Measuring innovation in services: the role of surveys

The main aim of this paper was to analyse the role of European innovation surveys in measuring innovation in services. The various community innovation surveys (CISs) are analysed in the light of the three main theoretical approaches to innovation in services, namely assimilation, service-oriented and integrative. The analysis performed shows a gradual change in the way in which European surveys have been structured over time, highlighting a partial shift from the assimilation approach towards the integrative one. Furthermore, the paper provides a systematic assessment of the CIS experience and of the lessons to be drawn from it.