Generating new product-service system concepts using general needs and business system evolution patterns: A furniture PSS case

Abstract

In a product environment where various product-service systems (PSSs) are already being provided, the provision of a different type of PSS is difficult for second movers but necessary for their sustainability and differentiation. Despite the importance of providing distinguishing PSSs to market, prior PSS studies have not effectively considered the influence of existing PSSs in their methods. In response, we suggest an approach to generate new PSS concepts by employing general needs (GNs) and business system evolution patterns (BSEPs). Our approach 1) identifies customer GNs fulfilled by existing PSSs, 2) generates advanced PSS ideas from an evolutionary perspective by mapping the existing PSSs onto BSEPs, and 3) selects PSS ideas that can meet the unfulfilled or insufficiently considered GNs using a GN-PSS linking matrix, thereby generating new PSS concepts based on the selected ideas. The workings and practicability of this approach are illustrated using a PSS case study of furniture industry. This approach would provide PSS planners with an ability to generate the differentiated PSS concepts that handle the customer needs that have been untapped throughout a product's lifecycle. In addition, this approach as a module will have a synergetic effect when incorporated with other PSS methodologies.