Replication of innovation in professional service firms: options for leveraging knowledge

In this conceptual paper we elaborate on the replication of innovation in professional service firms (PSFs). We do this by integrating literature streams on replication, knowledge sharing, productization of services and management of PSF’s. First we discuss the object of replication in order to analyze what might be leveraged and replicated. Then we address the various levels of replication (individual, team, area, firm) and reflect on the limitations and managerial challenges in the process of replication. Then we discuss various replication strategies and tactics in PSF’s. Finally we develop a framework for describing and analyzing replication and illustrate the framework with three recent case studies on different professional service firms.