Integrative perspectives to service, innovation and experience research

The chapter argues that the fields of service, innovation and experience research are still separated, however several studies are emerging at the boundaries between them or establishing linkages among them. This chapter shows that experience and experience industries can be seen as a continuum in relation to service and service industries. At the same time, it is possible to outline two types of integrative perspectives on services and experiences, one that is systemic and one that is practice-based. The first follows from the basic idea that innovation is an interactive process with many actors. The second argues for a unit of analysis called practices, that is, the wider historical conditions of experiences and value creation in order to grasp the complexity of innovation. Furthermore, technological transformation is an important motor of innovation and change in both perspectives.