Serve - Pioneers of Service Business 2006-2013

 

Serve programme targets to increase and broaden the services development of the Finnish industry and to promote academic research in service related areas. Innovative service concepts and internationally competitive business models renew and strengthen the Finnish economy.                             

Services in the economy

The role of services and their significance to the economic growth and employment increases constantly. Currently services represent on average 70% on GDP and employment in OECD countries. In manufacturing industries, services generate an increasing share of the revenue flows. The revenue flows from services are less sensitive to the economic cycles than traditional products alone. Furthermore, the importance of knowledge intensive service activities such as research, development, consulting, engineering and business services is steadily increasing.

A need for service innovation policy

Despite the growing importance of services in economy, the present innovation systems and policies have not adequately encouraged innovation in service industries. In Finland, as in many other countries, the organization of public services is facing challenges and there are changes foreseen in the division of service production between the public and private sector service providers. In order to improve the productivity and the quality of services, there is an urging need for systematic research and service development tools and processes for the service sector as well as for the manufacturing industries. Development of innovative service concepts is a tool for strengthening the global competitiveness of service industries and improving the performance of both public and private sector organizations.

Service innovations – a definition

Service innovation is a new or significantly improved service concept that is taken into practice. It can be for example a new customer interaction channel, a distribution system or a technological concept or a combination of them. A service innovation always includes replicable elements that can be identified and systematically reproduced in other cases or environments. The replicable element can be the service outcome or the service process as such or a part of them. A service innovation benefits both the service producer and customers and it improves its developer’s competitive edge.

Service business models

A service innovation is a service product or service process that is based on some technology or systematic method. In services however, the innovation does not necessarily relate to the novelty of the technology itself but the innovation often lies in the non-technological areas. Service innovations can for instance be new solutions in the customer interface, new distribution methods, novel application of technology in the service process, new forms of operation with the supply chain or new ways to organize and manage services.

Publication on Scientific activities in service,...   (14.1.2010)

Call for Papers/The Art & Science of Service - J...   (8.10.2009)

Tekes to increase its investment in services to ...   (29.5.2009)

New Starts for International Growth   (14.5.2009)

SRII Annual Service Science & Service Innovation...   (3.2.2009)

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Front End of Innovation   (8.2.2010)

8th BMBF Services Conference   (22.4.2010)

Frontiers in Service Conference   (10.6.2010)

SERVSIG International Research Conference   (17.6.2010)

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