This scoping review paper aims to identify and synthesize the existing literature on software product structure in the context of service-dominant (S-D) logic. The paper highlights the importance of software product structure as a critical aspect in the software industry especially in software development as it can help to ensure that the software product meets the needs of all stakeholders. Despite the growing importance of software product structure and its perceived insight in the context of S-D logic, few studies have explored this topic. This paper, therefore, seeks to fill this gap by examining the findings of studies that have explored this topic. The review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge in this area and identify gaps that require further investigation. The findings of this study will be beneficial for software developers, service providers, and customers to co-create value effectively and ensure that the software product meets the needs of all stakeholders. Overall, this scoping review aims to contribute to the understanding of software product structure in the context of S-D logic and provide insights that can help software developers, service providers, and customers create value effectively.
Software products have become an integral
part of the modern digital economy [
Given the complexity of the software development process and the involvement of multiple stakeholders including developers, customers, and end-users, software product structure is a critical aspect that can help ensure the software product meets the needs of all stakeholders. As such, understanding software product structure from an S-D logic perspective is essential for software developers, service providers, and customers. Despite the growing importance of software product structure and its perceived importance in the context of S-D logic, few studies have explored this topic, and those that have are often limited in scope, methodology, and context.
To address this gap in the literature, this scoping review aims to identify and synthesize the existing literature on software product structure in the context of S-D logic. The review will provide insights into what is currently known about software product structure in the context of S-D logic by identifying the key factors that influence software product structure design and their implications for service providers and customers. The research question that guides this scoping review is, "What is known from literature about software product structure in the context of service-dominant logic?"
The findings of this study will be beneficial for software developers, service providers, and customers to co-create value effectively and ensure that the software product meets the needs of all stakeholders. The review will examine the research aims, methodologies, and findings of the studies that have explored this topic. By doing so, the review will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge in this area and identify gaps that require further investigation.
Overall, this scoping review aims to contribute to the understanding of software product structure in the context of S-D logic and provide insights that can help software developers, service providers, and customers create value effectively.
This section presents an overview of key concepts in the literature related to software product structure from the perspective of ServiceDominant (S-D) Logic. 2.1.
Software product sector has in recent years
become the most rapidly growing industry,
becoming a significant economic contributor
around the world [
Software products are intangible products that
consist of different computer programmes,
procedures, documents as well as delivery of data
to users and other offerings [6]. According to [2],
software products are packaged configurations of
software components or software-based services
with auxiliary materials released for trade in a
specific market. However, when it comes to
productization of software products, various
authors view it differently. In the software
development context, the concept of
productization is related to the product release
process that involves all stakeholders [7]. [
Software productization in general enables the understanding of software offering as well as management of the software product portfolios by systematising, tangibilising and formalising the software product [8]. Standardization of service offerings through productization allows for the problems such as heterogeneity that face the software service industry to be addressed [9]. Productization through product structure facilitates the organisation of software products in a manner that is logical and related for customer product configuration. [8]. However, some companies struggle to optimize their product structure to be compatible with data systems, leading to conflicts with their existing product portfolio [2].
[
Despite the increasing concept of productization by researcher in general, few studies can be found on productization as it relates to the software industry. Specifically, insufficient study can be found in relation to how companies can convert their software packages into a standardised software product. [2].
Until 2014, the traditional exchange of physical products and services popularly known as the goods-dominant (G-D) logic was the trend and logic of the marketing economy [4], [12]– [14]. However, in the past two decades, there has been a paradigm shift from the traditional G-D logic of marketing to a new dominant logic called the Service dominant (S-D) logic, fundamentally since its first publication [3]. The S-D logic is defined as “the application of specialized competences such as knowledge and skills through deeds, processes and performances” [4], [15].
