Realization and unrealization of servitization through everyday micro-level activities: The interplay between servitization practices, practitioners, and praxis

In this study, the strategy-as-practice (SAP) perspective was adopted to gain a deeper understanding of how servitization is realized and unrealized through everyday micro-level activities. Three concepts that help understand servitization at the everyday micro-level were identified: (1) servitization practices, i.e. the instructions or templates that practitioners use to engage in servitization; (2) servitization practitioners, i.e. the individuals who are involved in concrete servitization work; and (3) servitization praxis, i.e. the actual activities performed. By applying these concepts to an empirical study of two manufacturing firms, this research makes three contributions to the servitization literature. First, it shows that the concepts of servitization practices, practitioners, and praxis can effectively guide future research on servitization through everyday micro-level activities. Second, it identifies specific servitization practices, practitioners, and praxis. Third, it develops a framework that describes how servitization is realized and unrealized on the everyday activity micro-level from an SAP perspective. On the basis of these contributions, propositions are put forward, and managerial implications are outlined. • The strategy-as-practice perspective was adopted to understand how servitization is realized and unrealized through micro-level activities. • This study identifies 10 servitization practices grouped into three aggregates. • This study identifies two types of servitization praxis that servitization practitioners' enactment of servitization practices result. • The study highlights the importance of practitioners and identifies three types of servitization practioners. • This paper develops a framework that explains servitization through the linkages between servitization practices, practitioners, and praxis.