Creativity versus standardization in knowledge-intensive business services: a real trade-off?

This chapter aims to analyze the relationships between standardization and creativity in the process of KIBS innovation and delivery, focusing on the firms specializing in highly creative output, such as design and communication KIBS. We argue that the trade-off between creativity (which relates to the unique nature and customization of the service) and standardization (which has to do with economies of scale and the replication of the same service) can be solved if we consider how KIBS organize their work internally in terms of the division of labor and their approach to knowledge management (i.e. to create new ideas and apply them through exploitation). We concentrate on the KIBS’ working method, looking at whether and how they develop a codified process oriented towards managing projects on the basis of procedures, routines, and techniques with a view to developing, collecting, sharing and exploiting knowledge in their customized service provision.