Organizational Competence for Servitization

verfasst von: Tim Posselt

Verlag: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden

Buchreihe : Markt- und Unternehmensentwicklung Markets and Organisations

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Über dieses Buch

Tim Posselt investigates the factors leading to organizational competence for servitization - a key strategic alternative in times of digitalization and globalization -, and analyses the transformation process servitizing firms undergo. He explores the issue through conceptual research and case studies, and identifies the ability to access and leverage customer knowledge as the foundation of successful servitization. The findings provide valuable insight for managers looking to strengthen their service business, and add to literature on servitization and service-dominant logic.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Setting the Stage

Abstract

The first part of this dissertation is dedicated to presenting an outline of the topics and research problems which this thesis is concerned with, and an overview of how these issues are being addressed. First, servitization is introduced as a promising competitive strategy for firms looking to achieve sustainable competitiveness within ever more dynamic markets with global competition and increasingly individual customer needs (chapter 1). Subsequently, the research gap which is being addressed through this dissertation is presented (chapter 2).

Tim Posselt

Chapter 2. Theoretical Underpinning

Abstract

Part II provides an overview over the theoretical concepts and models which are relevant within this dissertation. As was explained in the previous part, this dissertation comprises two theoretical lenses: Firstly, it applies the service-dominant logic as a “meta idea” (Lusch & Vargo, 2014, p. 211) which provides a guiding view on economic exchange and value creation. Secondly, it employs the competence-based theory of the firm as a framework for the evaluation of the competence building and leveraging actions needed to achieve competitiveness through servitization.

Tim Posselt

Chapter 3. A Service-dominant Definition of Servitization

Abstract

Due to the fact that the ability of empirical science to derive general principles from empirical observations depends largely on its use of a system of thoroughly defined concepts and terms (Hempel, 1974, p. 28), the present pre-study plays a central role in the attempt to gain a deeper understanding of the service paradox. Because this dissertation employs the service-dominant logic as a theoretical lens, the definition of servitization from a service-dominant point of view is of paramount importance to derive meaningful implications from empirical observations. However, finding such a definition is difficult for two reasons: Firstly, there is no undisputed definition of the ‘service’ concept to date, and the service-dominant understanding of service is different from the goods-dominant definition.

Tim Posselt

Chapter 4. A Conceptual Approach to Organizational Competence for Servitization

Abstract

Having developed a service-dominant definition of servitization, the next step within this dissertation is to investigate which organizational actions are beneficial in developing and maintaining the overall organizational competence to compete through servitization. Therefore, the present part addresses the following research question: “Which actions of competence building and leveraging contribute to organizational competence for servitization?”.

Tim Posselt

Chapter 5. A Cross-industrial Investigation of Organizational Competence for Servitization

Abstract

Having defined the empirical field and developed guiding research propositions in the previous chapter, this section presents the first empirical study which deals with the research gaps outlined in part IV of this dissertation. An approach of comparing multiple cases from two distinct industries is used in order to contribute to the literature on the competences for servitization. The empirical setting is a total of fifteen servitizing companies from two different industries: 9 industrial engineering firms, which represent an industry with a manufacturing background, and 6 technical wholesale firms, representing an industry with a pure service background.

Tim Posselt

Chapter 6. An In-depth Analysis of Customer Knowledge Management for Servitization

Abstract

The findings of the studies undertaken in part IV and part V of this dissertation indicate that customer knowledge plays a paramount role for the achievement of organizational competence for servitization. As servitizing firms offer more and more customized and relational value propositions, the in-depth understanding of individual and often latent customer needs becomes ever more important. Not only is such knowledge about the customer vital for the focusing of the service portfolio, it also affects the servitizing firm’s ability to develop and sell services in collaborative processes with the customer.

Tim Posselt

Chapter 7. Summary of Findings and Implications

Abstract

As the final part of this dissertation, part VI is divided into two chapters. Chapter 1 provides a summary of the findings which have been generated throughout the four studies in parts III, IV, V and VI. Subsequently, chapter 2 presents the implications of these findings for management and research on servitization.

Tim Posselt

Backmatter

Titel: Organizational Competence for Servitization
verfasst von: Tim Posselt
Verlag: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-658-20096-1
Print ISBN: 978-3-658-20095-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-20096-1