Building stakeholder networks to develop and deliver product-service-systems: practical experiences on elaborating pro-active materials for communication

This paper proposes an approach for designing communication material dedicated to supporting the development of solution oriented partnerships, i.e. strategic alliances between different social players aiming to deliver a complex product-service-system. This communication material is aimed to facilitate strategic conversations among the partners, at different levels and phases of the solution development. The topic is presented through a case study, from a research project (HiCS) funded by the European Commission, 5th Framework Programme. The crucial role of communication material as a tool for organizing the complexity of the information that must be exchanged among the stakeholders in the set up phases of a new value network is highlighted.