The Enhancers and Challenges of Collaborative Service Development Within Business Networks

The purpose of this paper is to indicate the enhancers and challenges related to collaborative service development within business networks. We discuss whether the enhancers and challenges the companies face are similar to those found in previous research. The methodology used is a multiple case study of collaborative service development projects. The empirical data is collected from two case-study companies that combine the resources of multiple intra-and inter-organizational actors. These two companies represent large conglomerates that have expanded through acquisitions. We contribute to the service innovation research by increasing understanding of the nature of networked service development in B-to-B networks.