In the new S-D logic, intangibility, exchange process and relationship have been the central pillars. [4]. This S-D logic thinking highlights that customers do not in actual sense buy goods or services as in the traditional G-D logic approach in marketing, rather customers buy offerings which produce value. In addition, the S-D logic postulates that service is exchanged for service and value is co-created with the customer. [14], [16]. This service centered thinking presents a philosophy that is relevant to the marketing offering including even tangible products in the provision of the service process [4]. [16] emphasised that the relationship between customers and producers should be longitudinal, interactive, and dynamic as well. This is because, the S-D logic suggests that the co-creation between customers and producers are is such that firms makes a value proposition whilst the customers determine the value through the usage or experience. [16]
The S-D logic was developed on 8 foundational premises in 2004 and has progressed into 11 foundational premises (Table 1). These foundational premises provide the basics on which the service dominant logic can be understood. [4], [17].
In the value formation process, there is a need
for all stakeholders to understand operand and
operant resources. The former are those resources
on which an operation or an act is performed to
produce an effect, whilst the latter are those
employed to create value for the operand
resources. [4]. Operant resources are especially
used to provide benefits to other actors, and
therefore in the service dominant logic, service is
exchanged for service among the actors. [14],
[
Many researchers from different fields have discussed the topic of the S-D logic widely and attempted to apply this new logic to their different research areas. [3]. For instance, Figure 1 and 2 shows the number and trend of types of publications on S-D logic per year.
Again, [
Specifically, [13] discussed sustainable tourism in the light of S-D logic by examining value co-creation which is one of the foundational premises of S-D logic perspective. The author’s study contributed to the S-D logic discussion by introducing features that are sustainable enough to facilitate value co creation within the tourism offering, for example improving well-being.
From the software perspective, [12] is one of
the few studies that examined the ways by which
SaaS releases could be improved by applying S-D
logic principles. This study revealed the
knowledge concerning the value co-creation that
should exist between SaaS suppliers and their
customers by improving and fine-tuning
relationships and communications between them.
Examples of other research areas that have
applied the S-D logic thinking include Medicine
[13], [20], [21], education [
This chapter discuss the methodology employed for this study which aimed to explore the literature on software productization and product structure in the context of ServiceDominant (S-D) Logic. To achieve this objective, a scoping review was chosen as the research methodology. A Scoping review is a type of systematic review that aims to map the existing literature on a particular topic, identify gaps in the literature and provide an overview of the available evidence [27]. Figure 3 shows the modified five stage scoping process that was utilized for this study [27]
Firstly, our research question “what is known from literature about software product structure from the contest of service dominant logic” was identified. Guided by the key concepts of the study and our research questions, we compiled key words that could be utilized for the literature search from the chosen data base. These key words are “software product structure”, “software productization”, “software product”, and “service dominant logic”.
In the second stage, key words in relation to software productization and S-D logic were combined to conduct a database search. The search for the related studies was conducted mainly in Scopus database. To increase the scope of search, a Google Scholar was also utilized to get some selected and hand-picked research
This chapter presents the findings and discussions from the analysis of literature on software product structure in the context of S-D logic utilizing a scoping review methodology. In order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, the study have identified five key themes that emerged from the selected literature. These themes include the Service-Dominant Logic (S-D Logic) Perspective, Value Co-Creation, Service-Oriented Product Development, Co-Creation of Knowledge, and Value Co-Creation Networks. The purpose of organizing the findings into these themes is to highlight the common patterns that exist in the literature and to present a more coherent picture of the state of research in this area. By doing so, the study aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on software product structure through the lens of S-D logic and to provide insights that can inform future research efforts.
Software product structure has become an important area of research in the context of Service-Dominant Logic (S-D Logic) perspective. One of the key themes that emerged from the review is the importance of applying S-D Logic to the design of service-dominant business models for digital innovation in software product development [28], [29]. These studies highlight the need for software companies to shift from a product-centric approach to a service-centric approach that emphasizes value co-creation with customers. This involves understanding customer needs, co-designing solutions with them, and continuously iterating and improving the product based on customer feedback.
Another important theme that emerged from the review is the role of institutions and technology in the value co-creation process of restaurant consumers [28]. This study highlights how the adoption of S-D Logic can help restaurant businesses to create value by leveraging institutional and technological resources to cocreate experiences with customers.
The adoption of S-D Logic can also help companies to achieve radical service innovation in manufacturing, by focusing on value cocreation with customers and other stakeholders [25]. This involves identifying and leveraging new sources of value, such as customer data, and integrating them into the product development process.
