Servitisation: the true heart of Made in Italy

In Emilia-Romagna, the biomedical district of Mirandola stands out for a strong integration between healthcare services and industrial production, a process supported by training programmes involving workers with multidisciplinary skills, from technology to healthcare. In the Mezzogiorno, technological clusters such as the Grottaglie aerospace cluster are engaged in in-depth digitisation, accompanied by training initiatives aimed at strengthening the technical and innovative skills of workers.

These examples clearly demonstrate that servitisation is not just a business strategy, but a real process of cultural and educational transformation. Companies that invest in human capital and training innovation manage to create sustainable value and successfully meet the challenges of an ever-changing market.

In the context of an economy increasingly based on the generation of intangible value, competition between companies is no longer - or not exclusively - played out on the product itself, but rather on the ecosystem of services that amplifies its use, extends its life cycle, enhances its enjoyment and strengthens its reputation. The traditional distinction between primary, secondary and tertiary sectors now appears to be outdated: it is the paradigm of servitisation that today delineates the perimeter of competitiveness, even for historically product-oriented companies.

Exemplary, in this sense, is the positioning of iconic brands such as Ferrari or Ducati. These are not simply manufacturing excellences, but articulated experiential platforms, where the perceived value stems from the synergetic integration of engineering, design, pre and post sales services, brand narration and community building. It is this tertiary layering that transforms a product into a cultural symbol and a strategic asset with global relevance.

For the country system, this calls for a strategic reflection that cannot be avoided. Recognising the systemic role of servitisation, particularly within the advanced tertiary sector, means redefining the guidelines of national industrial policy: it is necessary to encourage the birth and development of hybrid supply chains, capable of integrating production capacity, technological infrastructures and relational know-how. An evolution that requires vision, structural choices and coherent investments, capable of supporting growth models based on knowledge, customisation of services and creation of shared value.

This scenario poses new challenges to companies and managers: processes must be rethought, new skills must be acquired and new success metrics must be identified. Servitisation is not a simple update of the traditional model, but a real paradigm shift that requires investment, innovation and a new organisational mindset.

The transition to servitisation requires a significant cultural and organisational change. The shift from a product mentality to a service mentality implies the need to develop new skills, such as data analytics, service contract management and customer experience. This change is not limited to the introduction of new technologies or business models, but deeply involves the corporate structure and culture, requiring a rethinking of leadership, decision-making processes and human resource management.

Those in top management roles in companies must become promoters of this change by first learning to change their approach, they must learn to unlearn in order to acquire new skills, they must be able to identify gaps and surround themselves with resources that know how to fill them, they must rewrite the organisational culture and make it an asset for the team and stakeholders.

This transition is not without its challenges: strong leadership, a clear implementation strategy and the effective use of digital technologies are required. Only through a structured, data-driven approach can companies maximise the benefits of servitisation and ensure sustained success in the global marketplace.

(*) Director CFMT Centre for Tertiary Management Training.