From Goods to Services and from Linear to Circular: The Role of Servitization’s Challenges and Drivers in the Shifting Process

Abstract

To move closer to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a change from the traditional paradigm of the linear economy towards the circular economy is of paramount importance. One of the key promoters of this shift is servitization, which involves a shift from a purely transactional product-selling model to customer satisfaction through providing the service inherent to the product. Although servitization is a promising field for academics and practitioners, its adoption faces different challenges and drivers that need to be understood and addressed. A latent issue is the lack of common language around the topic. In the present study, a systematic literature review has been conducted to allow the identification and classification of the main challenges and drivers. Based on the findings, we propose a classification framework that identifies, classifies, and groups common challenges and drivers to different areas of knowledge on servitization through intensity heat maps. From a managerial point of view, our results highlight the importance of embracing servitization as a collective effort from the different departments within a company.