Integrating Product-Service System Tools into New Product Development Processes

Abstract

Companies must innovate technologically and culturally, if they wish to seek competitiveness and improvement of environmental performance. The actions to be taken require in-depth review and possibly changes in their strategy and business models. The development of a product with less environmental impact can be facilitated by the application of Product-Service Systems (PSS) practices at different NPD process stages. Due to the lack of systematization for the application of PSS practices into new product development (NPD) processes, the present work aims to collect methods and tools, and suggest its application, with the ultimate target to allow companies to be more competitive and provide sustainable products and related services. In this sense, a systematic literature review was made to collect and interpret available data on PSS. The next step was the classification of PSS practices according to the NDP process phase in which they could be applied. The final step was the selection of an application example to illustrate the application of PSS practices as inserted in a so-called 'enhanced' NPD process model. Such approach may serve as a bridge to allow the flow of language, data and tools from the world of sustainability and its evaluation to the product managers.