Boris DESCOMBES

Composition of the Jury

Abstract

This thesis studies the phenomenon of digital servitization, that is to say the transformation of the economic models of the industry from the sale of products to the sale of services and the impact of digital technology on this transformation.

In particular, we are interested in the nature and role of intelligent product-service systems (Smart PSS), which are the new offerings resulting from digital servitization. In this context, we use paradox theory as a lens to analyze the transformations of manufacturing companies and their immediate ecosystem. We also examine the complementary role of the production process in the development of these Smart PSS and its integration into a dynamic of digital servitization. Beyond organizational challenges, we also contextualize our research findings with key questions regarding the economic performance of manufacturing companies and the sustainability of their new service-based business models. As such, we delve into the opportunities and challenges of digital servitization in the transition to a functional economy. Digital servitization is still an emerging and developing field of research. We therefore choose to approach it with an exploratory, qualitative, and inductive methodology. Our goal is to contribute to a better understanding of the concepts discussed and to develop actionable knowledge for practitioners. To this end, we have chosen to use case studies as our primary research methodology. Our contributions are based first on improving the understanding of the concept of digital servitization, as well as on the design and validation of multiple conceptual models on the subject. We then offer theoretical insights, extending beyond the field of digital servitization, into the study of organizational paradoxes. Finally, we examine the profound changes brought about by these new service-oriented and digital economic models and their role in the potential emergence of a new industrial paradigm in the future.