Internal and external alignment in the servitization journey – overcoming the challenges

Research and anecdotal evidences indicate that manufacturers undertaking the path towards servitization face several challenges that may generate both internal inconsistencies, e.g. between the servitization strategy and the internal organisational arrangements, and external ones, e.g. with the customer needs and culture or with the service supplier network. This study provides a systematisation of 17 challenges of servitization through a literature review. Five case studies investigate empirically such challenges. A framework is developed, based on the research findings, which points out and discusses alignment areas in servitization. Two alignment directions concern internal aspects: (i) the strategic orientation and the service portfolio and (ii) the strategic orientation and the internal organisation. The other two alignment directions discussed concern: (iii) the internal dimensions with the service network and (iv) the internal dimensions with the customer one.