Resumo

By presenting a shift away from the existing ownership-based transport systems and towards access-based ones, Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) is gaining ground in recent years and is becoming a concrete market option, however, the construct is still surrounded by ambiguities and uncertainties among academics and mobility experts. We advocate that MaaS as a Product-Service-System (PSS) should create value from a range of distinct actors and thus be aligned with the theories on business ecosystems and eco-innovation.

This study purposes at answering the following research question: Do MaaS fit the PSS model? Which are the main concepts behind MaaS? Can MaaS be considered an eco-innovation? What is the main difference between mobility levels and MaaS schemes? In this sense, this paper aims to analyze MaaS as a PSS and as an Eco-innovation under the Business Ecosystem concept, as well as propose a schematic model for different mobility services.

PSS is the change of the business focus from the designing (and selling) only physical products, to designing (and selling) a system of products and services that are jointly able to meet specific customer demands (Manzini & Vezzoli, 2003). Eco-innovation consists of new products and processes which provide customer and business value and a significantly decrease in environmental impacts (Fussler & James 1996). Business Ecosystem refers to a network of organizations, involved in the development and delivery of a specific product/service through both competition and cooperation (Iivari, 2016).

We executed a qualitative bibliographical review. In the first step we collected secondary data from both on academic and grey literature from the topics of MaaS, PSS, Eco-innovation and Business Ecosystem, using the saturation criteria as stopping point. Next, descriptive qualitative analysis and content categorical analysis. Finally, we analyzed and discussed the results based on secondary data via descriptive qualitative analysis.

We took as a departure point MaaS as a result-oriented PSS, from an ecosystemic perspective towards an eco-innovation approach for mobility. Therefore, we propose MaaS 2.0 as the most advanced level of mobility service, being, “a business model that should, via a single platform, integrate result-oriented services among different stakeholders in an ecosystem with a value proposition sufficiently greater for private car users to switch to the platform or use their vehicles more efficiently”.

We observed that the theoretical approaches of PSS, Eco-Innovation, and Business Ecosystem, presents density to support the concept of MaaS. As a PSS, the mobility function is what should be considered as a result of a MaaS. The business ecosystem contributes by the concept of coopetition with distinct stakeholders creating value for users in terms of mobility. Also, MaaS would not be characterized as an eco-innovation if private car users do not find the value needed to replace their vehicles.

Fussler, C., & James, P. (1996). Driving Eco-Innovation: a breakthrough discipline for innovation and sustainability. Pitman Publishing. Iivari Petri; Komi, Marjaana; Tihinen, Maarit; Valtanen, Kristiina, M. M. A. (2016). Toward Ecosystemic Business Models in the Context of Industrial Internet. Journal of Business Models, 4(2), 42–59. Manzini, E., Vezzoli, C. (2003). A strategic design approach to develop sustainable product service systems: examples taken from the ‘environmentally friendly innovation’Italian prize. Journal of cleaner production, 11(8), 851-857.