Customer centric innovation: adoption of 3D printing in the Italian jewellery sector

Three-dimensional printing (3D printing) is one of the customer centric innovations that characterizes the new industrial revolution. This innovation has significant implications for many companies in any sector, even the most traditional ones. The present study aims to lay the foundations for increasing and extending the knowledge on customer centric innovation and to identify the key determinants that allow the adoption of a “customer centric innovation”, in particular 3D printing, by business customers from the point of view of a technology provider through a conceptual framework. To achieve this purpose, a theoretical model from the literature review on customer centric innovation is identified, and then a qualitative research composed of two main steps is carried out. The first step is formed by the study of the Italian jewellery sector through an extensive desk research and meeting with experts. This allows shedding light on the role of 3D printing and dynamics of the sector, where numerous Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) emerged. The second step is constituted by the analysis of a case study in order to identify the determinants that allow the adoption of 3D printing by business customers from the point of view of a SME which is technology provider. The results underline that in this context the technology provider has to be able to align strategy, supply chain network, and technology under the influence of some external forces. Only this process can lead to the adoption of customer centric innovation by creating a potential and real value for business customers that does not extinguish itself with the technological potential that 3D printing already incorporates.