What is happening in product obsolescence management? Three decades of review from 1993 to 2023

Abstract All products are likely to be influenced by obsolescence. The consequences can be serious since an obsolete part or component could raise issues in terms of cost, production, safety, and maintenance. To minimize the impact, strategies must be implemented throughout the product’s intended life. This research reviews 188 papers on product obsolescence management published in the past three decades to understand the proposed strategies. Two research questions are addressed: (1) What is the academic landscape of product obsolescence management? (2) What are the main research topics and how are these topics covered by the literature? This work first conducts a bibliometric analysis and then analyzes the existing works under seven topics, i.e., general management, upgrade and replacement, mitigation, monitoring, forecasting, design refresh and strategy, and obsolescence impacts. The key approaches and performed actions are highlighted for each topic. The findings show that a range of products has been covered, whereas electronic hardware still constitutes a large proportion. Meanwhile, attention to software obsolescence has grown. Cost model-based strategies are a key means of obsolescence management, particularly for replacement, mitigation, and monitoring. The findings also reveal the need to consider multiple key aspects when implementing these strategies. Despite considerable research on different strategies, challenges remain in developing a long-term vision and techniques for obsolescence management, predicting obsolescence, integrating strategies, and addressing the diverse impacts across industries. Limited research has explored how to identify the most appropriate approach or performed action, and further studies are needed to develop new methods and techniques to manage obsolescence and also to provide systematic guidance for implementing obsolescence management strategies.