Conceptualising sustainable servitization

This study explores how sustainability is conceptualised and integrated within servitization research, addressing the emerging field of sustainable servitization. Despite the increasing recognition of product-service systems and servitization as potential enablers of sustainable development in manufacturing, research remains fragmented and often overlooks the systemic implications of sustainability. To address this gap, a biblio-systematic literature review of 130 peer-reviewed publications spanning 2012–2025 was conducted. Through thematic coding and triangulated analysis, we identify dominant themes, theoretical approaches, and disciplinary silos. Findings reveal an emphasis on environmental aspects, with limited attention to the social dimension of sustainability. Research predominantly focuses on micro-level operational improvements, while system-level impacts and network dynamics remain underexplored. Recurring mechanisms identified through iterative coding, including institutional pressures, rebound effects, stakeholder coordination, and outcome-based value creation, are aggregated into four thematic categories and translated into level-specific requirements. Based on this analytically grounded synthesis, a multi-level framework linking firm-level service capabilities to meso-level value networks and macro-level conditions is proposed. This framework highlights sustainable servitization as a context-dependent, relational process shaped by interactions across levels. The study contributes to theory by clarifying the conceptual boundaries of sustainable servitization and mapping its intellectual landscape. Practically, it offers guidance for managers and policymakers aiming to embed sustainability into service-led business models. • Identifies three micro–meso–macro levels shaping sustainable servitization. • Reveals major gaps in social sustainability and transdisciplinary integration. • Proposes a multi-level framework linking firm, network, and ecosystem dynamics. • Offers clear managerial and policy guidelines for sustainable service strategies.