---
_id: '65476'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Service research has evolved into an interdisciplinary research field that
    bridges diverse disciplines, including information systems (IS) and marketing.
    Nearly two decades ago, the service system concept was introduced as a foundational
    abstraction in service research, drawing on ideas from the service-dominant logic
    (S-D logic) of marketing. Despite its widespread adoption in service research,
    particularly in the IS discipline, the service system concept lacks a solid theoretical
    foundation. This has resulted in conceptual ambiguity and overlap with related
    constructs, such as service ecosystems. Moreover, it has largely remained a static
    analytical lens, insufficiently capturing dynamic service phenomena, including
    value co-creation and co-destruction, as well as the emergence of institutional
    arrangements. To address these limitations, we propose Luhmann’s systems theory
    (LST) as a robust framework for conceptualizing service systems as autopoietic
    (self-creating) systems, in which communication serves as the fundamental mechanism
    that drives value co-creation. We derive five theoretical propositions from this
    re-conceptualization that clarify conceptual ambiguity and allow researchers to
    explore dynamic service phenomena in greater depth. Given LST’s general approach,
    our conceptualization provides a theoretically grounded, interdisciplinary foundation
    for advancing service research.
article_number: '37'
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Daniel
  full_name: Beverungen, Daniel
  last_name: Beverungen
- first_name: Jens
  full_name: Poeppelbuss, Jens
  last_name: Poeppelbuss
- first_name: Simon
  full_name: Hemmrich, Simon
  last_name: Hemmrich
- first_name: Taskeen
  full_name: Iqbal, Taskeen
  last_name: Iqbal
citation:
  ama: Beverungen D, Poeppelbuss J, Hemmrich S, Iqbal T. Service through communication—Conceptualizing
    service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory. <i>Electronic Markets</i>. 2026;36(1).
    doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>
  apa: Beverungen, D., Poeppelbuss, J., Hemmrich, S., &#38; Iqbal, T. (2026). Service
    through communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory.
    <i>Electronic Markets</i>, <i>36</i>(1), Article 37. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>
  bibtex: '@article{Beverungen_Poeppelbuss_Hemmrich_Iqbal_2026, title={Service through
    communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory},
    volume={36}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>},
    number={137}, journal={Electronic Markets}, publisher={Springer Science and Business
    Media LLC}, author={Beverungen, Daniel and Poeppelbuss, Jens and Hemmrich, Simon
    and Iqbal, Taskeen}, year={2026} }'
  chicago: Beverungen, Daniel, Jens Poeppelbuss, Simon Hemmrich, and Taskeen Iqbal.
    “Service through Communication—Conceptualizing Service Systems with Luhmann’s
    Systems Theory.” <i>Electronic Markets</i> 36, no. 1 (2026). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>.
  ieee: 'D. Beverungen, J. Poeppelbuss, S. Hemmrich, and T. Iqbal, “Service through
    communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s systems theory,”
    <i>Electronic Markets</i>, vol. 36, no. 1, Art. no. 37, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>.'
  mla: Beverungen, Daniel, et al. “Service through Communication—Conceptualizing Service
    Systems with Luhmann’s Systems Theory.” <i>Electronic Markets</i>, vol. 36, no.
    1, 37, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2026, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w">10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w</a>.
  short: D. Beverungen, J. Poeppelbuss, S. Hemmrich, T. Iqbal, Electronic Markets
    36 (2026).
date_created: 2026-04-21T13:13:02Z
date_updated: 2026-04-21T13:18:35Z
ddc:
- '380'
department:
- _id: '195'
- _id: '534'
doi: 10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w
file:
- access_level: closed
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: dabe
  date_created: 2026-04-21T13:14:30Z
  date_updated: 2026-04-21T13:14:30Z
  file_id: '65477'
  file_name: Service is Communication - EM Paper.pdf
  file_size: 2793039
  relation: main_file
  success: 1
file_date_updated: 2026-04-21T13:14:30Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '        36'
issue: '1'
jel:
- L80
keyword:
- Service system
- Service ecosystem
- Systems theory
- Service research
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12525-026-00889-w.pdf
oa: '1'
project:
- _id: '1250'
  name: 'SHAPE : Gestaltung von Dienstleistungsentwicklungsprozessen und lnnovationspartnerschaften
    mit Unternehmen'
publication: Electronic Markets
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 1019-6781
  - 1422-8890
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Service through communication—Conceptualizing service systems with Luhmann’s
  systems theory
type: journal_article
user_id: '59677'
volume: 36
year: '2026'
...
