This study was undertaken by the Australian Expert Group in Industry Studies (AEGIS) under the leadership of Professor Jane Marceau. It was funded by the Australian Research Council through a SPIRT grant and the Australian Business Foundation was the industry partner sponsoring the project.  The study confirmed that successful manufacturers were responding to increased competition in global markets by bundling together products and services into new innovative business offerings focused on solving customers' needs.  In the process, manufacturers and service providers were also generating new mixes of technical, managerial and collaboration skills and capabilities to sustain this competitive edge.