Which strategy can often complement cannibalization in inventory management?

Controlled exchange is a strategy that can effectively complement cannibalization in inventory management. When a company cannibalizes its own products, it is often to make way for new offerings or to respond to changing consumer demand. During this process, controlled exchange helps manage the flow of inventory by allowing the organization to strategically redistribute or exchange excess inventory without negatively impacting overall sales or brand reputation.

This approach ensures that products that are near their end-of-life stage or have been replaced by newer models can be exchanged or sold in a manner that maximizes their value. By aligning this strategy with cannibalization, companies can efficiently handle surplus inventory and minimize losses that might arise from traditional clearance methods.

The other strategies, while valuable in their contexts, do not align as closely with the specific dynamics of cannibalization. Preventive maintenance focuses on keeping existing inventory or equipment in working order, operational planning pertains to the broader logistics and execution of business functions, and asset disposal deals primarily with the liquidation of unwanted or unusable stock. These approaches do not inherently support the nuanced inventory management needs that accompany a cannibalization strategy.