Global approaches to the service business in manufacturing companies

Purpose The article aims to investigate how product manufacturing firms can configure their global service approach. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative, multi‐case research design was employed. Findings The following four global service approaches could be identified: integrated and ethnocentric; integrated and polycentric; separated and polycentric; and separated and geocentric. Research limitations/implications The research findings are limited in generalizability because of the qualitative research approach. Practical implications Exploring global forms of and supply chain configurations for services supports the efforts of manufacturing firms in developing new service‐based and relationship‐based value propositions. Originality/value The study contributes to the debate on integrating versus separating the service organization. It offers a complementary explanation on integrating and separating the service business, through a differentiation into central and local (market) organizations.