Platforms have become one of the most important business logics in the last twenty years and have enabled unprecedented rapid growth for various companies. This the-sis begins with an overview of the state of research on platforms, business models, servitization and recurring revenue models. The third chapter then presents the meth-ods used in the individual studies. Subsequently, the fourth, fifth, and sixth chapters of the thesis present the results of the empirical research from the three field studies. Field Study I (chapter four) reveals three business model patterns of IoT platforms that could be identified in the machinery and equipment industry. In field study II (chapter five) the results from field study I are then taken into account and with the help of a qualitative approach are investigated deeper. As a consequence of this re-search, a business model continuum emerged along which companies with IoT plat-forms move as they increasingly integrate services into their portfolio of offerings and evolve the business model from a linear to a platform-oriented logic. Finally, field study III (chapter six) takes an in-depth look at the issue of recurring revenues. Com-panies with a platform logic transform their business model in the area of the profit equation in such a way that they generate predominantly recurring revenues in order to construct a more resilient business model that is secure against crises. In addition to a summary of the results, this dissertation outlines the theoretical and managerial implications obtained during the empirical work and concludes with future research and opportunities of this work.:Academic Curriculum Vitae of the author II Bibliographic description III Foreword IV Table of contents VI List of abbreviations IX List of tables X List of figures XI 1. Motivation 1 1.1 Emergence of platforms 1 1.2 Managerial importance 6 1.3 Theoretical importance 15 1.4 Research gap and question 17 1.5 Structure of the thesis 19 2. Research approach 24 2.1 Research process 24 2.2 Research methodologies 25 2.3 Reference on publications 26 3. Theoretical Background 28 3.1 Platforms 29 3.1.1 Platform definition, concepts, and typologies 37 3.1.2 Foundational elements of platforms 41 3.2 Business models 45 3.2.1 Definition 55 3.2.2 Business model concepts 56 3.2.3 Holistic view 57 3.2.4 Component view 59 3.2.5 Business model innovation 61 3.2.6 Platforms as business models 63 3.3 Servitization 65 3.3.1 Servitization definition and concepts 73 3.3.2 Digital servitization 76 3.4 Types of recurring revenues – Capturing value within service- and platform-oriented business models 78 3.4.1 Definition, characteristics, types and (dis-)advantages of recurring revenues 79 3.4.2 Approaches to the integration of recurring revenues in companies 82 3.4.3 The Hockey Stick - revenue growth model 83 4. Field Study I: Clustering business model innovations in product-oriented companies enabled by a platform approach 86 4.1 Empirical context, research approach and question 86 4.2 Quantitative survey to identify patterns of business model innovations 87 4.2.1 Research method 87 4.2.2 Results of business model innovation patterns 94 4.3 Discussion 97 4.3.1 Theoretical contributions 97 4.3.2 Managerial contributions 100 5. Field Study II: Exploring different development stages of platform-oriented business models 102 5.1 Empirical context, research approach and question 102 5.2 Case studies to gain deeper insights into the business model innovation patterns 103 5.2.1 Case study method 103 5.2.2 Case studies for the three BMI patterns 105 5.3 Discussion 122 5.3.1 Theoretical contributions 122 5.3.2 Practical contributions 126 6. Field Study III: There is more than one Hockey Stick - Growth trajectories for businesses with recurring revenues models 127 6.1 Empirical context, research approach and question 127 6.2 Growth trajectories for recurring revenue models 130 6.2.1 Empirical evidence for the Hockey Stick (Step 1) 130 6.2.2 Empirical evidence for growth trajectories of recurring revenue (Step 2) 134 6.2.3 Discriminating factors of recurring revenue growth trajectories (Step 3) 136 6.2.4 Growth trajectories 139 6.3 Contributions 148 7. Conclusion 151 7.1 Summary of the results 152 7.1.1 Summary of Field Study I 153 7.1.2 Summary of Field Study II 155 7.1.3 Summary of Field Study III 158 7.2 Implications for research 160 7.2.1 Field Study I 162 7.2.2 Field Study II 164 7.2.3 Field Study III 165 7.2.4 Overarching theoretical implications 166 7.3 Implications for management practice 168 7.4 Future research opportunities 171 Bibliography 175 Appendix 209 Resume of the author in table form 240 Declaration of academic integrity 245 Declaration of origin 245

