UdZ 01.21

FOCUS – BEST PRACTICES 16 / UdZ 2-2021 research area, especially concerning the service design and innovation sectors. I think the most important research goal is to align the design of innovative services with the concept of interactive value creation, which is ever growing in importance.” There is no doubt that science and academia need to be even more committed to this objective than so far. However, the success of the service revolution and of securing Germany’s competitiveness as a business location are, ultimately, determined by the adaptive and innovative capabilities of companies, public institutions, and citizens. Raising people’s awareness should therefore accompany each and every step of the transformation process. Visions can only be realized if they are understood and supported by the citizens. There is no shortage of cautionary tales about academically well thought-out concepts that have then failed in reality - and digitalization is perhaps the most important of all. In terms of the “service world of tomorrow”, such a failure must not be repeated. st · fk Contact Professor Dr. Volker Stich Managing Director FIR at RWTH Aachen University Phone: +49 24147705-100 Email: Volker.Stich@fir.rwth-aachen.de Lennard Holst, M.Sc. Head of Service Management Department FIR at RWTH Aachen University Phone: +49 24147705-206 Email: Lennard.Holst@fir.rwth-aachen.de 4. Service Research as a Motor for Innovation and Transformation The system-relevant, citizen-focused service sectors are of particular importance for Germany as a business location - “Dienstleistungswende” not least because they are the sectors with the highest employment. These include the everyday areas of mobility, education, media, and health. When implementing the service revolution, the transformation of these areas through digital innovations is, therefore, of particularly importance. Solutions developed in these areas must ensure that European social and ecological standards are maintained without compromising global competitiveness. As Professor Volker Stich explains: “This is where service research comes in, identifying how digital value creation models and processes can be shaped in line with our values and what service transformation strategies can be globally successful. In Germany, in particular, we are well positioned in this