Towards product-service systems modelling: a quest for dynamic behaviour and model parameters

The product-service system (PSS) is an emerging manufacturing paradigm embracing the increased value of offering through the integration of products and services as a basis of competitive strategy. The PSS has various characteristics beyond the traditional product-selling businesses as a result of intense customer interactions and increased service levels. These interactions can further trigger the dynamic behaviour of the system and consequently can cause uncertainties across the whole network of manufacturers and customers. The work described in this paper is part of a research project whose overall goal is to provide the manufacturing system designers with better decision making capabilities to effectively shift their manufacturing businesses from product selling to PSS offering. In particular, this paper aims to capture typical characteristics exhibited by manufacturers who have adopted PSS, to better understand their dynamic behaviour, to have appreciation of the existing techniques and tools for modelling PSS, and ultimately to search for PSS model parameters. The main contribution of this paper is the collation of key model parameters that should be considered for an effective PSS modelling. The paper also identifies strengths and weaknesses within the existing PSS modelling work, and highlights the opportunities for future research agenda.