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Keywords

service-oriented manufacturing; product innovation; service innovation; synergetic path

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the mutual penetration of service manufacturing and the industrialization in the service industry, product innovation with strong rigidity, long cycles, and high risks may not necessarily bring sustainable profits to enterprises. With the diffusion of product technology, relying on physical products to provide innovative services has become an important way for enterprises to seek market competitive advantages. Service-oriented manufacturing enterprises have also verified the correctness of the business model of ‘based on product derived services, utilizing services to feed-back products, and integrating two types of innovative achievements’ in practice. It can be seen that synergetic innovation of products and services will become a feasible path for China��s manufacturing industry to climb the high-end value chain. However, due to their different characteristics, product innovation and service innovation face a ‘rigid and flexible confrontation’, resulting in the synergetic process of the two facing issues such as uncoordinated allocation of innovation resources, complex interaction between supply and demand, and difficulty in measuring innovation value. Although digital technology can coordinate some conflicts, there are limitations in the current application scenarios of digital technology for enterprises, making it difficult to exert the positive regulatory effect of digital technology on the two. Therefore, the focus of this article is to analyze the elements and paths emerging in the practical process of product and service innovation synergism in service-oriented manufacturing enterprises, and promote the synergetic development of the two types of innovation. This article explores the combination of factors that affect the synergy of two types of innovation in service-oriented manufacturing enterprises, attempting to reveal the causal path between supply and demand interactions in a service environment. Due to the complex relationship between the elements that affect the two types of innovation in service-oriented manufacturing enterprises, this study adopts consistency analysis(CNA) method that can identify causal paths that are not specific and unique in nature. This article first used a questionnaire survey to collect data on the characteristics of 122 furniture and service manufacturing in the advanced manufacturing agglomeration area. Then, consistency analysis was used to determine the outcome variables and causal paths in the two types of innovation processes of manufacturing enterprises. Finally, 28 causal paths affecting the synergy of the two types of innovation in manufacturing enterprises were identified. The results show that: there are various ways for service-oriented manufacturing enterprises to achieve high synergy between product innovation and service innovation, the specific combination between various elements is the reason for the synergy of product innovation and service innovation; there is a causal chain among product innovation, service level and innovation synergy in service-oriented manufacturing enterprises, product innovation→service level→innovation synergy, but the existence of the chain needs the intervention of other elements. Among the eight elements that affect innovation synergy, high-level knowledge absorption, high-level synergy among enterprises and high-level product innovation are the necessary elements to promote innovation synergy. This article reviews domestic and foreign literature, constructs a theoretical framework for the study of ‘external factor stimulation-supply and demand interaction realization-internal factor promotion’ in enterprises, and explores the causal pathways that trigger the synergy of two types of innovation. This study has made several contributions to existing research. Firstly, this study focuses on the characteristics of service-oriented manufacturing enterprises, identifies the internal and external decisive factors of two types of innovation synergy, and explains the interdependent and equivalent pathways of each factor. The research process overcomes the limitations of traditional regression statistical analysis. Secondly, research has found that manufacturing enterprises can adopt the concept of ‘separation of main and auxiliary resources’ to expand the use of innovative resources, and it is necessary to pay attention to the ability of digital technology to unleash service value creation. In summary, this study enriches the theory of innovation synergy in the context of service-oriented manufacturing in China. At the same time, it has certain practical significance for service-oriented manufacturing enterprises to understand innovation synergy.

DOI

10.16315/j.stm.2024.02.004

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