---
_id: '59335'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Technological advancements and evolving value orientations reshape future
    value creation and pose new requirements for service innovation. While a variety
    of disciplines are developing new approaches to drive service innovation, this
    is primarily done in isolation and generates only fragmented solutions. Sociological
    theory has proposed “boundary objects” as an effective umbrella for communication
    and cooperation among communities. Therefore, we introduce continuous value shaping
    (CVS) as a boundary object describing service innovation approaches along five
    principles. We reflect on this concept through the different disciplinary lenses
    of researchers in service marketing, information systems, service engineering,
    sociology of work, and innovation management. These perspectives highlight how
    the CVS principles already connect to discourses within the individual disciplines.
    However, the CVS concept will not only provide an umbrella to embrace existing
    activities in different academic disciplines. It also assists to identify research
    themes that will benefit from uniting the power of these disciplines, and it can
    serve as an integrating framework to conceptualize complex service innovation
    approaches. Thus, the CVS concept should guide both researchers and practitioners
    to develop and implement novel innovation and transformation efforts—in and across
    organizations.
article_number: '27'
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Tilo
  full_name: Böhmann, Tilo
  last_name: Böhmann
- first_name: Angela
  full_name: Roth, Angela
  last_name: Roth
- first_name: Gerhard
  full_name: Satzger, Gerhard
  last_name: Satzger
- first_name: Carina
  full_name: Benz, Carina
  last_name: Benz
- first_name: Daniel
  full_name: Beverungen, Daniel
  last_name: Beverungen
- first_name: Andreas
  full_name: Boes, Andreas
  last_name: Boes
- first_name: Christoph
  full_name: Breidbach, Christoph
  last_name: Breidbach
- first_name: Martin
  full_name: Gersch, Martin
  last_name: Gersch
- first_name: Gerhard
  full_name: Gudergan, Gerhard
  last_name: Gudergan
- first_name: Jens
  full_name: Hogreve, Jens
  last_name: Hogreve
- first_name: Christian
  full_name: Kurtz, Christian
  last_name: Kurtz
- first_name: Barbara
  full_name: Langes, Barbara
  last_name: Langes
- first_name: Jan Marco
  full_name: Leimeister, Jan Marco
  last_name: Leimeister
- first_name: Tom
  full_name: Lewandowski, Tom
  last_name: Lewandowski
- first_name: Thomas
  full_name: Meiren, Thomas
  last_name: Meiren
- first_name: Rainer
  full_name: Nägele, Rainer
  last_name: Nägele
- first_name: Stefanie
  full_name: Paluch, Stefanie
  last_name: Paluch
- first_name: Christoph
  full_name: Peters, Christoph
  last_name: Peters
- first_name: Jens
  full_name: Poeppelbuss, Jens
  last_name: Poeppelbuss
- first_name: Susanne
  full_name: Robra-Bissantz, Susanne
  last_name: Robra-Bissantz
- first_name: Carsten
  full_name: Schultz, Carsten
  last_name: Schultz
- first_name: Jan H.
  full_name: Schumann, Jan H.
  last_name: Schumann
- first_name: Jochen
  full_name: Wirtz, Jochen
  last_name: Wirtz
- first_name: Nancy V.
  full_name: Wünderlich, Nancy V.
  last_name: Wünderlich
citation:
  ama: 'Böhmann T, Roth A, Satzger G, et al. Continuous value shaping: A boundary
    concept for innovating service innovation approaches. <i>Electronic Markets</i>.
