This dissertation focuses on Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS). It aims to understand what these businesses are and to examine variety among them. In seeking to understand their diversity, I focus especially on the ‘knowledge bases’ at the core of their activities. The dissertation is based on three complementary studies. The first is a systematic review of the literature on KIBS. This is based primarily on a review of 130 carefully selected, relevant articles, and focuses on three questions: how are KIBS defined? how do KIBS compete? and how do KIBS innovate? The review shows that: (i) the literature is fragmented; most research does not build substantially on previous methods or findings; and (ii) while evidently heterogeneous, most of the literature has overlooked variety among KIBS. I also highlight what still needs to be known about KIBS.The second and third papers then focus on variety among KIBS, by classifying them according to their ‘knowledge bases’. In the first of these papers, I classify KIBS according to their primary knowledge bases, following the SAS Model, which identifies three: ‘analytical knowledge’, ‘synthetic knowledge’ and ‘symbolic knowledge’. Firms in three KIBS sectors: ‘architecture and engineering consultancy’; ‘specialist design’; and ‘computer and IT services’ are classified by their primary knowledge base according to information drawn from company websites. I then relate this classification to firm behaviour with respect to innovation, finding differences by primary knowledge base in the nature of the investments firms make to innovate, and in their propensities to innovate. In the second of the papers which relates ‘knowledge bases’ to KIBS, I develop the ‘knowledge bases’ approach conceptually, methodologically and empirically. Conceptually, I identify a hitherto unrecognised knowledge base: ‘compliance knowledge’. This relates to the knowledge of, and to interpretations of, laws and regulations. This knowledge base does not fit with any of the existing SAS types. Methodologically, I extract fuller information from company websites, and develop more sophisticated approaches to measurement, which allows multiple knowledge bases to be present in any one firm. Empirically, I successfully identify ‘compliance knowledge’, alongside ‘analytical’ and ‘symbolic knowledge’. I show that these are unevenly distributed across KIBS industries, including ‘advertising and design’, ‘architecture’, ‘engineering consultancy’ and ‘market research’, but importantly there is no one-to-one mapping between knowledge bases and industries. I discuss the implications of this, including for understanding the diversification of KIBS. This dissertation therefore contributes conceptually, methodologically and empirically to both understanding variety among KIBS and to the ‘knowledge bases’ literature.

This study employs a Gioia analysis to investigate the AI services offered within three distinct professional service sectors in Sweden: IT consulting, marketing, and legal services. Utilizing a list of companies from a prior KTH project and publicly accessible information, we applied a cross-sectoral Gioia analysis to systematically categorize, compare, and understand the types of AI services provided and how these offerings differ between sectors. The objective of this scholarly pursuit is twofold. Firstly, it seeks to develop a cohesive and comprehensive taxonomy that clarifies the AI utilization within the selected domains, providing a clearer perspective on the diverse AI services offered and their respective implications. Secondly, it aims to discern the notable commonalities and distinctions in AI services across the said sectors, highlighting the specific ways in which AI integration manifests within each domain in Sweden. Our research reveals several shared trends, including AI-driven data analysis and management, automation, real-time monitoring, and personalization. Despite these commonalities, each sector leverages AI in a unique way, emphasizing aspects like cybersecurity in IT consulting, ad optimization in marketing, and legal document scrutiny in legal services. We further discuss practical implications, such as elevated operational efficiency, potential shifts in professional focus, and the emergence of AI service providers as indispensable intermediaries. While the adoption of AI presents numerous opportunities, it also introduces challenges, such as the democratization of specialized knowledge, which could disrupt traditional professional-client relationships. Future research avenues and study limitations are also addressed. Our findings serve as a cornerstone for both academic discourse and practical application, illuminating the nuanced impacts of AI across different business domains. / Denna studie verkställer en Gioia-analys för att undersöka de AI-tjänster som erbjuds inom tre distinkta professionella tjänstesektorer I Sverige: IT-rådgivning, marknadsföring och juridiska tjänster. Genom att använda en datauppsättning från ett tidigare KTH-projekt och allmänt tillgänglig information tillämpade vi en tvärsektoriell Gioia-analys för att systematiskt kategorisera, jämföra och förstå vilka typer av AI-tjänster som erbjuds och hur dessa tjänsteerbjudanden skiljer sig mellan sektorer. Målet med denna studie är tvåfaldig. Först och främst syftar den till att utveckla en sammanhängande och omfattande taxonomi som klargör AI-användningen inom de valda sektorerna, vilket ger en tydligare översikt över de olika AI-tjänsterna som erbjuds och deras respektive implikationer. För det andra strävar studien efter att urskilja de märkbara gemensamheterna och skillnaderna i AI-tjänster mellan de nämnda sektorerna, vilket framhäver de specifika sätten på vilka AI-integration manifesterar sig inom varje domän i Sverige. Vår studie avslöjar flera gemensamma trender, inklusive AI-driven dataanalys och hantering, automatisering, realtidsövervakning och personalisering. Trots dessa gemensamma drag utnyttjar varje sektor AI på ett unikt sätt. Aspekter som cybersäkerhet inom IT-rådgivning, annonsoptimering inom marknadsföring och granskning av juridiska dokument inom juridiska tjänster betonas. Vidare diskuterar vi praktiska implikationer, såsom ökad operativ effektivitet, potentiella förändringar i professionellt fokus och framväxten av AI-tjänsteleverantörer som oumbärliga mellanhänder. Även om införandet av AI erbjuder många möjligheter introducerar det också utmaningar, såsom demokratisering av specialiserad kunskap, vilket kan störa traditionella verksamhet-kundrelationer. Framtida forskningsvägar och studiebegränsningar diskuteras också. Våra resultat agerar som en hörnsten för både akademisk diskurs och praktisk tillämpning samt belyser de nyanserade effekterna av AI över olika affärsdomäner.