Evolution of a service network in business to business

The importance of service networks has been recognized both in service research and in btob marketing. In btob, in particular, business networks have been defined as highly dynamic structures subject to a continuous organizing process. Even though, the issue of how services in the context of business networks –i.e. service networks– evolve over time still remained unexplored. Through a longitudinal case study, we analyze the evolution of Edenred’s service network, a leading global company in delivering end-to-end solutions for rewards, compensations, incentives and loyalty programs to employees and the public in general. Our study shows that different states and specific interaction patterns characterize the evolution and transformation of a service network. It also shows that the internal organizational structure of the focal company reflects the evolution of the external network.