Managing the reverse flow of product is an important ability for any company, as the recent experiences of many online retailers illustrate. Reverse logistics is a growing and…
Abstract
Managing the reverse flow of product is an important ability for any company, as the recent experiences of many online retailers illustrate. Reverse logistics is a growing and important area of strategic advantage for many companies. For a long time, the product life cycle has been a valuable source of insight about the changing needs of marketing and logistics over the life of a product. In this paper, we study the way that reverse logistics is impacted by changes in sales over the product’s life cycle.
Details
Keywords
Ronald S. Tibben‐Lembke and Dale S. Rogers
This paper compares and contrasts forward and reverse logistics in a retail environment, with the focus on the reverse flow of product. Many differences between forward and…
Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts forward and reverse logistics in a retail environment, with the focus on the reverse flow of product. Many differences between forward and reverse flows of logistics systems are presented. The impact of these factors depends to some extent on the supply chain position of a firm. Unlike much reverse logistics research, which is written from the perspective of the firm which will remanufacture or refurbish the product in the reverse flow, we consider the issues from the perspective of the firm generating the reverse flow.
Details
Keywords
Ronald S. Tibben‐Lembke and Dale S. Rogers
Changes over the last 30 years have given companies increased flexibility and control over their logistics activities. During this same period of time, financial markets have…
Abstract
Purpose
Changes over the last 30 years have given companies increased flexibility and control over their logistics activities. During this same period of time, financial markets have embraced stock options, which allow buyers the right but not the obligation to purchase a stock at a specified price in the future. Recent technological developments could enable the trading of formalized options around transportation and logistics services. This paper aims to propose a framework for enabling managers to extend the use of options to the future use of logistics resources.
Design/methodology/approach
Presents a conceptual model that is based on research within the field.
Findings
This paper presents a framework for using transportation options in a similar manner to stock or commodity options: a shipper would buy a transportation option from a carrier, or a carrier's agent, which would give the shipper the right but not the obligation to send a shipment in a particular freight lane at a specified future time, for a specified future cost.
Originality/value
The paper provides a new method for structuring future logistics shipments.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to present the research carried out on the development of a conceptual framework termed as the reverse collaboration framework (RCF) to provide supply…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the research carried out on the development of a conceptual framework termed as the reverse collaboration framework (RCF) to provide supply chain (SC) visibility and information sharing to practitioners in a reverse logistics (RL) operations.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology used in this research is a combination of concept mapping, and the extension of the work of other researchers (deductive approach) to develop a RCF that connects tools, techniques, systems and RL processes.
Findings
This research shows that by integrating tools, systems, tools and techniques with RL processes by means of the RCF will increase performance and productivity of a RL operations. This is demonstrated by applying the RCF to a consumer electronics business that proves that the time taken for the end to end RL operations is reduced by 20%.
Research limitations/implications
The RCF has been demonstrated with the data from a consumer electronics organisation. Literature points out that there are many different mathematical models for RL across a number of industries. Thus, at this stage, it is not clear if the RCF developed in this research will work in other industries, such as the newspaper, plastic bottles and online retailers industry where product returns are high. This research work can be extended in developing an IT solution by future researchers that can be linked to the main ERP system of an organisation.
Practical implications
SC managers can use the RCF in the extended form of an IT solution to manage the RL operations of their organisations.
Originality/value
There is a lack of research in the space of reverse collaboration in the broader field of SC management. This paper has fulfilled that gap.
Details
Keywords
Dale S. Rogers, Zachary S. Rogers and Ronald Lembke
Secondary markets provide a place for unwanted items to be bought and sold, which diverts them from landfills, reducing the products' ecological impact and creating economic…
Abstract
Purpose
Secondary markets provide a place for unwanted items to be bought and sold, which diverts them from landfills, reducing the products' ecological impact and creating economic value. The purpose of this paper is study the secondary markets to understand the size of this important portion of the US economy.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from financial reports, news articles, and interviews with subject experts. From all of these sources, the scope and size of secondary markets can be estimated.
Findings
Secondary markets are effective in diverting a large number of products from landfills, creating numerous jobs, resulting in substantial economic value in the process. Although not reflected in current government metrics, a conservative estimate is that the secondary market represents 2.28 percent of the 2008 US gross domestic product.
Research limitations/implications
Several of the secondary markets have many small players, with no strong trade associations or other authorities to estimate their size. The paper's estimates based on known sources are very conservative, perhaps underestimating the size of these sectors.
Practical implications
As society increasingly pays attention to the ecological impact of its products, secondary markets will play an important role in supply chains. Understanding the magnitude, structure and reach of these markets can help firms develop better product stewardship and lifecycle management.
