The innovation laboratories support and foster the systematic development of innovations by bringing the people, environment and the methodological expertise together. Such type of structures play a major role in leveraging the existing methods and tools in the field of service innovation on one hand, and adapting the new methodological approaches to the field on the other hand. Thus, we argue that they can act as intermediaries in adapting the concept of round trip engineering to the field of service innovation. In this context, to develop the deeper understanding of the phenomenon, the innovation laboratories were thoroughly investigated through in-depth expert interviews. The interviews were intended to develop deep understanding of the structural and functional aspects of innovation laboratories in order to identify the current practices and potential of innovation labs in applying the systematic approaches to different phases of innovation life cycle. They were also aimed to identify the methodological and technological support that the innovation labs might need.

The Department of Business Information Systems at the University of Leipzig conducted a web based study on innovation laboratories worldwide. About 190 innovation laboratory websites could get identified. The innovation laboratories were evaluated and categorized according to the descriptions on the websites.

The innovation laboratories support and foster the systematic development of innovations by bringing the people, environment and the methodological expertise together. Such type of structures play a major role in leveraging the existing methods and tools in the field of service innovation on one hand, and adapting the new methodological approaches to the field on the other hand. Thus, we argue that they can act as intermediaries in adapting the concept of round trip engineering to the field of service innovation. In this context, to develop the deeper understanding of the phenomenon, the innovation laboratories were thoroughly investigated through in-depth expert interviews. The interviews were intended to develop deep understanding of the structural and functional aspects of innovation laboratories in order to identify the current practices and potential of innovation labs in applying the systematic approaches to different phases of innovation life cycle. They were also aimed to identify the methodological and technological support that the innovation labs might need.

The Department of Business Information Systems at the University of Leipzig conducted a web based study on innovation laboratories worldwide. About 190 innovation laboratory websites could get identified. The innovation laboratories were evaluated and categorized according to the descriptions on the websites.