Applying S-D Logic to translation service provision can help service providers to better understand and meet customer needs, by cocreating solutions with [29]. This involves understanding the customer's context, preferences, and expectations, and designing solutions that are tailored to their needs.
The adoption of S-D Logic can also help to address the challenges of energy transitions, by providing an integrative framework for assessing the impact of new technologies and policies on value co-creation with [26]. This involves understanding the needs and preferences of energy consumers and designing solutions that are aligned with their values and goals.
Finally, applying S-D Logic to smart city development can help to create sustainable and livable cities that provide value to all stakeholders [30]. This involves understanding the needs and preferences of different stakeholders and designing solutions that are tailored to their needs and preferences.
In conclusion, the adoption of S-D Logic can provide a useful framework for understanding and designing software product structures that are focused on value co-creation with customers and other stakeholders. 4.2.
Value co-creation is an important aspect of service-dominant logic (S-D logic), which emphasizes the importance of collaboration between service providers and customers in value creation. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in exploring the concept of value co-creation across various industries, including the software industry. In this scoping review, we examine the literature on software product structure in the context of servicedominant logic and its relation to value cocreation.
One of the key subject that emerged from the
literature is the importance of aligning resources,
actors, and contexts for value creation. [
Also, [32] discussion on the role of customer participation in value co-creation suggest that customers should be seen as active participants in the value creation process, rather than passive recipients of value. This is especially relevant in the context of software, where users often play an important role in providing feedback and suggestions for improving the software product. Similarly, [32] demonstrate how digital platforms like Airbnb can facilitate value co-creation by providing users with opportunities to share their experiences and insights with others.
A related context that emerged from the literature is the importance of brand communities in value co-creation [33] develop a brand community engagement model that emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with customers and fostering a sense of community among users. This is particularly relevant in the software industry, where many software products have dedicated user communities that provide support and feedback to developers.
Finally, the literature also highlights the importance of innovation in value co-creation. [34] argue that innovation is a critical driver of value creation in service industries, and that firms need to continually innovate and adapt to changing customer needs and preferences. This is particularly relevant in the software industry, where rapid technological advancements and changing user expectations require firms to continually innovate and improve their products.
Overall, the findings from this scoping review suggest that value co-creation is a critical aspect of software industry in the context of servicedominant logic. By aligning resources, actors, and contexts, engaging customers in the value creation process, leveraging digital platforms and brand communities, and fostering a culture of innovation, firms can create software products that provide value to both the firm and its customers.
In conclusion, this review sheds light on the importance of value co-creation in the software industry and its relation to service-dominant logic. By understanding and leveraging the principles of S-D logic, software firms can create products that better meet the needs and preferences of their customers, while also driving innovation and growth.
The software product development process has undergone significant changes in recent years with the increasing emphasis on service-oriented product development. This approach focuses on creating software products that offer services to the customers, rather than just selling a product. Service-dominant (S-D) logic provides a theoretical framework for understanding the value co-creation process in service-oriented product development.
The scoping review of software product structure in the context of service-dominant logic examines the various design aspects of servicedominant business models in software development. The evaluation of the design of service-dominant business models is crucial to the success of the software product development process. The study by [35] provides a qualitative method for evaluating the design of servicedominant business models. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the customer's value proposition and how the software product can deliver value to the customers.
The design principles for digital value cocreation networks in service-dominant logic are essential in software product development. The study by [36] proposes five design principles for digital value co-creation networks: (1) modularity, (2) openness, (3) connectivity, (4) heterogeneity, and (5) dynamicity. These design principles enable software developers to create software products that offer services to the customers in a collaborative manner.
The service-dominant business model design for digital innovation in smart mobility is another critical aspect of software product development. The study by [37] proposes a service-dominant business model design for digital innovation in smart mobility. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the value proposition of the customers and how the software product can deliver value in the context of smart mobility.
The service-dominant logic perspective also provides insight into the paths towards radical service innovation in manufacturing companies. The study by [25] highlights the importance of understanding the customer's value proposition and the co-creation of value with the customers in service-oriented product development. The study emphasizes the need for a shift from a productdominant logic to a service-dominant logic perspective in the software product development process.
