Users as sources for radical service innovations: Opportunities from collaboration with service lead users

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

Though theory and praxis both underline the importance of radical service innovations, science has kept lead user in the service industry outside the research scope so far. Based on first explorative findings on user innovations in services and recent research on service innovations, this paper answers the questions: 1 Can users lead trends and independently innovate in the service sector as well? 2 If so, do such service lead users show similar characteristics to lead users from other industries? 3 Can approaches for identification and integration from the consumer and investment goods be applied in the service sector too? By illustrating the impact lead users offer as source of radical service innovations, we hope to raise interest in this powerful concept, not yet applied in service industry systematically.

Original languageEnglish
JournalInternational Journal of Services Technology and Management
Volume12
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)317-337
Number of pages21
ISSN1460-6720
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 05.2009

    Research areas

  • Lead user, Radical innovation, Service innovations, Service lead user, User integration

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