Extended responsibility through servitization in PSS: An exploratory study of used-clothing sector
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management
ISSN: 1361-2026
Article publication date: 3 October 2016
Abstract
Purpose
The global textile-fashion industry is resource inefficient thus requiring higher product-service systems (PSS) intervention. Further, insight of how PSS extends corporate responsibility is rather limited; knowledge of which may contribute towards increased PSS viability. The purpose of this paper is to explore how companies operating with used-clothing PSS extend their responsibilities through servitization.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory study of seven companies operating with various used-clothing PSS is conducted through semi-structured interviews and supplementary document studies.
Findings
Six dominant ways through which servitization drives responsibility in used-clothing PSS are identified. These are through: value-adding services, product leverage, collaborative partnership, information transparency, awareness and platform-enabled networking. Two trade-offs exist in terms of their focus on physical process or digitalization, and developed by honing core competency or collaborative partnership. Further three differentiating attributes underlie these mechanisms for: raising awareness and/or improving transparency, collaboration in value creation and/or in promoting consumption, and product ownership and/or leverage.
Research limitations/implications
A wide range of used-clothing PSS exists each in its own way extending responsibility. In-depth studies are required to investigate the relationship between servitization and extended responsibility for diverse PSS-types and on type of responsibilities they address.
Practical implications
By identifying the key mechanisms or ways and their underlying characteristics companies can identify new servitization forms and ways to extend their responsibility, identify best practices and establish viability beyond the traditional measures, e.g. financial.
Originality/value
So far no studies have investigated the role of servitization in PSS and how it extends corporate responsibility, especially in industries like textile-fashion, where both resource efficiency and responsibility is low.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The research has been conducted by the author under the funding from Re:textile, an extended regional research initiative taken by Västra Götaland Region (Region of West Sweden). The author would like to thank the funding agency for the financial support. The author would also like to thank the author’s graduate students, Hannah Fell and Irene Montes, for their support during the interview process.
Citation
Pal, R. (2016), "Extended responsibility through servitization in PSS: An exploratory study of used-clothing sector", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 453-470. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-12-2015-0100
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited