Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques

– The purpose of this paper is to report the state‐of‐the‐art of servitization by presenting a clinical review of literature currently available on the topic. The paper aims to define the servitization concept, report on its origin, features and drivers and give examples of its adoption along with future research challenges., – In determining the scope of this study, the focus is on articles that are central and relevant to servitization within a wider manufacturing context. The methodology consists of identifying relevant publication databases, searching these using a wide range of key words and phrases associated with servitization, and then fully reviewing each article in turn. The key findings and their implications for research are all described., – Servitization is the innovation of an organisation's capabilities and processes to shift from selling products to selling integrated products and services that deliver value in use. There are a diverse range of servitization examples in the literature. These tend to emphasize the potential to maintain revenue streams and improve profitability., – Servitization does not represent a panacea for manufactures. However, it is a concept of significant potential value, providing routes for companies to move up the value chain and exploit higher value business activities. There is little work to date that can be used to help practitioners., – This paper provides a useful review of servitization and a platform on which to base more in‐depth research into the broader topic of service‐led competitive strategy by drawing on the work from other related research communities.

/pdf/the-servitization-of-manufacturing-a-review-of-literature-14wwrlak1v.pdf

The servitization of manufacturing: A review of literature and reflection on future challenges

Overcoming the Service Paradox in Manufacturing Companies

Some of the world's leading suppliers are developing strategies to move into the provision of innovative combinations of products and services as 'high-value integrated solutions' tailored to each customer's needs. Rather than simply 'moving downstream' into services (as much of the business strategy literature assumes), this paper argues that the provision of integrated solutions is attracting firms-traditionally based in manufacturing and services-to occupy a new base in the value stream centred on 'systems integration'. In addition to an ability to design and integrate systems using internal or external sources of product supply, these firms are developing novel combinations of service capabilities (operations, business consultancy and finance) required to provide complete solutions to each customer's needs. © ICC Association 2004; all rights reserved.

Moving base into high-value integrated solutions: a value stream approach

Fortune favors the prepared: How SMEs approach business model innovations in Industry 4.0

Management literature is almost unanimous in suggesting to manufacturers that they should integrate services into their core product offering. The literature, however, is surprisingly sparse in describing to what extent services should be integrated, how this integration should be carried out, or in detailing the challenges inherent in the transition to services. Reports on a study of 11 capital equipment manufacturers developing service offerings for their products. Focuses on identifying the dimensions considered when creating a service organization in the context of a manufacturing firm, and successful strategies to navigate the transition. Analysis of qualitative data suggests that the transition involves a deliberate developmental process to build capabilities as firms shift the nature of the relationship with the product end‐users and the focus of the service offering. The report concludes identifying implications of our findings for further research and practitioners.

Robert Kallenberg

Papers

Managing the transition from products to services