Towards territorial product-service systems: A framework linking resources, networks and value creation

Advancing research on the systematic development of innovations in sustainable Product–Service Systems (PSS) is crucial, as existing studies focus primarily on isolated product- or service-based innovation methods. This lack of a holistic view limits the potential to achieve sustainability goals and competitive advantage that well-developed PSS models offer. This study addresses these issues by investigating how systematic innovation methods and tools derived from the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) can resolve technical and physical contradictions throughout the life cycle of sustainable PSSs. The study’s findings demonstrate the effectiveness of systematic innovation methods and tools in supporting the development of PSS models, offering insights and mechanisms for companies to create innovative and sustainable PSS offerings. We also unveil unexplored systematic innovation strategies for PSS and propose a method that integrates TRIZ across the PSS life cycle, guiding practitioners and scholars to drive systematic innovation and enhance value creation.

This paper discusses the potential of CO2-reduction from household consumption by fulfiling final consumer needs by Product-Service Systems (PSS). A variety of studies have shown that the consumption functions Shelter, Transport, Clothing and Personal Care plus the indirect energy use within the functions Feeding and Transport covers almost 75% of the direct and indirect energy use in Dutch (and other Western) households. The paper reviews per consumption function a number of PSS often proposed as an alternative to traditional product use to reduce environmental impacts. It appears that in some cases such ‘idealistic’ PSS (organic grocery services, pay-per-wash, car sharing systems) just reach niche markets and hence do not contribute to radical reductions in environmental impacts related to household consumption. More traditional approaches, such as an Energy performance standard for houses, appears sometimes to be more effective. We conclude that the discussion on sustainable PSS mixes up two arguments. Of course, if one uses function fulfilment as a starting point, one creates more degrees of freedom to design in theory a radically new, eco-efficient system that fulfils these needs. But if such a system will be implemented is a different question altogether. Here, business rationalities and consumer demands are decisive if they are put on the market or are willing to consume a product, a PSS, or a sustainable PSS – implying that often incentive systems or contexts have to be adapted before sustainable PSSs really breaks through.

Overcoming barriers towards Sustainable Product-Service Systems in Small and Medium-sized enterprises: State of the art and a novel Decision Matrix

Product Service Systems: A Sustainable Design Strategy for SMEs in the Textiles and Leather Sectors

HMOs: Challenges & Opportunities: A Roundtable Presentation

Resources depletion, emerging competition, and increasing individual customer requirements are among the most common trends shaping nowadays manufacturing industry. Product-Service Systems (PSS) are put forth as a potential means for meeting these challenges due to their intrinsic characteristics such as dematerialization, multi-actor perspective, inimitable service know-how, and customer closeness. The scope of this paper falls under a wider topic relating to the development of PSS solutions for the steel sludge treatment sector. More specifically, the paper reports on a combined performance measurement and PSS design approach to support the decision making process on the PSS implementation. The approach takes into account the need for a collaborative effort among the PSS value network actors to successfully implement PSS offers. A case study from the sludge treatment sector is used to illustrate the synergies between performance measurement and decision making, in the PSS context.

Product service systems (PSS) can be understood as an innovation / business strategy that includes a set of products and services that are realized by an actor network. More recently, PSS that comprise System of Systems (SoS) have been of increasing interest, notably in the transportation (autonomous vehicle infrastructures, multi-modal transportation) and energy sector (smart grids). Architecting such PSS-SoS goes beyond classic SoS engineering, as they are often driven by new technology, without an a priori client and actor network, and thus, a much larger number of potential architectures. However, it seems that neither the existing PSS nor SoS literature provides solutions to how to architect such PSS. This paper presents a methodology for architecting PSS-SoS that are driven by technological innovation. The objective is to design PSS-SoS architectures together with their value proposition and business model from an initial technology impact assessment. For this purpose, we adapt approaches from the strategic management, business modeling, PSS and SoS architecting literature. We illustrate the methodology by applying it to the case of an automobile PSS.

