Matthew M. Mehalik
Systems Engineering
University of Virginia Charlottesville,
Virginia, USA

This paper discusses the evolution, implementation, and impact of three service system concepts in a case study of innovation at a Swiss textile firm, Rohner Textil AG, that is pursuing a strategy of environmental sustainability. The three concepts are: 1. Customer Selection System (CSS); 2. Customer Product Guidance System (CPGS); and 3. Contractor Auditing and Selection System (CASS).

These three service concepts evolved from the integration of the firm's environmentally sustainable textile products with its service systems for its customers and licensees. One driving force behind the creation of these service concepts has been the necessity of the firm to become as much of an information and service consulting firm in order to pursue a goal of environmental sustainability and in order to maintain its more traditional role as a company that dyes, weaves, and sells contract textiles.

Operationally, the Customer Selection System (CSS) provides guidelines on which types of customers can responsibly integrate a compostable textile into their own product lines. This is a direct substitution of information for volume of textiles sold, thereby reducing production wastes at Rohner Textil and as part of the customer's operations. The Customer Product Guideline System (CPGS) advises how the customer can successfully use sustainability certifications on product content and use while maintaining an appropriate brand image in the marketplace. Finally, the Contractor Auditing and Selection System (CASS) involves managing the transfer of production information to licensees in order to meet production volume demand (which is larger than Rohner Textil's own capacity) while maintaining environmental product and process standards.

The impact of these concepts include the ability to foster and maintain strong customer relationships, to build and maintain a highly credible and recognizable market brand image, to expand production capacity without increasing capital costs while maintaining strong influence over product implementation, and to maintain strong adherence to the values of pursuing an environmentally sustainable product and process agenda. The paper provides specifics on how these impacts has boosted Rohner Textil's influence on the contract textiles industry.

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Last updated: 13 November, 2008