Many different concepts and approaches have been seen for an Industry 4.0 achievement. In the attempt of merging the theory to the practice, there are gaps to determine which concept or technology suits best the productive chain and what is really a pre-requisite to classify it as Industry 4.0. On scientific and empirical literature about this subject, the Internet of Services, IoS, has been mentioned as an important pillar for Industry 4.0, coupled with Internet of Things (IoT) and Cyber-physical systems (CPS). While IoT and CPS as well as their link with Industry 4.0 are detailed in many researches, a deeper understanding on the Internet of Services and its contribution for this scenario is still missing. This paper aims to fill this gap gathering concepts about the Internet of Services, how it is composed and what would be its role on the manufacturing environment. Through a deeper understanding about the origin of the term Internet of Services, there is an important concept that may explain how the Industry 4.0 operates in a business and technological perspective: the concept of SOA -Service Oriented Architecture.

Purpose Considering the relevance of innovative business models in the digitally transformed market and the lack of clarity on the internet of services (IoS) contribution for a business model deployment in current literature, this study aims to fill this gap by evaluating a business model that converges to an IoS adoption in a direct sale of free-range eggs from farmers to consumers. Design/methodology/approach From the bibliographical research regarding the IoS and business model, the authors developed an IoS-based model framework. The framework has been evaluated in a real business scenario by using a single case study through an interview with the entrepreneur and documental analysis. Findings As the main result, a framework with the attributes can be considered a tool for an IoS-based business model deployment. The case study concluded that the business is aligned with the IoS adoption, and the framework presents adherence to it. Research limitations/implications The case study was limited to only one company owing to the IoS’s novelty and the lack of correlated business models. Although the case study limits to the agriculture field, the proposed framework may be broadly applied. Originality/value Considering that the lack of a comprehensive business model causes new businesses to face challenges, it is relevant bringing up the present case study of the IoS-based business model, which correlates these two subjects, still poorly explored in the scientific literature: IoS and business models.

In the current dynamic and competitive market, contemporary manufacturing systems must be constantly adapted to meet the requirements for a more agile and smart production. The advent of Industry 4.0 comes as a reference on development of applications and technologies for manufacturing process innovation. Among the pillars of Industry 4.0, a noticeable relevance is given to Cyber Physical Systems, Internet of Things and Internet of Services. In parallel, new technologies as Blockchain and Smart Contracts are important innovations also coined by the Information Technology domain. More specifically, Internet of Services is characterized by a service-oriented computing model enabling a diversity of software-based services through the Internet, among them the Blockchain solution. The paper explores these technologies bringing their intersection as well as their possible applications in the shop floor level. Through the interlock of such concepts, the paper aims to propose an architecture that promotes the utilization of Blockchain for the validation of some service demands in an advanced manufacturing scenario of the Industry 4.0. Lastly a hypothetical case study is presented for illustrating the proposed architecture.

The relevance of the Internet of Services (IoS) comes from the global reach of the Internet into everyone’s home and daily activities and from the move from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based economy. The IoS is seen as a new ecosystem where service providers and consumers explore their business networks for service provision and consumption. The scientific literature refers to IoS as an important cornerstone for Industry 4.0 and Future Internet; thus, it becomes relevant to study how IoS interacts with business models. Nevertheless, there is a lack of clarity on such an intersection. Moreover, a systematic review of IoS-based business models is still missing. This paper aims to make a systematic review of IoS-based business models and their application fields. We included studies from Scopus and Web of Science databases, we excluded duplicated papers and short conference versions of the later full paper journal publications. Twenty-three different studies are presented, categorized in the sub-areas of IoS, and then by the fields of applications. The main finding highlights the opportunities of IoS applications in different fields, offering directions for future research on this new arena.

Artigo recebido em 14/06/2021. Última versão recebida em 27/06/2021. Aprovado em 28/06/2021. Avaliado pelo sistema Triple Review: a) Desk Review pelo Editor-Chefe; e b) Double Blind Review (avaliação cega por dois avaliadores da área).