Table of Content
(I) List of Figures and Tables 2
1. Introduction 3
1.1 Background and Purpose 3
1.2 Aim 3
1.3 Methodology 3
2. Authors Process Steps 4
3. Description of the Concept Finding for ICA 5
3.1 Service Maintenance 6
3.2 Improve Service Performance 7
3.3 Service Innovation 8
3.4 Description of the Innovations used for a New ICA Concept 9
3.4.1 Improvement of the Package 9
3.4.2 Customer Roles and Interaction 9
4. Strategy Description for ICA 11
4.1 The Product Journey 11
4.2 Customer Involvement 12
4.3 Summarization of the Strategy 14
5. Conclusion 15
(II) References 16
The challenge which many companies have to face nowadays is to stay competitive at the market. According to Gustafsson and Johnson (2003), New Service Development can be used to achieve a competitive advantage and compete through services. Thereby, the term of New Service Development (abbreviated as NSD) gets into focus of companies to emphasize their own offerings of those from their competitors. The question remains what steps are involved in the process of NSD and how companies can achieve a successful service development. One major influence within NSD is the customer and their knowledge provided for firms. Customer involvement in the different service development steps of a company belongs nowadays to the day-to-day business of many companies and provide customer focused products remains a crucial part of this. (Alam, 2006)
Within this report the change process of a supermarket (ICA) from a normal good-dominant grocery store to a more service-dominant business is lined out. The dy-namic process of NSD is described via own product experiences combined with NSD theories. The last step is the strategy development for ICA. The strategy aims to achieve a competitive advantage and ensure the company growth.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 1.1 Background and Purpose
- 1.2 Aim
- 1.3 Methodology
- 2. Authors Process Steps
- 3. Description of the Concept Finding for ICA
- 3.1 Service Maintenance
- 3.2 Improve Service Performance
- 3.3 Service Innovation
- 3.4 Description of the Innovations used for a New ICA Concept
- 3.4.1 Improvement of the Package
- 3.4.2 Customer Roles and Interaction
- 4. Strategy Description for ICA
- 4.1 The Product Journey
- 4.2 Customer Involvement
- 4.3 Summarization of the Strategy
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This report aims to illustrate the New Service Development (NSD) process within a chosen product from ICA, a Swedish supermarket chain, and to develop a customer-focused strategy for ICA based on NSD principles. The study uses a combination of literature review and practical experience to analyze a specific product, "Fruit Crème," and proposes improvements based on identified customer needs and service gaps.
- New Service Development (NSD) process and its application in a real-world context.
- Customer involvement in service development and its impact on product improvement.
- Analysis of customer value creation and value-in-use processes.
- Development of a customer-focused strategy for enhancing service offerings.
- Identification and resolution of service defects to improve customer experience.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the concept of New Service Development (NSD) as a key strategy for achieving competitive advantage in today's market. It highlights the significance of customer involvement in NSD and establishes the report's objective of analyzing the NSD process within ICA, a Swedish supermarket chain, using the "Fruit Crème" product as a case study. The chapter outlines the methodology, which involves a literature review, practical experience, and the application of NSD theories to a real-world scenario.
2. Authors Process Steps: This chapter details the authors' approach to analyzing the chosen product. Beginning with direct observation and usage of the "Fruit Crème," they identified defects in the product's design and usage. Employing qualitative methods similar to focus groups, they documented these issues and brainstormed solutions, incorporating concepts of customer value and feasibility. This iterative process, guided by the service development framework by Gustafsson and Johnson (2003), culminated in the selection of two key ideas for improvement: redesigning the packaging and integrating customer-created cooking videos.
3. Description of the Concept Finding for ICA: This chapter elaborates on the concept-finding process, detailing how the authors utilized various theories of service development (Gustafsson and Johnson, 2003; Gallouj and Weinstein, 1997; Michel et al., 2008) to structure their findings. The chapter is organized according to the dynamic hierarchy of service development, focusing on service maintenance, service performance improvement, and service innovation. The analysis highlights specific defects identified in the "Fruit Crème" product, such as packaging issues (difficult opening, lack of a lid, inadequate labeling for non-Swedish speakers), and proposes solutions to enhance the customer value-in-use experience.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
New Service Development (NSD), Customer Involvement, Service Innovation, Service Maintenance, Service Performance Improvement, Customer Value, Value-in-Use, Product Development, Competitive Advantage, ICA, Fruit Crème, Qualitative Research, Case Study, Sweden.
Frequently Asked Questions: Comprehensive Language Preview of New Service Development at ICA
What is the main focus of this report?
This report analyzes the New Service Development (NSD) process within ICA, a Swedish supermarket chain, using their "Fruit Crème" product as a case study. It aims to illustrate the NSD process and develop a customer-focused strategy for ICA based on NSD principles.
What methodology was used in this study?
The study employs a mixed-methods approach combining a literature review, practical experience with the "Fruit Crème" product, and the application of NSD theories to a real-world scenario. Qualitative methods similar to focus groups were used to identify and document issues.
What are the key objectives of the report?
The report aims to demonstrate the NSD process in a real-world context; analyze customer involvement in service development; examine customer value creation and value-in-use processes; develop a customer-focused strategy for improved service; and identify and resolve service defects to enhance customer experience.
What key themes are explored in the report?
Key themes include New Service Development (NSD), customer involvement, service innovation, service maintenance, service performance improvement, customer value, value-in-use, and the application of these concepts to a specific product within a real-world business context (ICA).
What specific problems with the "Fruit Crème" product were identified?
Problems identified included packaging issues such as difficult opening, lack of a lid, and inadequate labeling for non-Swedish speakers. These issues negatively impacted the customer value-in-use experience.
What solutions were proposed to improve the "Fruit Crème" product?
Proposed solutions focused on redesigning the packaging and integrating customer-created cooking videos. These solutions aimed to address the identified defects and enhance the customer experience.
What theoretical frameworks were used in the analysis?
The report draws upon several service development theories, including the work of Gustafsson and Johnson (2003), Gallouj and Weinstein (1997), and Michel et al. (2008), to structure the findings and inform the proposed improvements.
What is the structure of the report?
The report is structured into four main chapters: an introduction outlining the objectives and methodology; a chapter detailing the authors' process steps; a chapter describing the concept-finding process for ICA; and a chapter outlining the strategic implications for ICA. The report also includes a table of contents, chapter summaries and key words.
What are the key takeaways from the report?
The report highlights the importance of customer involvement in the NSD process, the value of a thorough analysis of customer needs and service gaps, and the potential for significant improvements in customer satisfaction and competitive advantage through targeted service innovation and defect resolution. The case study provides a practical illustration of how NSD principles can be applied successfully in a real-world business setting.
What are the keywords associated with this report?
New Service Development (NSD), Customer Involvement, Service Innovation, Service Maintenance, Service Performance Improvement, Customer Value, Value-in-Use, Product Development, Competitive Advantage, ICA, Fruit Crème, Qualitative Research, Case Study, Sweden.
- Quote paper
- Doreen Kupke (Author), 2012, New Service Development: A Case Study for the Swedish Supermarket Chain ICA , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/210446
