Eugenio Felipe Merlano, Regina Frei, Danni Zhang, Ekaterina Murzacheva and Steve Wood
The expansion of online shopping aligned with challenging economic conditions has contributed to increasing fraudulent retail product returns. Retailers employ numerous…
Abstract
Purpose
The expansion of online shopping aligned with challenging economic conditions has contributed to increasing fraudulent retail product returns. Retailers employ numerous interventions typically determined by embedded perspectives within the company (supply side) rather than consumer-based assessments of their effectiveness (demand side). This study aims to understand how customers evaluate counter-fraud measures on opportunistic returns fraud in the UK. Based on the fraud triangle and the theory of planned behaviour, we develop an empirically informed framework to assist retail practice.
Design/methodology/approach
We collected 485 valid survey responses about consumer attitudes regarding which interventions are effective against different types of returns fraud. First, a principal component section evaluates the policies' effectiveness to identify any policy grouping that could help prioritise specific sets of policies. Second, cluster analysis follows a two-stage approach, where cluster size is determined, and then survey respondents are partitioned into subgroups based on how similar their beliefs are regarding the effectiveness of anti-fraud policies.
Findings
We identify policies relating to perceived effectiveness of interventions and create customer profiles to assist retailers in conceptualising potential opportunistic fraudsters. Our product returns fraud framework adopts a consumer perspective to capture the perceived behavioural control of potential fraudsters. Results suggest effectiveness of different types of interventions vary between different types of consumers, which leads to the development of propositions to combat the fraud.
Originality/value
This study is unique in assessing the perceived effectiveness of a range of interventions based on data collection and advanced analytics to combat fraudulent product returns in omnichannel retail.
Details
Keywords
Jamal El Baz, Regina Frei and Issam Laguir
The purpose of this paper is to investigate reverse supply chain (RSC) practices and their obstacles using case studies of Moroccan companies. The authors present the main…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate reverse supply chain (RSC) practices and their obstacles using case studies of Moroccan companies. The authors present the main findings of case studies’ analysis along with a discussion of an RSC framework for further directions of research.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach was adopted and semi-structured interviews with Moroccan companies were conducted using an interview guide.
Findings
The authors present an RSC model that encompasses remanufacturing, refurbishing and disposal processes. The authors believe that this model would constitute a promising framework for further research. The findings show that the successful implementation of RSC depends on many factors, but the company’s attitude (proactive or conservative) is one of the most critical determinants in RSC initiatives. Furthermore, the results of the case studies indicate two types of inhibitors: external and internal. These findings confirm the results of previous research on environmental sustainability obstacles in general and RSC obstacles in particular.
Research limitations/implications
This study has some limitations that provide future research opportunities. Because this study is qualitative, further statistical support is needed to justify wider generalisation of its findings. Further studies might therefore investigate RSC practices in developing countries other than Morocco to increase the external validity of the results.
Practical implications
The findings can help firms to gain better understanding of their RSC and particularly the link between forward and RSCs. Consequently, companies can upgrade their business models to better control their RSC activities.
Originality/value
The relevant literature about RSC practices has mainly targeted manufacturing sectors in developed countries, and few studies have been conducted on developing countries. Research on RSC practices in developing countries in general and African countries in particular is sparse. This is one of the first articles written to address this gap by investigating RSC practices in Morocco.
Details
Keywords
Regina Frei, Lisa Jack and Steve Brown
This article sheds light onto the increasing problem of product returns, which is exacerbated by growing e-commerce. Many retailers and academics are oblivious to the nature and…
Abstract
Purpose
This article sheds light onto the increasing problem of product returns, which is exacerbated by growing e-commerce. Many retailers and academics are oblivious to the nature and scale of this challenge. Interdisciplinary research is needed to develop supporting theory, and cross-functional teams are required to implement measures addressing economic, ecological and social sustainability issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The initial project adopted a multi-case study approach, whereby returns processes were mapped, vulnerabilities identified and a returns cost calculator was developed.
Findings
Product returns processes are usually complicated, prone to internal and external fraud, inefficient and lack sustainability. They can generate considerable losses to the business, especially as returns data are often not systematically collected, monitored or reported to senior management. There are important implications for strategic and operational management, namely the need to develop a concept for Lean returns systems.
Originality/value
Product returns are a unique and understudied but growing field in academic research, with only few publications over the last two decades. Yet the phenomenon is causing increasing problems in business and society. Robust solutions could achieve great financial and non-financial impacts.
Details
Keywords
Tiago F.A.C. Sigahi, Izabela Simon Rampasso, Rosley Anholon and Laerte Idal Sznelwar
This paper aims to discuss how the theory of complex thinking can be considered an interesting element in engineering education, especially in the context in which challenges…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to discuss how the theory of complex thinking can be considered an interesting element in engineering education, especially in the context in which challenges toward sustainable development are multidisciplinary.
