Critical meta-analysis of servitization research: Constructing a model-narrative to reveal paradigmatic assumptions

The literature on servitization in the manufacturing context has grown rapidly. This study is the first systematic analysis of the paradigmatic assumptions of servitization research. Considering scientific research as a rhetorical activity, this study introduces the methododological approach to industrial marketing management research. This systematic review identifies both stylistic and structural aspects characterizing servitization research. The current review is based on a representative sample of 55 articles covering marketing, management, operations, innovation, and entrepreneurship research. The review discovered four paradigmatic assumptions that guide servitization research: 1) alignment to the Western narrative of constant development; 2) realist ontology; 3) positivist epistemology; and 4) managerialism. Following these findings, the study develops alternative directions for servitization research to challenge these paradigmatic dominances. The refined method of the model-narrative has the potential to generate insightful future research in the field of industrial marketing management. As an effective approach to analyzing research streams systematically, it facilitates critical meta-level reflection on servitization and could be widely applied beyond that topic.