Industry specific PSS: A study of opportunities and barriers for maritime suppliers

Product-Service System (PSS) business models are finding applications with suppliers and manufacturers across industries, but the models have yet to establish a strong foothold in the maritime sector. A number of metrics for evaluating the attractiveness of PSS business models have been proposed in chiefly design research and operations management literature.

This paper applies a number of these metrics to the maritime sector using data from a number of maritime suppliers. It is found that the industry is, at least in some aspects, attractive from this PSS metrics standpoint. To explain the inherent lack of PSS maturity in the industry despite this metrics-based conclusion, the discussion moves beyond the quantitative factors and considers a number of organisational, structural and cultural issues that stand in the way of PSS.

This paper is based on the initial responses provided by maritime suppliers in a maritime research consortium in (name of country removed).