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The purpose of the paper is to examine the service branding process of the historic tourist attraction, the Norwegian Coastal Voyage (Hurtigruten).

A qualitative design guided the research and the research instrument employed was semi-structured in-depth interviews with service employees employed in the shipping line Hurtigruten ASA.

The research shows that the long history of the Hurtigruten, the role of leadership and culture, organising principles and analytical orientation were influential factors to the branding process on the Hurtigruten and that determined the key characteristics of the process, that of a structured process.

Although, the study is innovative in its orientation, the research findings are restricted to the research context: on the Hurtigruten. However, the inductive approach makes it possible to conduct follow-up studies including more cruise line carriers.

A set of advices is provided which is beneficial in making the Hurtigruten an even stronger brand. One advice is to develop brand messages to be used in market communication which is built on attractive values to tourists such as Norwegian sea man skills, safety, reliability, comfort and exoticness.

One important social implication is the suggestion to integrate the service employees in branding processes which may have consequences for employees’ brand commitment and loyalty.

In the research literature, more research on services branding is called for. Thus, the study contributes to the extant knowledge on an interesting research field and the value of the study lies in its in-depth exploration of an important management process, that of services branding.

The purpose of this paper is to suggest an interactive model of service brand development.

The design employed in the research represents a holistic and systemic approach to services branding and the methodology employed is conceptual desk research.

The research findings encompass an interactive model of service brand components grounded on a systemic perspective. By building on services brand theory, three key actors constitute the components of the model, namely service leadership, service employees and customers. The findings also state how successful service branding may be obtained at the level of the individual service enterprise.

The paper outlines a set of practical implications. For example, successful service brand development is obtained through a high degree of service orientation, customer involvement, an involvement model of service leadership and a motivated, committed and empowered workforce, particularly those employees at the frontline.

The originality and value of the research rests on using systemic thinking in the development of an interactive model of services brand development

One problem that many organisations face today in the global economy is that too few ideas are turned into innovations. The purpose of this paper is to show how innovations in organisations may be obtained by means of creative energy fields.

The design employed in the research represents a holistic, change oriented approach to innovation, and the methodology is conceptual where an analytical model is used.

The paper provides arguments that organisations need to develop creative energy fields in order to enhance their innovative capacity and performance. In the paper the construct creative energy field is conceptualised as “a spot in an organisation where a Group of creative individuals collaborate and work together in order to bring to surface new ideas which may fuel innovation processes and Development in organisations”. The paper shows that creative energy fields are influenced by five distinct components; those of making a clear purpose, planning after the results have become apparant, an organisation’s rule breakers, drawing a map that changes the landscape, and igniting the flame of innovation. Furthermore, the findings encompass three conditions which need to be present in an organisation in order to make creative energy fields work.

The carried out focuses on the individual organisation which aims to enhance innovation performance.

In relation to practical implications, the paper shows, in particular, how an organisation may move into areas of innovation by means of a Lego system of organising.

To the authors’ knowledge, the creation and use of a novel construct, that of creative energy fields, represents newness and originality in innovation research at the level of the individual enterprise. Furthermore, the paper contributes to the extant management knowledge of innovation by showing how a Lego system of organising may foster innovation at the enterprise level.