12th International Conference on Business Servitization (ICBS 2025)
6-7 November 2025, Bilbao, Spain
Focal theme: Digital servitization as a key enabler for organizational scalability
Hosted by: Deusto Business School (DBS) - Bilbao, Spain
Rationale
The rapid convergence of advanced technologies is reshaping business landscapes, positioning digital servitization at the forefront of this transformation. For instance, companies such as Siemens, IBM, and Rolls-Royce are leveraging digital servitization to integrate advanced digital tools with traditional manufacturing processes, thereby offering predictive maintenance services and smart factory solutions. The 12th edition of the International Conference on Business Servitization (ICBS) aims to explore the intricate dynamics of digital servitization and its impact on scalability and business growth. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for underscoring the relevance of digital servitization in contemporary competitiveness, as businesses navigate the pathways of digital transformation and customization.
Recent research has suggested that digital servitization comprises two key components: digitalization and servitization. Their interplay offers diverse pathways for businesses. Companies that focus on servitization, followed by the integration of digital technologies, often aim for standardization, which can potentially lead to firm growth (the digital servitization pathway). In contrast, digitalized firms that incorporate services tend to pursue customization, which may hinder scalability (the service digitalization pathway). This dual nature poses a fundamental question: when and how do these apparently opposing pathways drive or impede growth?
Interest in new growth paradigms such as scaling up, particularly with the emergence of "unicorns," underscores the importance of understanding scalability. Many companies achieving exponential growth are centered around artificial intelligence, platforms, or frontier technologies. Examples like Revolut and Airbnb showcase start-ups evolving into scale-ups, while Nvidia demonstrates a well-established firm experiencing transformative growth. These cases highlight that scaling up is relevant not just for new ventures but also for established businesses, including traditional manufacturers often analyzed in servitization studies.
The potential of digitalization to offer scale-up opportunities is grounded in critical elements associated with artificial intelligence: automation and augmentation. By combining these elements into a hybrid model, firms can achieve systemic and sustainable growth. However, the servitization component in digital servitization can both enable and constrain scalability, necessitating a nuanced exploration of its dual-edged nature.
Servitization’s impact on scalability can differ significantly across contexts. On one hand, it can secure long-term revenues by requiring increased investment in various assets, leading to substantial growth. For instance, Rolls-Royce’s "Power by the Hour" model exemplifies how servitization can create stable revenue streams while supporting systemic growth through digital monitoring and predictive analytics. However, this model is not universally applicable. For instance, small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) face challenges when simultaneously pursuing internationalization and servitization. These firms may struggle to move beyond exporting products to establishing service-driven subsidiaries, which can limit growth.
Another scenario involves companies introducing services aimed at customization and value co-creation. While these firms offer high-value propositions, the personalized nature of their services might restrict broader growth opportunities. Thus, understanding the conditions under which servitization enhances or hinders scalability is crucial. We, the servitization community, have assessed servitization against productivity, financial performance, innovation, value, or sustainability; but so far, the connection with growth is limited to none. Addressing this gap, the current discourse aims to shed light on the scalability potential of digital servitization and service digitalization.
This year, therefore, ICBS aims to deepen our understanding of how digital servitization can drive scalability and foster scale-ups. Despite the potential, there are relatively few cases of high-growth companies effectively leveraging digital servitization. Our objective is to explore how the integration of frontier digital technologies with innovative services can unlock these capabilities.
We invite submissions focusing on the relationship between servitization and firm growth, with specific emphasis on scalability and scale-up strategies. We are particularly interested in studies examining the role of AI-driven augmentation and automation in these processes. By analyzing both barriers and opportunities, participants will contribute to redefining the scalability landscape within digital servitization.
Submissions may address questions such as:
• How can firms effectively balance the standardization benefits of servitization with the customization benefits of digitalization to achieve scalability?
• What role do AI, automation, and augmentation play in enabling firms to scale their digital servitization efforts?
• How can SMEs overcome the dual challenges of internationalization and servitization to achieve growth?
• Under what conditions does servitization hinder scalability, and how can firms mitigate these constraints?
• What innovative strategies can established manufacturers adopt to transition from traditional models to scalable digital servitization models?
• What are the differentiating and/or complementary factors between “digital servitization” and “service digitalization” pathways, and what are their implications for organizational scalability?
The 2025 ICBS conference seeks to be a platform for fostering knowledge exchange and inspiring innovative approaches to growth in digital servitization. By uniting diverse perspectives, we aim to explore how businesses can effectively leverage digital tools to expand service offerings and transcend the limitations of traditional models. Like in previous years, we welcome discussions on various themes related to servitization; however, this year, we are particularly interested in hosting dedicated sessions on growth. This year’s conference will also feature keynote speakers, providing a rich blend of practical insights and theoretical advancements.
Join us in Bilbao this November to share your research, insights, and ideas on digital servitization’s potential for scalability. Together, let’s shape the next era of business growth and innovation. We look forward to your contributions and to exploring the future of digital servitization together.
Meeting venue
The meeting venue is Deusto Business School (DBS), Hermanos Aguirre Kalea, 2, Bilbao, Spain.At least one of the authors must register and participate in the meeting once a paper is accepted. For more information concerning the meeting venue and registration details including fees, please visit the website: http://www.servitization.org/
Extended abstracts MUST adhere to the guidelines outlined in the "Extended Abstract Template" provided via the below link. Extended abstracts can be submitted ONLY in English. All academic presentations MUST be held in English.
Download Extended abstract template
Important dates
- Deadline for introducing extended abstracts (max 1000 words): May 31, 2025
- Notification of acceptance: July 22, 2025
- Date of conference: 6-7 November 2025
Paper submission guidelines
Manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the OmniaScience link: http://www.omniascience.com/conferences/.Extended abstracts MUST adhere to the guidelines outlined in the "Extended Abstract Template" provided via the below link. Extended abstracts can be submitted ONLY in English. All academic presentations MUST be held in English.
Download Extended abstract template
