XXII ASAP FORUM – Day 1: Leading the Servitization Journey

The session “Understanding and guiding servitisation” of the XXII ASAP Forum explored how manufacturing companies can manage the transition towards service-oriented business models in an increasingly complex economic, technological, and regulatory environment. Through the joint contributions of academic researchers and industry practitioners, the session highlighted servitisation as a systemic transformation affecting business models, organisational structures, sustainability strategies, regulatory compliance, and skills. The discussion on Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS) business models, illustrated through the Stulz case, showed how advanced servitisation enables long-term value creation by shifting the focus from product sales to usage and performance-based offerings. While these models offer economic, relational, and environmental benefits, they require significant organisational change, new capabilities, and a gradual implementation strategy to overcome market resistance and internal barriers. The ABB case demonstrated the importance of integrating economic and environmental impact assessment when designing and selling Product–Service Systems. By combining Total Cost of Ownership and Life Cycle Assessment, the proposed model supports more informed customer decisions and strengthens service-based value propositions, while highlighting the need for robust data and a broader, multi-stakeholder perspective. The session also addressed corporate resilience in the face of regulatory change, focusing on the EU Data Act through the Tetra Pak case. The findings showed that proactive regulatory management, supported by cross-functional coordination and data governance, can transform compliance requirements into opportunities for innovation, competitive advantage, and enhanced digital services. Finally, the Scandicar case highlighted skills as a critical enabler of servitisation, particularly in the automotive sector. The analysis revealed growing skill gaps, the central role of soft and digital skills, and increasing challenges in attracting and retaining qualified personnel. Addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach centred on employee experience, inclusive leadership, and continuous capability development. Overall, the session underscored that successful servitisation depends on integrating business model innovation, sustainability, regulatory readiness, and human capital development, positioning services as a key driver of resilience and long-term competitiveness.