Robots guiding tourists, textile garment renovation, and the Ängsbacka course center in Molkom were among the highlights of Customer Innovation Day 2025.
The Swedish Innovation Index is based on responses from customers who rank companies and organizations based on their innovation capabilities and how attractive these innovations are perceived to be. Customers evaluate offerings, delivery, service, and interactions.Why is customer-based innovation interesting?
An intense and eventful half-year is coming to an end – and there is much to be proud of. Recently, I had the privilege of leading the international conference, QUIS19 – The 19th International Research Symposium on Service Excellence in Management, in Rome. Over 275 participants from around the world gathered to be inspired and to discuss how research can help address the major societal challenges of our time – such as AI development and sustainability.
On 3–6 June, over 275 conference participants gathered in Rome to attend QUIS19 – The 19th International Research Symposium on Service Excellence in Management. This international conference, now considered the foremost in service research, has its roots in Karlstad – and began as an idea at the Service Research Center (CTF).
“QUIS was born at a time when services were gaining importance but still remained a relatively unexplored research field,” says Per Kristensson.
When the Volvo Research and Education Foundation (VREF) celebrated its 40th anniversary with a global conference on sustainable mobility, Lars E Olsson, professor of psychology at the Service Research Center (CTF), was invited as one of the speakers.
As a Nordic expert, Lars presented groundbreaking research on how hope can function as a driving force for behaviour change and increased well-being in people’s daily travel – a perspective that is attracting international i
The concept of quiet quitting has become a hot topic of conversation in the workplace. According to a new study, it is not just about lazy employees or a demanding younger generation. Alexandre Sukhov, new docent in business administration at Karlstad Business School, is one of the authors behind the study.
Quiet quitting means that employees stop engaging more than necessary – they do their job, but nothing beyond that.
Jasper, you are a senior lecturer in Information Systems at Karlstad Business School and the Service Research Center, CTF. What did you do before you came to Karlstad University?
- I was a senior lecturer in user-centred design at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
John-Erik Hassel recently completed his PhD in business administration at Karlstad Business School and The Service Research Center (CTF) and has done research on venture builders.
John-Erik Hassel, tell us about your research
– My research is about understanding a relatively new actor in entrepreneurial ecosystems called venture builders and how they can be understood in a larger context.
Mia Larson, professor of business administration at Karlstad Business School, and Cecilia Cassinger, senior lecturer at Lund University, recently published the article “Platform Stories: The Role of Ideological Narratives in the Development of a Tourism Sharing Business Model”.
Mia Larson, tell us what your article is about
– It is about how an entrepreneur in adventure tourism creates a new digital sharing platform.
How can business models extend the lifespan of trucks and make them circular? What requirements do different stakeholders have, and how are business models, service design, and product design affected? These questions are the focus of the research project Re:Value – a collaboration between industry and academia.
For future circular offerings to be accepted in the transport industry, they must meet the industry's challenges and expectations.
Per Kristensson and Lars Witell, together with Mohamed Zaki from the Cambridge Service Alliance, are the editors of the new book "Handbook of Service Experience", which provides a comprehensive perspective on service experiences in business contexts.
Bruksort 2.0 (Industrial town 2.0) is an innovative project that aims to strengthen Hagfors through social development, citizen participation and focus on mobility. The subjects of Business Administration and Media and Communication Studies at Karlstad University are part of the project.
Hagfors in Värmland is a town characterised by the steelworks Uddeholm AB – an industry founded in the 17th century that has contributed to the municipality’s development and commun
For the past 15 years, the Service Research Center (CTF), with funding from the Knowledge Foundation, has generated world-class research on service innovation, servitisation and customer experiences.
A new research project at the Centre for Service Research (CTF) at Karlstad University explores how innovation policy can be improved to address societal challenges and the transition to more sustainable societies.
"We will explore how innovation commons can be integrated into the design of transformative innovation policy as a governance mechanism to address complex societal challenges and support societal transitions in line with Agenda 2030," says project leader Jakob
Karlstad University is one of the participants in DigiH4A (Digital Health for All), an EU-funded project that will address systemic healthcare challenges on an international scale.
Olle, could you tell us about your background before joining Karlstad Business School and the Service Research Center (CTF)?
– I have a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management from Karlstad Business School, where I studied the master's program in Innovation and Service Development. During my time at Karlstad Business School, I also taught mathematics to first-year students, which was both fun and educational.
Henryk, could you briefly tell us about your background before joining Karlstad Business School and the Service Research Center (CTF)?
– I have over 20 years of work experience from Lodz in Poland, New York, Stockholm, and London, with over ten years dedicated to service design.
Many important issues, such as climate change, social welfare issues and social and spatial planning, often fall through the cracks between different sectors and stakeholders. This can lead to a lack shared responsibility and important issues being left unresolved.
Traditionally, the concept of “customer” refers to someone who buys something – but in a modern context, it includes all actors who create value together for each other.
