The latest findings of the research on ProcessSME project revealed that large companies have competence-related challenges entering the field of servitization. The results were indicated in a study focusing on micro enterprises, but it also showed the competence-related challenges concern large companies as well.
Servitization is a huge change in manufacturing industries that demands change competencies, such as a proactive attitude towards change, the ability to tolerate uncertainty and the willingness to renew skills and working mannerisms. The study revealed that change competencies are required from micros and SMEs as well as from large companies, and personnel cannot cling to the past. Usually micro and SMEs are considered as service producers and large companies as their customers. However, as for the large companies, in the customer chain they are service or product producers for their customers. Thus, all partners must put effort towards looking for new customers or business ideas in the customer chain.
Looking for new business ideas demands entrepreneurial competencies focusing on scanning business environment, discovering the business idea, and executing the idea. Entrepreneurial competencies has been connected to entrepreneurs, but those competencies might be a good skill for people in large companies as well. Along with change competencies - proactive attitude towards change, the ability to tolerate uncertainty and the willingness to renew skills and working mannerisms – the entrepreneurial competencies seems to be an important work quality for people in a large companies entering the servitization.
Kyllikki Taipale-Erävala
University of Oulu, Kerttu Saalasti Institute
kyllikki.taipale-eravala@oulu.fi, +358 50 5765764
