Data Governance in Service Ecosystems – The Case of Vehicle-Based Services
This paper examines the critical role of data governance in the burgeoning field of vehicle-based service ecosystems. The shift towards data-driven value creation, exemplified by services like predictive maintenance and pay-per-use models, necessitates effective inter-organizational data exchange. While data governance at the corporate and macro levels is well-researched, there is a notable gap in understanding its inter-organizational challenges, such as the unequal distribution of costs, benefits, and risks among stakeholders.
Research and Methodology
This study develops a framework for inter-organizational data governance, adapting Ostrom’s polycentric governance approach to analyze the complexities of vehicle-based service ecosystems. The research addresses three key questions:
- What are the core components of vehicle-based service ecosystems?
- What are the primary benefits, costs, and risks associated with data sharing?
- How do data governance approaches influence the performance, scope, and scale of service portfolios?
A literature review on data-driven service governance informs the framework. The study then applies this framework through an exploratory case study of the Caruso Data Marketplace, a platform that aggregates vehicle data from various manufacturers to facilitate services like fleet management and insurance.
Key Findings and Implications
The findings demonstrate how constitutive rules, such as the creation of a data-focused corporation, can significantly enhance the scope, scale, and performance of vehicle-based services. The research highlights the crucial interplay between technical components (e.g., APIs) and social structures (e.g., organizational rules) in shaping data-driven services. The study concludes by identifying existing gaps in data governance and untapped potential for future digital service innovation within this ecosystem.