Nested Lifecycles-Improving the Visibility of Product Lifespans in Smart Factories

Within the smart factory environment, we have a complex system of systems composed of Industry 4.0/digital technologies and assets with varying lifespans. Different degrees of innovation maturity and different lifespans of integrated assets within the industrial internet of things (IIOT) are considered problematic and lead to different perspectives on asset lifecycles as they impact significantly on the asset lifespans. This leads to the loss of a clear end-of-life phase defined in existing Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) models. Through an integrative literature review, this study introduces the concept of nested lifecycles that takes a systems perspective to asset management, and considers subsystems with different lifespans that must be managed holistically by different actors with different perspectives. Additionally, this study provides a framework to derive strategies for lifecycle management by allowing the nested lifecycles to be clearly identified and then addressed. From the theoretical perspective, the notion of nested lifecycles provides a novel viewpoint for the asset management and PLM research community. From the managerial perspective, the proposed framework will help managers identify why and where collaboration between different actors may create difficulties due to their varying outlooks and training.