A quality management approach to guide the executive management team through the product/service innovation process

Purpose The importance of integrating both internal and external knowledge into the product/service innovation process has been widely recognized in the knowledge management and innovation literature. Likewise, the role of the marketing and sales function as a driver of innovation has been stressed because of its market-facing role. However, limited research has investigated the complementarity of both internal and external knowledge regarding product/service innovation performance in a marketing context. The purpose of this study is to analyze marketing departments’ role in accessing internal and external knowledge resources (i.e. marketing-specific relational capital [RC]) to reach improved product and service innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach The analysis uses empirical evidence collected by a structured survey of 346 respondents representing marketing and sales functions in Spanish companies. Findings The survey revealed that marketing-specific internal relational capital at the department and inter-department levels, as well as noncustomer external RC, are directly associated with product/service innovation performance. Further, the analyses show that the relationship between customer-specific RC and innovation performance is mediated by other types of RC, making it a fundamental antecedent to the innovation process. Finally, significant differences in marketing-specific RC subcomponents were found between business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) firms. Originality/value This study makes a valuable contribution to marketing and management literature by revealing the types of social interactions in the marketing function that enable access to knowledge sources that promote successful product/service innovation.

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Managing for the sustained success of an organization. A quality management approach

10.3403/30135851 ◽

2009 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Quality Management ◽

Management Approach ◽

Sustained Success

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BS ISO 9004. Managing for the sustained success of an organization. A quality management approach

10.3403/30348165 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Keyword(s):

Quality Management ◽

Management Approach ◽

Sustained Success

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Water Quality Management – A Total Catchment Management Approach

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1989.0064 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 281-288 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

W. J. Hawkins ◽

D. A. Geering

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Quality Management ◽

Water Quality Management ◽

Management Approach ◽

Catchment Management ◽

Know How ◽

Wild And Scenic Rivers ◽

Resource Managers ◽

Resource Protection ◽

Development Resource

Water quality standards set in the past have not helped resource managers in the decisions that they face in seeking sustainable development. Resource managers are looking for meaningful information on water quality so as to evaluate the resource, set priorities for action, and to monitor progress. Resource managers need to know how water quality affects, and is affected by, catchment uses and activities. Examples of three wild and scenic rivers, the Nymboida, Murrumbidgee, and Hawkesbury/Nepean River systems, demonstrate how a ‘Total Catchment Management' approach to resource use and resource protection has advantages for water quality management.

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Digital Product–Service Innovation and Sustainability: A Multiple-Case Study in the Capital Goods Industry

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13116342 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 6342

Author(s):

Alberto de la Calle ◽

Inmaculada Freije ◽

Aitor Oyarbide

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Service Innovation ◽

Multiple Case Study ◽

Bottom Line ◽

Capital Goods ◽

Case Study Methodology ◽

Digital Product ◽

Product Service ◽

Multiple Case

Digitalisation, servitisation, and sustainability are keywords for the current and future development of the manufacturing industry. However, their interaction in the context of an organisation and its supply chain is unclear. This study examines how digital product–service innovation (PSI) or digital servitisation affects sustainability, considering the triple bottom line perspective, as well as identifies the underlying causes. Moreover, this study analyses the role played by supply-chain strategic collaboration, both internal and external to the company, in digital PSI and sustainability. Using a multiple-case study methodology and B2B market perspective, four companies belonging to the capital goods industry were analysed. Our findings indicate that digitalisation is leveraging both basic and advanced services in their impact on economic and environmental sustainability dimensions, while the results are limited in social sustainability. In addition, supply-chain integration is relevant for digital PSI. Internal integration is required for both basic and advanced services, while external integration is especially important in advanced services. We conclude by emphasising that companies should acquire digital capabilities to develop defensive and offensive business strategies that ultimately affect sustainability.

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Accessing resources for service innovation – the critical role of network relationships

Journal of Service Management ◽

10.1108/josm-10-2012-0219 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 2-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Helena Rusanen ◽

Aino Halinen ◽

Elina Jaakkola

Keyword(s):

Critical Role ◽

Service Innovation ◽

Innovation Process ◽

Research Strategy ◽

Future Research ◽

Theoretical Understanding ◽

Resource Access ◽

Content Type ◽

External Resources ◽

Different Types

Purpose – This paper aims to explore how companies access resources through network relationships when developing service innovations. The paper identifies the types of resource that companies seek from other actors and examines the nature of relationships and resource access strategies that can be applied to access each type of resource. Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal, multi-case study is conducted in the field of technical business-to-business (b-to-b) services. An abductive research strategy is applied to create a new theoretical understanding of resource access. Findings – Companies seek a range of resources through different types of network relationships for service innovation. Four types of resource access strategies were identified: absorption, acquisition, sharing, and co-creation. The findings show how easily transferable resources can be accessed through weak relationships and low-intensity collaboration. Access to resources that are difficult to transfer, instead, necessitates strong relationships and high-intensity collaboration. Research limitations/implications – The findings are valid for technical b-to-b services, but should also be tested for other kinds of innovations. Future research should also study how actors integrate the resources gained through networks in the innovation process. Practical implications – Managers should note that key resources for service innovation may be accessible through a variety of actors and relationships ranging from formal arrangements to miscellaneous social contacts. To make use of tacit resources such as knowledge, firms need to engage in intensive collaboration. Originality/value – Despite attention paid to network relationships, innovation collaboration, and external resources, previous research has neither linked these issues nor studied their mutual contingencies. This paper provides a theoretical model that characterizes the service innovation resources accessible through different types of relationships and access strategies.

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