Design/methodology/approach
This viewpoint synthesizes the main reflections and discussions generated during a process of debate, research and creation of a proposal for an undergraduate engineering course at a higher education institution in Brazil. The literature on engineering education, sustainability and complexity was considered in an integrated way. Debates were conducted considering the authors’ knowledge and experience as professors of engineering courses and researchers in the field of sustainability. A qualitative and reflexive approach was used to organize the main discussions.
Findings
The prevailing classical engineering paradigm trains professionals to think from a Cartesian, reductionist perspective, appropriate for solving well-structured problems with known solution paths and convergent answers. However, addressing sustainability challenges requires a different kind of thinking capable of dealing with situations characterized by uncertainty, emergence and incompleteness of knowledge. Complexity thinking can be useful for this purpose as it provides a broad system approach to deal with ill-defined, ill-structured and unpredictable problems. This study can be understood as a call to researchers and professionals to consider the value and importance of complexity thinking to advance engineering education for sustainability.
Originality/value
The need to overcome the limits of the classical engineering paradigm is emphasized in the context of sustainability. Complex thinking is considered as a path toward a paradigm shift in engineering education for sustainability. It can contribute to the training of professionals to face pressing challenges now and in the future. This viewpoint provides some insights to enhance debates on education engineering.
Details
Keywords
Leonardo Fonseca Maciel, Cassiane da Silva Oliveira, Eliete da Silva Bispo and Maria da P. Spínola Miranda
Phenolic compounds, including flavonoids, are nutritionally important for their antioxidant activities and protective functions against disease risk caused by oxidative stress…
Abstract
Purpose
Phenolic compounds, including flavonoids, are nutritionally important for their antioxidant activities and protective functions against disease risk caused by oxidative stress. These compounds are primarily found in fruits, and mangoes are an important source. This paper aims to address these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
In this work, the antioxidant activities of mangoes cultivated in three different ways were evaluated by their ability to capture free radicals using the DPPH radical.
Findings
The results showed that the biodynamic mangoes had highest antioxidant activity in mature‐green and ripe fruits, while for those of organic origin the antioxidant activity was highest in unripe fruits. The organic mangoes also showed highest values of phenolic compounds at all maturation stages. The mangoes from conventional crops had lower values for all parameters evaluated in this study than the organically and biodynamically cultivated fruits.
Originality/value
This work brings an important contribution in the field of agriculture at a time when organic and biodynamic systems of cultivation are an alternative to the conventional system and that pollutes the environment and produces food that contains quantities of chemical contaminants that can damage the health of the consumer. The comparison in phenolic compounds content, flavonoids and antioxidant activity in biodynamic, organic and conventional systems is original and of great importance, showing that the ecological cropping systems are less harmful to the environment and promote improvements to the chemical composition of foods.
Details
Keywords
P.R. Srijithesh, E.V. Gijo, Pritam Raja, Shreeranga Bhat, S. Mythirayee, Ashok Vardhan Reddy Taallapalli, Girish B. Kulkarni, Jitendra Siani and H.R. Aravinda
Workflow optimisation is crucial for establishing a viable acute stroke (AS) intervention programme in a large tertiary care centre. This study aims to utilise Lean Six Sigma…
Abstract
Purpose
Workflow optimisation is crucial for establishing a viable acute stroke (AS) intervention programme in a large tertiary care centre. This study aims to utilise Lean Six Sigma (LSS) principles to enhance the hospital's workflow.
Design/methodology/approach
The Action Research methodology was used to implement the project and develop the case study. The study took place in a large tertiary care academic hospital in India. The Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control approach optimised the workflow within 6 months. Lean tools such as value stream mapping (VSM), waste audits and Gemba were utilised to identify issues involving various stakeholders in the workflow. Sigma-level calculations were used to compare baseline, improvement and sustainment status. Additionally, statistical techniques were effectively employed to draw meaningful inferences.
Findings
LSS tools and techniques can be effectively utilised in large tertiary care hospitals to optimise workflow through a structured approach. Sigma ratings of the processes showed substantial improvement, resulting in a five-fold increase in clinical outcomes. Specifically, there was a 43% improvement in outcome for patients who underwent acute stroke revascularisation. However, certain sigma ratings deteriorated during the control and extended control (sustainment) phases. This indicates that ensuring the sustainability of quality control interventions in healthcare is challenging and requires continuous auditing.
Research limitations/implications
The article presents a single case study deployed in a hospital in India. Thus, the generalisation of outcomes has a significant limitation. Also, the study encounters the challenge of not having a parallel control group, which is a common limitation in quality improvement studies in healthcare. Many studies in healthcare quality improvement, including this one, are limited by minimal data on long-term follow-up and the sustainability of achieved results.
Originality/value
This study pioneers the integration of LSS methodologies in a large Indian tertiary care hospital, specifically targeting AS intervention. It represents the first LSS case study applied in the stroke department of any hospital in India. Whilst most case studies discuss only the positive aspects, this article fills a critical gap by unearthing the challenges of applying LSS in a complex healthcare setting, offering insights into sustainable quality improvement and operational efficiency. This case study contributes to the theoretical understanding of LSS in healthcare. It showcases its real-world impact on patient outcomes and process optimisation.