Skip to main content

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 49))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 1896 Accesses

Abstract

With the rise of knowledge economy, the importance of Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS) has gradually increased as well as their overall impact on economy. However, in comparison with the manufacturing sectors, KIBS sector remains poorly studied. Especially little prior research has been done about the description and assessment of service value dimensions from a business customer’s perspective. This paper, on the basis of a literature review, identifies and describes eight different value dimensions. These dimensions represent the building blocks of a conceptual model proposed for assessing the value created by KIBS for business customers. Moreover, the paper describes an application of the model in a real case.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Alvesson, M.: Management of Knowledge-Intensive Companies. Gruyter, Berlin (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bennett, R.J., Robson, P.J.A.: The Advisor-SME Client Relationship: Impact, Satisfaction and Commitment. Small Business Economics 25, 255–271 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bettencourt, L., Ulwick, A.: The Customer-Centered Innovation Map. Harvard Business Review (2008), http://www.hbr.org

  4. Bolton, R.N., Drew, J.H.: A Multistage Model of Customers’ Assessments of Service Quality and Value. Journal of Consumer Research 17, 375–384 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Cronin, J., Brady, M., Brand, R., Hightower, R., Shemwell, D.: A cross-sectional test of the effect and conceptualization of service value. The Journal of Services Marketing 11(6), 375–391 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Czarnitzki, D., Spielkamp, A.: Business services in Germany: bridges for innovation. The Service Industries Journal 23(2), 1–31 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Den Hertog, P.: Knowledge-intensive business services as co-producers of innovation. International Journal of Innovation Management 4(4), 491–528 (2000)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  8. Dodds, W.B., Monroe, K.B., Grewal, D.: Effects of price, brand and store information on buyers’ product evaluations. Journal of Marketing Research 28, 307–319 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Drew, J.H., Bolton, R.N.: Service value and its measurement: local telephone service. In: Suprenant, C. (ed.) Add Value to Your Service: 6th Annual Services Marketing Proceedings. American Marketing Association, Chicago (1987)

    Google Scholar 

  10. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The knowledge-intensive business services sector content (2006), http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emcc/source/eu05011a.htm

  11. Gadrey, J., Gallouj, F.: The Provider-Customer Interface in Business and Professional Services. The Service Industries Journal 18(2), 1–15 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Grönroos, C.: Strategic Management and Marketing in the Service Sector. Research Reports No. 8 (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Grönroos, C.: A service quality model and its marketing implications. European Journal of Marketing 18(4), 36–44 (1984)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Grönroos, C.: Service management and marketing, A customer relationship management approach. Wiley, Chichester (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Haataja, M., Okkonen, J.: Competitiveness of Knowledge Intensive Services. In: Proceedings of eBRF eBusiness Research Forum conference, Tampere (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Heskett, J.L., Sasser Jr., W.E., Hart, C.W.L.: Service Breakthroughs: Changing the Rules of the Game. The Free Press, New York (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Heskett, J., Jones, T., Loveman, G., Sasser, W.E., Schlesinger, L.: Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work. Harvard Business Review, pp. 164–174 (March-April 1994)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Holbrook, M.B.: The nature of customer value. In: Rust, R.T., Oliver, R.L. (eds.) Service Quality, New Directions in Theory and Practice, pp. 21–71. Sage Publications, London (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Illeris, S.: Location of Services in a Service Society. In: Huib, E., Meir, V. (eds.) Regional Development and Contemporary Industrial Response, pp. 91–109. Belhaven Press, London (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Kautonen, M., Schienstock, G., Sjöholm, H., Huuhka, P.: Knowledge-Intensive Business Services in Tampere urban region. Working Reports of the Work Research Centre at the University of Tampere (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kemmis, S.: Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS) (2006), http://www.servicesaustralia.org.au/pdfFilesResearch/DITRKnowledgeServices.pdf

  22. Lehtinen, U., Lehtinen, J.: Two Approaches to Service Quality Dimensions. The Service Industries Journal 11(3), 287–303 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Løwendahl, B.R.: Strategic management of professional service firms. Copenhagen Business School Press, Copenhagen (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Maister, D.H.: Balancing the professional service firm. Sloan Management Review 24(1), 15–29 (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Miles, I., Kastrinos, N., Bilderbeek, R., Den Hertog, P.: KIBS: their role as users, carriers and sources of innovation. Report to the EC DG XIII Sprint EIMS Programme, Luxemburg (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Miles, I.: Knowledge-intensive services and innovation. In: Bryson, J., Daniels, P. (eds.) The handbook of service industries. Edward Elgar, Aldershot (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Muller, E., Zenker, A.: Business services as actors of knowledge transformation and diffusion: Some empirical findings on the role of KIBS in regional and national innovation systems (2001); Working Papers Firms and Region No. R2/2001. Fraunhofer ISI, Karlsruhe

    Google Scholar 

  28. Muller, E., Doloreux, D.: The key dimensions of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) analysis: a decade of evolution (2007); Working Papers Firms and Region No. U1/2007 Fraunhofer ISI

    Google Scholar 

  29. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V., Berry, L.: A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing 49, 41–50 (1985)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Parasuraman, A.: Customer service in business-to-business markets: an agenda for research. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing 13(4/5), 309–321 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Patterson, P., Spreng, R.: Modelling the relationship between perceived value, satisfaction and repurchase intentions in a business-to-business, service context: an empirical examination. International Journal of Service Industry Management 8(5), 414–434 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Peterson, R.A., Wilson, W.R.: Perceived risk and price-reliance schema as price perceived quality mediators. In: Jacoby, J., Olson, J. (eds.) Perceived Quality. Lexington Books, Lexington (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Rodriguez, M., Camacho, J.A.: Are KIBS more than intermediate inputs? An examination into their R&D diffuser role in Europe. International Journal of Services Technology and Management 10(2/3/4), 254–272 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Viitamo, E.: Productivity of Business Services - Towards A New Taxonomy (2007), https://oa.doria.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/43346/isbn9789522144560.pdf?sequence=1

  35. Wood, P.: Consultancy and Innovation: The Business Service Revolution in Europe. Routledge, London (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Zeithaml, V.A.: Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: a means-end model and synthesis of evidence. Journal of Marketing 52, 2–22 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Sole, F., Carlucci, D., Schiuma, G. (2009). Assessing the Value Dimensions for Customers in Knowledge Intensive Business Services. In: Lytras, M.D., Ordonez de Pablos, P., Damiani, E., Avison, D., Naeve, A., Horner, D.G. (eds) Best Practices for the Knowledge Society. Knowledge, Learning, Development and Technology for All. WSKS 2009. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 49. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04757-2_31

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04757-2_31

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-04756-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-04757-2

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics