When comparing the research on service topics to those research activities that focus on material goods, an obvious gap can be observed: While there exists a broad range of models, methods and tools for the development of goods, the development of services has hardly become a topic of scientific literature. An approach for capturing services as an R&D object is presented in the following under the general heading of "service engineering", and an attempt made to systematise the development of services.

PostprintThis is the accepted version of a paper published in Journal of Service Management. This paper has been peer-reviewed but does not include the final publisher proof-corrections or journal pagination. Citation for the original published paper (version of record):Edvardsson, B., Meiren, T., Schäfer, A., Witell, L. (2013) Having a strategy for new service development: does it really matter?.

Purpose-The extant new service development (NSD) literature tends to assume that the key practices for NSD identified in one context apply for all services, and has failed to sufficiently consider differences in NSD between service types. This study explores the nature of NSD across different service types. Design/methodology/approach-An extensive, cross-sectoral survey was conducted in seven countries. Data from 1333 NSD projects was analyzed to empirically derive a service typology and examine if and how different types of services vary in terms of NSD resources, practices, methods, and results. Findings-Based on six service characteristics, the study identifies four service types: routineintensive, technology-intensive, contact-intensive, and knowledge-intensive services. The study also identifies specific NSD resources, practices, methods, and results that are prevalent across the service typology. The evidence indicates that the use of advanced practices and methods differs dramatically between service types. Practical implications-The article enables practitioners to expand their current understanding on NSD by providing insights into the variability of NSD across service types. The results suggest that either service-type-specific models or a configurable model for NSD should be developed. Originality/value-This study provides one of the first empirically derived service typologies for NSD. The study demonstrates that NSD resources, practices, methods, and results differ across service types, thereby challenging the "one size fits all" assumption evident in current NSD research.

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Faced with mounting competitive pressures, many companies are attempting to raise their profile in the market by offering new services. As a result, far greater attention has been accorded in the last few years to new service development and service engineering by researchers and businesses alike. However, if the standard suggestions for developing new services are considered it is conspicuous that testing of development results has been largely neglected in the past. This article describes how service testing can be realised in practice and presents a possible approach for simulating services with the help of virtual reality and service theatre