Publication type: Conference paper
Type of review: Peer review (publication)
Title: Challenges and approaches with data-driven services for SMEs : insights from a field study
Authors: Meierhofer, Jürg
Kugler, Petra
Etschmann, Roman
Proceedings: Proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference : Delivering Services Growth in the Digital Era
Page(s): 39
Pages to: 49
Conference details: Spring Servitization Conference «Delivering Services Growth in the Digital Era», Linköping, Sweden, 13-15 May 2019
Issue Date: 2019
Publisher / Ed. Institution: Aston University
Publisher / Ed. Institution: Birmingham
ISBN: 978-1-85449-463-4
Language: English
Subjects: Servitization; Data-driven service; Advanced service; Data science; Small and medium-sized enterprise; Data strategy
Subject (DDC): 005: Computer programming, programs and data
658: General Management
Abstract: Purpose: This paper investigates the status and evolution of data-driven services specifically in SMEs and compares them with the situation of large enterprises. For both, increasing the proportion of total business accounted for by services is considered essential to build up and maintain competitive advantages. Thereby, the pattern of services shifts towards advanced services, for which the capability to manage, process, and analyse data is relevant. This represents a challenge in particular for SMEs in terms of knowledge, organisation, and culture. A more advanced understanding of the specific characteristics of this gap and of the possibilities of closing it is required. Design/Methodology/Approach: Therefore, a literature review followed by a field study was conducted to analyse this challenge. The field study incorporates (1) a series of in-depth interviews with more than ten SMEs and (2) a quantitative survey with more than one hundred replies. Findings: Our findings suggest that for SMEs building services on data has a big potential and it is expected to have higher priority in the future. In contrast to large enterprises, the share of revenue accounted for by services is still subcritical for SMEs, and it is expected to grow. Getting data from the installed base of products is a significantly higher hurdle for SMEs than for large enterprises, which represents a major challenge. There is a lack of data science knowledge and competences in SMEs. However, SMEs’ willingness to participate in shared competence centres increases. Originality/Value: This paper provides a new perspective on the challenges of servitization of manufacturing SMEs by a focus on applying data and analytics for the provision of services. The research is relevant in order to address the challenges and solution approaches which are specific for manufacturing SMEs.
URI: https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/17145
Fulltext version: Published version
License (according to publishing contract): Licence according to publishing contract
Departement: School of Engineering
Organisational Unit: Institute of Data Analysis and Process Design (IDP)
Published as part of the ZHAW project: Data Science für KMU (Data4KMU)
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Appears in collections:Publikationen School of Engineering

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Meierhofer, J., Kugler, P., & Etschmann, R. (2019). Challenges and approaches with data-driven services for SMEs : insights from a field study [Conference paper]. Proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference : Delivering Services Growth in the Digital Era, 39–49.
Meierhofer, J., Kugler, P. and Etschmann, R. (2019) ‘Challenges and approaches with data-driven services for SMEs : insights from a field study’, in Proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference : Delivering Services Growth in the Digital Era. Birmingham: Aston University, pp. 39–49.
J. Meierhofer, P. Kugler, and R. Etschmann, “Challenges and approaches with data-driven services for SMEs : insights from a field study,” in Proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference : Delivering Services Growth in the Digital Era, 2019, pp. 39–49.
MEIERHOFER, Jürg, Petra KUGLER und Roman ETSCHMANN, 2019. Challenges and approaches with data-driven services for SMEs : insights from a field study. In: Proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference : Delivering Services Growth in the Digital Era. Conference paper. Birmingham: Aston University. 2019. S. 39–49. ISBN 978-1-85449-463-4
Meierhofer, Jürg, Petra Kugler, and Roman Etschmann. 2019. “Challenges and Approaches with Data-Driven Services for SMEs : Insights from a Field Study.” Conference paper. In Proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference : Delivering Services Growth in the Digital Era, 39–49. Birmingham: Aston University.
Meierhofer, Jürg, et al. “Challenges and Approaches with Data-Driven Services for SMEs : Insights from a Field Study.” Proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference : Delivering Services Growth in the Digital Era, Aston University, 2019, pp. 39–49.


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