Title: IT-supported value-added chains for the integration of products and services

Authors: Oliver Thomas, Philipp Walter, Nadine Blinn, Michael Schlicker

Addresses: Institute of Information Management and Corporate Governance, University of Osnabrueck, Katharinenstraße 3, 49074 Osnabrueck, Germany. ' Institute for Information Systems (IWi), German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Stuhlsatzenhausweg 3, 66123 Saarbruecken, Germany. ' University of Hamburg, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany. ' Interactive Software Solutions GmbH, Hochstraße 63, 66115 Saarbruecken, Germany

Abstract: Value-added partnerships in the machine and plant construction industry where tasks are shared by the manufacturers of material products and customer service organisations are an established means of reducing costs and increasing efficiency. However, the interruption of the information flow at company borders and the resulting separation of production and services leave room for substantial improvement with regard to added value. We will analyse the value-added chains in the machine and plant construction industry and identify this potential. A strategic approach linking production with service provision will be developed for the realisation of improvement potential. It will be concretised in a concept explained on the basis of a use case and then evaluated empirically.

Keywords: product-service systems; value-added partnerships; value-added chains; product integration; service integration; products; services; information flow; machine and plant construction industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMS.2009.031339

International Journal of Internet Manufacturing and Services, 2009 Vol.2 No.1, pp.43 - 55

Published online: 31 Jan 2010 *

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