A conceptual framework for integrating the critical success factors to service innovation

Abstract

The literature on service innovation has identified many factors that contribute to its success. However, the literature is fragmented concerning identifying and analyzing the critical factors that lead to success in service innovation. This article has two main objectives. First, we describe, analyze, and synthesize these critical factors via a literature review of the research conducted on service innovation. Second, we outline a framework that consists of the most influential Critical Success Factors (CSFs). The systematic literature review analyzed a sample of 317 articles published between 1985 and 2018. The analysis identified 16 of the most influential critical factors that are included in a proposed conceptual framework for service innovation. This article contributes theoretically with an analysis and synthesis of the success factors for service innovation and by offering a practical tool in the form of a conceptual framework that can be used as an analytical tool by firms and their service managers. Furthermore, this study identifies new areas for research in service innovation, focusing on discovering CSFs for service innovation in manufacturing companies, the influence of specific CSFs in organizational performance, or by empirically validating our conceptual framework as well as the impact of new technologies on success innovation factors. In the conclusion, we discuss the limitations of the research and offer suggestions for future studies.

Entrepreneurial learning for innovation: A multiple case study

“…Innovation involves an informal learning process, with social networks being fundamental both for the learning process (Nieuwenhuis, 2002;Mello et al, 2010) and for the constitution of continuous innovations (Love et al, 2014). In this sense, in Table 7, it is possible to verify that the different actors, established in social networks, coproduced several innovations, mainly innovations in services (Smania & Mendes, 2021) from the know ledge exchange (Soetanto, 2017), in all the analyzed cases. • New marketing actions (A, C, D, E, F, and G).…”

“…Social interactions in relationship networks established by entrepre neurs proved to be essential for innovation actions implementation in all service companies surveyed (Rubalcaba et al, 2012;Smania & Mendes, 2021) because companies that engage in knowledge networks tend to improve their innovation capacity (BelsoMartinez & DiezVial, 2018).…”

“…Particularly, internal and external integrations are substantial factors for service companies to innovate (Smania & Mendes, 2021) due to the influence of actors in the coproduction process of innovations (Rubalcaba et al, 2012), as well as helping in the learning process and problemsolving for entrepreneurs (Soetanto, 2017). Thus, it is observed that the sharing of information between ownermanagers and their collaborators (cases: A, B, C, D, E, F, and H) (Zhang et al, 2006) with entrepreneurs from other sec tors (cases: A, C, and G), suppliers (cases: A, E, G and H), friends (cases: A, C, D and H), family members (cases: F, G and H) and partners (cases: F and H) of the same sector (Nieuwenhuis, 2002;Mello et al, 2010) resulted in various innovation actions in the researched businesses.…”