The workbook starts presenting the motivation for the research project and the structure of the consortium. This is formed by ten companies (see following image), a branch organisation, two research institutions and an engineering consultancy. The participating companies are mainly suppliers of equipment used in ship building, operation and maintenance. Danish Maritime is the branch organisation, where most of the participating companies are represented.

Quick look at PROTEUS companies - [Click to enlarge]

The workbook then proceeds to introduce the current market situation. It was found that shipyards traditionally have the upper hand in the market, being able to pressure shipowners on both specification and price of newly-built ships. However, the global displacement of the shipbuilding industry is eroding such influence and giving shipowners more bargaining power in the contracting phase of the ship-build. For suppliers to the maritime industry this means new opportunities, but it also means that they must adapt their planning and development strategies to new offerings for the different interests of both shipowners and shipyards.

Shipowner Activity Cycle - [Click to enlarge]

As the transition to a PSS approach brings with it new business strategies, customer relationships often change and expand with time, encompassing many new stakeholders in the development and operation of the system. This means that the value creation process is not held by one company alone and as such is created at a system-solution level. This sets a challenge towards creating strategies that include the right stakeholders in the development or operation of the system (in this case the ship). Mapping the network within which the company is positioned will reveal the different stakeholders and their roles in the network, plus the kind of relations and deliverables that exist. 

The Maritime Network - [Click to enlarge]

The analsysis moves on by looking closer at each company and its journey in regards to PSS development, as well as a consortium. Recognising the potential for developing further after-sales activities, a vital element of the consortium is the global presence of companies, to enable them to service their customers, regardless of location. The following map displays the global presence of the PROTEUS companies, representing sales offices and service stations located around the world, among other relevant information.

Global Presence Map - [Click to enlarge]

The analysis of the consortium was also carried out mapping companies’ key offerings on a continuum, from product-oriented to customer-oriented. Most of the companies are challenged by moving from a product-oriented business towards an integrated product/service-oriented business, but the data also contain examples of non-manufacturing companies. These are typically consultancies or service providers, looking to move in the opposite direction by adopting a ‘productification’ approach, within which product components are integrated into their service-based offerings.

Offerings Map - [Click to enlarge]

Detailing the analysis further, the workbook presents a broader and more aggregated palette of products/service mix (+ variants), the range of channels to the customer (8 identified), and the wide range of offerings provided (54 identified), which were found to be offered by one or more PROTEUS company. This overview can serve as a self-check list for the individual company to consider product/service strategies, and is used as a basis throughout this workbook series to describe existing and emerging PSS offerings.

Offerings overview (1) - [Click to enlarge]

Offerings overview (2) - [Click to enlarge]

Finally, to create a solid foundation for further PSS development within the consortium, an analysis of the main consortium members' customer is presented. The user activity cycle (UAC) is a tool used to identify customer needs and new business opportunities. A UAC puts the customer in the centre and focuses on the activities connected to the use of a product or service. The UAC is divided into PRE, DURING, and POST phases. Especially in the maritime industry, users and customers are a complex group with different types of challenges and needs, which provide different types of opportunities for suppliers and other stakeholders alike. The following challenges/needs are not divided into different customer types, since some transcend these lines and others are independent of them.

Shipowner's Activity Cycle - [Click to enlarge]

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