Innovation in an Advanced Consumer Society: Value-Driven Service Innovation

This book aims to develop innovation theory by focusing on innovation in a consumer society. In an advanced consumer society, services dominate and are provided through digital as well as physical channels by local, national and global firms. This book aims to identify the ways in which value can be increased for all stakeholders through both incremental and disruptive innovation.

When interacting with leading businesses, there is a common acceptance that we need a better understanding of how to innovate in a service economy. Today, most advanced economies are service and knowledge based, accounting for about 70 percent of GDP. OECD reports document a considerable knowledge gap related to service innovation.

It is a challenge for both business and society that future economic growth will increasingly be based on services rather than manufacturing and products. Failing to understand innovation issues in this context as an engine for growth is somewhat alarming.

This raises the question: do we know how to innovate successfully in a consumer driven society?

In this book, the authors develop the concept of Value Driven Service Innovation, alongside a methodology for applying this approach in practice: the Service Innovation Triangle. They develop a better understanding of innovation, based on the uniqueness of services in order to develop the theory of service innovation suitable for a consumer society.

Peder Inge Furseth, Associate Professor, BI Norwegian Business School,Richard Cuthbertson, OXIRM and Said Business School, Research Director and Senior Research Fellow

Peder Inge Furseth is a leadership and innovation strategy researcher and teacher with 20 years of experience. Peder Inge's speciality is to integrate executive education with research, workshops and professional networks. His main topics in research are service innovation, business models, innovation culture, multi-channel integration, social networks, and value formation. His main teaching focus is the Master of Management program that he directs called Innovation & Commercialization, a 150 hour course that has modules both in Oslo and in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Richard Cuthbertson's research focuses on innovation in service firms in a consumer society, where choice, digital channels, and the heterogeneity of the service experience combine to create a challenging environment for both business and public policy. Richard earned his undergraduate degree in Management Science at Lancaster University. After working in central government, the energy sector, an automotive company, and a niche consultancy, Richard returned to academia to complete a PhD at the University of Southampton, during which he moved from Bournemouth to Oxford. Richard is a current Fellow of the Finland Distinguished Professor Programme, and was previously a Board member of the Charity Retail Association. He was awarded the Emerald Literati Network Award for Excellence (2010) and the Pegasus Prize for eBusiness Future Insights (2006).