Success of Digitalization in Service Procurement

Abstract

Service procurement is an increasingly important business process that is especially suitable for the integration of information and communication technology (ICT). In contrast to its importance, service procurement process innovation in general and implementation of electronic procurement devices in particular are highly under-researched. The research project on hand closes part of this research gap and theorizes measures for the success of ICT-based process innovation (the so-called digitalization) in service procurement. From a relational, resource-based perspective, firm-specific, relational and incoming surplus rents are proposed as measurement constructs. Furthermore, their aptitude to measure the success of digitalization in service procurement is qualitative-empirically tested and proven within the German facility management branch.