Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to suggest an interactive model of service brand development. Design/methodology/approach – The design employed in the research represents a holistic and systemic approach to services branding and the methodology employed is conceptual desk research. Findings – The research findings encompass an interactive model of service brand components grounded on a systemic perspective. By building on services brand theory, three key actors constitute the components of the model, namely service leadership, service employees and customers. The findings also state how successful service branding may be obtained at the level of the individual service enterprise. Practical implications – The paper outlines a set of practical implications. For example, successful service brand development is obtained through a high degree of service orientation, customer involvement, an involvement model of service leadership and a motivated, committed and empowered workforce, particularly those employees at the frontline. Originality/value – The originality and value of the research rests on using systemic thinking in the development of an interactive model of services brand development

Purpose -One problem that many organisations face today in the global economy is that too few ideas are turned into innovations. The purpose of this paper is to show how innovations in organisations may be obtained by means of creative energy fields. Design/methodology/approach -The design employed in the research represents a holistic, change oriented approach to innovation, and the methodology is conceptual where an analytical model is used. Findings -The paper provides arguments that organisations need to develop creative energy fields in order to enhance their innovative capacity and performance. In the paper the construct creative energy field is conceptualised as "a spot in an organisation where a Group of creative individuals collaborate and work together in order to bring to surface new ideas which may fuel innovation processes and Development in organisations". The paper shows that creative energy fields are influenced by five distinct components; those of making a clear purpose, planning after the results have become apparant, an organisation's rule breakers, drawing a map that changes the landscape, and igniting the flame of innovation. Furthermore, the findings encompass three conditions which need to be present in an organisation in order to make creative energy fields work.Research limitations/implications -The carried out focuses on the individual organisation which aims to enhance innovation performance. Practical implications -In relation to practical implications, the paper shows, in particular, how an organisation may move into areas of innovation by means of a Lego system of organising. Originality/value -To the authors' knowledge, the creation and use of a novel construct, that of creative energy fields, represents newness and originality in innovation research at the level of the individual enterprise. Furthermore, the paper contributes to the extant management knowledge of innovation by showing how a Lego system of organising may foster innovation at the enterprise level.

The chapter suggests and discusses four interrelated perspectives, which, we argue, inluence a value-creating service brand at the company level. One research question is posed: which perspectives are useful and applicable in the development of a valuecreating service brand at the company level? Four interrelated perspectives are outlined and discussed: a customer perspective, a management perspective, a service employee perspective, and a knowledge perspective. The discussion section of the chapter includes an interactive, circular model, which shows how the four perspectives directly and indirectly impact on the creation of a value-creating service brand. In the chapter, a set of theoretical and practical implications is drawn. Illustratively, on the theoretical side, one implication is that a high degree of service orientation together with change-oriented, value-driven management orientation is required in order to foster, develop, and sustain a value-creating service brand at the company level. On the practical side, one advice is to upgrade the role of knowledge of an important intangible resource by working in accordance with the principles of a dynamic knowledge system.

This paper reports research on a service development study carried out on the Norwegian Coastal Voyage, also known as the Hurtigruten, which is its brand name. The Hurtigruten is an interesting case, as the most well-known tourist-attracting product in Norway. The primary research instrument employed was in-depth interviews with service managers and service personnel employed on the Hurtigruten. The paper shows that service development on the Hurtigruten features a dominant trait of an unstructured process that is explained by three groups of factors: company internal, company external and contextual factors.

This paper reports a study on service failures carried out on the prestigious Norwegian Coastal Voyage (NCV) or the Hurtigruten which is the brand name. Service failures are studied from the perspective of the service employees. Seven tour conductors participated in the study and in the research personal, face-to-face, in-depth interviews were carried out using an interview guide as a data collection tool. The respondents provided descriptive accounts of 51 service failure incidents which were used to develop a classification scheme of service failures. The service failure classification scheme consists of two main categories: 1. Service failures on excursions; 2. Service failures on the ships (while at sea or at harbour). The paper describes and discusses a set of sub categories within the main categories. The case study may advance the knowledge field of service failures particularly relevant for a high contact service like a cruise operation.