From Engineering to Shaping: A Multiple Case Study on Advancing Service Systems Engineering through Continuous Value Shaping

Service systems engineering relies on structured, top-down approaches to designing and innovating service systems. In today’s dynamic environments—shaped by digital transformation, evolving provider–user interactions, and shifting societal demands—these approaches face limitations in enabling continuous, context-sensitive innovation. Continuous Value Shaping emerges as a conceptual extension to service systems engineering, promoting more adaptive and co-evolutionary forms of service system development. This study examines how Continuous Value Shaping manifests through a multiple case study of three public sector projects. We identify distinct manifestations and constellations of the concept’s principles that complement classical SSE practices. As the first empirical exploration of Continuous Value Shaping, the study refines its conceptual foundation and enhances its accessibility for researchers and practitioners. We conclude with seven empirically derived propositions that inform future service systems engineering initiatives and demonstrate how Continuous Value Shaping supports the dynamic alignment of service systems with societal and systemic demands.