Modelo de transformação de empresas de manufatura para a servitização digital

Abstract

Servitization and digitalization are trends that have generated changes in manufacturing companies. From the convergence between them arises the concept of digital servitization. Digital servitization is understood as the use of digital technologies in servitization-related processes and offerings. Like servitization and digitalization, digital servitization, to varying degrees, requires reconfiguring the business models of manufacturing companies. The literature points to digital servitization as a process of organizational change that can be understood by the factors that lead to this change (context), the factors that need to be transformed (content), and how the change is processed (process). Therefore, it is relevant to understand digital servitization from a holistic perspective and to understand how it unfolds throughout its implementation. Therefore, this thesis has the general objective of developing a model that describes the transformation process of manufacturing companies towards digital servitization. For this purpose, a multi-method approach was used that brings together several research methods such as systematic literature review, research with experts, and multiple case studies. Furthermore, the thesis was organized in the form of articles, which summarize the main results achieved: (i) identification of challenges in digital transformation from the perspective of the business model; (ii) an account of how digitization fundamentally transforms manufacturing companies in their transition to services; (iii) clarification of the transformation process to digital servitization in manufacturing companies from the perspective of experts and, (iv) understanding of how the journey to digital servitization in manufacturing companies unfolds from case studies. The integration of results allows the description of the transformation process for digital servitization in manufacturing companies. In this sense, a conceptual model was proposed for the digital servitization process. In terms of theoretical contributions, this thesis contributes by (i) discussing the challenges faced by manufacturers in the search for innovation in business models through digital transformation; (ii) presenting a conceptual model and propositions capable of providing a broad view of how digitalization imposes changes in the traditional dimensions of servitization; (iii) demonstrate the factors that impact the transformation process to digital servitization and their interrelationships; (iv) reveal how the journey to digital servitization unfolds from the analysis of two cases and, (v) develop a theoretical-conceptual model for the transformation process of digital servitization. As a practical contribution, the results guide managers that can be used to guide or improve the process of implementing digital servitization in their companies.