•15 technologies that make direct or indirect contributions to workers’ activities.•We show where these technologies contribute to eight different manufacturing activities.•We show how these ...technologies create positive and negative impacts on workers.•Technologies are related to the worker capabilities workers’ occupational categories.
Prior studies have investigated the relationship between Industry 4.0 technologies and work. This paper acknowledges the contributions of such studies and builds on their perspective to broaden the understanding of the contribution of Industry 4.0 technologies to specific worker capabilities and manufacturing activities. The aim is to build a conceptual framework to consolidate a common view on this growing yet fragmented issue by integrating a wide range of findings from the literature. The study adopts a systematic literature review approach to systematize such knowledge in a singular and consolidated perspective on Industry 4.0 technologies and work. The study analyzes 80 papers in this field and investigates how different Industry 4.0 technologies are related to workers’ manufacturing activities. Eight main manufacturing activities were considered to frame the analysis: assembly, maintenance, training, quality control, movement, machine operation, product and process design, and production planning and control. Eight worker capabilities that Industry 4.0 technologies can enhance were also considered: super-strength capability, augmented capability, virtual capability, healthy capability, smart capability, collaborative, social capability, analytical capability. Based on these 80 papers, this paper conceptualizes Smart Working-related technologies for Operators 4.0 and shows their benefits and limitations as described in the literature. The study shows how these manufacturing activities and worker capabilities can be supported by Industry 4.0 technologies, which is useful for future research and the design of operational processes in the Industry 4.0 context.
Servitization and Industry 4.0 are considered two of the most recent trends transforming industrial companies. Servitization is mainly focused on adding value to the customer (demand-pull) while ...Industry 4.0 is frequently related to adding value to manufacturing process (technology-push). Although some scholars address them as complementary concepts, the literature lacks evidences about what are the interfaces and connection between the two trends. Thus, we aim to develop a conceptual framework that connects Servitization and Industry 4.0 concepts from a business model innovation (BMI) perspective. Our framework is based on three Servitization levels (i.e. smoothing, adapting and substituting) and three levels of digitization (i.e. low, moderate and high levels). We show that matching these levels results in nine possible configurations classified in manual, digital and industry 4.0-related services, which can focus on smoothing, adapting or substituting services. We use reported cases from the literature to support and illustrate these configurations. We also discuss different levels of complexity for the implementation of these configurations. The study hence provides a foundation for the growing research on the interface between Servitization and Industry 4.0.
•We explore the integration of servitization types and digitization levels.•The highest level of digitization considers the Industry 4.0-related technologies.•Servitization types can be offered in three levels: manual, digital and industry 4.0.•Industry 4.0-related services add value for customers and for internal processes.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study service innovation in product companies (servitization) by considering the relationship (moderation) between product companies and service suppliers.
...Design/methodology/approach
Using a relational view of the firm, the authors propose that there are three main business dimensions that product companies have to manage in servitization and that the support of service suppliers can moderate the effects of these dimensions on the benefits obtained from the product–service system (PSS) delivered. To test these hypotheses, the authors perform a cross-sectional quantitative survey in 104 Brazilian and Italian product companies.
Findings
The findings show that the three business dimensions are important for servitization while there is a trade-off decision regarding service suppliers’ support since suppliers act differently depending on the PSS orientation (product- or service-oriented).
Research limitations/implications
The work is limited to the analysis of what should change in a company during servitization and the impact of supplier’s support. Further research is needed to complement this study by analyzing the process and context of the organizational change.
Practical implications
The research contributes an understanding about how the benefits practitioners can obtain from servitization are strongly influenced by the support of service suppliers and how this influence depends on the PSS orientation of the product company.
Originality/value
This is one of the first quantitative studies to provide evidence of how service suppliers’ involvement affects different servitization business dimensions and the obtained benefits for both product- and service-oriented outputs.
Purpose
The provision of Industry 4.0 solutions demands a vast range of technology domains. To provide these solutions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may need the support of different ...supply chain actors through an inbound open innovation strategy. The authors study the contribution of four types of supply chain actors for inbound open innovation: suppliers, competitors with complementary technologies, R&D centers and customers. The authors analyze how these four actors moderate the effect of integrated Industry 4.0 solutions on three main competitive strategies: cost, focalization and differentiation.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a survey on 77 SMEs from the automation sector, using OLS regression with moderating effects. They considered the integration of 15 technologies and 7 classic automation activities in the provision of Industry 4.0 solutions. The authors also studied three competitive outputs – technology cost reduction (cost), customer loyalty (focalization) and technology innovation (differentiation) – as well as four supply chain actors (moderators).
