Title: Customer-based innovation of knowledge e-services: the importance of after-innovation

Authors: Jon Sundbo

Addresses: Centre of Service Studies, Roskilde University, P.O. Box 260, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark

Abstract: This paper deals with customer involvement in innovation processes in which knowledge e-services are developed. Three issues are analysed on the basis of four case studies. The first issue concerns whether service professionals become developers, rather than being directly involved in the solution of the customer|s problem. Such tendency was observed. The second issue concerns the degree to which customer involvement and cooperation is happening in e-service innovation processes, this is not practiced as much as one might expect. The third issue relates to why customers should prefer e-services instead of traditional person-to-person services. Interestingly, price is not the only factor, knowledge sharing between the clients| clients or employees also play an important role. Finally, innovation as a continuous process after the launching of an e-service – after innovation – is emphasised.

Keywords: services innovation; e-services; self-service; knowledge services; information technology; customer involvement; post-innovation; online services.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2008.019704

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2008 Vol.9 No.3/4, pp.218 - 233

Published online: 24 Jul 2008 *

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