Life cycle phases and design morphology for the implementation of a cooperative inventory pooling-system

Cooperative inventory pooling-systems are a promising solution for increased efficiency in spare parts management by reducing necessary inventory levels and costs. However, there is no methodical approach to enable interested companies to realize the advantages. No required modules and necessary tasks in the life cycle of the cooperation are specified. In this contribution, a specific life cycle model for a cooperative inventory pooling-system is presented. Necessary tasks and modules are described for each phase. We identified three inventory-pooling specific sub phases that are essential for the final implementation of the cooperation. Furthermore, we developed a morphology for the design of the cooperative inventory pooling-system, which provides a framework to describe the cooperation in its structural elements. The method and the framework introduced in this paper allow a structured and systematical implementation of cooperative inventory pooling-systems.