Purpose - This study aims to understand what paradoxical tensions arise within an ecosystem when companies collectively pursue digital servitization and how these tensions impact value co-creation. Method -  The study is an explorative single-case study based on the mining industry in Sweden and involves respondents from industry-leading organizations. A total of 30 interviews were conducted and analyzed through a thematic analysis. Findings – Our study has identified five paradoxical tensions that arise during the process of digital servitization in ecosystems. These tensions are the paradox of competition and cooperation, the tension between IP sharing and control preservation, the tension of skill transition and reluctance to change, the tension between traditional identity and digital identity, and the need to balance data access and data security. The findings also identified the impact that the tensions have on value co-creation. Theoretical contributions – Our study demonstrates the intricate nature of tensions within ecosystems, revealing their multifaceted origins stemming from factors such as ecosystem coopetition, organizational identity dynamics, and data utilization practices. Additionally, we highlight that these tensions can manifest at two levels: within organizations and between ecosystem partners. Our research provides a more nuanced understanding of the complex and multi-faceted nature of tensions in ecosystems. Managerial contributions – This study provides valuable insights for managers of the impact on value co-creation of paradoxical tensions within a digital servitization ecosystem. We highlight the significance of recognizing and addressing tensions in ecosystem collaborations. By unpacking the complexity of tensions, we contribute to mitigating conflicts and enhancing the effectiveness of business ecosystems in practical settings. Limitations – This research is based on a single case study in the mining industry. Therefore, there are opportunities for future research to investigate the applicability of the findings in other industrial contexts. / Syfte - Denna studie syftar till att förstå vilka paradoxala spänningar som uppstår inom ett ekosystem när företag gemensamt strävar efter digital tjänstefiering och hur dessa spänningar påverkar värdeskapande. Metod - Studien är en utforskande fallstudie baserad på gruvindustrin i Sverige och involverar respondenter från ledande organisationer inom branschen. Totalt 30 intervjuer genomfördes och analyserades genom tematisk analys. Resultat - Vår studie har identifierat fem paradoxala spänningar som uppstår under processen med digital tjänstefiering i ekosystem. Dessa spänningar är paradoxen mellan konkurrens och samarbete, spänningen mellan delning av immateriella tillgångar och bevarande av kontroll, spänningen mellan färdighetsövergång och motvilja till förändring, spänningen mellan traditionell identitet och digital identitet samt behovet av att balansera åtkomst till data och datasäkerhet. Resultaten identifierade även hur spänningarna påverkar värdeskapande. Teoretiskt bidrag - Vår studie visar den komplexa naturen av spänningar inom ekosystem, och avslöjar deras mångfacetterade ursprung från faktorer som ekosystemets samverkan och konkurrens, organisationers identitetsdynamik och praxis för dataanvändning. Dessutom betonar vi att dessa spänningar kan yttra sig på två nivåer: inom organisationer och mellan ekosystempartners. Vår forskning ger en mer nyanserad förståelse för spänningarnas komplexa och mångfacetterade natur i ekosystem. Praktiskt bidrag - Denna studie ger värdefulla insikter för ledare om påverkan av paradoxala spänningar på värdeskapandet inom ett digitalt tjänstefierings-ekosystem. Vi belyser vikten av att erkänna och hantera spänningar i ekosystemssamarbeten. Genom att avveckla komplexiteten i spänningar bidrar vi till att mildra konflikter och öka effektiviteten hos affärs-ekosystemen i praktiska sammanhang. Begränsningar - Denna forskning baseras på en fallstudie i gruvindustrin. Därför finns det möjligheter för framtida forskning att undersöka tillämpbarheten av resultaten i andra industriella sammanhang.

