Exploring Service Categorization Across Thematic Domains in Living Labs

Abstract

A recent study proposed a categorization of health and well-being living lab services to contribute to ongoing discussions on management approaches for living labs. However, living labs operate in over 20 thematic domains, potentially introducing bias into previous research results. This study extends earlier findings by examining living lab services across a range of domains beyond health including back-office and auxiliary services. A comparison of RDI services between health (N=19) and non-health (N=19) living labs was conducted, revealing that only one out of 18 services showed differences between the two groups. Additionally, an analysis of back-office and auxiliary services in non-health (N=19) living labs indicated high generalizability and robustness of the proposed service categories across different thematic areas. The study's outcomes help living labs explore various service possibilities as they define their unique service approaches.