Marius Trandheim Kristiansen

• Kristiansen, Marius Trandheim & Aas, Tor Helge (2025). Building legitimacy in digital servitization: an exploratory case study in manufacturing. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management. ISSN 1741-038X. 37(1), p. 65–86. doi: 10.1108/JMTM-08-2024-0443. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  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.

• Kristiansen, Marius Trandheim & Aas, Tor Helge (2024). Gaining acceptance for digital servitization: the role of legitimacy in the development of a smart service in established manufacturing ecosystems. The journal of business & industrial marketing. ISSN 0885-8624. doi: 10.1108/JBIM-09-2023-0537. Full text in Research Archive
• Kristiansen, Marius & Aas, Tor Helge (2021). Ecosystem acceptance of digital servitization: How does a new smart service gain legitimacy? In Bitran, I. & Conn, S. (Ed.), Proceedings of the ISPIM Connects Valencia Conference. ISPIM Lappeenranta University of Technology Press. ISSN 9789523356917. Full text in Research Archive

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• Kristiansen, Marius Trandheim (2025). Exploring Adoption of Digital Servitization. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284272863. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Digital technologies have significantly changed the business landscape, creating new opportunities for business model innovation in manufacturing. This dissertation explores one such innovation: digital servitization, the process by which manufacturers enhance their offerings with digital technologies and services. While research into the capabilities and processes enabling digital servitization is growing, there is limited understanding of how ecosystem actors such as customers and partners respond to these initiatives. This study addresses that gap by examining how external actors adopt digital servitization efforts initiated by manufacturing firms. The research includes three articles. First, a systematic literature review identifies the current state of knowledge regarding ecosystem actors’ adoption of digital servitization outcomes. Second, a case study investigates the role of legitimacy when it comes to the adoption of digital servitization outcomes, and finally a case study that explores the actions a manufacturer must take when lacking the legitimacy required for their business model innovation to be accepted. This dissertation advances the understanding of digital servitization by emphasizing the critical role of legitimacy within ecosystems. It shows that successful adoption depends more on building legitimacy than on technological solutions alone. By identifying the concept of legitimacy threshold, the study provides insights into how different forms of legitimacy influence adoption across the servitization journey. The findings offer practical frameworks to help manufacturers strategize legitimacy-building and effectively implement digital servitization initiatives.

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