Productization and Product Structure: Extending The Perspective to Software Business

• Published in: International journal of business and administrative studies 2021-04, Vol.7 (2), p.89
• Main Authors: Adusei, Akwasi Gyamerah, Härkönen, Janne, Mustonen, Erno
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Business models; Product management; Software; Software services
• ISSN: 2415-0541; 2414-3081
• DOI: 10.20469/ijbas.7.10004-2

Productization and product structure can be beneficial for companies in various product-related considerations. The focus on software business and software products, however, has been deficient. This study takes a specific software perspective to provide a software business perspective to productization discussion. Productization of software is considered by bringing different perspectives on the software product. Constructive, qualitative approach is used in studying the productization and software product structure of a case company. The empirical study reveals software-related challenges and shows how productization and product structure are beneficial also with software business, including the Software as a Service (SaaS) business model. The results indicate that further focus on product structure and consistent productization logic is also necessary for software business. The basic principles of productization of physical products or services may remain the same, but some software business specifics must be addressed. Hence, software context may influence productization and product structure logic. Companies involved in the software business can benefit from the improved understanding in managing their software offerings. Well productized software offering enables maintaining the scope of the software being developed and the operations of what is being sold, delivered, and invoiced. This study is among the first to consider the productization concept, including product structure in the software business context to indicate the context specifics.