Organizational Maturity and its Impacts in Product Development

INTRODUCTION: Life-cycle extension strategies have become critical enablers of circularity in product development. By emphasizing product longevity, reusability, repairability, and recycling capacity, these strategies aim to minimize resource consumption and waste generation while fostering sustainable value creation. OBJECTIVES: This research paper aims to explore approaches for extending product life cycles across all phases, from design through manufacturing, use, and end-of-life. For companies seeking to extend the longevity of their products, it is essential to understand the main principles in product life cycle extension (PLCE) but also to evaluate their maturity before implementing such strategies, in order to be sure that the best decision will be made. In this context, this work introduces an innovative methodology designed to support decision-making process by helping companies identify critical aspects that influence successful PLCE. METHODS: The present study explores principles relevant to PLCE, including durability, modularity, repairability, reusability, and recyclability. In addition, the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing in supporting PLCE strategies, particularly in applications such as predictive maintenance, is analysed. The PLCE maturity model was developed and an assessment was conducted using a structured questionnaire designed to capture and classify influencing factors across three domains: organizational, cultural, and technological. To validate the methodology, the assessment was applied to three manufacturing companies. RESULTS: The three use cases provided specific answers to the questionnaire that were reflected into different maturity levels. These results highlight the relevance in developing a methodology that support decision-making in product development focused on life cycle extension. The implementation of this structured methodology allowed to release specific guidelines that enable the improvement of PLCE through strategies that targets company’s needs. CONCLUSION: Through a maturity assessment applied in three manufacturing companies, it was possible to characterize the readiness level for PLCE of each one and identify which issues should be worked on and what aspects are already mature in the company. With this knowledge in consideration, the companies can now make informed decisions of their next steps in innovation and management of their products’ life cycle.