Global approaches to the service business in manufacturing companies

In: The journal of business & industrial marketing, Band 26, Heft 7, S. 472-483

Abstract

PurposeThe article aims to investigate how product manufacturing firms can configure their global service approach.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative, multi‐case research design was employed.FindingsThe following four global service approaches could be identified: integrated and ethnocentric; integrated and polycentric; separated and polycentric; and separated and geocentric.Research limitations/implicationsThe research findings are limited in generalizability because of the qualitative research approach.Practical implicationsExploring 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/valueThe 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.