Are we really innovating? An exploratory study on Innovation Management and Service Management

The paper explores the relation between innovations and standards in companies which have implemented an IT Service Management framework. Six German companies were asked which process was implemented first: the framework or the Innovation Management process. In addition, the companies were queried about the impact of IT Service Management frameworks on innovation. Research shows that the majority of companies adopted an IT Service Management framework first and implemented the Innovation Management process later. Benefits observed include a faster adoption of innovations and an enhanced ability to recognize potential for improvement. Yet, results show that most companies do not differentiate between imitating, improving and innovating.