Revisiting the servitization-sustainability link: A case study in the professional printing supply chain
This paper investigates the link between servitization and sustainability. Extant literature assumes a positive effect of servitization on sustainability, while limited contributions report that, under certain conditions, servitization can also have negative effects. Through a case study on the prof...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Cleaner Logistics and Supply Chain |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772390922000348 |
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| author | Nizar Abdelkafi Margherita Pero Antonio Masi Isabella Capurso |
| author_facet | Nizar Abdelkafi Margherita Pero Antonio Masi Isabella Capurso |
| author_sort | Nizar Abdelkafi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper investigates the link between servitization and sustainability. Extant literature assumes a positive effect of servitization on sustainability, while limited contributions report that, under certain conditions, servitization can also have negative effects. Through a case study on the professional printer supply chain, we show that the positive relationship between servitization and sustainability does not always hold true, and we clarify the nature of the links between servitization and sustainability. By drawing on causal loop diagrams based on system dynamics modeling, we differentiate between “built-in sustainability in servitization” and “sustainability potential in servitization”. With the former, we refer to the inherent sustainability effect that results from the mere application of servitization. For example, servitization leads, ceteris paribus, to the reduction of the number of required printers to achieve the printing jobs required by customers. The latter shows, however, that there is a latent sustainability potential that can be released, only if refurbishing and component recycling activities take place to extend the product lifetime. The case study also highlights that a systemic view is essential for assuring the overall positive impact of servitization on the environment. If manufacturing firms or institutions cannot track the way printers are disposed, e.g., outside of the borders of a country, the full potential of sustainability embedded in servitization cannot be achieved. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-477c2a49ccf6412abcbf5f08a172b60c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2772-3909 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cleaner Logistics and Supply Chain |
| spelling | doaj-art-477c2a49ccf6412abcbf5f08a172b60c2025-08-20T02:02:57ZengElsevierCleaner Logistics and Supply Chain2772-39092022-07-01410006110.1016/j.clscn.2022.100061Revisiting the servitization-sustainability link: A case study in the professional printing supply chainNizar Abdelkafi0Margherita Pero1Antonio Masi2Isabella Capurso3Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via R. Lambruschini, Milano 4B 20156, Italy; Corresponding author.Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via R. Lambruschini, Milano 4B 20156, ItalyDepartment of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via R. Lambruschini, Milano 4B 20156, ItalyConsorzio ERION, Via Messina, Milano 38 20154, ItalyThis paper investigates the link between servitization and sustainability. Extant literature assumes a positive effect of servitization on sustainability, while limited contributions report that, under certain conditions, servitization can also have negative effects. Through a case study on the professional printer supply chain, we show that the positive relationship between servitization and sustainability does not always hold true, and we clarify the nature of the links between servitization and sustainability. By drawing on causal loop diagrams based on system dynamics modeling, we differentiate between “built-in sustainability in servitization” and “sustainability potential in servitization”. With the former, we refer to the inherent sustainability effect that results from the mere application of servitization. For example, servitization leads, ceteris paribus, to the reduction of the number of required printers to achieve the printing jobs required by customers. The latter shows, however, that there is a latent sustainability potential that can be released, only if refurbishing and component recycling activities take place to extend the product lifetime. The case study also highlights that a systemic view is essential for assuring the overall positive impact of servitization on the environment. If manufacturing firms or institutions cannot track the way printers are disposed, e.g., outside of the borders of a country, the full potential of sustainability embedded in servitization cannot be achieved.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772390922000348Supply chainProfessional printing industryServitizationSustainabilityCausal loop diagrams |
| spellingShingle | Nizar Abdelkafi Margherita Pero Antonio Masi Isabella Capurso Revisiting the servitization-sustainability link: A case study in the professional printing supply chain Cleaner Logistics and Supply Chain Supply chain Professional printing industry Servitization Sustainability Causal loop diagrams |
| title | Revisiting the servitization-sustainability link: A case study in the professional printing supply chain |
| title_full | Revisiting the servitization-sustainability link: A case study in the professional printing supply chain |
| title_fullStr | Revisiting the servitization-sustainability link: A case study in the professional printing supply chain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revisiting the servitization-sustainability link: A case study in the professional printing supply chain |
| title_short | Revisiting the servitization-sustainability link: A case study in the professional printing supply chain |
| title_sort | revisiting the servitization sustainability link a case study in the professional printing supply chain |
| topic | Supply chain Professional printing industry Servitization Sustainability Causal loop diagrams |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772390922000348 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nizarabdelkafi revisitingtheservitizationsustainabilitylinkacasestudyintheprofessionalprintingsupplychain AT margheritapero revisitingtheservitizationsustainabilitylinkacasestudyintheprofessionalprintingsupplychain AT antoniomasi revisitingtheservitizationsustainabilitylinkacasestudyintheprofessionalprintingsupplychain AT isabellacapurso revisitingtheservitizationsustainabilitylinkacasestudyintheprofessionalprintingsupplychain |