Sustainable Product-Service Systems Customization: A Case Study Research in the Medical Equipment Sector

Nicolas Haber,Mario Fargnoli

doi:10.3390/su13126624

Abstract

The paper proposes a Product-Service System (PSS) methodology for customizing solutions to different patterns of use while achieving a better environmental performance than a stand-alone product. The approach is based on combining the Quality Function Deployment for Product-Service Systems (QFDforPSS) and the Screening Life Cycle Modeling (SLCM) tools. QFDforPSS is augmented by the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to reduce service-related ambiguities and uncertainties on the one hand and better define the product and service characteristics of the solution on the other. The SLCM evaluates the possible outcomes by determining the environmental impact and comparing it with the manufacturer’s current solution. A case study at a manufacturer of medical diagnostic equipment illustrates the use of the approach depicting the possible benefits that can arise: the PSS solution can be customized to fit customers who intensively use the product and consumers with a more moderate use. This offers flexibility and an optimized life cycle through easier maintenance, upgrades, and end-of-life schemes. Concretely, it shows how the PSS approach can enhance the development of sustainable solutions that can be adapted to varying and future customer needs, such as adjusting current solutions to new requirements, i.e., adapting existing products to COVID-19 detection and different levels of use.

Highlights

In recent years, research into Product Service Systems (PSSs) has seized the attention of many researchers and practitioners who have highlighted the effectiveness of such an approach in the development of integrated solutions that can practically accomplish the Circular Economy (CE) principles [1].The Product-Service System (PSS) approach is founded on the simultaneous development of both tangible characteristics of the product and intangible ones related to the services surrounding the product, e.g., maintenance services and end-of-life recovery schemes, aiming to provide an integrated offering capable of taking into account all the life cycle phases of a product and the related services efficiently [2,3,4]
Kjaer et al [10] proposed a differentiation of PSS approaches based on the circular economy resource decoupling strategy, while Doni et al [11] contributed to expanding PSS knowledge by highlighting the effectiveness of the servitization processes, i.e., the shift from putting on the market physical goods only to the proposal of integrated offerings, which are the core of PSS solutions
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Summary

Introduction

Research into Product Service Systems (PSSs) has seized the attention of many researchers and practitioners who have highlighted the effectiveness of such an approach in the development of integrated solutions that can practically accomplish the Circular Economy (CE) principles [1].The PSS approach is founded on the simultaneous development of both tangible characteristics of the product and intangible ones related to the services surrounding the product, e.g., maintenance services and end-of-life recovery schemes, aiming to provide an integrated offering capable of taking into account all the life cycle phases of a product and the related services efficiently [2,3,4]. Research into Product Service Systems (PSSs) has seized the attention of many researchers and practitioners who have highlighted the effectiveness of such an approach in the development of integrated solutions that can practically accomplish the Circular Economy (CE) principles [1]. Other PSS classification types exist in literature depending on the target of the analysis [6,7,8]. In such a context, the one proposed by Gao et al [9] is worth mentioning, which is based on the competitive advantages and value creation PSSs can provide manufacturers with.

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