Towards an integrated approach for modelling product-service systems: Status quo and future challenges

Abstract

Product-Service Systems (PSS) are a well-established approach that holds great promises for sustainable business success. However, continuous changes such as technological innovations constitute novel challenges for the development and the offering of PSS. As these challenges become more and more diverse and complex, single companies, especially SME, are often not able to handle this level of complexity and involve further multidisciplinary expertise in PSS design. While prior research mostly focuses on a tighter integration of the product and service domain, there is a lack of integrated approaches that consider even further disciplines like software, mechanical or electrical engineering. Accordingly, this study aims to explore how conceptual models such as process models can be applied as a basis for combining various domains to contribute to the development of new PSS. Therefore, we specified corresponding problems and challenges that motivate our work and report first results of our research project. © 2018 Gesellschaft fur Informatik (GI). All rights reserved.