Sustainable Product Service System (SPSS) for Designing a Portuguese Furniture Service: Comprehensive Approach

Abstract

Product Service System (PSS) is a Sustainable Design strategy for developing product service-based solutions, that contribute towards the reduction of product waste, towards the generation of new forms of partnership among stakeholders, leading to innovative product service solutions and to new ways of responsible consumption.A research on PSS for domestic adaptable furniture is being carried out. Having in mind the Portuguese context, it is important to comprehend existing PSSs and identify models and opportunities for designing a Sustainable Product Service System (SPSS) for adaptable furniture within the Portuguese context. For this, the following research questions arise: What are the most common business models in Portuguese SPSSs? What are their fragilities and strengths? What factors may better contribute to a higher consumer satisfaction? To answer these questions, there were developed five case studies on ongoing significant Portuguese SPSSs, analysing three approaches for each of the cases in the sample: i) needs satisfaction, ii) stakeholders involved, iii) sustainable strategies. The case studies results enabled a wider comprehension of the existing Portuguese panorama on sharing economy Product Service Systems models, providing information for the development of a PSS domestic adaptable furniture.