Smart Service Innovation in Incumbent Firms

Industry incumbents in manufacturing settings are introducing sensor and cloud technologies into products to facilitate smart services. Smart service innovation is not only a challenge for practitioners, but also a promising field for IS research since it enables us to address questions related to service, digital innovation, and digital transformation. We aim to present preliminary findings from an exploratory multiple case study of five incumbent firms with a substantial track record of smart service innovation. We are currently engaged in a theorizing process that involves examining core concepts related to organizational change, digital innovation, as well as ecosystem shaping. We aim to explore, present and discuss the emerging narrative about what has made these organizations successful so far.