Servicestrukturen für die Industrie (English shop)

Auf- und Ausbau internationaler Serviceorganisationen

Preview

Table of Contents, Datei (49 KB)
Extract, Datei (74 KB)

Companies in the capital goods industry are increasingly expanding their service business. In this context, the question of how the service organisation should be designed in order to achieve the desired success on the way from manufacturer to manufacturing service provider often remains unanswered. International companies also run their service business internationally, but service revenues in markets far from the home country frequently fall short of the companies’ expectations. A further difficulty therefore lies in building robust service structures within the local organisations, which has to be steered by the central service organisation.

The present study addresses the question of how promising international service organisations should be designed. The investigation is based on seven case studies, five mini-cases and further examples from practice. The seven case studies are analysed using an analytical framework derived from the relevant literature, comprising the characteristic groups service strategy, service portfolio, service organisation and service management. On this basis, an explanatory model is developed which contains types of central and local service organisations and combines these into four typical configurations of international service organisations: the Service Exporter pursues an integrated, ethnocentrically oriented approach in its service organisation, the Service Multinational an integrated, polycentric approach, the Global Service Player is characterised by an integrated, geocentrically oriented organisation, and the International Service Pro by a separate service organisation with a regiocentric orientation. In addition to the question of possible configurations of the international service organisation, change processes within the service organisation are of particular importance for companies moving along the transformation path from manufacturer to manufacturing service provider. A design model provides a step-by-step approach for the transition from one international organisational type to the next, based on five mini-cases and successful-practice examples. The design of the international service organisation is explained by adjustments in the central service organisation and in the local service organisation. The recommendations for action regarding change processes in the service organisation comprise important measures for resolving emerging difficulties and conflicts in the areas of service strategy and service portfolio, service organisation and service management. Thus, in addition to extending theory, this study also serves practitioners as a guide for building up and expanding international service organisations.