Service Systems and Service Innovation: Two Pillars of Service Science

Service science is perceived as a multidisciplinary approach with the service system as its most important element. The services we use are provided through a certain service system, whereas service system has a specific structure and creates value through defined interactions between its entities, as well as through interactions with external service systems. On a large scale, economy as a whole may be interpreted as one huge service system, containing a variety of entities and interrelated sub-systems. Thus, we provide in our work an analysis of how service science deals with the interaction within and between service systems creating value. And, as one goal of service science and service systems is to provide a basis for service innovation, through which cost efficiency and value creation is enabled, we discuss how service innovation explores means of securing knowledge leadership, which is crucial for further growth of the service sector.