026). Human settlement in the service economy era: An evolutionary perspective. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-19390-2
The publication is available through Springer Nature:
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-19390-2