This study examines the organization of service business in manufacturing. Earlier literature has... more This study examines the organization of service business in manufacturing. Earlier literature has emphasized the positive effects of a separate service unit. Our comparative case study indicates that a separate unit as such does not guarantee success in service business. An essential issue is how customer interaction and the continuous flow of customer information have been secured. Sales personnel have often been regarded as the main actor in the creation of customer intelligence. Based on our study we argue that attention should also be paid to field technicians and other operative personnel as a channel for customer information.
Purpose–The paper seeks to introduce the concept of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) ... more Purpose–The paper seeks to introduce the concept of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) in the context of regional networks and to analyze the roles of KIBS in regional development, especially from the viewpoint of regional intellectual capital. Design/methodology/approach–Regional networks are presented as the networks of production, development and innovation in the region. Drawing from recent literature, the roles of KIBS in regional networks are discussed.
International Journal of Innovation Management, 2011
This paper examines innovation and change activities in knowledge-intensive business service (KIB... more This paper examines innovation and change activities in knowledge-intensive business service (KIBS) firms from the perspective of innovative behaviour. Earlier studies have shown that innovation activities in these firms are typically dispersed around the organisation and intertwined with service delivery. Drawing on the theories of innovative behaviour, we map out the variety of micro-level innovation and change activities at three KIBS firms. Our findings suggest that various types of innovative behaviour take place throughout an innovation or change process: idea generation continues until the end of the process and application starts in its early stages. The study also confirms earlier results on the dispersed nature of innovation and change activities in KIBS firms, although different role expectations limited employees' innovative behaviour. Innovative behaviour was performed as both in- and extra-role behaviour at different organisational levels. These findings have implications for both researchers and practitioners.
Innovations in an organisation derive from multiple sources. In the public sector, users and the ... more Innovations in an organisation derive from multiple sources. In the public sector, users and the policy sphere provide important but often unconnected impulses for innovation. These impulses are transmitted to the organisation by grassroots employees who interact with users and managers who implement policy requirements. The paper examines the actors and activities that coordinate bottom-up and top-down initiatives and promote their development into innovations. It creates a theoretical framework that combines the views of employee-driven innovation and strategic reflexivity and supplements them with an analysis of coordination in innovation processes. The functioning of this framework is illustrated in the context of children’s day care services. The results highlight the central role of middle managers and provide new knowledge regarding their ‘bridging’ activities in innovation. The adjustment of bottom-up and top-down processes requires the personal involvement of managers, and the creation of communication arenas, networks and mediating tools.
This study examines the organization of service business in manufacturing. Earlier literature has... more This study examines the organization of service business in manufacturing. Earlier literature has emphasized the positive effects of a separate service unit. Our comparative case study indicates that a separate unit as such does not guarantee success in service business. An essential issue is how customer interaction and the continuous flow of customer information have been secured. Sales personnel have often been regarded as the main actor in the creation of customer intelligence. Based on our study we argue that attention should also be paid to field technicians and other operative personnel as a channel for customer information.
Purpose–The paper seeks to introduce the concept of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) ... more Purpose–The paper seeks to introduce the concept of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) in the context of regional networks and to analyze the roles of KIBS in regional development, especially from the viewpoint of regional intellectual capital. Design/methodology/approach–Regional networks are presented as the networks of production, development and innovation in the region. Drawing from recent literature, the roles of KIBS in regional networks are discussed.
International Journal of Innovation Management, 2011
This paper examines innovation and change activities in knowledge-intensive business service (KIB... more This paper examines innovation and change activities in knowledge-intensive business service (KIBS) firms from the perspective of innovative behaviour. Earlier studies have shown that innovation activities in these firms are typically dispersed around the organisation and intertwined with service delivery. Drawing on the theories of innovative behaviour, we map out the variety of micro-level innovation and change activities at three KIBS firms. Our findings suggest that various types of innovative behaviour take place throughout an innovation or change process: idea generation continues until the end of the process and application starts in its early stages. The study also confirms earlier results on the dispersed nature of innovation and change activities in KIBS firms, although different role expectations limited employees' innovative behaviour. Innovative behaviour was performed as both in- and extra-role behaviour at different organisational levels. These findings have implications for both researchers and practitioners.
Innovations in an organisation derive from multiple sources. In the public sector, users and the ... more Innovations in an organisation derive from multiple sources. In the public sector, users and the policy sphere provide important but often unconnected impulses for innovation. These impulses are transmitted to the organisation by grassroots employees who interact with users and managers who implement policy requirements. The paper examines the actors and activities that coordinate bottom-up and top-down initiatives and promote their development into innovations. It creates a theoretical framework that combines the views of employee-driven innovation and strategic reflexivity and supplements them with an analysis of coordination in innovation processes. The functioning of this framework is illustrated in the context of children’s day care services. The results highlight the central role of middle managers and provide new knowledge regarding their ‘bridging’ activities in innovation. The adjustment of bottom-up and top-down processes requires the personal involvement of managers, and the creation of communication arenas, networks and mediating tools.
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