Service design has become a widely utilized method for service innovation in the private and public sector. But what is it about, and does it add to the previously known methods of service development and innovation?
To understand service design and what makes it unique, we inspected what service design encompasses. This task proved to be an almost devastating task because there are virtually hundreds of design tools and methods.
Jakob Trischler has been promoted to associate professor in Business Administration at Karlstad University. His research revolves around user involvement in innovation activities – how citizens can be an innovation source in sustainability transitions.
Congratulations to the promotion, Jakob! Can you tell us about your research?
– Thank you! My research looks at issues around user involvement in innovation activities.
... What research area will you conduct research in and what will you focus on?
- I will conduct research in the organizational psychology field focusing on the individual in organizational change. It is a well-known fact that organizational change often entails major challenges for employees within an organization, and that many difficulties linked to different change initiatives often can be traced back to psychological or psychosocial factors in the individual.
At the end of March, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) hosted the webinar Dark Commercial Patterns: Experiences and Tools for Education and Business Guidance. Agnieszka Kitowska, postdoctoral researcher in Computer Science, was one of the speakers.
What barriers do consumers face on the digital market place, and how can these be counteracted? In a project with the Swedish Consumer Agency, researchers at CTF, Service Research Center at Karlstad University, have examined this issue.
Our day-to-day activities increasingly depend on digital technologies as we use online services in various contexts of our lives. We use social media and messaging applications to strengthen our social relationships. We use online-based tools for work, entertainment, health and well-being, as well as shopping.
The majority of those technological interactions require us to accept the Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) before we can proceed with using the service.
We are happy to welcome Professor Helen Perks. She has been appointed Visiting Professor at CTF for three years. Her research centers on relationships and networks in service and product innovation.
"I am very delighted for this opportunity to work with colleagues at CTF, continuing a long relationship with the Centre.
What drives, limits and enables growth in people in the music industry outside the big cities? What is the role of social media? What is the importance of having a network when the physical arenas close down? And how can you create value in an ecosystem of different players? These are some of the questions included in the research project MECO.
MECO has looked at what is needed in order to stimulate, educate and develop the industry in a sustainable and inclusive way.
… you were the project manager for one of the subprojects within the now completed Interregg project "Response". Can you tell us about the project?
- Yes, that’s right. Together with Nicklas Salomonson at the University of Borås, I have studied how travellers with different forms of disability experience mobility services.
Welcome back Federico Artusi! In 2019, you were a visiting PhD student at CTF and Karlstad Business School. Now you are back to teach and conduct research. How does if feel and what have you been doing since last time?
- Thank you, it is wonderful to be back! I feel very excited, and thanks to my previous visit I am a bit familar with the place and the people here. During my previous stay I was finalizing my PhD studies.
One of the most significant transformations from analogue to digital has occurred during the pandemic to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus. More and more tasks are becoming digitalized, from daily work assignments to communicating with external parties. This rapid transformation has pushed organizations and individuals to develop their overall digital competence rapidly.
This blog post presents an ongoing study on measuring digital competence.
A model for servitization in practice and a model for collaboration between research and the business community. These are some of the results of the project ServzChall where researchers from CTF at Karlstad University have collaborated with companies in the manufacturing industry to develop new knowledge on servitization.
Christina Öberg, professor of Marketing, have received a research scholarship from the Knut & Ragnvi Jacobsson Family Foundation for the project "Dealing with the unforeseen - prediction and change in the light of the pandemic and AI".
The project deals with developing research on corporate networks and how business leaders perceive and are affected by networks in decision-making situations.
- I have focused my research on networks between companies for almost 20 yea
Per Skålén, professor of Business Administration, have received funding from Riksbankens Jubileumsfond to conduct full-time research in 2022. During this time he will further develop his research on marketing practices.
- I am very pleased to have received the funding for this project and to be able to do full-time research.
CTF, Service Research Center at Karlstad University, are expanding their range of flexible courses for professionals. Registration is now open for courses in digitalisation, customer journey and idea management, two of which are offered for the first time. The courses will start at the end of January and registration is open until 18 January.
Registration is now open for the first courses of the spring term aimed at working professionals.
In November, Alexandre Sukhov was a visiting researcher at MINES ParisTech University, France. Tell us, what did you do there?
- I was there to meet with fellow researchers in order to advance our collaboration and research in the field of innovation and idea management. MINES ParisTech has a strong scientific foundation and great expertise in engineering issues, creativity management, design and complex problem solving, which is close to my own research profile.
2021 is soon coming to and end. In this Christmas greeting, the director sums up some highlights of the past year.
Christmas and New Year approaches, and soon we can put another eventful and challenging year behind us. When I look back and sum up the past year, there are, despite the pandemic, several important achievements and positive happenings.
