Book excerpt: A comprehensive, practical introduction to one of the most important new trends in manufacturing, globally The delivery of a service component as an added value when providing products, servitization is all the rage in the manufacturing sector around the world. Yet, despite the clear competitive advantage of servitization, most manufacturers remain reluctant to venture into, what for them, is a strange new world. Written by a team of internationally respected servitization experts and innovators, this book provides you with a detailed road map for successfully navigating the servitization terrain. Unlike most authors on the subject who merely sing the praises of servitization, Baines and Lightfoot provide you with a framework for accessing the feasibility of adopting a services-led competitive strategy in your company, along with strategies for designing and implementing the kinds of service offerings customers increasingly are coming to expect. Grounded in real-world practice and supported by a wealth of up-to-the minute research, this book helps ease the way for manufacturers considering adopting a servitization model Shows how to exploit your company's manufacturing competencies to build a strong servitization element without becoming "just another services company" Provides numerous illustrations and examples of services-led competitive strategies, with an emphasis on the advanced services most widely associated with servitization worldwide Packed with fascinating and instructive case studies from leading manufacturing firms across industry sectors, including Caterpillar, Rolls-Royce, Alstom, MAN, Xerox and others