In conclusion, the theme of service-oriented product development is essential in the software product development process. The scoping review of software product structure in the context of service-dominant logic provides insights into the various design aspects of service-dominant business models in software development. The studies by [25], [35]–[37] highlight the importance of understanding the customer's value proposition and the co-creation of value with the customers in service-oriented product development. The service-dominant logic perspective offers a theoretical framework for understanding the value co-creation process in service-oriented product development, and software developers can utilize this framework to create software products that offer services to the customers. 4.4.
The concept of co-creation of knowledge is an important theme in the context of servicedominant (S-D) logic, which emphasizes the importance of collaboration between service providers and customers in the creation of value. In this scoping review on software product structure in the context of S-D logic, several articles shed light on the importance of cocreation of knowledge in software development.
One article that highlights the significance of bringing the individual into the co-creation of value is [38] study on individual involvement in value co-creation. The study emphasizes the role of customer participation in the co-creation process, which allows software developers to gain valuable insights into customer needs and preferences. This, in turn, helps software developers to design and develop software products that better meet customer requirements.
Similarly, [
Another article by [39] explores the antecedents and outcomes of service co-creation in the sharing economy. The study emphasizes the importance of customer participation in the cocreation process, which is essential for creating value in the sharing economy. The authors argue that customer participation in the co-creation process helps to create a sense of ownership among customers, which can lead to increased loyalty and satisfaction. In the context of software development, this sense of ownership can help to ensure that software products are developed in a way that meets customer requirements and expectations.
Lastly, [40] discuss the concept of co-creation of knowledge in higher education, which emphasizes the importance of collaboration between educators and students in the creation of knowledge. The authors argue that co-creation of knowledge in higher education can help to create a more engaging and effective learning experience for students. In the context of software development, this concept can be applied to the development of educational software products, where collaboration between educators and software developers can help to create software products that better meet the needs of students and educators.
In conclusion, the theme of co-creation of knowledge is an essential concept in the context of service-dominant logic, and several articles highlight its importance in the development of software products. By emphasizing the importance of customer participation, knowledge management, and collaboration, software developers can design and develop software products that better meet customer requirements and expectations. 4.5.
The theme of value co-creation networks is central to the software product structure in the context of service-dominant (S-D) logic. The concept of value co-creation networks posits that value is created through the collaboration of multiple actors in a network, such as customers, employees, and partners [41]. In the software industry, value co-creation networks are increasingly important, as software products are becoming more complex and require collaboration across various stakeholders. This scoping review explores the literature on software product structure in the context of S-D logic, with a focus on the theme of value co-creation networks.
One study that contributes to the theme of value co-creation networks is the research by [36], which proposes design principles for digital value co-creation networks from a service-dominant logic perspective. The authors argue that value cocreation networks in the digital space require a design that is based on collaboration, transparency, and interoperability. This study highlights the importance of designing value cocreation networks in software development, as software products are increasingly becoming a collaboration of various actors.
Another study that contributes to the theme of value co-creation networks is the research by [37], which proposes a service-dominant business model design for digital innovation in smart mobility. The authors argue that a servicedominant business model can facilitate value cocreation networks in smart mobility, as it encourages collaboration among stakeholders and the use of digital technologies. This study highlights the importance of adopting a servicedominant business model in software development, as it can facilitate the creation of value co-creation networks.
Furthermore, the study by [12] applies servicedominant logic to recurrent release of software in an action research study. The authors argue that service-dominant logic provides a framework for continuous improvement in software development, as it emphasizes the importance of collaboration among stakeholders and the cocreation of value. This study highlights the importance of adopting service-dominant logic in software development, as it can facilitate the creation of value co-creation networks.
Moreover, the research by [25] explores paths toward radical service innovation in manufacturing companies from a servicedominant logic perspective. The authors argue that service-dominant logic can facilitate radical service innovation by enabling collaboration among stakeholders and the co-creation of value. This study highlights the importance of adopting service-dominant logic in software development, as it can facilitate the creation of value co-creation networks and enable radical innovation.
Finally, the research by [28] examines the role of institutions and technology in the value cocreation process of restaurant consumers from a service-dominant logic perspective. The authors argue that value co-creation networks in the food service industry require collaboration among actors and the use of technology to enable value co-creation. This study highlights the importance of technology in enabling value co-creation networks in software development, as software products increasingly require collaboration among various actors.
