Service Operation Functions in Industrial Equipment Enterprises: A Literature Analysis
Type
working paper
Date Issued
2015-08-01
Author(s)
Research Team
IWI4, IIM
Abstract
Manufacturing enterprises have boosted their service businesses to enable growth and stable revenue streams. For an efficient implementation of the different service operation functions, however, the service workforce shows information needs that require a comprehensive view on service planning and execution activities. Service functionality is not clearly defined and demarcated in the established production-centered enterprise application landscape. This means, application systems hold accountable for similar functions (e.g. installed base management or contract management) and hence foster redundancy. Moreover functional deficits of standard applications, inter alia remote service functionality, are reported. This situation results in relentlessly expensive integration projects while at the same time hindering any standardization efforts. In addressing this lack of understanding and demarcation, this paper builds on the functional reference model developed by Neff et al. [2014b] and critically evaluates the 12 major service functionalities with the extant body of literature. This study presents a structured literature review that is grounded on keyword searches performed for each of the 12 service functions. This research contributes a structuration and conception of service functions supplemented by a critical reflection on the literature search results. Within each service function the extant literature sets different foci that allow for differentiation and provide an indication of interdependencies among the service function. The discussion part of this paper investigates how service functions span organizational boundaries and complement one another.
Language
English
Keywords
Arbeitsbericht
HSG Classification
not classified
Refereed
No
Publisher
Institute of Information Management, University of St. Gallen
Publisher place
St. Gallen
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
243200
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
open.access
Name
Working%20Paper_Service%20Operation%20Functions-Mar-15-ANeff.pdf
Size
617.59 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
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