Short answer

When designing service robots, actively map and engage with the broader ecosystem of stakeholders to ensure successful integration and maximize societal value.

Field
Innovation & Design
Source
Journal of Product Innovation Management (2024)
Method
Literature review and illustrative case study analysis
Evidence
Strong effect

The successful development and deployment of service robots depend on a collaborative ecosystem involving diverse public and private stakeholders. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2024 study published in Journal of Product Innovation Management. Using Literature review and illustrative case study analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing service robots, actively map and engage with the broader ecosystem of stakeholders to ensure successful integration and maximize societal value.

Study
Innovation & DesignRecentStrong effect

Service Robot Innovation Thrives on Ecosystem Collaboration

The successful development and deployment of service robots depend on a collaborative ecosystem involving diverse public and private stakeholders.

Journal of Product Innovation Management · 2024

01

Key Findings

  • 01Service robot innovation is best understood through an ecosystem lens, integrating public and private stakeholders.
  • 02Autonomy and ecosystem integration are critical dimensions for managing service robot innovation and generating public value.
  • 03A multi-level (micro, meso, macro) ecosystem structure helps align stakeholders around a shared value proposition.
02

Application

Design takeaway

When designing service robots, actively map and engage with the broader ecosystem of stakeholders to ensure successful integration and maximize societal value.

How to apply

When initiating a service robot design project, identify all potential stakeholders (users, caregivers, regulators, manufacturers, etc.) and consider how their input and collaboration can shape the innovation process and the final product's value.

Project actions

  • 01When defining your design problem, consider the wider context and who else is involved or affected by your design.
  • 02Think about how your design will interact with existing systems and services, and who your collaborators might be.
03

Method & Evidence

AimHow can an ecosystem approach, informed by Public Value Theory, guide the innovation and deployment of service robots to create societal benefit?
MethodLiterature review and illustrative case study analysis
ProcedureThe research synthesized existing literature on service robots and innovation ecosystems, then applied these concepts to a case study in long-term care to dissect stakeholder roles and value creation at micro, meso, and macro levels.
ContextService robot development and deployment across various industries, with a focus on long-term care.

Variables

IVEcosystem collaboration and stakeholder integration
DVService robot innovation and public value creation
CV["Type of service robot","Specific industry context (e.g., healthcare, logistics)"]
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Provides a holistic framework for understanding service robot innovation.
  • +Integrates theoretical concepts (Public Value Theory) with practical application through a case study.

Limitations

It can be challenging to identify and engage all relevant stakeholders in a real-world design project, and their needs and perspectives may sometimes conflict.

Reliability & validity

The findings are based on a literature review and a single illustrative case study, which may limit generalizability. Further empirical research across multiple contexts would be needed to establish stronger reliability and validity.

Think critically

How might a focus on 'Public Value' influence design decisions when there are competing commercial interests within the service robot ecosystem?

05

Design Principles

"Service robot innovation requires an ecosystem-centric approach, fostering collaboration across organizational and societal boundaries to create shared public value."

Designing effective service robots requires more than just technical prowess; it necessitates a holistic approach to innovation management that considers the broader societal impact and the integration of various expertise. This ecosystem perspective ensures that robots are not only functional but also contribute to public value.

06

What This Means for Your Design

To make new service robots that people will actually use and benefit from, it's important for the people who design them to work together with lots of different groups, like users, companies, and even government, to make sure the robots help society as a whole.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference this research when discussing the importance of stakeholder engagement and the broader context of your design project, especially if it involves complex systems or aims for societal impact.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The development of service robots necessitates an ecosystem approach, where innovation is driven by the collaborative efforts of diverse public and private stakeholders. This perspective, as highlighted by Mahr et al. (2024), emphasizes that successful service robot innovation transcends organizational boundaries, focusing on the creation of 'Public Value' through integrated development and deployment strategies.

09

Source

Journal of Product Innovation Management

Service robots and innovation: An ecosystem approach

journal · 2024

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about service robot innovation thrives on ecosystem collaboration?
When designing service robots, actively map and engage with the broader ecosystem of stakeholders to ensure successful integration and maximize societal value. Evidence: Journal of Product Innovation Management (2024).
Why does "Service Robot Innovation Thrives on Ecosystem Collaboration" matter for design?
Designing effective service robots requires more than just technical prowess; it necessitates a holistic approach to innovation management that considers the broader societal impact and the integration of various expertise. This ecosystem perspective ensures that robots are not only functional but also contribute to public value.
How can designers apply this research?
When designing service robots, actively map and engage with the broader ecosystem of stakeholders to ensure successful integration and maximize societal value.
What were the main findings?
Service robot innovation is best understood through an ecosystem lens, integrating public and private stakeholders.. Autonomy and ecosystem integration are critical dimensions for managing service robot innovation and generating public value.. A multi-level (micro, meso, macro) ecosystem structure helps align stakeholders around a shared value proposition.
What research method was used?
Literature review and illustrative case study analysis.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2024 journal from Journal of Product Innovation Management.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When initiating a service robot design project, identify all potential stakeholders (users, caregivers, regulators, manufacturers, etc.) and consider how their input and collaboration can shape the innovation process and the final product's value.
What are the limitations?
The conceptualization of service robots and their innovation ecosystems may vary across different application domains. The illustrative case study provides a specific example, and broader empirical validation across diverse contexts would strengthen the findings.