Innovation and ICT in service firms: towards a multidimensional approach for impact assessment

• DOI: 10.1007/s00191-006-0030-8
• Publication Date: 2006-10-03T13:39:02Z
• Authors: David Gago; Luis Rubalcaba
• Keywords: 9. Industry and infrastructure; 8. Economic growth; 0502 economics and business; 05 social sciences

This article focuses on the multimodal character of innovation in services firms as the analytical framework by which to assess the role of different sources and agents, ICT in particular, in enabling various impacts of innovation. The peculiarities of service innovation require a wider approach than that observed for goods innovation, which is less focused on non-technological aspects. An ad hoc survey was carried out in the region of Madrid to test a microeconometric and multidimensional approach at the firm level. Specific impacts of innovation are examined by carrying out an ordered probit model with sample selection. Results indicate a certain correspondence between the multidimensional nature of service innovation and a preliminary impact assessment. The paper notes that ICT and clients–providers interactions are both important, acting to facilitate different types of service innovation.