Servitization has long since proven its benefits for manufacturing companies and is expected to gain future importance due to its sustainable and competitive significance. Yet, research has insufficiently addressed the effect of consumer goods companies integrating services in their portfolio to meet customer demands and justify new pricing models in B2C markets. This research focuses on the consumer perception of services from different levels of complexity to provide managerial implications on how SMEs are advised to react to the Servitization trend in Sweden. A conceptualization of services according to the service scale by Mastrogiacomo et al. (2020) provides the framework for obtaining cross-sectional consumer data on the perception of servitization levels using a customer survey in the Swedish market for the durable consumer goods start-up Sjöstrand. Findings show that the key factors for the perception of services are demographics and the customer’s relation to the brand. The analyzed factors of age, customer relationship, and previous topic-related knowledge about servitization show that higher degrees of customer loyalty prove essential for implementing long-term service strategies like leasing or individualized service plans without transfer of ownership. Services that provide customers with additional knowledge and communication on an individual level demonstrate simple ways to provide high value in use and sustainability. Growing demands for personalization, customer co-creation, and the self-repair trend require companies to identify strategies to increase value-in-use. Furthermore, many services may require an assessment for deservitization as their value proposition can misalign with managerial expectations. / Tjänstefiering har sedan länge visat sig vara fördelaktigt för tillverkningsföretag och förväntas få ökad betydelse i framtiden på grund av dess hållbara och konkurrenskraftiga signifikans. Tidigare forskning har dock inte i tillräcklig utsträckning undersökt effekten för konsumentvaruföretag som integrerar tjänster i sin portfölj för att uppfylla kundernas krav och motivera nya prismodeller på B2C-marknaderna. Denna forskning fokuserar på konsumenternas uppfattning av tjänster från olika komplexitetsnivåer, för att vidare ge ledningsmässiga implikationer om hur små och medelstora företag bör reagera på tjänstefieringtrenden inom konsumentvarusegmentet i Sverige. En konceptualisering av tjänster enligt tjänsteskalan av Mastrogiacomo et al. (2020) utgör ramen för att få tvärsnittsdata från konsumenter om uppfattningen av tjänstefieringsnivåer. Detta framtogs med hjälp av en kundundersökning på den svenska marknaden för varaktiga konsumtionsvaror start-up Sjöstrand. Resultatet visar att de viktigaste faktorerna för uppfattningen av service är demografi och kundens relation till varumärket. Vidare analyseras att faktorer som ålder, kundrelation och tidigare ämnesrelaterad kunskap om tjänstefiering främjar kundlojalitet som är avgörande för att genomföra långsiktiga servicestrategier såsom leasing eller individualiserade serviceplaner utan överföring av äganderätten. Tjänster som bidrar med mer kunskap och kommunikation på individuell nivå visar enkelt ett högt värde i användning och hållbarhet för kunderna. Ökade krav på personalisering, medskapande och trenden med självreparationer kräver att företagen i allt högre grad identifierar strategier för att öka värdet i användningen. Många tjänster kan dessutom kräva en bedömning för ‘Deservitization’ (minskning av tjänsterna) eftersom deras värdeerbjudande kan missanpassas till ledningens förväntningar.

