DRIVING THE TRANSITION OF B2B MANUFACTURING FIRMS TOWARDS DIGITAL SERVITIZATION AND BUSINESS MODEL INNOVATION

This doctoral thesis was funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) within the National Operative Program (Programma Operativo Nazionale – PON). The scholarship, beyond the standard research activity at university, included an internship in a partner company. This thesis project is positioned within the scope of digital servitization, with a primary focus on the impact of this new economic paradigm on the business of incumbent B2B manufacturing companies. In particular, the research delves into how manufacturing firms implement digital servitization, modifying their business models, and highlights the steps of the evolutionary transition towards this new economic paradigm, as well as the benefits and obstacles associated with it. The period spent in the partner company, as provided for by the scholarship, served to develop a first practical and empirical knowledge on the subject, complementing the theoretical understanding gained through the systematic literature review on the topic. After these preliminary analyses, a qualitative methodology based on exploratory multiple case studies of four B2B incumbents involved in the transition towards digital servitization is adopted, iteratively collecting primary and secondary data and confronting them with extant literature for drawing theoretical and managerial conclusions and building novel frameworks. Based on this extensive qualitative analysis, this study is among the first to identify the modifications that are likely to be made to the value creation, value delivery, and value capture components of the business model during the digital servitization transition in order for manufacturing incumbents to successfully and fully provide integrated product-service systems (PSSs) and solutions. Furthermore, by defining the precise processes that B2B manufacturers typically undertake during the shift to digital servitization, this work also enhances and expands knowledge on the subject. Specifically, one key contribution of this thesis is the construction of a framework that addresses the typical transition path of manufacturing enterprises towards the new economic paradigm, developed based on the results deriving from the analysis of the steps followed and implemented by sampled companies. Finally, the thorough analysis of the phenomenon makes it possible to identify the main benefits and potential obstacles that manufacturers may face during the shift. By doing this, the thesis allows a managerial contribution, guiding managers of companies that are likely to embrace the digital servitization paradigm in determining the optimal course of action.