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Exploring the nexus of servitization and sustainability: evolution and trends in scientific production

Doaa Herzallah, Encarnación Álvarez-Verdejo, Cecilia Tortajada, Francisco Javier Blanco-Encomienda

European Business Review | Jun 11, 2026

Abstract

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to analyze the evolution, trends and future directions of research at the intersection of servitization and sustainability. It seeks to clarify whether servitization contributes to sustainability outcomes and under which conditions this relationship holds. Design/methodology/approach The research adopts a bibliometric and science mapping approach, analyzing publications on servitization and sustainability from the Web of Science database between 2007 and 2025. It combines performance analysis and co-word analysis to identify key themes, research clusters and their evolution over time. Findings The analysis identifies two distinct phases in the evolution of the field. The initial period is characterized by the development of foundational theoretical frameworks and the establishment of key relationships among concepts such as product, design, reverse logistics and transition. In contrast, the second period reflects a shift toward a more applied and practice-oriented focus, where emerging sustainability research increasingly emphasizes implementation processes, impact assessment and the role of servitization in driving sustainable outcomes. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides the first comprehensive quantitative examination of the intersection between servitization and sustainability through the use of advanced bibliometric and science mapping techniques. Furthermore, it represents the most extensive and in-depth analysis of the field to date, offering a systematic and longitudinal perspective on its intellectual structure and development.

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Authors

Researchers on this paper

Doaa Herzallah

first | Universidad de Sevilla | ORCID 0000-0001-5066-2940

Encarnación Álvarez-Verdejo

middle | Universidad de Granada | ORCID 0000-0002-0473-6037

Cecilia Tortajada

middle | University of Glasgow

Francisco Javier Blanco-Encomienda

last | Universidad de Granada

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Citation

BibTeX

@article{Herzallah2026Exploring,
  title = {Exploring the nexus of servitization and sustainability: evolution and trends in scientific production},
  author = {Doaa Herzallah and Encarnación Álvarez-Verdejo and Cecilia Tortajada and Francisco Javier Blanco-Encomienda},
  journal = {European Business Review},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1108/ebr-02-2026-0057},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1108/ebr-02-2026-0057}
}

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