Modularity in logistics services: a business model and process view

Companies are currently looking for new and more cost-efficient ways to provide variety and customisation in services. We believe that modularity in business models and processes may help companies to meet development challenges and to offer flexibility. Consequently, this paper connects modularity to business models and processes in order to facilitate understanding of how modular structures can be applied in services. The theoretical focus of the paper is on the analysis of different types of business models, service processes, and modularity. The empirical focus is on the logistics service industry. The range and scope of logistics services has increased enormously in recent decades, making the industry interesting for studying service modularity. The findings show that by providing flexibility and customisation, modularity can provide a background for the development of business models and processes and can assist in the development of more efficient service processes.