The digitalization has put forward numerous devices dubbed as 'smart'. This development can be observed throughout the entire value chain and across industries with fundamental implications on the co-creation of value. In order to structure this phenomenon, the service science discipline conceptualized so-called smart service systems. This article transfers the theoretical conceptualization into the domain of manufacturing. To assess the state of research on smart services in manufacturing, a structured literature review is performed. As the transfer from a general conceptualization into a concrete domain calls for a more practice-oriented approach, we support our literature study through in-depth interviews with a leading automation technology provider. By interpreting the domain as a smart service system, five barriers to adoption in practice are identified and discussed regarding their implications for research.
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