From digitalization to cybernization : Delivering value with cybernized services

Abstract

This reflection note, based on the lead author’s keynote presentation at the Information Systems Research Seminar in Scandinavia/Scandinavian Conference on Information Systems 2019, makes an argument for the need to study the transformation from digital services to cybernized services offered by service providers to their customers. We first discuss the digitalization of services. Then, we argue that the emergence of cyber-physical systems enables a new kind of services that apply; e.g.; the internet of things, analytics of sensor-based big data, and artificial intelligence for value creation. In other words, the cybernization of services. We illustrate two particular approaches for understanding value creation for such cybernized services, specifically, value co-creation and co-destruction that are derived from the service research literature. We discuss the implications for information systems research, and argue that value co-creation and co-destruction should be studied together. Lastly, we depict the provision of healthcare services as a potential avenue for cybernization, and promote the use of the design science research for future studies.