Continuous co-creation of knowledge-intensive business services
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Via remote connection: https://bit.ly/2WTke1Q
Topic of the dissertation
Continuous co-creation of knowledge-intensive business services
Doctoral candidate
Master of Science, eMBA Seppo Kuula
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Technology, Industrial Engineering and Management
Subject of study
Industrial Engineering and Management
Opponent
Professor Petri Parvinen, University of Helsinki
Second opponent
Professor Janne Huiskonen, LUT University
Custos
Professor Harri Haapasalo, University of Oulu
How does a knowledge-intensive business service provider maintain its relevance in constantly changing market conditions
The internet is connecting suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders together as ecosystems for
sharing and integrating resources in value creation. In this transformation customers have shifted
from passive sales targets to active players. This phenomenon is often called digitalization.
Digitalization is service centric, which is further accelerating the transition towards service
economy and service-dominant logic (SDL). This is changing the value stream beginning from the customer, and therefore the whole business logic from push to pull. The prerequisites for success in this transformation are continuous value co-creation, iterative market testing, and an agile and lean response to opportunities.
This study demonstrates that agile responsiveness to the transforming market requires SDL, co-creational business model development, lean operations with a modular solution structure, and the continuous review of value creation (design thinking). The study provides four kinds of new knowledge. Firstly, it clarifies the practicality of the SDL approach in professional services, explaining the organizational encountering requests. Secondly, the study provides a framework for continuous business model transformation in the constantly changing market environment. Thirdly, the study modularizes a solution to a co-creational commercial service portfolio and repetitive technical structures in seeking delivery efficiency. Lastly, the study demonstrates how design thinking can be used to connect service portfolio management to the customers’ business needs, maintaining the co-creational and iterative value creation.
sharing and integrating resources in value creation. In this transformation customers have shifted
from passive sales targets to active players. This phenomenon is often called digitalization.
Digitalization is service centric, which is further accelerating the transition towards service
economy and service-dominant logic (SDL). This is changing the value stream beginning from the customer, and therefore the whole business logic from push to pull. The prerequisites for success in this transformation are continuous value co-creation, iterative market testing, and an agile and lean response to opportunities.
This study demonstrates that agile responsiveness to the transforming market requires SDL, co-creational business model development, lean operations with a modular solution structure, and the continuous review of value creation (design thinking). The study provides four kinds of new knowledge. Firstly, it clarifies the practicality of the SDL approach in professional services, explaining the organizational encountering requests. Secondly, the study provides a framework for continuous business model transformation in the constantly changing market environment. Thirdly, the study modularizes a solution to a co-creational commercial service portfolio and repetitive technical structures in seeking delivery efficiency. Lastly, the study demonstrates how design thinking can be used to connect service portfolio management to the customers’ business needs, maintaining the co-creational and iterative value creation.
Last updated: 1.3.2023