The role of digitalization along new product development processes: the case of a servitized firm

Purpose - This paper aims to address the challenge raised in the literature regarding whether and how digitalization supports a servitized new product development (NPD) process, considering the customer’s involvement from the early stage of the process. Design/methodology/approach - Pragmatic constructivism (PC) has been adopted for conceptualizing the NPD process as the construction of a new reality. PC is the method theory used for interpreting the field evidence drawn from a qualitative case study carried out at a multinational company operating in the semiconductor industry. Findings - This study shows how digitalization supports the alignment to the overarching topoi of the company servitization strategy by enabling the integration and merging of different organizational topoi during the NPD process. Research limitations/implications - This study is confined to a single-case study and context. Practical implications - The results of this study are relevant for managers involved in the stage-gate product development of manufacturing companies, informing them on how the use of digital tools enables or hinders the progression of product development projects. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the servitization literature by offering field evidence that demonstrates the importance for manufacturing firms of acquiring customer feedback from an early NPD phase. Another contribution is related to the literature on the role of digitalization in NPD processes, describing how digital tools give support during the different phases of the NPD process.