Value Creation Through Product-Service Systems in Business Ecosystems - Identification of Key Challenges for Mechanical Engineering Companies

The spread of information and communication technologies (ICT) triggers the emergence of innovative business models in mechanical engineering. These are often based on integrated offerings, combining services and products to one product-service system (PSS), which satisfies customer needs to a higher extent. Manufacturers integrate complementary competences and technologies from diverse actors into their own offering to sustain success at the market and enhance their innovativeness by interacting in business ecosystems. Although academic literature investigated value creation through developing and operating PSS and value creation in business ecosystems individually, a conjoint approach has yet been poorly examined. Aim of this paper is to identify arising challenges and derive requirements for management in creating value through PSS in business ecosystems. To unify these two concepts, first, a literature review has been performed. Second, 28 partly structured expert interviews have been conducted and analyzed according to a qualitative content analysis to identify key fields of action. Third, prerequisites for successful executive management were elaborated by performing a cause-analysis. The results contribute to superiorly understand challenges and upcoming requirements that management faces to sustain innovativeness.