Developing industrial solution offerings : a framework and management guidelines

An offering describes the elements through which a company can provide value for its customers. In the present study, we focus on an industrial solution provider’s offering and its formulation by reviewing the solution business, services marketing, and project business literature, as well as conducting a case study. Based on our results, we propose a dynamic industrial solution offering (DISO) with two special characteristics that comprise dynamism and completeness. Furthermore, we propose a framework for DISO that contains three components that comprise relational, financial, and performance. We also present evidence for a new service category within industrial solution business: services supporting mutual action. An industrial solution business addresses collaboration with customers, and we regard this aspect as an element in the dynamic industrial solution offering. Finally, we found three main managerial issues to help build solution mindset that comprise collaboration with customers, organization-wide customer orientation, and effective service-driven organization.