Servitisation of SMEs through strategic alliances: The role of intellectual capital

Abstract This research sought to uncover the role played by intellectual capital (IC) in the interplay between strategic alliances of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and servitisation strategies. An in‐depth investigation of a single case represented by an SME consortium in the elevator industry served as the empirical context. Multiple sets of data were examined by integrating the analysis of documents with the analysis of data gathered through semi‐structured interviews. We found that a strategic alliance among SMEs constitutes a form of relational capital and creates/improves other components of IC that support the formulation of the servitisation strategy and enable its implementation. The development of IC triggered by the formation of a strategic alliance appears to function as a driver of the servitisation strategy and to influence the innovation process. The value of this research lies in the analysis of IC in a new context—the servitisation of SMEs through strategic alliances—that focusses on interrelations among multiple forms of capital.