The digital servitization framework for the transition to modular software as a standardized product

Services such as software, are hard to understand, communicate and differentiate. This is because the service is intangible and not clearly defined which brings challenges for a business and its customers to distinguish between different offerings. A business can overcome this complexity to productize its intangible service to a more clearly defined product outcome. Productize intangible services, which is about modular services as a standardized product, and in this study specifically software, can help a business to eliminate complex components of their services. This can be reached through Digital Servitization; A transformational process of innovation change in business elements about the way of operating and value creation for the customers. However, little is known about the digital servitization process as it unfolds. What is remain lacking is an overarching framework that helps a business in developing a strategy for the transition to modular software as a standardized product. This study investigates what business elements are identified in literature and practice, which are mentioned as important for a business when developing a strategy for the transition to modular software as a standardized product. These elements are combined in a framework which can be used by software vendors as a foundation in developing a strategy for the transition to modular software as a standardized product.