Differentiation value through services in a manufacturer's delivery chain

The delivery of industrial goods includes various possibilities for service business. Previous research has concentrated on third-party logistics (3PL) providers' perspective on service opportunities. This study takes the manufacturer's perspective in inter-organizational relationships and investigates the potential for differentiation value though services associated with the delivery of industrial goods. Field observation was carried out on three high-volume construction component deliveries, to uncover differentiation value drivers and the emergence of service opportunities in a manufacturer's delivery chain. The results complement earlier 3PL-centered goods delivery research by showing that the manufacturer's unique product and process competences, and activities in the delivery chain drive differentiation value, enable new service opportunities. The findings, thereby, draw attention to manufacturers and their competences as sources of added-value service in the delivery of industrial goods. Manufacturing firms have various options for differentiation and centrality in the inter-organizational network through cooperation with third parties. The results reveal that third parties can be hidden sources of added customer value in the goods delivery chain. The differentiation value for different firms in the industrial goods' delivery chains can emerge when firms begin to develop and offer services to each other, and therefore a proactive and in-depth analysis of their customers' differentiation-oriented value hierarchies is required.     

Reversed servitization paths: a case analysis of two manufacturers

The literature on service business in manufacturing companies posits that manufacturers “servitize” by increasing the proportion of services offered. This study presents two paths that are contrary to such forward-unidirectional servitization, indicating “reversed servitization.” In the first case, a capital goods manufacturer lost visibility to its installed base due to evolving product technology. We use the case of photocopier manufacturer Xerox to support our findings; a regulation change forced Xerox to move from a service-based toward a product-based business model. We thus propose that influencing environmental factors need to be researched and that the literature of organizational ecology may serve as a complementary perspective.     

中国出口制造业投入服务化水平测度——基于贸易增加值视角

本文根据2018版OECD-ICIO数据,采用贸易增加值测算法测度了2005-2015年中国出口制造业投入服务化水平,我们发现:在考虑出口二元结构的条件下,2005-2015年中国制造业整体投入服务化水平平均值为26.89%,呈上升趋势;国内投入服务化水平高于国外且呈现出不断"以国内服务替代国外服务"的变动趋势;相比于一般贸易,加工贸易出口制造业投入服务化水平更高但增速较缓,加工贸易国内服务投入比重较低但服务化增速较快;相比于资本和知识密集型制造业,劳动密集型制造业的高端生产性服务尤其是国内高端服务投入比重较低。     

Servitization of Global Manufacturing Business

This study examines important but understudied issues in the servitization of global manufacturing firms. We begin with a review of the literature that suggests that global manufacturing firms can grow by integrating services into traditional products in a rapidly changing business environment. We fill a gap in the literature by considering exogenous (i.e., country-level and industry-level) and endogenous (i.e., firm-level) antecedents of servitization. We posit that home-country institutional development has a positive effect on global manufacturing firms’ servitization. We also posit that a high level of industry competition is favorably associated with servitization and that a firm’s technological capability and geographic diversification are related to servitization. To test these arguments, we made a comprehensive data set by using the Thomson Reuters database, which provides the financial information of 301 global manufacturing firms in the 2015 Forbes Global 1,000, and by using annual reports published on the websites of the firms.

     

服务化理论最新研究进展

服务化是制造业升级的重要途径,企业采用服务化战略实现由制造向服务转变,可以获得新的竞争优势。文章通过梳理国内外服务化理论的经典文献,阐述服务化的定义、目标与研究内容,归纳理论构成的主要维度：影响因素、发展策略和管理模式,并详细介绍了各维度的主要观点和演化过程。最后,基于对现有研究成果的总结和评述,运用系统思维和价值共创等概念,构建了服务化理论框架,并探索未来的理论发展方向。     

A measurement model for service capability from the customer perspective

This study develops a model to construct three quantitative indices for service capabilities from the customer perspective. The concept is derived from process capability indices which have been widely used to measure process capability and performance in manufacturing. This model expands their use in services by incorporating Taguchi’s quadratic loss function, zone of tolerance, and three-factor theory. To demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed indices, a case study of a telecom business was performed to assist the case firm in realizing the service capability of key factors for improving future service quality.     

