Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the rationale for choice of suppliers and the influence these decisions have on the firm's capabilities.Design/methodology/approach– The authors examine the choice of in-house operations vs buying maintenance in the Swedish mining industry...

This teaching case study focuses on SKF, a leading supplier of products, services and solutions. It consists of an overview of the company and then a narrative concentrating on the sudden loss of a large customer relationship. Moreover, it explores how central individuals devise various...

Purpose of the paper: This article introduces the service function concept, as well as why and how it can be a useful concept for addressing service management challenges in industrial firms. Design/methodology/approach: Two in-depth case studies of global industrial firms enabled a thorough...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications for the sales function of the infusion of services by formerly product-based firms. In particular, it aims at identifying the changes that need to be made at the sales-function level if the services are to be successfully...

Purpose– This article aims to investigate the nature and characteristics of business model elements required for successful service innovation. The authors examine which unique resources and capabilities product-centric firms should develop and deploy to pursue service...

Purpose: In a time when relationships have become recognized as an integral part of contemporary marketing theory and practice, what role can the sub-discipline of relationship marketing play? The aim with this special issue is to critically assess the state of relationship marketing and call...