Dissimilarities between Mectop and Apitec's DST: A multilevel perspective
| Mectop | Apitec | |
|---|---|---|
| Network level | Network partners, trust and power | |
| Arms-length relationship with customers | Close relationships with customers. The AFLUX application idea is presented to Apitec by one of its customers | |
| Previous positive collaborations with consulting firm Informa have established a relationship of trust. Informa suggests strategic DS change to Mectop | A previously difficult collaboration with software supplier Ergon sets the tone for the co-development of AFLUX | |
| Integrated systems | ||
| Low integration between Mectop's, its clients and supplier's system. The developed digital solution does not directly influence client's core processes | Medium to high integration between Apitec's and its client's operations. High dependency on the software supplier's systems. The digital solution deeply integrates with and affects the core processes of Apitec's clients | |
| Organizational level | Strategy development and business model design | |
| Services offered as a new product | Services offered to increase product sales | |
| Top down implementation of a mostly predefined business and action plan developed and executed in collaboration together with external partner Informa. Clear managerial commitment toward DS all throughout the implementation phase | Bottom-up development of a client requested solution. Trial and error approach. No external partner present to structure the initiative. Management's commitment fluctuates throughout the project | |
| Clearly defined project scope, budget, objectives and measurements | Project scope, budget and objectives are unclear. Few measurements provided for project evaluation | |
| Resource configurations, (dynamic) capabilities and resources | ||
| Little experience with selling services. Basic supporting services are offered for free at the start of the project | Experience with advanced servitization. Another digital application has already been sold to clients. Some experience with co-creating digital solutions with software partner Ergon and Apitec's clients (testers) | |
| Digital products have been sold before but this is the first time the digital product is linked to services. Little to no experience co-creating with customers | ||
| Project champions are situated at top management level | Project champions are situated at middle management level | |
| Organizational identity, structure and culture | ||
| Strong product-dominant logic at the start of the DST. Hierarchical and structured organization | Strong service-dominant logic at the start of the DST. Less hierarchical. Less organizational structures in place to support activities | |
| Continuous realignment and change management | ||
| Clear, decisive organizational action is taken in response to distinguished misalignments. Management takes the lead in developing and implementing solutions | Limited managerial involvement leads to low awareness of misalignment and the urge for action. Organizational responses are delayed. Digitization lead and customers take the lead in looking for solutions | |
| Microfoundational Level | Microfoundations of organizational decision-making, routines and (dynamic) capabilities | |
| Management perceives the success of MECSERVICES as intertwined with their own future (successful) careers. A shared perception of the need for change emerges early on in response to the external market push. Objectives from management and the innovation department are aligned. High commitment is shown throughout the entire project | Management does not seem convinced of AFLUX's value for Apitec's future competitive advantage. Despite an initial mind shift in response to the external market push for innovation, managerial engagement and involvement quickly drop back to low levels of interest. Mobilization of top management and key influencers remains difficult throughout the project | |
| Employees show initial resistance to the unfamiliar nature of the new service-oriented strategy. Trainings are organized to raise engagement and understanding of the tool. Together with Informa's support, Mectop succeeds at turning the situation around | Despite previous positive experience in co-creating a digital solution with clients, high stress levels are experienced by the support team. The increasing amount of unresolved technical issues in combination with delayed organizational action moves the team from initial engagement to frustration to indifference. Eventually, customer contacts start to get affected | |
| Mectop's sales team considers selling services less profitable since it is not rewarded via their commission. The team does not comply with the new DS strategy until additional organizational measures (KPIs and training) are taken | Conversations with disgruntled clients, affect the sales team's attitude toward AFLUX. Their initial suspiciousness turns into a reluctance to sell the application. Sales of the application come to a halt | |
| Mectop | Apitec | |
|---|---|---|
| Network level | ||
| Arms-length relationship with customers | Close relationships with customers. The AFLUX application idea is presented to Apitec by one of its customers | |
| Previous positive collaborations with consulting firm Informa have established a relationship of trust. Informa suggests strategic DS change to Mectop | A previously difficult collaboration with software supplier Ergon sets the tone for the co-development of AFLUX | |
| Low integration between Mectop's, its clients and supplier's system. The developed digital solution does not directly influence client's core processes | Medium to high integration between Apitec's and its client's operations. High dependency on the software supplier's systems. The digital solution deeply integrates with and affects the core processes of Apitec's clients | |
| Organizational level | ||
| Services offered as a new product | Services offered to increase product sales | |
| Top down implementation of a mostly predefined business and action plan developed and executed in collaboration together with external partner Informa. Clear managerial commitment toward DS all throughout the implementation phase | Bottom-up development of a client requested solution. Trial and error approach. No external partner present to structure the initiative. Management's commitment fluctuates throughout the project | |
| Clearly defined project | Project scope, budget and objectives are unclear. Few measurements provided for project evaluation | |
| Little experience with selling services. Basic supporting services are offered for free at the start of the project | Experience with advanced servitization. Another digital application has already been sold to clients. Some experience with co-creating digital solutions with software partner Ergon and Apitec's clients (testers) | |
| Digital products have been sold before but this is the first time the digital product is linked to services. Little to no experience co-creating with customers | ||
| Project champions are situated at top management level | Project champions are situated at middle management level | |
| Strong product-dominant logic at the start of the DST. Hierarchical and structured organization | Strong service-dominant logic at the start of the DST. Less hierarchical. Less organizational structures in place to support activities | |
| Clear, decisive organizational action is taken in response to distinguished misalignments. Management takes the lead in developing and implementing solutions | Limited managerial involvement leads to low awareness of misalignment and the urge for action. Organizational responses are delayed. Digitization lead and customers take the lead in looking for solutions | |
| Microfoundational Level | ||
| Management perceives the success of MECSERVICES as intertwined with their own future (successful) careers. A shared perception of the need for change emerges early on in response to the external market push. Objectives from management and the innovation department are aligned. High commitment is shown throughout the entire project | Management does not seem convinced of AFLUX's value for Apitec's future competitive advantage. Despite an initial mind shift in response to the external market push for innovation, managerial engagement and involvement quickly drop back to low levels of interest. Mobilization of top management and key influencers remains difficult throughout the project | |
| Employees show initial resistance to the unfamiliar nature of the new service-oriented strategy. Trainings are organized to raise engagement and understanding of the tool. Together with Informa's support, Mectop succeeds at turning the situation around | Despite previous positive experience in co-creating a digital solution with clients, high stress levels are experienced by the support team. The increasing amount of unresolved technical issues in combination with delayed organizational action moves the team from initial engagement to frustration to indifference. Eventually, customer contacts start to get affected | |
| Mectop's sales team considers selling services less profitable since it is not rewarded via their commission. The team does not comply with the new DS strategy until additional organizational measures (KPIs and training) are taken | Conversations with disgruntled clients, affect the sales team's attitude toward AFLUX. Their initial suspiciousness turns into a reluctance to sell the application. Sales of the application come to a halt | |
Sharing content requires targeting cookies to be enabled. Please update your cookie preferences to use this feature.