Different Paths to Servitization Success: Evidence from Listed Manufacturing Firms in China

Abstract

The causality of servitization success remains debatable, this study's primary objective is to explore whether, how, and when the dynamic capabilities affect servitization under digital economy background. This study also incorporated institutional theory, firm lifecycle theory, and environmental uncertainty as the contingency factors in the research framework. The fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is applied based on the data from 148 China-listed manufacturing firms that involved servitization from 2015 to 2020. The configurational solutions drawn by fsQCA indicate each factor could be an enabler for servitization success, despite none of one factor as the necessary condition.