The role of servitization for small firms: drivers versus barriers

Confente, Ilenia; Buratti, Andrea; Russo, Ivan

doi:10.1504/ijesb.2015.072394

Cited by 27 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…It is not easy to transfer findings from large companies to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which generally have their own characteristics as well as limited resources and capabilities (R&C). Actually, a small number of studies have dealt with servitization in SMEs over the years (Gebauer et al, 2012;Confente et al, 2015;Adrodegari et al, 2018;Valtakoski and Witell, 2018). To best of our knowledge, there are only a few works that focus on servitization and performance in SMEs (Kohtamaki et al, 2015;Kwan and Kim, 2016;Crozet and Milet, 2017;Ambroise et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Servitization and performance: impacts on small and medium enterprises

Queiroz

Mendes

Silva

et al. 2020

JBIM

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Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of the servitization on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach The study uses data from Brazilian SMEs and applies partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the research hypotheses. Findings The findings suggest a positive relationship between servitization and SME performance. It is found that the strategy of offering base services does impact SME performance. Furthermore, servitization aims to promote a fit between environmental pressures and SME performance. Practical implications SMEs can use servitization to increase their performance in spite of their resources restrictions, size limitation and low level of service revenue. However, the adoption of servitization should be accompanied by managerial adjustments in servitization practices. Originality/value This paper is dedicated to investigating the servitization-performance relationship in the context of SMEs, which is not a usual research publication. Moreover, it adds to the servitization theory by demonstrating that it is not necessary to reach a critical mass of services to be profitable and base services may be also a source of revenues and profits.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Servitization and performance: impacts on small and medium enterprises

Queiroz

Mendes

Silva

et al. 2020

JBIM

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“…Servitization requires a firm to possess a special configuration and a certain set of human resource skills (Homburg et al, 2003;Baines et al, 2013). Specifically, and as previously stated, the transition to servitization calls for employee skills and mindsets to switch from being product centric and function based to being grounded in human relationships, as is characteristic of the service industry (Confente et al, 2015;Brax, 2005). However, such changes from a human-side entail considerable time for education and training that prepare employees for the changes and enable them to fully comprehend a firm's new strategic orientation and integrate it into their jobs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leadership style required for the transition to servitization in Japan

Kim

Toya

2019

JMTM

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Purpose Given the emergence of servitization as a viable strategy for manufacturers to gain a competitive advantage, determining what factors influence effective servitization is imperative. Drawing on organizational change and leadership theories, the purpose of this paper is to identify the leadership styles required for successfully implementing servitization in Japan. Design/methodology/approach Via stratified sampling method, 5,000 Japanese manufacturers registered in the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry were selected for participation in a mail survey. Survey data from 187 responding CEOs were matched with firm-level archival data, after which the matched data were analyzed. Findings The findings indicated that industry type is important in implementing servitization, but firm size and performance are not. The results also revealed that charismatic leadership style is especially critical in implementing and elevating servitization, whereas autocratic and autonomous leadership styles impede this process. Research limitations/implications The study fills a gap in the literature by identifying a notable relationship between leadership style and servitization. Because the study was conducted in an Asian economic context, which has received less attention in servitization research, it advances the existing body of research on servitization by breaking the former geographical constraints in this field of studies. Practical implications This study presents practical implications for Japanese manufacturers who wish to devise a strategic leadership plan in the servitization process. CEOs of the firms can initiate the transition to servitization by employing charismatic leadership skills and convincing employees of the benefits of the change. Originality/value The research is distinguished from existing studies in that it provides the first empirical evidence on effective CEO leadership styles for servitization in Japanese manufacturing firms.

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“…In addition, freelance is a new digital opportunity that has been identified but requires further development and analysis, as it supports the development of digitalized services around a digital product [99,166], even though it also presents its own challenges [61,167]. Consequently, freelance has not been included in this study.…”

Section: Academic Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Goods to Services and from Linear to Circular: The Role of Servitization’s Challenges and Drivers in the Shifting Process

2021

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To move closer to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a change from the traditional paradigm of the linear economy towards the circular economy is of paramount importance. One of the key promoters of this shift is servitization, which involves a shift from a purely transactional product-selling model to customer satisfaction through providing the service inherent to the product. Although servitization is a promising field for academics and practitioners, its adoption faces different challenges and drivers that need to be understood and addressed. A latent issue is the lack of common language around the topic. In the present study, a systematic literature review has been conducted to allow the identification and classification of the main challenges and drivers. Based on the findings, we propose a classification framework that identifies, classifies, and groups common challenges and drivers to different areas of knowledge on servitization through intensity heat maps. From a managerial point of view, our results highlight the importance of embracing servitization as a collective effort from the different departments within a company.

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The role of servitization for small firms: drivers versus barriers

Cited by 27 publications

References 67 publications

Servitization and performance: impacts on small and medium enterprises

Servitization and performance: impacts on small and medium enterprises

Leadership style required for the transition to servitization in Japan

From Goods to Services and from Linear to Circular: The Role of Servitization’s Challenges and Drivers in the Shifting Process

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