In conclusion, the theme of value co-creation networks is central to the software product structure in the context of service-dominant logic. The studies reviewed in this scoping review demonstrate the importance of adopting servicedominant logic and designing value co-creation networks to facilitate collaboration among stakeholders and the co-creation of value in software development. These findings have implications for software developers who seek to create software products that are responsive to the needs of various actors in value co-creation networks. 4.6.
Figure 8 provides a synthesis and summary of the five key themes related to the software product structure within the context of S-D logic, as identified from the articles reviewed in this study. These themes highlight how S-D logic is relevant to various aspects of the software industry. They emphasize the importance of adopting a servicecentric approach and value co-creation strategies from an S-D logic perspective, enabling companies to better understand and meet customer needs, design tailored solutions, and continuously improve products based on customer feedback.
However, it appears that the specific aspects of software product structure within the context of SD logic, which is the main research question of this study, are not well-defined in the reviewed articles, and hence this study’s relevance is established. Additionally, the literature lacks discussion on productization through product structure for software product releases, which is an important business practice in the software industry.
Further research is needed to address these identified gaps and advance the understanding of software product structure within the context of SD logic. This will provide practical guidance for software companies in implementing S-D logic and value co-creation strategies. This scoping review serves as a valuable resource for future research and aims to generate interest among researchers in this topic.
In conclusion, this study highlights the significance of approaching software product structures from a Service-Dominant Logic (S-D Logic) perspective. The study employed a scoping review methodology to examine the literature on software productization and product structure in the context of Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic. The five-stage scoping process by [27] including identifying the research question, compiling relevant studies for the literature search, applying inclusion criteria to select relevant articles, and extracting data to chart and synthesize the findings was adopted. A total of 56 research articles were selected for the final analysis. The study found patterns and gaps in the literature related to software product structure in the S-D logic context, which can inform future research and development in this area.
The review identifies five key themes: the S-D Logic Perspective, Value Co-Creation, ServiceOriented Product Development, Co-Creation of Knowledge, and Value Co-Creation Networks. These themes provide a comprehensive picture of the state of research in this area software productization from S-D logic perspective and suggest several avenues for future research.
The review provides a valuable resource for researchers interested in this topic by synthesizing the existing literature on software product structure in the context of S-D Logic. It highlights the importance of value co-creation, which has become an important aspect of S-D Logic and has been shown to drive innovation and enhance customer satisfaction. Additionally, the review underscores the need for software companies to shift from a product-centric approach to a servicecentric approach that emphasizes co-creation of value with customers.
From a managerial perspective, the findings of this review have important implications for software companies. The adoption of S-D Logic can help companies to better understand and meet customer needs, design solutions that are tailored to their needs, and continuously iterate and improve the product based on customer feedback. Additionally, the review highlights the importance of aligning resources, actors, and contexts for value creation, which underscores the need for companies to foster strong relationships with customers and to leverage institutional and technological resources to co-create experiences with them.
The review also emphasizes the importance of designing value co-creation networks in software development, as software products increasingly require collaboration among various stakeholders. The reviewed studies demonstrate the importance of adopting service-dominant logic and designing value co-creation networks to facilitate collaboration among stakeholders and the cocreation of value in software development.
However, the review also has some limitations. The scoping review methodology may not have captured all relevant literature on the topic, and the literature analyzed focused mainly on the software industry, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, while the review identified several avenues for future research, the specific research questions that need to be addressed in order to advance the understanding of software product structure in the context of S-D Logic are not well-defined.
In summary, this scoping review provides a comprehensive understanding of the literature on software product structure in the context of S-D Logic. It highlights the importance of adopting a service-centric approach to software product development, emphasizes the role of value cocreation, and identifies several avenues for future research. The findings of this review have important implications for software companies, as they underscore the need for companies to foster strong relationships with customers and to leverage institutional and technological resources to co-create experiences with them. While the review has some limitations, it provides a valuable resource for researchers interested in this topic and lays the groundwork for future research in this area.
Foundation for Economic Education supported this work: [Grant Number 22-12080]
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