Product-Service-System “IT on demand”

Background

This project was being pursued on behalf of the municipality Vienna, starting in March 2003 and closing in December 2003. The background of the project is represented by the fact of continuously and fast increasing amount of electr(on)ic waste. Due to consumption-, demand-related and technical aspects, no improvement or alleviation is in sight within the near future. Facing the problem, the necessity of developing systems enabling a prolongation of useful life and an intensification of utilisation due to an enlargement of functions, becomes obvious. These requirements are being fulfilled by PSS, however the development and implementation of according systems have to be assessed as insufficient in terms of time.

Motivation and Objectives

The main objectives constituting the project can be characterised as follows:

• Analysis of the acceptance of the Viennese population, establishment of demand for PSS (private and corporate) regarding (sustainable) consumption and user behaviour,
• Clarification of basic conditions for a successful implementation in Vienna (technical, organisational, legal, economical),
• Evaluation of required competence of small and medium businesses regarding development and implementation of PSS and investigation of existing obstacles,
• Presentation of already developed, long-term and economical feasible concepts which lead to the dissemination of PSS.

Conclusions

• Necessity of creating environmental (and PSS-) awareness within the population (transfer of knowledge, social marketing),
• Support and encourage companies implementing PSS,
• Further research activities regarding PSS, publication and dissemination of results and recommendations,
• Necessity of enlarging informational and educational programmes.

Partners

Austrian Society for System Engineering and Automation, Institute for Handling Devices and Robotics (Vienna University of Technology).