Success factors of service networks in the context of servitization – Development and verification of an impact model

Abstract

Due to the commoditization of products and the increasing competition, manufacturing companies aim at providing additional services to secure their competitive position. Since many firms are often not able to offer services besides products, they join forces with service providers in so-called service networks in order to provide services for their customers. Despite the relevance of this topic, research on managing these service networks in the context of servitization is still scarce. Thus, this paper explores the effect of six identified success factors on service networks during servitization: process of partner selection, partner manager, communication, service level agreements, customer orientation, and professional competence. Based on a quantitative study with 257 subjects, we demonstrate that the success factors have significant positive impacts on the overall performance, innovation performance, customer satisfaction, and long-term partner retention of service networks in the context of servitization. Besides theoretical implications, our research provides practical insights to better manage service networks during servitization.