A Sustainable Innovation Strategy Oriented toward Complex Product Servitization

Abstract

Enterprises performing complex product servitization are more vulnerable to the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic because of their large number of suppliers and wide coverage, among other things. The present research focuses on how to promote the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization. We investigate complex products and sustainable innovation—factors influencing the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization—based on the characteristics of product servitization and by combining the definitions of product servitization. We find that inadequate innovation ability and poor technical research and development (R&D) competence are the primary concerns in the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization. Specific to innovation ability improvement, the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization must follow an innovation-driven development strategy, a hard power cultivation strategy, and a soft power cultivation strategy. In terms of technical R&D competence enhancement, technological innovation strategies, integrated outsourcing of technical R&D competence, and independent improvement of technical R&D competence must be implemented to facilitate the sustainable innovation of complex product servitization.