Through the digitalisation of manufacturing, product-service systems (PSS) and smart connected products are, from the companies' side, driving a market transition from a sale of products towards a sale of use of solutions, and, from the customers' side, reshaping the concept of value. The systematic integration of intangibles services with physical products requires companies' alignment also in terms of practices and tools adopted to develop and design these complex solutions adequately. The extant literature proposes several approaches to develop PSSs: it has been stated that the majority of them embedded in their structure some characteristics that are typical of concurrent engineering and lean product development theories. In the meanwhile, a research stream, named lean PSS, has progressively arisen up in the last few years. However, how so far the extant literature has already contributed to the forthcoming lean PSS domain is not clear. In order to better clarify and address this issue, this article, based on a systematic literature review approach, defines lean PSS, also exploring its main features and application areas and defining the related possible research opportunities.

Most micro and small businesses (MSEs) are limited in organizational structure, financial resources, technology, and management strategies. Due to these limitations, there are many risks involved in this sector. Understanding the aspects that contribute to the risk of mortality among MSEs is important to guide entrepreneurs in the development of strategic actions and to assist governments in the elaboration of policies that support the creation of new ventures. For this, it is important to know the key factors that contribute to the risk of business mortality. Thus, the following research questions emerge: What is the state of the art on the subject of business mortality in MSE? What are the factors that contribute to the risk of mortality in MSE? What is the relationship between the factors that contribute to the risk of mortality in MSE? The objective of this research was to analyze what the risk factors are for MSE mortality and how they are related to each other. From a systematic literature review, the state of the art on the topic of business mortality in MSEs was evidenced and its risk factors were identified. One hundred and six articles, published from January 2000 to February 2021, were analyzed. The results showed 36 mortality risk factors and highlighted the risks associated with innovative processes, business management, and the characteristics of the entrepreneur. This study contributes to a theoretical framework on corporate mortality and provides an agenda for future research, showing gaps to be explored. In terms of managerial implications, we suggest that entrepreneurs prioritize training initiatives, investing in education, that MSEs participate in cooperation networks to establish partnerships between stakeholders, and that they invest in technological tools to make companies more competitive in the market.