制造业服务化改善了资源错配吗？——基于中国309个城市面板数据的经验研究

结合WIOD数据和我国工企数据,从城市层面实证制造业服务化对资源错配的影响,探寻我国制造业高质量发展的有效路径。结果表明：(1)制造业服务化能够显著改善资源错配,相比中西部城市,对东部城市资源错配的改善效果更明显;(2)专业科技、金融保险、批发零售和运输仓储服务化对资源错配均具有显著的改善效应,特别是金融保险服务化的影响最大,而信息通讯服务化的资源优化效果并不明显;(3)行政效率的提高可以协同制造业服务化显著降低城市的资源错配程度;(4)高技术和市场竞争的发展有助于制造业服务化改善东部城市的资源错配情况,但会加剧中西部城市的资源错配。     

Party time: recreation rituals in the world of B2B

Abstract

We examine the role of business parties in business markets: why do B2B companies spend such large amounts of money to sponsor events meant for public consumption, such as sporting events, when most of their activity involves selling to other organisations? Drawing from extensive qualitative fieldwork in the world of tennis tournaments, we detail the specific universe of parties that happen backstage, between companies sponsoring these events. This context helps illuminate the critical role of business parties in business networks. Far from being mere recreation at the company’s expense, business parties are important opportunities for executives to develop and manage their relationships. We show that a business party functions as a particular kind of ritual by creating a distinct universe with its own language, gestures, and other modes of interaction.

Summary statement of contribution Our theoretical contribution to the literature on relationship marketing is to detail the unifying function of business parties in local business markets, where relationships with a variety of organisations are key to a company’s success. Our methodological contribution is to illustrate the relevance of anthropological approaches and concepts, such as rituals, to the world of B2B.     

Digitalization Capabilities as Enablers of Value Co‐Creation in Servitizing Firms

As manufacturing companies pursue a servitization strategy, they are increasingly relying on developing digitalization capabilities to interact and co‐create value with their customers. However, many lack an understanding of what constitutes digitalization capabilities and how they can create value with customers. To address these questions, the study builds on qualitative data from four industrial manufacturing firms to conceptualize three underlying subcomponents of digitalization capabilities, namely, intelligence capability, connect capability, and analytic capability. The study identifies and explains how digitalization capabilities enable value co‐creation with customers through perceptive and responsive mechanisms. This study contributes to the servitization literature by showcasing how digitalization capabilities are enabling value co‐creation in a business‐to‐business context.     

中小企业基于电子商务的竞争策略研究

电子商务作为一种创新经济运行方式,为中小企业提供了一个新的发展契机。电子商务的应用对于企业提高市场竞争力起着至关重要的作用,中小企业应该充分认识电子商务的重要性,长远规划电子商务,努力实现企业流程再造,有效利用第三方服务平台和联盟优势提高中小企业电子商务综合竞争力。文章主要分析了我国现阶段中小企业实施电子商务存在的不足,并就其所遇到的困难给予相应的对策。     

Social manufacturing: When the maker movement meets interfirm production networks

New business models harnessing the power of individuals have already revolutionized service industries and digital content production. In this study, we investigate whether a similar phenomenon is taking place in manufacturing industries. We start by conceptually defining two distinct forms of firm-individual collaboration in manufacturing industries: (1) social cloud manufacturing, in which firms outsource manufacturing to individuals, and (2) social platform manufacturing, in which firms provide manufacturing services to individuals. We then empirically investigate the nature of firm-individual collaboration within these forms, focusing on the role of individuals. We find that the individuals are often makers who view their participation primarily as a hobby and are driven mainly by nonmonetary benefits, that the design process often involves both parties, and that the two forms of collaboration exploit different enabling technologies. Our findings suggest that firms working with individuals can potentially reap multiple benefits, including fresh ideas, broader design support, and quick delivery times. This article contributes to an improved understanding of how firms can build potentially disruptive business models in manufacturing industries by leveraging individuals, thereby adding to the emerging stream of literature on social manufacturing.     

Servitization and networking: large-scale survey findings on product-related services

This research paper aims at analyzing the impact of servitization on networking in manufacturing industries. Based on a cluster analysis, four types of manufacturers have been identified representing different stages of servitization. By multifactorial regressions, the impact of servitization on service networking has been investigated. Servitization is positively linked with increasing service networking activities of manufacturing companies. This finding implies that problems in realizing service networking do not prevent servitizing manufacturers from establishing inter-firm collaboration for service operations management issues. However, the results indicate that the mere existence of service networks can not guarantee success in servitizing.     

Competing successfully in a global economy

This commentary discusses the need for an internationalist approach in today's competitive global markets. Albert C. Bersticker, Chairman and CEO of Ferro Corporation, a US multinational in operation since 1919, draws upon his experience at the helm of a successful and growing manufacturing operation and gives several important lessons for strategic and competitive management of an international corporation. Bersticker elucidates the challenges facing today's global business manager, and puts the overall mission of any company doing business overseas into an appropriate context. Being aware of both the risks and benefits of competing in an ever-changing world is the key to success in the global economy according to the author. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An FsQCA exploration of multiple paths to ecological innovation adoption in European transportation

Companies in the transportation and logistics business are key contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, their fleet choices are viewed as critical in climate change mitigation efforts. This study adopts a configuration theory approach to explore how drivers at multiple levels (i.e., country, locale, company, and field units) interact to shape the fleet decisions in one of Europe's leading third-party logistics providers operating a large, multi-country, road transportation network. Using fuzzy set/qualitative comparative analysis methodology, we identify and describe five distinct paths leading to high levels of adoption of ecological innovation and two paths to low adoption levels. Building on the findings, we develop a set of propositions that can help guide future research.     

