Framework for Analyzing Customer Involvement in Product-service Systems

In manufacturing, product-service systems (PSS) that create value by coupling a physical product and a service have been attracting attention. In PSS, it is important for providers to enhance the value-in-use that is perceived by customers in utilizing a product and/or service. Customers play a key role in realizing such value and therefore, are regarded as co-producers in the value-creation process. Although customer involvement plays an essential role in realizing value, previous research has revealed its risks. Therefore, PSS providers are required to adopt a suitable strategy for involving customers. However, current studies do not necessarily offer much guidance on determining such strategies. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a framework that analyzes the benefits and risks of customer involvement in PSS development. This framework aims to identify factors that influence benefits and risks from the viewpoints of characteristics of a PSS and its customer involvement. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is validated through a case study.