A Framework for Asset Centered Servitization Based on Micro-services

This paper focuses on the proposal of a framework for a servitization model applied on an asset centered environment – including production machines as the physical assets – and populated by micro-services as the means to deliver the asset-related services. The asset centered servitization is, for many production machines manufacturers, a core value proposition. As a matter of fact, servitization represents a business-model change, with companies moving from selling goods to selling an integrated combination of goods and services. Competitive advantage is an outcome of this shift. This research proposes an evolution from the traditional, monolithic approach of servitization, often materialized in the concept of “platform/catalogue of services” to choose from, towards a modern view of “environment of micro-services” in which the physical assets are immersed. In the proposed framework, micro-services are summoned and function depending on the operating conditions and the actual usage, so to achieve a flexible and dynamic environment by design.