A Systematic Review of a Quarter of a Century of Research Background on Complex Products and Systems (CoPS): Trends and Approaches

Abstract

Complex product systems (CoPS) industries largely contribute to industrial development, economic growth and creation of national wealth in both developed and developing economies. CoPS also show a number of specific characteristics as a distinctive category of industrial products in comparison with mass-produced consumer goods. These aspects have attracted the attention of scholars to study CoPS over the last 25 years, resulting in a fairly extensive body of literature on the subject. However, there is a further need to connect research findings in this area, to illustrate a macro view of the development in the field, explore common themes, and identify possible paths into the future. This study aims to contribute to these ends by: 1) exploring the quantitative aspects of the CoPS literature; 2) illustrating topical classification of CoPS studies and their findings; and 3) suggesting opportunities for future research through examining common trends and unresolved issues in the literature. The findings of this study include the presentation of various descriptive statistics, thematic classification of previous studies, introduction of key trends in the development of research background, suggestions for future research and management and policy implications in the field of innovation in complex products and systems (CoPS).