The drivers of services on next-generation networks

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the drivers of service development on future telecommunication networks. As these networks are being transformed into next-generation networks, new and different services are being developed and mediated. However, little is known about the drivers of this development, and frameworks for strategic management of service innovation are scarce. This paper offers two contributions. First, it develops a conceptual framework for the identification and classification of drivers. This framework is derived from prevailing theories in organizational economics, strategic management, and marketing. Second, it presents, based on an analysis of contributions from 24 domain experts, which types of drivers for network service development receive the most attention by the experts. The analysis reveals that demand factors like customer values, service quality, and user readiness by far outnumber the supply factors as well as the general environmental factors, demonstrating the importance of the users for service development in this area. The results will assist service providers to identify drivers of a specific service offering and adjust the business model to these drivers.