How can social media improve new service development? An exploratory study in a knowledge-intensive business context

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to shed light on the individual practices, benefits, and challenges of social media for new service development. The potential for innovation offered by the emergence of these tools is highlighted by the scientific and professional literature, but the benefits seem to be still largely untapped. In the context of knowledge-intensive business services, competitiveness depends strongly on the ability to develop novel and tailor-made solutions. The challenges of using social media to meet the needs of the market and innovate are therefore particularly important. This exploratory research is conducted using a case study in a consulting firm. Consultants use a professional social network website to develop their news services in an entrepreneurial context. The results highlight contrasting effects of the use of social media depending on the maturity of practices and the degree of advancement of the idea.