A framework for designing product service systems

In this competitive globalizing scenario, manufacturers are adopting a strategy of bundling products and services into an integrated solution to create sustainable competitive advantage. Servitizing manufacturers are increasingly transforming their processes and practices to build product-service systems (PSS). During this transformation they require substantial support to face stringent challenges. Research in the PSS domain is heading towards the development of a design theory and methodology that facilitates the systematic creation of viable PSS conceptual designs. In this paper, various proposed design methods are reviewed and research gaps are summarized. Primarily, it has been observed that the importance of the capabilities of the stakeholders involved in designing PSS has not been noted in the proposed methods. Regarding this capability view point, a framework for designing PSS has been proposed. This framework highlights the important features required in designing PSS such as co-creation, responsibilities and competences. Every step in the framework has been explained with a case study involving laser systems used for manufacturing cutting operation.

IS/IT resources and business value: Operationalization of an information oriented framework

Several studies have highlighted the importance of information and information quality in organisations and thus information is regarded as key determinant for the success and organisational performance. In this paper, we review selected contributions and introduce a model that shows how IS/IT resources and capabilities could be interlinked with IS/IT utilization, organizational performance and business value. Complementing other models and frameworks, we explicitly consider information from a management maturity, quality and risk perspective and show how the new framework can be operationalized with existing assessment approaches by using empirical data from four industrial case studies. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Buyer-supplier relationships in a servitized environment: An examination with Cannon and Perreault's framework

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine a buyer's adoption of servitization and the associated implications for the relationships with its suppliers. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use the case study approach to examine the tripartite relationship between a manufacturing company and two of its two suppliers. The paper explores the perspectives of employees on multiple organisational levels, and collects evidence on both sides of a relationship. The authors use template analysis utilising Cannon and Perreault's relationship connectors framework to analyse the data. Findings: There are overarching implications of servitization adoption for buyer-supplier relationships. The implications are notable in all five relationship connectors. Parties expected more open exchange of information, operational linkages were strengthened and changes in the structural arrangements of relationships were witnessed. Legal contracts are complemented by relational norms. The authors also observed a departure away from a win-lose mentality and increased levels of supplier adaptation to support the buyer's provision of integrated solutions. Research limitations/implications: The findings are confined to this tripartite relationship and to an extent are context specific. Practical implications: The study unveils buyer-supplier relationships in a servitized context and provides managers with a better understanding of some of the potential implications that the adoption of a servitization strategy may have for managing buyer-supplier relationships. Originality/value: This is the first empirical study that explores the implications of servitization on buyer-supplier relationships. It advances the understanding of the implications that the adoption of servitization has on the manner in which two parties interrelate and conduct commercial exchange. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

A framework for studying cognitive impairment to inform inclusive design

Chapter 12 A Framework for Studying Cognitive Impairment to Inform Inclusive Design E. Jokisuu, PM Langdon and PJ Clarkson 12.1 Introduction Cognitive impairment is an exceptionally complicated phenomenon, for which no simple solutions ...