Organizational antecedents to and consequences of service business orientations in manufacturing companies

Abstract

Although various manufacturing companies have developed into total solution providers, no research addresses their service orientations. Building on the literature on organizational service climate, this study explores the organizational parameters and service business orientations that explain relative product sales and service volume of manufacturing companies. Following an exploratory study involving in-depth interviews, the authors conducted an empirical survey of 137 companies in The Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark. The study assesses the effects of organizational parameters on the implementation of service business orientations and validates the important distinction between services in support of the client's actions (SSC) and services in the support of the product (SSP). The findings demonstrate that services in support of the client's action leverage relative product sales, while services in support of the product generate service volume. In addition to the main effects, the moderating effects of the organizational parameters are discussed.

What service transition? Rethinking established assumptions about manufacturers' service-led growth strategies

“…We have identified three prevalent and interrelated transition dimensions: (1) from product towards process-oriented services (Antioco et al, 2008;Eggert et al, 2014;Mathieu, 2001;Oliva & Kallenberg, 2003;Raddats & Easingwood, 2010;Ulaga & Reinartz, 2011;Windahl & Lakemond, 2010); (2) from standardized towards customized services (Lightfoot & Gebauer, 2011;Matthyssens & Vandenbempt, 2010;Penttinen & Palmer, 2007); and (3) from transactional towards relational services (Oliva & Kallenberg 2003;Penttinen & Palmer, 2007). Regardless of terminology and academic discipline, empirical studies as well as more conceptual papers, generally adopt the service transition as an underlying-explicit or implicit-assumption.…”

Design, consumption and marketing: outcomes, process, philosophy and future directions

“…Antioco, Moenaert, Lindgreen, & Wetzels, 2008;Kuijken, Gemser, & Wijnberg, 2017). Relatedly, in marketing literature, we see the emergence of the service perspective which considers value creation to be inherently interactional (Vargo & Lusch, 2004;Windahl, 2017), while in design, we see the emergence of 'service design' as a new professional practice (Karpen, Gemser, & Calabretta, in press).…”

Service orientation: changing in Tunisian industrial firms

“…First, Homburg et al (2002) rigorously studied these three dimensions of service orientation. Besides, this definition reflects the perception of the managers towards the importance of service in their activity (Antioco et al, 2008). Last, it describes the firm's practice in terms of service in its totality (number of services, type of client, and type of services and reactivity in offering services).…”

“…To understand the antecedents of service offering in industrial firms, Gebauer and Fleisch (2007) and Antioco et al (2008) are based on the behavioural perspective and motivation theory of Vroom (1964). According to them, if the direction of the firm attaches importance to the expansion of services in the supply of the firm and whether it expects a gradual improvement of its objectives, it will be motivated to invest in activities service in its global offer.…”

“…Several authors have shown that organisational parameters for an industrial firm have a great importance in the implementation of a service strategy (Antioco et al, 2008;Vandenbosch and Weinberg, 1994). Indeed, these are the characteristics of the service that require more effective management.…”