    2025;35(1). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1">10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1</a>'
  apa: 'Böhmann, T., Roth, A., Satzger, G., Benz, C., Beverungen, D., Boes, A., Breidbach,
    C., Gersch, M., Gudergan, G., Hogreve, J., Kurtz, C., Langes, B., Leimeister,
    J. M., Lewandowski, T., Meiren, T., Nägele, R., Paluch, S., Peters, C., Poeppelbuss,
    J., … Wünderlich, N. V. (2025). Continuous value shaping: A boundary concept for
    innovating service innovation approaches. <i>Electronic Markets</i>, <i>35</i>(1),
    Article 27. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1">https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1</a>'
  bibtex: '@article{Böhmann_Roth_Satzger_Benz_Beverungen_Boes_Breidbach_Gersch_Gudergan_Hogreve_et
    al._2025, title={Continuous value shaping: A boundary concept for innovating service
    innovation approaches}, volume={35}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1">10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1</a>},
    number={127}, journal={Electronic Markets}, publisher={Springer Science and Business
    Media LLC}, author={Böhmann, Tilo and Roth, Angela and Satzger, Gerhard and Benz,
    Carina and Beverungen, Daniel and Boes, Andreas and Breidbach, Christoph and Gersch,
    Martin and Gudergan, Gerhard and Hogreve, Jens and et al.}, year={2025} }'
  chicago: 'Böhmann, Tilo, Angela Roth, Gerhard Satzger, Carina Benz, Daniel Beverungen,
    Andreas Boes, Christoph Breidbach, et al. “Continuous Value Shaping: A Boundary
    Concept for Innovating Service Innovation Approaches.” <i>Electronic Markets</i>
    35, no. 1 (2025). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1">https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1</a>.'
  ieee: 'T. Böhmann <i>et al.</i>, “Continuous value shaping: A boundary concept for
    innovating service innovation approaches,” <i>Electronic Markets</i>, vol. 35,
    no. 1, Art. no. 27, 2025, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1">10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1</a>.'
  mla: 'Böhmann, Tilo, et al. “Continuous Value Shaping: A Boundary Concept for Innovating
    Service Innovation Approaches.” <i>Electronic Markets</i>, vol. 35, no. 1, 27,
    Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2025, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1">10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1</a>.'
  short: T. Böhmann, A. Roth, G. Satzger, C. Benz, D. Beverungen, A. Boes, C. Breidbach,
    M. Gersch, G. Gudergan, J. Hogreve, C. Kurtz, B. Langes, J.M. Leimeister, T. Lewandowski,
    T. Meiren, R. Nägele, S. Paluch, C. Peters, J. Poeppelbuss, S. Robra-Bissantz,
    C. Schultz, J.H. Schumann, J. Wirtz, N.V. Wünderlich, Electronic Markets 35 (2025).
date_created: 2025-04-04T06:10:26Z
date_updated: 2025-11-10T10:19:25Z
ddc:
- '380'
department:
- _id: '195'
doi: 10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1
external_id:
  unknown:
  - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12525-025-00771-1
file:
- access_level: closed
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: dabe
  date_created: 2025-04-04T06:19:38Z
  date_updated: 2025-04-04T06:19:38Z
  file_id: '59336'
  file_name: Continuous Value Shaping - EM.pdf
  file_size: 920032
  relation: main_file
  success: 1
file_date_updated: 2025-04-04T06:19:38Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '        35'
issue: '1'
jel:
- M10
keyword:
- Continuous value shaping (CVS)
- Service research
- Service innovation
- Digitalization
- Sustainability
- Interdisciplinary research
language:
- iso: eng
project:
- _id: '1250'
  name: 'SHAPE : Gestaltung von Dienstleistungsentwicklungsprozessen und lnnovationspartnerschaften
    mit Unternehmen'
publication: Electronic Markets
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 1019-6781
  - 1422-8890
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: 'Continuous value shaping: A boundary concept for innovating service innovation
  approaches'
type: journal_article
user_id: '59677'
volume: 35
year: '2025'
...