Snakes and Ladders in Servitization: Using a Game to Capture Inhibitors and Enablers of Transformation

Servitization is the process by which manufacturers transition to building revenue streams through services rather than solely through the sale of products. The development of new services offerings entails business model change and organizational transformation; these transformation processes remain poorly understood. To contribute knowledge to bridge this gap, we developed a novel research method that adapts the classic board game Snakes and Ladders to a proposed transformation roadmap. Mapping transformation steps to the game board and assigning inhibitors to snakes and enablers to ladders enabled us to capture data related to the inhibitors and enablers associated with transformation over time. This approach, which embedded data generation in an entertaining game, provides a balance between data generation and engagement with participants and offers an opportunity for industrial stakeholders to share insights.