Modelling the Path from Servitization Enablers to Customer Centricity in the Automotive Industry: An fsQCA and ANN Analysis

Abstract

The current study utilizes the major servitization enablers, including value co-creation, service customization, technology integration and network orchestration, as the core factors influencing customer centricity in the Indian automotive service industry. As the industry has shifted to service-oriented value creation, it is necessary to assess those relationships through the lens of the automotive service providers. This study is grounded in the service-dominant logic (SDL), dynamic capabilities (DC) theory and product-service systems (PSS) approach and investigates the data obtained from 179 Indian automotive service providers. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) reveals multiple equifinal configurations that lead to high customer centricity, demonstrating that no single enabler is appropriate. These findings are further substantiated by artificial neural network (ANN) analysis, which reveals that value co-creation plays a vital role in service performance and is the most important enabler of customer centricity (normalized importance = 100%). This dual methodological approach strengthens the results. The research presented feasible observations to automotive service providers, emphasizing the significance of value co-creation, enhancement of co-creation and the creation of flexible service systems that enable customer-oriented decision-making.