This master thesis was conducted at a large Swedish manufacturer, where the perception on and challenges regarding digital transformation were studied. Digital technology is a gateway to numerous possibilities, simplifying production, altering products and creating new value offers. This study is focused on commercial digitalization, such as digital services and solutions that challenge or strengthens existing business models. A manufacturing firm, accommodated with the development of physical products is not adapted for the speed, flexibility and cross-functional collaboration which digital development requires. Though, the digital business area for a manufacturing firm is somewhat unresolved, with limited knowledge and guidelines as well as uncertain profitability. Reallocating resources from existing business towards digital development can thus be risky. Evidently, development of digital initiatives within a manufacturing firm requires high pace, support, structures and clarified roadmaps. Synergies from cross-market collaboration are important, but it can also increase complexity and tardiness in a large organization. Based on findings from this study, a manufacturer should alter its organizational structure to benefit their digital transformation. Speed should be prioritized over collaboration and traditional development should increasingly focus on business and consumer contact rather than technology. A common back end function should be increasingly utilized, developing digital technology for the whole organization, to ensure unanimity and simplifying development of similar initiatives. Digital initiatives tightly connected to products or existing business models should be developed within the corresponding functions. Support and inspiration towards digital development should derive from a holistic function that can aid and guide the whole organization. This function should also be responsible for digital initiatives that differentiate from traditional business. Increasing experience and proactively develop digital solutions will be important to stay ahead of competition and fulfill customer demands. / Denna masteruppsats utfördes hos ett stort svenskt tillverkningsföretag, där uppfattning om och utmaningar kring digital transformation studerades. Digital teknik öppnar upp för otaliga möjligheter, förenklar produktion, förbättrar produkter och skapar nya värdeerbjudanden. Denna studie fokuserar på kommersiell digitalisering, så som komplementerande tjänster och lösningar som utmanar eller stärker existerande affärsmodeller. En produkttillverkare, van vid utvecklingen av fysiska produkter är inte anpassad till den snabbhet, flexibilitet och det samarbete mellan affärsfunktioner som digital utveckling behöver. Det digitala marknadsområdet är dessutom osäkert, med begränsningar i erfarenhet, riktlinjer och osäker lönsamhet. Omdisponering av resurser från existerande affärsverksamhet kan därför vara farligt. Bevisligen behöver digital utveckling inom ett tillverkande företag snabbhet, stöd, strukturering och tydliga mål. Synergier från samarbete mellan kundgrupper i en organisation är viktigt, men kan också öka komplexitet och tröghet i ett stort företag. Baserat på studiens resultat bör ett tillverkningsföretag anpassa sin organisationsstruktur till fördel för digital transformation. Snabbhet bör prioriteras framför marknads-överskridande samarbete och mer traditionella instanser borde öka fokus på utveckling av affärsmodeller och kundrelationer. En gemensam back end instans borde användas i större grad genom att utveckla digital teknologi för hela organisationen. Detta skulle skapa enighet, minska duplicering och förenkla utvecklingen av likartade projekt. Digitala initiativ som är kopplade till fysiska produkter eller nuvarande affärsmodell borde utvecklas tillsammans med dessa. Stöd och inspiration för digital utveckling borde komma från en holistisk instans som kan stötta och ledsaga hela organisationen. Denna instans bör även vara ansvarig för att utveckla mer radikala digitala initiativ. Att öka erfarenhet och att proaktivt arbeta för digital utveckling kommer vara mycket viktigt för att motstå konkurrens och uppfylla kundkrav.

With the transport sector being one of the major contributors to global CO2 emissions and a projected growth of emissions by another 16 percent until 2050, the need for new innovative and sustainable solutions for the transport industry arises. These endeavours are what emerging start-up enterprises want to deliver with their novel Transport as a Service business model. As part of their growth strategy, they want to conquer international markets and establish their operations abroad, which is why this thesis develops a strategic framework for the expansion into new foreign markets. For better applicability and generalisability of the results, the framework was additionally tested and refined in the context of an expansion to the German market, using an action research design. Three key stages were identified for Transport as a Service start-ups to expand their operations to attractive foreign markets, namely the