Purpose

This study aims to develop theory on the process toward digital service innovation (DSI) and to generate insights into how companies deal with the rising complexity associated with DSI, both inside and outside of the organization, through organizational learning and alignment.

Design/methodology/approach

After purposeful sampling, in-depth, longitudinal case studies of three manufacturers are presented as illustration. Per case, multiple semi-structured interviews are conducted, and insights are validated through rich additional data gathering. Each company's DSI pathway is reconstructed with critical incident technique. Next, using systematic combining, a middle-range theory is developed by proposing a theoretical frame concerning the relations between DSI maturity, learning and alignment.

Findings

The authors posit that, as companies gradually develop and progress toward DSI maturity, they deal with a rising degree of complexity, fueling their learning needs. Companies that are apt to learn, pass through multiple cycles of learning and alignment to overcome specific complexities associated with different DSI stages, with each cycle unlocking new DSI opportunities and challenges.

Originality/value

The study applies a stage-based view on DSI combined with complexity management and organizational learning and alignment theory. It offers a theoretical frame and propositions to be used by researchers for future DSI studies and by managers to evaluate alternative DSI strategies and implementation steps.

中文翻译：

---

学习与数字服务创新协调之间的螺旋式上升

目的

本研究旨在发展数字服务创新 (DSI) 流程的理论，并深入了解公司如何通过组织学习和协调来应对组织内部和外部与 DSI 相关的日益增加的复杂性。

设计/方法论/途径

经过有目的的抽样后，我们对三个制造商进行了深入的纵向案例研究作为说明。针对每个案例，都会进行多次半结构化访谈，并通过丰富的附加数据收集来验证见解。每家公司的 DSI 路径均采用关键事件技术进行重建。接下来，通过系统组合，通过提出关于DSI成熟度、学习和对齐之间关系的理论框架，发展了中层理论。

发现

作者认为，随着公司逐渐发展并走向 DSI 成熟度，他们面临的复杂性不断增加，从而刺激了他们的学习需求。善于学习的公司会经历多个学习和调整周期，以克服与不同 DSI 阶段相关的特定复杂性，每个周期都会释放新的 DSI 机遇和挑战。

原创性/价值

该研究将基于阶段的 DSI 观点与复杂性管理以及组织学习和协调理论相结合。它提供了一个理论框架和命题，供研究人员用于未来的 DSI 研究，并供管理者用来评估替代的 DSI 策略和实施步骤。