The role of users and customers in digital innovation: Insights from B2B manufacturing firms

Thomas Abrell; Matti Pihlajamaa; Laura Kanto; Jan vom Brocke; Falk Uebernickel

doi:10.1016/j.im.2015.12.005

The role of users and customers in digital innovation: Insights from B2B manufacturing firms

Thomas Abrell (Corresponding Author), Matti Pihlajamaa, Laura Kanto, Jan vom Brocke, Falk Uebernickel

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Abstract

Diffusion of digital technologies into the manufacturing industry has created new opportunities for innovation that firms must address to remain competitive. We investigate the role of customer and user knowledge in the digital innovation processes of three global B2B manufacturing companies. We find that the B2B manufacturing industry's characteristics influence how users and customers may be leveraged. Customers making the purchasing decisions are considered for knowledge about short-term changes in market needs, while users working directly with the products provide long-term guidance for digital innovation. We identify practices for acquiring, distributing, and using customer and user knowledge for digital innovation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	324-335
Number of pages	12
Journal	Information & Management
Volume	53
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2015.12.005
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2016
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

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10.1016/j.im.2015.12.005

accepted_manuscriptAccepted author manuscript, 315 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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abstract = "Diffusion of digital technologies into the manufacturing industry has created new opportunities for innovation that firms must address to remain competitive. We investigate the role of customer and user knowledge in the digital innovation processes of three global B2B manufacturing companies. We find that the B2B manufacturing industry's characteristics influence how users and customers may be leveraged. Customers making the purchasing decisions are considered for knowledge about short-term changes in market needs, while users working directly with the products provide long-term guidance for digital innovation. We identify practices for acquiring, distributing, and using customer and user knowledge for digital innovation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.",

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The role of users and customers in digital innovation: Insights from B2B manufacturing firms

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