PSS design through Design for Supply Chain: State of the art review

The current paper primarily intends to investigate the barriers encountered when implementing sustainable product–service systems (PSS) in the manufacturing sector for non-assembled products, considering both customer and provider perspectives. It also examines strategies manufacturing companies can adopt to address these challenges. The research employs an exploratory, case-based approach with an abductive methodology. Data were collected through 25 qualitative interviews conducted with individuals from various manufacturing industries. The interviews were carried out in two stages: an initial exploratory phase followed by semi-structured interviews. The collected data were analyzed using the proposed thematic analysis method. The findings are grouped into five overarching categories: three emerging from the providers’ perspective—characteristics of the manufacturing industry, customer and market awareness, and specific information requirements—and two from the customers’ perspective—core management practices and customer views on servitization. The results indicate that certain theories from existing literature cannot be directly applied to non-assembled products. Furthermore, the study offers new insights into managing several barriers not yet addressed in the current PSS literature.

Manufacturers have developed Product/Service-Systems (PSS) strategies to increase their competitiveness and reach objectives of profitability, satisfying customer’s specific and evolving needs as well as environmental needs in term of grasp reduction and pollution decrease. Despite, the announced success of such a strategy, industrialists fears that the strategy will not give the expected results. To avoid unsustainable developments and reach product-service systems features, manufacturers are looking forward methods and tools that can help them predicting an a priori level of performance of the whole system they intend to design in terms of sustainability, use, profit, etc. Precisely, we aim at proposing a demonstrator able to support decision in the design of new sustainable and eco-efficient product-service system.

Digital technologies can elevate product-service systems (PSS) to smart PSS, which focus on performance rather than ownership and are considered a means for dematerialization. However, transitioning to smart PSS does not guarantee sustainability. To understand the impact of smart PSS holistically, we take a two-pronged approach. First, we use the theory of change to conceptualize the causal link between sustainable smart PSS and their ultimate impact. We develop a three-step causal logic framework consisting of design, causation, and impact. Within this framework, we identify the business model properties of sustainable smart PSS as design characteristics and categorize the eventual impacts based on the triple bottom line. We introduce the term multi-causal pathway to describe the causation processes underlining the possibility of non-linearity and multi-causality. Second, we conduct a systematic literature review to investigate the mechanisms linking design and impact. Based on an analysis of 63 publications, we identify 17 specific mechanisms and group them into four types: information, resource, empowerment, and adverse mechanisms. Visualizing our results, we develop a morphological box as a toolkit for managers to develop their own impact-oriented logic model by identifying and activating the multi-causal pathway that fosters the desired sustainability effects. Moreover, discussing our framework, we develop research propositions and managerial questions for impact design. By linking the theory of change with the business model impact, we contribute toward a conceptual synthesis for understanding the impact of (sustainable) smart PSS.

Sustainable product-service systems for clothing: exploring consumer perceptions of consumption alternatives in Finland

Product-service systems (PSS) adoption has increased over the last years due to its potential for innovative value creation. However, the identification of ideas and opportunities in the innovation planning and the structuring of PSS projects are still incipient in organizations, following the same patterns adopted for product development. Currently, there is not a systematic approach that can be followed for the formulation of PSS proposals in the fuzzy front end. Therefore, the aim of this research is to develop a method for defining PSS project proposals based on attributes that should be considered by companies during this definition. The systematization of PSS attributes may help increase the knowledge about different PSS projects that can emerge in the front end, thus leading to the discovery of opportunities that are not apparent in the existing business models and give rise to new ideas that can be translated into successful projects.

This paper aims at investigating the main factors behind advancing the integration of products and services in the Brazilian subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz (MBB), and how Smart PSS has been perceived by other business units of the Daimler Group. We conducted an in-depth qualitative single-case study research to investigate the critical steps preceding the implementation of a smart PSS. The study was based on the main tactical areas of a PSS business model which was applied to MBB’s possible integration of their equipment (called Fleetboard) in a smart PSS solution. The findings demonstrate that the internal culture of a product-centric automotive manufacturing firm can prohibit the sales of services, even when service technologies are available. On the other hand, financial pressures can create the sense of urgency required for the firm to appreciate the necessity of change. The process of change is too complex, since it requires capabilities in key areas such as the law, marketing, networking/partnerships, design, sustainability, and organisation and human resources management. Our study shows how the company considers alternative options in order to reduce organisational barriers, develop partnerships and legal competence to offer PSS contracts, as well as seeking alignment between design, marketing and sustainability requirements.

State of the art on the role of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving in Sustainable Product-Service Systems: Past, Present, and Future