Building legitimacy in digital servitization: an exploratory case study in manufacturing

Purpose This article aims to explore how manufacturers establish legitimacy in digital servitization. As manufacturing firms recognize digital servitization’s significance, they aim to understand its relevance within their contexts. For successful implementation and credibility in digital service-focused business models, manufacturers must ensure their innovations align with the legitimate standards set by ecosystem participants. Design/methodology/approach We investigate how a globally recognized original equipment manufacturer pursued legitimacy for a digital servitization initiative, focusing on actions taken to integrate a novel smart service into an established ecosystem. Findings Early engagement with ecosystem actors and the application of design thinking methodologies were crucial for acceptance during the smart service’s development and launch. Our empirically grounded process model outlines actions in three smart service development phases: pre-development, development and commercialization. Research limitations/implications This study describes actions contributing to smart service acceptance, particularly during the development and initial commercialization phases. Future research could explore these actions' impact on smart servitization within various ecosystems. Practical implications Practitioners can utilize the process model to identify actions that ensure the acceptance of digital servitization initiatives. Originality/value This research delivers actionable insights for manufacturers engaging in digital servitization, providing an empirically grounded process model.