Service innovation field experiments: Developing and testing new innovation processes

In this chapter the potential of service innovation field experiments is emphasised. The chapter argues that field experiments can sustain the development of new service innovation processes that can increase service organisations’ innovativeness. Thus they comply with society’s call for collaboration between academia and businesses and for the development of practically relevant knowledge. Furthermore service innovation field experiments are argued to provide researchers with new knowledge about service innovation processes that could not be gained using other methods because they can test prototypes of service innovation procedures. The chapter illustrates the potential of field experiments in service innovation research by the example of a simple experiment in a hotel where the joint development of new practices led to service innovations.