Abstract
Both servitization and digitization are mainstream types of
business model innovation. In recent years, there have been an increasing
number of studies integrating these two research topics to develop a series of
research on digital servitization. Facing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,
the development of digital servitization capabilities in the manufacturing
industry can help companies provide smart product-service systems (PSSs) to
address uncertainties and shocks in the external environment. This study aims
to explore "the dilemmas and response strategies of digital servitization”
using a qualitative multiple case study comparative analysis. Through in-depth
interviews, we identified the difficulties and bottlenecks that small and
medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) may encounter in the process of digital
servitization and proposed corresponding response strategies. The results of
this study contribute to the literature on digital servitization by
accumulating and extending upon existing research.
JEL classification numbers: C83, M15, O31.
Keywords: Small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, Digital
servitization, Multiple case studies, Action research.