After the IPS2 conferences in Cranfield and Linköping in 2009 and 2010 the 3rd CIRP International Conference on Industrial Product Service Systems (IPS2) 2011 takes place in Braunschweig, Germany. IPS2 itself is defined as “an integrated industrial product and service offering that delivers value in use”. The customers expect comprehensive solutions, which are adapted to their individual needs. IPS2 offers the possibility to stand out from competition and for long-term customer loyalty. Particularly in times of economic crisis it becomes apparent which producing companies understand to satisfy the needs and requirements of their customers. Especially in this relatively new domain IPS2 it will be important to keep track of the whole context and to seek cooperation with other research fields and disciplines. The 3rd CIRP International Conference on Industrial Product Service Systems (IPS2) 2011 serves as a platform for such collaborations and the discussion of new scientific ideas.

After the IPS2 conferences in Cranfield and Linköping in 2009 and 2010 the 3rd CIRP International Conference on Industrial Product Service Systems (IPS2) 2011 takes place in Braunschweig, Germany. IPS2 itself is defined as “an integrated industrial product and service offering that delivers value in use”. The customers expect comprehensive solutions, which are adapted to their individual needs. IPS2 offers the possibility to stand out from competition and for long-term customer loyalty. Particularly in times of economic crisis it becomes apparent which producing companies understand to satisfy the needs and requirements of their customers. Especially in this relatively new domain IPS2 it will be important to keep track of the whole context and to seek cooperation with other research fields and disciplines. The 3rd CIRP International Conference on Industrial Product Service Systems (IPS2) 2011 serves as a platform for such collaborations and the discussion of new scientific ideas.

This book is about giving the CEO what he wants to know about Value creation and success.

Creating value is the foundation of all business. It’s what sets you apart from your competition, secures long-term customers, and brings distinct meaning to your brand and your stakeholders. Without creating value for your business, your unique offering will be seen as just another commodity in the eyes of your target market. Creating value is in every business leader’s vocabulary and uppermost in their overall strategy. In fact, creating value is the purpose of a company according to the Business Roundtable and the World Economic Forum. That is another key reason why more people want to understand and utilise value creation for their benefit and the good of their stakeholders. Many companies and leaders seek to create value but do not know how to. As a result, they create and destroy value unconsciously. This book shows you how to create value consciously. To create long-term value, organizations need to put in place the mindset, capabilities, and relationships that enable them to meet the needs of their customers and stakeholders. This book makes value creation understood and used by executives and leaders more effectively. The book describes value creation in its various nuances, how it arises, how it is used, and the width and scope of value creation, from how it impacts a company and how that company can become more successful by creating value for customers and other stakeholders. The author also provides tips for CEOs, managers, HR, and other professionals on how to succeed in value creation as a long-term strategy and in day-to-day work. Numerous examples and case studies illustrate the points being made by the author.

Customer value is an overused and mis-understood term. Chris Ross said, ÒThere's a strong argument for changing the term 'marketing' and renaming it 'value creation'.Ó Companies fail to create value as well as they could because tools of customer value are not known. The author corrects this in simple steps by defining customer value, how it builds loyalty, market share, and profitability; and how customer value can be measured and created. This book also addresses managing steps such as a customer strategy, breaking silos, inter-departmental focus on the customer, measuring customer value added, circle of promises, customer-centric circles, bill of rights, total customer value management. Remember, if you create value for others, they will create value for you!

The Value Imperative is about understanding and creating value to become more prosperous, otain higher levels of success as a business and as a person, and become a better executive, manager, and leader. The book describes value and its creation, a practitioner concept that encompasses all aspects of human endeavor and happiness and covers different aspects of value, and how they impact you, business, society, technology, innovation and creativity, and education. The book demonstrates how to identify where value exists, how it can be increased, how it is destroyed and dissipated, and how it can re-emerge. The author also describes the 6As required of successful executives.

Industrial Product-Service Systems (IPS2), which is defined as “an integrated industrial product and service offering that delivers value in use,” has expanded rapidly over the last decade. IPS2 has allowed us to achieve both high added value and high productivity and has enriched our QOL by improving the performance of products and services. We are now struggling with many awkward issues related to sustainability, but IPS2 is expected to be the “philosopher’s stone” for solving these issues. Following the pattern of conferences held in Cranfield in 2009, Linköping in 2010, and Braunschweig in 2011, the fourth International CIRP Conference on Industrial Product-Service Systems, held on November 8-9, 2012, in Tokyo, will cover various aspects of IPS2. Topics planned for this year’s conference reflect the latest IPS2 information in both the natural sciences and humanities and include case studies from various industries. IPS2 is still a relatively new field, so it is important to keep track of the entire context in order to promote more cross-sectional cooperation between multimodal fields and disciplines. The fourth International CIRP Conference on Industrial Product-Service Systems will serve as a vital platform for such collaborations and the discussion of new scientific ideas.