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Product-service systems in Egypt: a multicase evaluation of field repair

Aly Owida (Department of Industrial and Management Engineering, Arab Academy for Science Technology and Maritime Transport College of Engineering and Technology, Alexandria, Egypt)
P.J. Byrne (Dublin City University Business School, Dublin, Ireland)
Cathal Heavey (CONFIRM SFI Research Centre for Smart Manufacturing, School of Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland)
Khaled S. El-Kilany (Department of Industrial and Management Engineering, Arab Academy for Science Technology and Maritime Transport College of Engineering and Technology, Alexandria, Egypt)

International Journal of Emerging Markets

ISSN: 1746-8809

Article publication date: 20 October 2020

Issue publication date: 26 January 2022

366

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper aims to evaluate field repair within product-service system (PSS) models operated by multinational manufacturers in the Egyptian emerging market to better understand the unique characteristics of this evolving market and to identify differences compared to established markets.

Design/methodology/approach

Case research was conducted on multinational manufacturers providing field repair services in Egypt. The sample is made up of 12 companies across different industries using convenience and purposive sampling. Data were collected using structured interviews.

Findings

There is no common model for field repair PSSs provision in the Egyptian emerging market even within the same industry, which is influenced by several factors. One of these factors is the market type being emerging or established. However, some commonalities have been found between some industries such as computer, telecommunications and document processing. Yet, there is no structural difference in the supply networks used to provide field repair service offerings in the Egyptian emerging market compared to established markets with the trend of outsourcing evident as a main attribute of a PSS in emerging markets. The main differences between established and emerging markets are related to country, culture and customer factors, which are market-based. Among the main challenges and risks that internationalized manufacturers face in Egypt, is the low level of customer awareness.

Research limitations/implications

Findings are limited to the studied cases and industries; yet, internationalized firms must deal with some unique challenges and difficulties in emerging markets.

Practical implications

This paper assesses PSS requirements and provides deeper insights for companies looking to provide or expand manufacturing-based offerings into the Egyptian emerging market.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the evolving research on PSSs, particularly in emerging markets through identifying and describing different field repair PSS models in the Egyptian emerging market.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the 12 industrial organizations that were involved in this research for their collaboration. Author Cathal Heavey research was partially supported by the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) under Grant Number SFI 16/RC/3918 (CONFIRM), co-founded by the European Regional Development Fund.Funding: This work forms part of a PhD thesis that was funded by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Alexandria, Egypt.

Citation

Owida, A., Byrne, P.J., Heavey, C. and El-Kilany, K.S. (2022), "Product-service systems in Egypt: a multicase evaluation of field repair", International Journal of Emerging Markets, Vol. 17 No. 2, pp. 505-529. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOEM-01-2020-0084

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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