Internet of Things and connected home living : - A case study on how manufacturing firms in the kitchen and furniture industry is implementing and developing IoT products and services

Abstract: This thesis provides insight to the dynamics that come with the emergence of IoT in the furniture and kitchen manufacturing industry. The study is empirically grounded in an explorative case study that involves interviews with six manufacturing companies in the different industry sectors. The purpose has been to shed light on how incumbent companies adapt and implement IoT and the study highlight product features, aspects and challenges that companies are investigating and dealing with as they set out to work with IoT and connected products. The results indicate that companies are viewing IoT as an enabler that better can respond to customer needs and provide users with new experiences. By implementing the concept of IoT companies are currently evaluating how internal knowledge and skillsets correspond to the new technical requirements that the emerging digital setting outlines and by directing internal research they are learning more about IoT and connected products as they proceed. One current major problem is that there are no open protocols that can connect all products regardless of supplier. Nevertheless, implementation of IoT does not solely involve technical aspects and companies are also faced with the dilemma on how to design and develop corresponding commercial processes. To this point early product implementations have arrived on the consumer markets and the future vision is to achieve full integration that imbeds connectivity and interaction among all products in the home.