market attractiveness assessment, the selection of a suitable market entry mode and finally the initiation of key workstreams to achieve operational readiness abroad. The first stage proposes to expand to markets with a high business proximity, using a ’lightweight funnel approach’, which represents a compromise between resource-intensive market evaluation and reduction of time-to-market through a dynamic learning-by-doing process. Subsequently, it has become apparent that a high-control market entry mode in the form of a wholly owned subsidiary would be the most appropriate for Transport as a Service start-ups to enter foreign markets. Thereby, the scarcity of potential venture partners and acquisition targets can be compensated as well as the risk of technological spill-over mitigated. Finally, during the initialisation of key workstreams in the last stage, five conclusions were drawn from the research. More specifically, the need for acknowledgement of time uncertainties and criticalities in the process, the importance of the company’s operational partner network, a strategic discussion about acquisition of country-specific knowledge, an early business model review as well as the significance of defining clear tasks and responsibilities connected to the installation of a central expansion team with necessary project management authorities emerged. / Transportsektorn bidrar kraftigt till de globala koldioxidutsläppen och utsläppen förväntas öka ytterligare 16 procent tills 2050. I takt med de stigande koldioxidutsläppen har behovet av nya innovativa och hållbara lösningar ökat. Start-ups inom transportsektorn har utvecklat en ny affärsmodell, ”Transport as a Service”-modellen, med syfte att leverera sådana lösningar. Deras tillväxtstrategi omfattar bland annat internationell expansion och etablering utomlands. Syftet med detta examensarbete är därför att utveckla ett strategiskt ramverk för hur man tar sig in på marknaden i ett nytt land. Ramverket utvecklades via aktionsforskning genom att testa det under en tänkt expansion på den tyska marknaden. I utformningen av ramverket identifierades tre huvud-faser för ”Transport as a Service”-start-ups att expandera verksamheten i nya attraktiva geografiska marknader. Dessa är (1) utvärdering av hur attraktiva marknaden är, (2) val av lämpligt tillvägagångsätt för att ta sig in på marknaden och (3) initiering av de viktigaste aktiviteterna som är nödvändiga för att bli redo för drift utomlands. I den första fasen föreslås att expandera till marknader med närliggande branscher genom att använda en ’lightweight funnel approach’. Den innebär en kompromiss mellan resurskrävande marknadsanalys och minskning av ”time-to-market” genom en dynamisk lära genom att göra-process. Som ett resultat har det framkommit att ett väl kontrollerat inträde på en ny marknad via ett helägt dotterbolag är det mest optimala för Transport as a Service start-ups. Därmed mitigeras både eventuell frånvaro av möjliga samarbetspartners eller uppköpsobjekt och risken för oavsiktligt spridande av egen unik kunskap. Slutligen kunde fem forsknings-slutsatser dras rörande uppstarten av aktiviteterna i den sista fasen. Dessa slutsatser är: att det är nödvändigt att ta hänsyn till tidsmässiga osäkerheter och kritiska delar i processen, vikten av att företaget har ett väl fungerande nätverk av partners, en strategisk utvärdering av anskaffning av land-specifik kunskap, en tidig utvärdering av affärsmodellen, samt vikten av att tydliggöra arbetsuppgifter och åtaganden hos ett centralt expansions-team inklusive nödvändiga mandat för projektledning.

Pre-sale activities of buying and post-sale activities of use are separated by time and judged in two time-place forms. Exchange value being one kind of judgment of desirability, separate from use value. However, traditionally marketing has not fully captured the co-creation of value in use, or therefore, how it affects the perceived value of the offering at purchase. The separation of purchase and use has been shown to create buyer uncertainty at the point of purchase about the future value created in use. Consider the decision to buy a service support contract for capital equipment in which the act and experience of use could continue for up to ten years after the decision to buy. At purchase, buyers may not be certain about the future state of use, i.e. whether or not equipment will fail, or indeed how the service will perform in the event of failure. While uncertainty about the state of use will continue across time, it has been argued uncertainty about how the service will perform may be resolved through repeat use or interaction. Through an exploratory case and a web-based survey of 95 organisational buyers of Product Service Systems (PSS) in capital equipment markets, this thesis finds customer-provider co-capability, which facilitates service performance in use, mediates the customer’s perceived risk of re-purchasing. As a result, this thesis makes a contribution to B2B marketing in identifying how value of the offering at purchase is affected by future customer-provider co-capability in use.

