Comparing the Literature with case histories in manufacturing servitization. Preliminary results from a gap analysis

The provision of information-based immaterial goods as opposed to the manufacture of material ones has taken the lead in global economy, in what is known as the servitization process. Manufacturing companies’ interest in extending their value proposition has been increasing in the last decades, and the traditional boundary between manufacturing and services has become increasingly blurred. Yet, despite the fact that management theory supports this shift as a major competitive weapon for manufacturing companies, an increasing number of authors report poor results, giving rise to the so-called “servitization paradox”. Servitization is not yet a well-established theoretical field. The aim of this paper is therefore to contribute at developing a general theory of servitization in manufacturing. To this purpose, we analysed the gaps between academic literature and business case studies, addressing four research questions: a). What is a servitization strategy? b). Is there one, or several specific path(s) leading to a successful servitization process? c). Which, if any, are the contextual enabling (or inhibiting) factors within a servitization process? d). What are the main effects of a successful servitization strategy on an organization? Results highlight some inconsistencies, alongside some common ground, among scholars and practitioners. For instance, while theory suggests that establishing a pervasive market and service-oriented culture might be the single most relevant factor enabling servitization, business practices highlight other aspects, such as strong leadership, continuity in corporate goals and a rapid change, so far neglected in academic papers.