Publication Type

PhD Dissertation

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

3-2026

Abstract

This study examines the impact of service model innovation by woodworking machinery equipment suppliers on the competitiveness of downstream furniture enterprises, focusing on evolving competitive dynamics in equipment manufacturing within the context of service-oriented manufacturing and digital transformation. In the digital economy era, industrial competition is transitioning from traditional product-centric approaches to a value co-creation-oriented paradigm centered on customer value and service capabilities. As a typical equipment manufacturing subsector, the woodworking machinery industry has long relied on equipment sales and after-sales maintenance models that fail to meet downstream furniture enterprises" demands for flexible production, intelligent operation and maintenance, and end-to-end lifecycle solutions. Therefore, exploring how service model innovation drives corporate competitiveness enhancement holds significant theoretical and practical value. This study establishes a comprehensive analytical framework encompassing "service model innovation, intermediary mechanisms, and corporate competitiveness" by integrating Service-Dominant Logic (SDL), Product-Service System (PSS) theories, Resource-Based View (RBV), and Dynamic Capability Theory (DCT). Service model innovation is categorized into three types: extended service models, digital service models, and value co-creation service models. Extended services extend product lifecycles through after-sales support and maintenance services; digital services leverage big data, IoT, and remote monitoring technologies to enable intelligent operations and data-driven decision-making; while value co-creation services facilitate co-creation of value through customer collaboration, performance contracts, and revenue-sharing mechanisms. The theoretical model identifies corporate competitiveness as the core dependent variable, manifested primarily through market performance, customer retention, brand reputation, and innovation capabilities. The study proposes customer value, operational efficiency, and knowledge accumulation as key mediating variables to elucidate how service innovation enhances corporate competitiveness via value co-creation, process optimization, and organizational learning. Additionally, firm size and digital maturity are introduced as moderating variables to analyze variations in service innovation performance across different resource endowments and technological foundations. The comprehensive research framework is structured as follows: Service model innovation → (customer value / operational efficiency / knowledge accumulation) → corporate competitiveness The analysis also considers the adjustment effects of enterprise size and digital maturity. In terms of research methodology, this study employs a Mixed Methods Design integrating qualitative exploration with quantitative validation. First, industry service innovation practice models were identified through literature reviews and semi-structured interviews, upon which a theoretical framework was constructed. Second, empirical analysis was conducted using questionnaire surveys to collect industry sample data (totaling 420 valid responses). For hypothesis testing, multiple linear regression (OLS) was employed to evaluate research hypotheses. Specifically, stepwise regression models were utilized to analyze the direct effects of independent variables on dependent variables, while the classic stepwise regression method (Baron & Kenny approach) was applied to identify mediating effects. To enhance result robustness and interpretability, supplementary bootstrap tests were conducted for mediating effects. Additionally, model robustness and heterogeneity were validated through control variable analysis, substitute variable analysis, and industry case studies, thereby strengthening the reliability and external explanatory power of research conclusions. The expected contributions of this study are mainly reflected in three aspects. Theoretically, this study integrates SDL, PSS, RBV, and dynamic capability theory to develop a "service innovation–capability restructuring–competitiveness enhancement" theoretical model tailored for the equipment manufacturing industry, thereby expanding the theoretical boundaries of service-oriented manufacturing research. At the practical level, the study reveals the differentiated impact pathways of various service model innovations on corporate competitiveness, and proposes a service innovation performance evaluation system. This provides decision-making support for woodworking machinery enterprises in formulating service-oriented transformation strategies and digital upgrading pathways. At the policy level, the research findings provide empirical support for governments to promote the integration of service-oriented transformation and digitalization in manufacturing, while offering references for industrial policy formulation and industry standard development. This study systematically analyzes the relationship between service model innovation and corporate competitiveness in the woodworking machinery industry, aiming to reveal the intrinsic mechanism of manufacturing industry"s transition from "product competition" to "service competition," and provide theoretical basis and practical pathways for China"s equipment manufacturing industry to achieve high-quality development and value chain upgrading in the digital economy era.

Degree Awarded

SMU-SJTU Doctor of Business Administration

Discipline

Business Administration, Management, and Operations

Supervisor(s)

ZHENG, Zhichao

First Page

1

Last Page

161

Publisher

Singapore Management University

City or Country

Singapore

Copyright Owner and License

Author

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