2011

van der Have, Robert

Several researchers have recently argued that manufacturing companies can stave off price competition, increase margins and retain customers by combining services to their product offerings, and that their users and clients are important sources of this type of non-technological renewal. To date, however, there exists very scarce systematic evidence for these claims. In our explorative survey study, we investigate firstly the generality of such non-technological forms of innovation and renewal in Finnish manufacturing establishments across various industries, including both product- and processoriented industries. Secondly, we contribute by examining potential enablers of service innovation. The findings show that 20 to 30 % of manufacturers are actively engaged in the process of servitization.