Service peculiarities and the specific role of technology in service innovation management

摘要

It is assumed that the character of innovation activities, their organisation, and their implementation differ in certain aspects from those of the 'traditional' industrial sector. The following paper focuses on the microeconomic level and aims to analyse the so-called service peculiarities and, in particular, the role of technology - with the help of the assimilation, demarcation, and synthesis approach. Eleven different modes of technology use are identified. Researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers are called upon to broaden their view towards a differentiated analysis. Strategic decisions are only promising if the whole range of possible modes of technology integration is analysed, evaluated, and - if necessary and possible - integrated into the service innovation process.