Social implications
Individuals will not directly change their behavior from this research, but the findings should help companies behave differently, which in the end will offer products with lower ecological impact.
Originality/value
Secondary markets are an integral part of the US economy, and have not been adequately studied.
Details
Keywords
Sunil Luthra, Dixit Garg and Abid Haleem
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and provide an overview of the various issues related to Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) and suggest further scope and direction of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and provide an overview of the various issues related to Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) and suggest further scope and direction of research in this emerging field.
Design/methodology/approach
The work relies on experiences, case studies and other literature related to GSCM. Literature has been segregated to understand various GSCM issues. A detailed review is used to sort out the literature and develop the research direction of the study. The review is focussed on development of GSCM including all those researchers which is relevant to environmental and social sustainability toward operation management and the supply chain. A literature review seems to be a valid approach, as a necessary step in structuring a research field.
Findings
The objectives of this paper are to identify major research work conducted on GSCM and to classify them to identify gaps in literature and opportunities for future research. The paper has provided an integrative framework for study, design, implementation and GSCM performance. The findings also identify a number of issues that need to be addressed.
Research limitations/implications
Implication of the work is that the knowledge of the research gap can be used to focus efforts on key areas so as to ensure speedy and comprehensive implementation of GSCM practices.
Practical implications
The paper may prove to be a very useful source of information to practitioners and regulators in their green practices implementation programs.
Originality/value
This paper provides some of the very first insights into development of GSCM theories. The methodological review will provide better understanding of the current state of research in the discipline.
Details
Keywords
Some companies are finding that reverse logistics offers them a way to make a profit from their returned goods.
Seok-Beom Choi, Hokey Min and Hye-Young Joo
The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of competitive market environments on the firm’s decision to adopt green supply chain management (GSCM) practices, while checking…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of competitive market environments on the firm’s decision to adopt green supply chain management (GSCM) practices, while checking to see if the firm’s commitment to particular types of GSCM practices improves its performance.
Design/methodology/approach
To confirm a positive link between the firm’s GSCM practices to its performance, the authors collected the data from 322 Korean firms via questionnaire surveys and then analyzed these data using the structural equation model.
Findings
Among various types of GSCM practices, green purchasing has the greatest impact on both manufacturing and marketing performances. Also, internal environmental management positively influenced both manufacturing and marketing performances, whereas cooperation with customers and reverse logistics had no significant impact on the firm’s manufacturing and marketing performances.
Originality/value
To provide a practical advice for firms which are hesitant to embrace green supply chain practices due to skeptical views about their true managerial benefits, this paper discerned more effective GSCM practices from less effective GSCM practices. In so doing, this paper is one of the few studies which pinpointed what types of specific GSCM practices are most effective in enhancing firm performance.
Details
Keywords
Dianne J. Hall, Joseph R. Huscroft, Benjamin T. Hazen and Joe B. Hanna
Although the importance of establishing sound metrics is often noted in the logistics literature, few research efforts have examined appropriate metrics for reverse logistics (RL…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the importance of establishing sound metrics is often noted in the logistics literature, few research efforts have examined appropriate metrics for reverse logistics (RL) processes. Through the lens of goal-setting theory, the paper identifies and align salient RL goals and metrics, and uncover some of the most common challenges to RL professionals. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper used open-ended questions to gather qualitative data from 84 RL professionals from the defense industry. A content analysis method was employed to extract and categorize the goals, challenges, and metrics for RL processes.
Findings
The paper identifies specific categories of goals, challenges and metrics. Several themes emerged from the study, to include customer service, disposition, costs, and process efficiencies. Using these themes, the paper matched goals to metrics and found a lack of uniformity and noted that metrics and goals often were not matched or were misaligned.
Research limitations/implications
This research is limited by the defense industry sample and the research method. Caution should be used when generalizing the results, and further research is required to empirically test the validity of the findings. Nonetheless, in the context of goal-setting theory, the study contributes to the performance metrics literature by aligning RL metrics with goals and addressing challenges faced by RL practitioners. By investigating the topic from multiple perspectives, the study provides more detailed findings and demonstrates the differences between the inbound and outbound RL processes.
Practical implications
This study provides insight into the metrics used to monitor and control RL processes. The findings may help firms to identify shortcomings and choose metrics that they can employ to align RL processes with firm goals.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the performance metrics literature by aligning RL metrics with goals and addressing challenges faced by RL practitioners. By investigating the topic from both an inbound and outbound perspective, the study provides more detailed findings and demonstrates the differences between the inbound and outbound RL processes.