Driven by the highly cyclical nature of their increasingly commoditised product offerings, many capital goods manufacturers are seeing the benefits of delivering services integrated with their core product offerings. Whilst existing research is almost unanimous in advocating the value of a servitization strategy, understanding how these product-service systems (PSSs) can be developed and delivered remains a significant challenge. The closely related PSS field, which has its heritage in the environmental and social science disciplines, is more mature in this area and a number of models have been proposed. The research reported within this thesis contributes to knowledge by investigating whether the approaches to PSS development, reported within the PSS literature, reflects the PSS development practice of servitized manufacturers. More specifically, soft systems methodology was used to explore the delivery of PSSs within the UK railway industry in order to gain an understanding of the implications for developing new PSSs. With this understanding, the existing approaches to PSS development were evaluated with respect to one servitized manufacturer through an in-depth single case study. The findings highlighted a number of significant differences between the practice of the servitized manufacturer and the literature. A survey was used to investigate whether the differences were generalisable to a larger sample of servitized manufacturers. The findings point towards the simplification of the reported phases within PSS development and the inclusion of a number of previously unreported processes and activities. Based on these results a new model of PSS development is proposed to better reflect the practice of servitized manufacturers. The model, consisting of four phases and seventeen processes, was operationalised in the form of a workbook and tested through application. Applying the workbook resulted in the successful creation of a number of new PSS concepts.

The growth of the service sector, after the Second World War, represented one of the changes brought by the Third Industrial Revolution. Nowadays, the service sector makes up the bulk of today’s economies around the world. However, too much emphasize on the development of the service sector, can be harmful for the economies in the long run. Therefore, the manufacturing sector should not be neglected, but developed along with the service sector. During the past decades, the manufacturing and the service sectors “worked” alongside through the servitization. The product and service integrations that manufacturers are offering, not only create additional value for the products, but also allow the manufacturers to expand their market share, gain higher revenues, attract new customers, etc. The development of the new technologies have enhanced and stimulated the product and service integration, which creates additional value. The additional created value is not beneficial only for the companies, but also for the customers, since it increases the customers’ satisfaction. Moreover, due to the creation of hi-tech products, the manufacturers include expertise and training as part of the integrated offers, which is a benefit plus for the customers.

A implantação de uma rede de Logística Reversa (LR) é fundamental em modelos de negócio Sistema Produto-Serviço (PSS) para o retorno, recuperação e maximização da vida útil de peças e componentes. Ambos os sistemas, LR e PSS, necessitam ser projetados a partir da perspectiva do consumidor para serem bem-sucedidos, pois o envolvimento prévio com o usuário possibilita o desenvolvimento de soluções especificas que atendem às suas demandas. Porém, há uma escassez de estudos que destacam as atividades de LR em um contexto de PSS, assim como o papel e a relevância do usuário. Nesse sentido, esta pesquisa busca compreender as necessidades do usuário na LR em um PSS, considerando como produto de análise o equipamento eletromédico bomba de infusão. Para isso, realizou-se um estudo de caso inicial com uma empresa que manufatura e comercializa dispositivos médicos no Brasil. Além disso, múltiplos estudos de caso foram realizados em organizações da área da saúde para a coleta in loco de necessidades relacionadas ao contexto de uso e retorno do equipamento. Como resultado, identificou-se quatro serviços que envolvem atividades de LR no modelo de negócio PSS. Vinte e cinco problemas que interferem diretamente e indiretamente a LR foram analisados para o entendimento em profundidade das necessidades dos usuários. O estudo ainda apresenta quais são os principais desafios e dificuldades de um fornecedor de PSS para operacionalizar a LR. Os resultados indicam que a ausência de agilidade no processo de retorno do produto pode propiciar situações críticas internas ao hospital referente à falta de equipamentos. A realização do inventário de equipamentos ao término do contrato de PSS pode gerar situações estressantes para todos os stakeholders envolvidos no processo. / The implementation of a Reverse Logistics network (RL) is important in Product-Service Systems (PSS) business model for returning, recovering and maximizing the life span of parts and components. Both systems, RL and PSS, need to be designed from the perspective of the consumer to be successful because the prior involvement with users seeks to achieve better solutions to satisfy their specific demands. However, there is a lack of studies that highlight RL activities in a PSS context, as well as the role and relevance of users. In this sense, this research aims to understand users\' needs in reverse logistics in a PSS, considering as main product the electromedical infusion pump. For this, I conducted a case study with a company that manufactures and markets medical devices throughout Brazil. In addition, five other case studies were carried out in health organizations for in situ collection of needs related to the context of use and return of the equipment. As a result, four services involving RL activities were identified in the PSS business model. Also, twenty-five problems that directly and indirectly interfere the operation of RL were analyzed for an in-depth understanding of users\' needs. The study further presents the main challenges and difficulties of a PSS provider to operationalize the LR. The results indicate that the absence of agility in the LR process can lead to critical situations inside the hospital regarding the lack of equipment. The inventory of equipment at the end of the PSS contract can generate stressful situations for all stakeholders involved in the process.