Findings
Expanding the provision of Industry 4.0 technologies increases customer loyalty and technology innovation. Collaboration with competitors (complementary technologies) leverage these results and reduce technology costs. Integration between customers and R&D centers elevates costs but R&D centers can foster long-run innovation.
Originality/value
This study is the first to empirically investigate inbound open innovation in the supply chain for technology development in the context of Industry 4.0. The authors discuss how these actors contribute to four inbound open innovation activities: technology scouting; horizontal technology collaboration; vertical technology collaboration; and technology sourcing.
Collaborative robots (cobots) are a type of Industry 4.0 technology designed to support manufacturing workers and create smart working environments (also called as Industry 5.0). However, little is ...known about how the use of cobots shapes workers' skills. We analyse this in four types of human-cobot interaction: coexistence, synchronism, cooperation, and collaboration. We examine the implementation of cobots by a leading global provider using a qualitative research based on: (i) analysis of reports regarding the implementation of 200 cobots in 138 companies, (ii) interviews with the team and customers, (iii) six-month follow-up of cobot implementation in a manufacturing plant, and (iv) interviews with two cobot competitors. Our findings demonstrate how each type of human-cobot interaction influences workers' skills in various manufacturing activities. We observe that most companies are in early stages of implementation, focusing on worker substitution. However, we identify a range of effects, including deskilling or reskilling, depending on the type of manufacturing activity analysed. The upskilling effect is particularly evident in the most advanced types of human-cobot interaction, regardless of the company's size. As a main contribution, this paper sheds light on how companies can enhance workers' skills through other levels of interaction between workers and cobots.
Digital transformation in business solutions is offering opportunities for servitization to become more digitalized. In this context, digital servitization requires the actors involved to perform new ...roles and develop new capabilities. Although servitization actor capabilities in the digital transformation context have been addressed in prior studies, the literature lacks a detailed understanding of how they operate according to different service types and different actor roles. Through a systematic literature review, our study aims to expound the capabilities required for digital servitization, for Base, Intermediate, and Advanced services, and analyze who of the main actors of the service triad (manufacturer, intermediaries, and customer) should own such capabilities. This analysis resulted in a final sample of 47 main articles addressing capabilities. We show how the structure of the service triad shifts the digital service provision based on the capabilities required by each actor. For instance, Base Services demand less capabilities, thus, intermediary actors play a less important role since they just execute services usually on behalf of a manufacturer in a more discrete capacity. For Intermediate Services, the intermediary actor becomes more important, with capabilities needed to deliver the digital solution. In Advanced Services, customers' relationships with manufacturers become stronger, as this actor reassumes a central role in the solution offer, and intermediaries move to a supporting role again. Our analysis offers propositions for future research on digital servitization and practical implications on the capabilities required.
•Capabilities for digital servitization in Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced services.•Capabilities required by manufacturers, intermediaries, and customers for digital servitization.•Capabilities for digital servitization are analyzed through a systematic literature review.•The study shows that digital servitization requires a multiactor perspective on capabilities.•We provide detailed descriptions of what each of the actors needs for different service levels.
Services for Smart Product-Service Systems (PSS) business models can be delivered through multiple digital channels like smart products, cloud systems, and workers enhanced by virtually augmented ...systems. Since these channels are data-intensive dependent, they usually require data sources from the company's service ecosystem. Prior studies have shown how to build network capabilities for Smart PSS, but little is known about the extensive integration of data in such service ecosystems. We aim to understand how multichannel digital services can be supported by the integration of real-time data from service ecosystems to provide Smart PSS business models. Using the organizational information-processing theory, we consider the integration of data from three ecosystem actors (other business units, suppliers, and customers) and analyze how such data sources can support the use of these digital technologies in three types of Smart PSS business models. We examine these relationships through regression analyses based on a survey of 92 manufacturers, providing a typology of different Smart PSS business models in the ecosystem. Our study enlightens how data flows through the ecosystem actors to support Smart PSS business models. Practitioners and scholars can learn how to treat Smart PSS according to the specific business models to be implemented and how to combine digital technologies with data integration channels in the service ecosystem. Moreover, we show how this combination of digital transformation and Smart PSS help expand the organizational information-processing theory in the innovation ecosystems' domain, also providing a new vein of research to the digital servitization literature.
