Service productisation through standardisation and modularisation: an exploratory case study

Figures & data

Table 1. Service productisation descriptions, definitions, and essential dimensions.

Authors	Definitions and descriptions	Key enablers
Wirtz (2021)	Productisation entails more than just making services more concrete, standardised, and of higher quality.	Standardisation, servitisation
Grönroos (2020)	Although research on standardisation and service quality has focused on some aspects of productisation, it has not looked into how these standardised services could be ‘packaged’, marketed, and sold as object-like, well-defined service products.	Packaging, standardisation, servitisation
Elia, Gnoni, and Tornese (2019)	Customer happiness and perceived value of the offering are two major goals of service productisation. Standardising the service offering and introducing actual products and components are two ways to do this.	Standardisation, servitisation
Atasoy and Morewedge (2018)	A recent study has produced a variety of results when it comes to the perceived value of digital products and services versus physical products.	Systemisation, creation of digital product
Harkonen, Tolonen, and Haapasalo (2017)	Productisation also creates a level of formalization by systematising and tangibilising the service offering and related activities. In this case, formalisation could imply the standardisation of service components and processes.	Productisation, tangibilisation
Harkonen, Tolonen, and Haapasalo (2017)	Productisation is the process of analysing a need, defining and combining suitable tangible and intangible elements into a standardised, repeatable, and understandable product-like object.	Productisation, standardisation
Valtakoski and Järvi (2016)	Service productisation is a knowledge transformation process that takes place on two levels: from tacit to explicit, codified information, and from individual employee to organisational knowledge.	Knowledge productisation, tacit to explicit knowledge,
Andreini et al. (2015)	Moving from a service-dominant to a good-dominant logic, productisation aims to objectivise, standardise, and package services.	Objectivisation, standardisation
Aapaoja, Kujala, and Pesonen (2012)	Key outcome of productisation is combining offerings and delivery into well-defined packages so that customers’ expectations are better met.	Packaging, identification of customer need
This study	The process of turning flexible, ad-hoc services and service goods into well-defined service products that are specified, branded, and priced to meet a specific client need is known as service productisation.	Specification, branding, productisation

Table 2. Number of interviewees and their expertise.

No.	Interviewee	Job specification	Year of experience
1	Research and Development Director	Innovation management	10
2	Production Manager	Product differentiation	14
3	Service Manager	Service differentiation	20
4	Sales Manager	Revenue management	15
5	Customer Service Manager	Customer support and well-being	12
6	Project Manager	Project monitoring	10
7	Marketing Manager	Market development	16
8	Solutions Unit Director	Problem identification and solving	12
9	Purchasing Manager		09

Figure 1. Study methodology.

Display of steps taken to study the case study.

Figure 2. Capability maturity model maturity levels.

Display of various levels of capability maturity model.

Figure 3. Value chain and processes.

Various processes such as R&D, delivery, and maintenance create value for the case company.

Figure 4. Concepts developed in the productisation project.

Display of all the modules related to developing services, such as R&D process, delivery process, and maintenance process of productisation project.

Figure 5. Example of overall service architecture for the case company.

Display of market and market segments, product platforms and competencies, technologies, and skills necessary for the service architecture of the case company.

Figure 6. Functional structure.

Display of a task-based DSM functional structure of the case company.

Figure 7. DSM matrix before clustering.

Display of task-based DSM matrix of the various tasks in the case company (before clustering).

Figure 8. DSM matrix after clustering.

Display of task-based DSM matrix of the various tasks in the case company (after clustering).

Figure 9. Modified version of the clustered matrix.

Display of modified task-based DSM matrix of the various tasks in the case company (after clustering).

Figure 10. Network view.

Display of transformation of the task-based DSM views to a network view.

Figure 11. Modular service platform for concept B.

Display of modular organisation and modular processes as derived from customer interface and service offering.

Figure 12. NSD matrix for a case service.

Display of transformation of the task-based DSM view to a network view.

Figure 13. SPA model for case service (Pink colour = position of the entire service, Red colour = position of service modules).

Display of service process analysis (SPA) matrix model for various services versus channel types within the case company.

Wirtz, J. 2021. “Viewpoint: Service Products, Development of Service Knowledge and Our Community’s Target Audience.” The Journal of Services Marketing 35 (3): 265–270. doi:10.1108/JSM-03-2020-0086.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Grönroos, C. 2020. “Viewpoint: Service Marketing Research Priorities.” The Journal of Services Marketing 34 (3): 291–298. doi:10.1108/JSM-08-2019-0306.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Elia, V., M. G. Gnoni, and F. Tornese. 2019. “Exploring the Benefits of Productization in the Utilities Sector.” Sustainability 11: 5864. doi:10.3390/su11205864.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Atasoy, O., and C. K. Morewedge. 2018. “Digital Goods are Valued Less Than Physical Goods.” The Journal of Consumer Research 44 (6): 1343–1357. doi:10.1093/jcr/ucx102.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Harkonen, J., A. Tolonen, and H. Haapasalo. 2017. “Service Productisation: Systematising and Defining an Offering.” Journal of Service Management 28 (5): 936–971. doi:10.1108/JOSM-09-2016-0263.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Valtakoski, A., and K. Järvi. 2016. “Productization of Knowledge-Intensive Services: Enabling Knowledge Sharing and Cross-Unit Collaboration.” Journal of Service Management 27 (3): 360–390. doi:10.1108/JOSM-01-2015-0004.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Andreini, D., J. Salo, R. Wendelin, G. Pezzotta, and P. Gaiardelli. 2015. “From a Service-Dominant Logic to a Good-Dominant Logic.” IMP Journal 9 (3): 250–266. doi:10.1108/IMP-07-2015-0034.

 Google Scholar

Aapaoja, A., J. Kujala, and L. T. Pesonen. 2012. “Productization of University services.” International Journal of Synergy and Research 1 (1): 89–106.

 Google Scholar