Significance of service-based business models - a survey in the machine tool building industry

European machine tool builders are facing competition from emerging countries in a situation coined by the economic crisis. New business models with a stronger service orientation are seen as an instrument to react to the upcoming competition and future challenges. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze specific types of service-based business models in the machine tool building industry. By doing so, three concepts of particular promising new service-based business models were identified. Data was collected in the second half of 2012 by an online survey among the members of the European machine tool association (CECIMO). Results indicate that especially flexibility-oriented services can help to support ma-chine tool building firms in the face of competition.