•Digital servitization can be supported by real-time data integration from the ecosystem.•Combining digital channels for service delivery with external data enables Smart PSS business models.•We analyze how this can be combined based on data from 92 manufacturers.•We show how smart products, cloud systems and virtually augmented systems are used in Smart PSS.•We show how real-time data from other business units, suppliers and customers are useful.
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyse the effect of different forms of service supplier involvement on the service business dimensions necessary for servitisation and on the resulting ...servitisation performance.Design/methodology/approachThree different configurations of service supplier involvement are considered in this study: black box (service design and execution driven by the service supplier), grey box (joint service design) and white box (service design driven by the product firm). The study analyses their contribution by means of a cross-sectional quantitative survey with 104 Brazilian and Italian firms using multivariate analysis of variance.FindingsCompanies that adopted the grey box configuration presented the best results in servitisation. White and black box may offer different benefits depending on the service business dimension that the company chooses to emphasise.Originality/valueThe results show which type of service supplier involvement is more effective for servitisation. The empirical data demonstrate that a joint service design (grey box involvement) is the best approach, but the paper discusses limitations for its implementation and alternatives regarding the two other types of service supplier involvement. The findings contribute to the discussion on the role of service suppliers in servitisation and provide empirical evidence to support operations managers in deciding on how to organise their service supply chain when aiming for servitisation.
The servitization literature has evidenced that the development and provision of Smart Product-Service Systems usually happen through collaborative ecosystems, but little is known about the different ...arrangements that ecosystem's actors can follow to provide digital solutions. We aim to define collaborative configurations of ecosystem actors in digital servitization based on their value creation and capture and their social base of collaboration. We propose four configurations of inter-firm collaboration, based on the level of joint value creation activities and value capture interdependence among the actors: expanded business, enhanced business, platform business and symbiotic business. We analyze how these different collaboration types operate based on a multi-case study approach using the Social Exchange Theory (SET) to examine actors' interactions. We focus on four elements of SET: trust, commitment, reciprocity, and power. We found that trust, commitment and reciprocity are related to value creation and capture dynamics, while power is mostly affected by other external factors. These four elements allow to define the operationalization of the four types of inter-firm collaboration in digital servitization ecosystem. We contribute to the theory showing how service and digital suppliers interact with the servitized product firm in the ecosystem. Managers can learn the elements involved in different business models and collaboration arrangements for the provision of servitized digital solutions aiming to better decide the servitization strategy they want to follow.
•Four configurations of inter-firm collaboration for digital servitization in ecosystems.•The main inter-firm collaboration: expanded, enhanced, platform and symbiotic business.•We analyze SET mechanisms trust, commitment, reciprocity, and power in the ecosystem.•Different business alternatives are provided to explore digital servitization in ecosystems.
Prior studies considered external conditions that trigger the adoption of servitization in product firms, but little is known on the decision to provide standardized vs. customized services. We ...analyze this tradeoff when companies face market and technological turbulence. We follow the capability-based switching costs theory, which considers the cost resulting from customer efforts to create new capabilities related to the solution offered by product firms. We propose that customized services help create these switching costs in turbulent environments. We also consider the mediating role of service-centric business models and the moderating role of cross-functional knowledge integration in these relationships. We combined data from a survey of 104 firms and secondary industry-level data on turbulence and analyzed it with regression techniques. Results show that, in turbulent environments, companies increase service customization instead of standardization and enhance service-centric business models, which benefits customer loyalty (a measure of capability-based switching costs). Companies focused on knowledge integration were less sensitive to technological turbulence and could better develop service activities for customization. We extend the service theory connecting it to the capability-based switching cost view and explain service provision mechanisms in turbulent environments. Managers can learn what to consider to implement a servitized business model in turbulent environments.
•Market and technological turbulence are positively associated with servitization•Service customization is adopted instead of standardization when faced with turbulence•Service customization helps to develop capability-based switching costs•Cross-functional knowledge integration is critical to support service-centric business models•A stronger focus on knowledge integration makes less sensitive to technological turbulence
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