Innovations and new project ideas often emerge in networks of researchers, users of research, and societal actors. This article analyzes and discusses how research scientists learn to conduct research that has an impact on their clients, scientific community, and society. We describe a new developmental impact evaluation method based on the theory of expansive learning. The pilot process was conducted for bioenergy researchers at MTT Agrifood Research Finland. Developmental impact evaluation offers networks a process for evaluating completed projects, learning from them, and constructing a new research concept via pilot projects. The method opens up the concept of 'research impact' as a qualitative learning challenge, rather than an accountable target to be judged. It may be adopted as a continuous way of managing and renewing crossdisciplinary research programs, research groups, or networks.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how collaborative service development in a public-private citizen innovation network can be approached as an organizational learning process. Although the importance of learning in networks has been highlighted in earlier studies, the actual processes and outcomes have remained less studied, especially in the public service context. Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken is based on the theory of expansive learning. The empirical data were gathered in a qualitative case study that focused on a public service organization developing new activities for unemployed youth. The network around this focal organization consisted of citizens as end-users, private employers and a facilitating consultancy company. Findings – The findings illustrate how and what was learned in the complex network setting and how this learning created potential for collaborative service development in the future. Importantly, the public service organization started to perceive itself as an active agent enhancing collaboration. Research limitations/implications – The study revealed important interfaces between service development, organizational learning, and innovation activities in networks. This observation is in line with the service-dominant logic, particularly with its focus on actor-to-actor relationships in value co-creation. Practical implications – The importance of facilitation – particularly for the emergence of the agency of the focal organization – should be taken into account in the development of networked service innovations. Originality/value – This study illustrates how expansive learning theory may contribute on deepening understanding of the practical collaboration processes, as well as conceptual aims and outcomes of networked service innovations.

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How to combine research knowledge across disciplines is a big question when studying and developing services in industry and public organizations. This paper presents a new kind of workshop process aiming at co-creation in a research network. We piloted the process at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland during January-May 2009. 2) Design/methodology/approach We combined foresight and organisational learning methods, namely roadmapping and developmental impact evaluation. During the workshops VTT researchers and the management were enabled to create a shared understanding of service research strategy at VTT. The workshops were designed to facilitate dialogue between the users of the research, potential collaborators such as universities, funding agencies and societal actors in the field of service science. 3) Findings Although, the need for such a way of acting is often stated, it is rarely achieved in practice. Thus our method is a concrete way for managing future-oriented networking across organisational borders as a basis for continuous learning and innovation. 4) Practical implications The process is a potential embryo for a new kind of research culture towards learning in the network, shared and transparent planning of project proposals. 5) Originality/value For the first time the methods of foresight and learning organisations are combined. Furthermore, the process builds up a network and its research strategy from below, from above and together with customers and collaborators.

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