A Delphi study to explore the adoption of servitization in UK companies

Abstract

This paper explores and rationalises the process of servitization adoption across manufacturing firms. A Delphi research methodology has been applied to capture evidence and opinion from 33 senior executives, in 28 different sized organisations, from a cross section of British industry. The findings focus on five areas: (1) servitization and advanced services, (2) transformation: stimulus, drivers and organisational change, (3) impact on the customer and manufacturer, (4) enablers and inhibitors and (5) potential for business and the economy. Six findings are presented and collectively these contribute to our understanding of the broader change management processes that transform manufacturers to compete through advanced services.

Territorial servitization: Exploring the virtuous circle connecting knowledge-intensive services and new manufacturing businesses

“…Servitization can be seen as a response of manufacturers to market pressures, and previous studies show that increased provision of advanced services positively impact both organizational performance metrics linked to revenues and employment (Gebauer & Fleisch, 2007), and the economic restructuring of territories through the implementation of advanced technological capabilities (Baines & Shi, 2015). This logic and evidence suggests the following relationship between knowledge-intensive services and manufacturers' performance:…”

Digital dark matter within product service systems

“…In addition, it is proposed that the introduction of digital technologies in manufacturing industries as part of the servitization process has a direct effect on the competitiveness of manufacturing firms, which in turn contribute to the enhancement of the welfare of the society in which those firms are located. According to Baines and Shi (2015) and Arnold et al (2015) this forms part of a virtuous circle that creates employment and economic development; therefore an economic incentive potentially exists for policy makers to establish service reforms. All these elements lead to the following research question:…”

“…Further to this, based on the analysis of Baines and Shi (2015) who argue that digital technologies impact the way that business and production are organized and therefore affect the competitiveness of manufacturing firms, we include a measure of manufacturing competiveness. The most comprehensive measure is the Global Manufacturing…”

Aplicación del metodo delphi en el diseño de una investigación cuantitativa sobre el fenómeno FABLAB

“…Su uso está documentado a lo largo de la literatura científica en áreas como la medicina (Cam, McKnight & Doctor, 2002;Ferri et al, 2005;Hung, Altschuld & Lee, 2008;Kizawa et al, 2012;Loughlin & Moore, 1979;Penciner et al, 2011;Spiby, 1988), la educación y la investigación educativa (de Villiers, de Villiers & Kent, 2005;Green, 2014;Judd, 1972;Luna-Gijón & Porras-Hernández, 2014;Minghat, Yasin & Udin, 2012;Skulmoski & Hartman, 2007;van Zolingen & Klaassen, 2003;Zawacki-Richter, 2009), la economía (Akkermans, Bogerd, Yüccesan & Van Wassenhove, 2003;Baines & Shi, 2015;Cañibano & Alberto, 2008;O. Helmer & Quade, 1963;Pawlowski & Okoli, 2004;Wittman, Beckie & Hergesheimer, 2012), donde tuvo su inicial aplicación, e incluso en aspectos tecnológicos (Blind, Cuhls & Grupp, 2001;Breiner, Cuhls & Grupp, 1994;Kramer, Walker & Brill, 2007;Martino, 2003;Martino, 1993;Salo & Cuhls, 2003) entre otros (Cabero & Infante, 2014) como herramienta predictiva e incluso como sistema de validación de herramientas de recogida de información (Blasco, López & Mengual, 2010;Briceño Marcano & Romero Tena, 2012;Calabuig Moreno & Crespo Hervàs, 2009;Mérida, Serrano & Tabernero, 2015;Salgado, Larenas, Aguilera & Martínez-Geijo, 2013), llegando a popularizarse de tal manera que en una relación recogida por …”