Informationsteknologi, IT, och hållbarhetsarbete har blivit två strategiska frågor i nästintill alla företag. Företag måste implementera IT för att optimera nuvarande verksamheter och transformeras till IT-drivna affärsmodeller som kräver hög kompetens och strategiskt tänkande vilket många små- och medelstora företag, SMF, saknar. Att köpa rekonditionerad IT-hårdvara är ett alternativ till att agera hållbart. Däremot erbjuder de företag som levererar rekonditionerad IT sällan mycket mer än just hårdvara eftersom de också ofta saknar de resurser som krävs för att tillhandahålla ytterligare tjänster inom IT. IT-tjänster är ofta avgörande om SMF ska bli kunder eller inte eftersom att köpa all IT från en leverantör minimerar administrationskostnader samtidigt som det skapar djupare relationer mellan kunden och leverantören. De bristande interna resurserna bland SMF har lett till att de frigör delar eller hela verksamheter till externa leverantörer. Frigörandet är däremot inte riskfritt för SMF. Att överlämna delar av verksamheten till externa leverantörer kräver nära relationer med leverantörer vilket gör kommunikationen mellan dem avgörande. Ett sätt för leverantörer att skapa relationer med kunder är genom att utveckla tjänstefiering, det vill säga gå från varucentrerat till tjänstecentrerat erbjudande. För att utveckla tjänstefiering, trots avsaknaden av interna resurser, måste leverantörer samproducera erbjudanden. Genom att skapa ett interaktivt samarbete i nätverk där aktörer tillsammans tillhandahåller erbjudanden har lett till nya värdeskapande system kallat värdekonstellationer. Leverantörer och kunder är nu tillsammans med och skapar värde och kunden ses inte längre som konsument utan snarare medproducent då de är med och deltar i produktionen. Aktörernas roll har således blivit vidgade. De bristande resurserna är inte längre ett hinder för att utveckla nya erbjudanden eftersom de i konstellationen bidrar med resurser samtidigt som de bygger relationer med varandra. / Information technology, IT, and sustainability work have become strategic questions in almost any business. Not only do firms have to implement IT to optimize current operations, they must transform into new business models which requires high level of competence and strategic thinking which especially small and medium-sized enterprises, SME, tend to lack. Buying refurbished IT-hardware is an option for SME to act sustainable. However, suppliers of those goods seldom offer much more as they too tend to lack the resources needed to provide IT services. IT services are usually critical whether SME will become customers or not since buying IT from one supplier minimizes administration costs as well as it creates deeper relationships. Lack of internal resources has led to SMF outsource parts or whole operations more frequently to external suppliers. But the outsourcing does not come harmless. Leaving an operation to an external supplier requires close relationship with the supplier to maintain quality, making the communication vital. A way for a supplier to facilitate relationships is to develop servitization, i.e go from product- to service-centric offers. To develop servitization regardless the scarce resources suppliers have to co-produce offers. Creating an interactive strategy in networks consisting of actors that co-produce offers creates new value creating systems- value constellations. Suppliers and customers are now part of the value creation as they both participate in the production. Their roles have been broadened and the scarce resources as a barrier has now been eliminated as they now share competences while their relationships are being flourished.