The workshop focuses on Servitization enabling the transition towards sustainable smart product-service systems by designing processes and systems to use resources more efficiently. Focusing on sustainable initiatives involve lifecycle services, including product upgrades and refurbishing, the use of recycled materials, and different circular-economy strategies. Moreover, the transition involves using digital technologies (IoT, AI, robotics, etc.) to create product-service offerings, systems, and business models for more effective use of resources. For instance, different outcome-based and ‘as-a-service’ offerings can enable more efficient use and sharing of resources. We need increased knowledge regarding the content and process of servitization towards sustainable smart product-service systems.

First, regarding the content, a call exists for knowledge on strategies, tactics, and operations of sustainable product-service systems. Second, regarding the process, a call exists for studies conceptualizing the radical and incremental innovation processes related to product-service systems, service innovations, and business model innovation. Third, a call exists for managing and organizing the processes of servitization towards sustainable smart product-service systems. On this vitally important subject, there are still many questions to be answered, some examples being the following.

• How to enable the servitization towards sustainable product-service systems?
• How could digitization aid in developing novel approaches to sustainable value creation and capture in servitizing businesses?
• What impact might digital servitization have on green value chain management and ecosystem orchestration?
• How can revenue from digitally enabled services help businesses and their customers adopt environmentally friendly business practices?
• What effects has digitization had on servitization strategies? Moreover, how can new servitized business models promote sustainable practices?

Action Plan

We will be splitting the work between guided teams for gathering the answers to the above-mentioned questions. So, there will be a greater output of collaborative ideas. We will do this by integrating both Ph.D. students and Research Professionals into teams for writing different chapters of the book. This event promises to cultivate a thriving community while fostering dynamic, action-oriented engagement.

The collaborative book project associated with the workshop and Call for Chapters

We offer an opportunity for the participants to collaborate on the Proposed Book: “Sustainable Smart Product-Service Systems: Theories, concepts and tools “and write chapters regarding resource-efficient manufacturing companies’ strategies, business models, and organizational structures and capabilities. A call exists on management systems, leadership practices, routines, and activities to facilitate servitization towards sustainable smart product-service systems.

Call for the chapters:

Against the backdrop of our book proposal, we extend an invitation for multidisciplinary conceptual and empirical contributions. Our focus encompasses various thematic areas, including, but not limited to:

1. Content of Sustainable Smart Product-Service Systems:

• Value creation, delivery, and capture with sustainable smart product-service systems.
• Co-creation, co-design, and capture of value in sustainable smart product-service systems.
• Processes, activities, systems, and resources to enable sustainable smart product-service systems.
• Firm boundaries in sustainable smart products service systems.
• Resources and capabilities in sustainable smart product-service systems.
• Supply Chain Interactions and Efficiency in Sustainable Smart product-service systems.
• Organizational identity transition in sustainable smart product-service systems.
• Power and dependency in sustainable smart product-service systems.
• The role of digital technologies (e.g. Blockchain, big data, IoT) in sustainable smart product-service systems.

2. Servitization Toward Sustainable Smart Product-Service Systems

• The transition toward sustainable smart product-service systems.
• Inertia, challenges, and paradoxes during the transition journey.
• Key enablers during the servitization towards sustainable smart product-service systems.
• Tools and frameworks to facilitate servitization towards sustainable smart product-service systems.
• Management systems and organizational structures for sustainable servitization business models.

This comprehensive compilation aims to foster a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between sustainability and the evolution of smart product-service systems. Contributors are encouraged to provide insights that transcend disciplinary boundaries, contributing to a rich tapestry of knowledge. Together, we strive to illuminate the path toward a future where sustainable practices are seamlessly integrated into the fabric of smart product-service systems.