“What is my currency risk?”

Before a company can manage the currency risks associated with doing business abroad, it must clearly identify and define the risks to be managed. This isn't as easy as it seems. There are transactional risks, but there are also hidden risks that don't show up on financial statements.     

Cost-efficient co-creation of knowledge intensive business services

The most significant difference between industrialization-driven product marketing and digitalization-driven service marketing can be seen in the definition of value creation, and the exchange (integration) of resources. Industrialization created efficiency in scale, whereas digitalization requires customer-oriented business models and value co-creational service processes. This research follows the value co-creational and system integrational views of service-dominant logic. We have explored how relative profitability can be increased through efficient service productization. Our approach is twofold, we have explored the commercialization of co-created services (the servitization of product-service systems) and the enhancement of service production by service processes. We have created service management framework for modular service delivery where company resources be linked to cost-efficient co-creation services.     

The role of salespeople in industrial servitization: How to manage diminishing profit returns from salespeople’s increasing industrial service shares

Business-to-business companies often differentiate themselves from competitors by complementing goods with services. While extant literature on servitization points to substantial benefits for companies and underscores the importance of the sales force for successful servitization, it has rarely empirically investigated the negative effects of and barriers to effective selling of servitized offerings at the salesperson level. Drawing on transaction cost theory, we propose that with rising service shares, the specificity of offers and transaction costs grow, partially offsetting the financial benefits. We derive four salesperson factors that moderate the effect of salespeople’s industrial service share on salespeople’s profit. These factors pertain to the extent to which salespeople individualize offers and effectively manage offers’ specificity (adaptiveness, customer valuation skills, experience). We test our conceptualization with data from 220 salespeople and company records. The results are robust to endogeneity and show that service share has a diminishing positive effect on salesperson profit. While salespersons’ offer individualization enforces this harmful effect, salesperson adaptiveness and customer valuation skills show beneficial moderating effects. This study provides valuable insights for researchers and managers into the role of the sales force in servitization and into salesperson factors conducive to realizing the full profit potential of servitized offerings.     

Assembling resources when forming a new business

Every business builds on a specific set of resources. New businesses in particular have to assemble external resources that are mostly new to them. This resource assembly requires developing business relationships with other actors that control and can provide the needed resources. Adopting a resource interaction perspective, this paper examines a case of a new business venture in the automobile industry. The case study shows that when forming a new business the actors possess only partial knowledge of how to assemble the resources. Consequently, the actors must engage in extensive adaptation and interaction with others to enact workable resource interfaces and combinations. This necessity makes the new business formation process nonlinear and onerous. Further, the case demonstrates that new business formation is a collective process involving not only the emergence of a formal business organization but also reorganizing the applicable resource market. Since third parties involved in developing the necessary resource combinations can be considered part of the new business venture, setting the boundaries of the new venture becomes arbitrary. The arbitrary nature of such boundary setting has implications in entrepreneurship studies with regard to the unit of analysis and the concept of opportunity.     

Do Consumers Discriminate Against Foreign Companies Even When They are Green?

The international business literature has long investigated the role of corporate environmentalism, or “going green,” in business. However, this research has been limited regarding the dynamics of a firm's eco-friendly image and consumers' intention to purchase the firm's products in light of the consumer's complex social viewpoint and how that eco-friendly image is perceived. This limitation is due in part to the complex nature of the eco-friendly image-purchase intention relationship, especially when taking into account the consumers' identification with the firm, as well as the role of consumer ethnocentrism. Through the use of an experimental survey, we found differences between countries and the role of the firm's eco-friendly image and consumer ethnocentrism. In particular, an eco-friendly image was positively related to identification with the firm in a German company sample. The findings also show that this identification mediates the effect of eco-friendly image on purchase intention. Consumer ethnocentrism significantly moderated the effect of this identification on purchase intention as well in the Chinese company sample. Implications for managers of multinational enterprises are discussed, as are avenues for future research.     

中等强国是“一带一路”框架下开展“第三方市场”合作的重点对象

近几年,“第三方市场”合作发展迅速,已成为凝聚多方共识、实现互利共赢的重要创新合作模式。考虑到“第三方市场”合作是一项复杂的系统工程,我国在“一带一路”框架下倡导和推进“第三方市场”合作显然不适宜“大水漫灌式”的平均用力。因此,为更好实现优势互补、多方共赢,中国同相关各方在开展“第三方市场”合作,探索以中等强国作为“一带一路”框架下实施第三方市场合作的优先方向和重点对象。通过发挥中等强国的独特作用和相对优势,将中等强国打造成“五通”布局和区域合作的支点,以此既能减少“一带一路”建设中的恶性摩擦和同质竞争,还可以增强和优化“第三方市场”合作的资源和运作效率。