Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Business-to-business services relating to physical asset management are playing an increasingly important role in industry. This is in the midst of the current pressures which asset owning organisations are experiencing in realising optimal value from their assets. The pursuit of understanding and complying with asset management standards such as ISO 55000 as well as the potential value to be gained from successful and sustainable business relationships contributes towards the importance of these services. The problem is that there is little or no evidence regarding the critical success factors for collaborating successfully in asset management services. The study identi es these critical success factors and demonstrates how the factors can di er between role players, industries, global regions and service types. A decision support model is developed providing the asset management community with access to the critical success factors for decision-making purposes. Based on the synthesis from internationally conducted Delphi- and survey studies it is found that the continued and sustained commitment from the asset owning organisation's senior management in support of the asset management service is the most critical factor for a successful asset management service partnership. Open and e ective communication is also highlighted as being critical, while it is important to have a process in place to improve the service continuously. Laboratory and eld testing con rm the validity of the decision support model for facilitating the decision-making process to improve asset management services, and in addition it also formalises the commercial and contracting processes relating to these services. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Besigheid-tot-besigheidsdienste met betrekking tot siese batebestuur speel 'n toenemende belangrike rol in die industrie. Dit is te midde van die druk wat batebesittende organisasies tans ondervind om optimale waarde uit hul siese bates te verkry. Die strewe na beter begrip en om te voldoen aan batebestuurstandaarde soos ISO 55000, asook die potensiële waarde wat verkry kan word uit suksesvolle en volhoubare besigheidheidsvennootskappe, dra by tot die belangrikheid van hierdie dienste. Die probleem is daar bestaan min of geen bewyse rakende die kritiese suksesfaktore vir suksesvolle samewerking in batebestuurdienste. Die studie identi seer die kritiese suksesfaktore en toon aan hoe hierdie faktore kan verskil tussen rolspelers, industrieë, wêreldstreke en dienstipes. 'n Besluitnemingsmodel is ontwikkel wat die batebestuurgemeenskap toegang gee tot die kritiese suksesfaktore vir besluitnemingsdoeleindes. Gebaseeer op die sintese van internasionale Delphi- en opnamestudies is daar bevind dat die mees kritieke faktor vir 'n suksesvolle vennootskap in batebestuurdienste die voortgesette en volgehoue toewyding deur die bate-besittende organisasie se senior bestuur, ter ondersteuning van die batebestuurdiens, is. Doeltre ende en openhartige kommunikasie is ook uitgewys as krities, terwyl dit belangrik is om 'n proses te volg om die diens voortdurend te verbeter. Laboratorium- en praktyk toetsing het bevestig dat die besluitnemingsmodel geldig is vir die fasilitering van die besluitnemingsproses om batebestuursdienste te verbeter asook vir die formalisering van die kommersiële en kontraktuele prosesse wat verband hou met hierdie dienste.