Product System Service competitiveness and economic performance

The paper has the aim to understand the actual role of PSS as a value proposition. To achieve this purpose, it is important to evaluate PSS contribution in reaching firms’ strategic goals, exploring if it really could be a successful proposal, bringing a competitive advantage thanks to concrete economic results. Past analyses focused on forecasting potential performance, while the present paper employs a “backward perspective”, to examine results reached thanks to PSS implementation, rather than considering what can be potentially done. The study involved 10 different PSSs offered by 9 firms selected in Italy and abroad, operating in different industries and involving different categories and types of PSS, i.e. Product-Oriented, Use-Oriented, Result-Oriented, differing also in terms of dimensions. This research uncovered important factors concurring to PSS results, like services related to circular economy concept, strategic aims behind PSS development and implementation, and the degree of replicability and imitability. Other findings concern path dependence and “success stories” influencing customer acceptance. This research provides interesting insights in order to uncover PSS actual potential in constituting a competitive advantage through an in-depth analysis of strategic, competitive and economic achieved results. For scholars, this work suggests a new perspective in analysing PSS overall performance and uncovers some “hidden characteristics” not emerging from past studies. For practitioners, this research provides practical and useful considerations on PSS competitive and strategic potential, with an in-depth analysis of success elements.