Factors that influence service innovation: a systematic approach and a categorization proposal

Purpose Service innovation (SI) is crucial for social and economic development. However, most of the studies about innovation relate to product/manufacturing. Aimed at enhancing the academic debate about SI, this paper intends to (1) assess the factors applied in empirical studies about SI from 2006 to 2020, (2) evaluate if researchers differentiate innovation in services from innovation in manufacturing, (3) evaluate if researchers differentiate innovation among distinct service segments within the heterogeneous service industry and (4) propose a categorization model for the factors that influence SI. Design/methodology/approach Our study employs a five-step approach for a systematic literature review of 99 relevant empirical papers from 2006 to 2020. Findings Our findings demonstrate a persistent lack of conceptual consolidation in the area, adding value to the ongoing dispute between opposite views on current SI's maturity level. Our results also evidence the non-observance of differentiation of innovation factors between service and manufacturing empirical papers. In addition, our paper shows an even higher lack of differentiation in the use of innovation factors among different service segments. Originality/value This paper provides the first more systematic verification of the lack of service differentiation within the empirical innovation study field. In addition, despite the abundance of factors that influence SI, the proposed categorization model offers the possibility to promote an area's conceptual consolidation. Our findings and categorization also support the debate about pathways for the field's development and help researchers in their future study designs and analyses.