Relational marketing in knowledge-intensive business services: an analysis of the computer services sector

Abstract

This paper addresses the marketing approaches adopted by Knowledge-Intensive Business Services (KIBS) companies, whose main production factor and outcome is knowledge. Given the key role that client-provider cognitive interactions play in the provision of such services, the study adopts the conceptual framework of Service-Dominant (S-D) logic, that the recent literature considers being fully in line with the core characteristics of KIBS companies. Starting from the assumption that service is the fundamental basis of any economic exchange, this logic suggests a shift from the traditional ‘market to’ approach, which has been developed for tangible goods, to a ‘market with’ approach, where customers and providers collaborate along the whole marketing process. The research was carried out by means of a multiple case study of 20 small computer services companies in Italy, and aimed to understand if (and to what extent) the marketing initiatives of such companies are consistent with the S-D logic, and to discuss the major challenges that they have to face in order to follow the new logic.

Keywords:

• KIBS
• ICT companies
• marketing
• S-D logic
• client-provider relationships
• case-study

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ettore Bolisani

About the Authors

Ettore Bolisani (Laurea ‘Electronic Engineering’ and Ph.D. ‘Innovation Studies’ – Padua University), after being an E.U. ‘Marie Curie’ research fellow at PREST (University of Manchester) and a researcher at the Universities of Trieste and Padua, is now Associate Professor at the Department of Management and Engineering of the University of Padua. His research centres on ICT management and Knowledge Management. He was visiting researcher at Coventry University, visiting lecturer at Kaunas Technological University, Chair of the European Conference on Knowledge Management (University of Padua, 2009), Editor of ‘Building the Knowledge Society on the Inter-net. Sharing and Exchanging Knowledge in Networked Environment’ (IGI Global). He is co-founder and first president of the International Association for Knowledge Management (www.iakm.net), and Series Editor of the IAKM Book Series on Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning (Springer).

Alberto Donò (Degree in ‘Communication Strategies’ – Padua University) currently works as a Marketing specialist in an adaptive optics and optoelectronics company. He is interested in the field of Market and Marketing Research, Advertising, Communication (business, social and public). He worked as Research Assistant with the Department of Management and Engineering of the University of Padua.

Enrico Scarso is Associate Professor of Engineering Management at the Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padua (Italy). He received his Ph.D. degree in Industrial Innovation from the University of Padua. His current research interests are in the area of technology and knowledge management. He has published in several journals and has presented papers at various international conferences. He is member of IAMOT (International Association for Management of Technology) and IEEE Technology Management Council. He is co-founder and secretary of the newly created ‘International Association for Knowledge Management’ – IAKM.