In this paper, we assess the need for logistics information and knowledge management in humanitarian aid organizations. To do so, we combine literature sources with an extensive case study that we conducted at Médecins sans Frontières–Holland, which is following a trajectory to improve...

In this paper we investigate recent initiatives with respect to extended producer responsibility in the aviation sector. We compare those with the existing practices in the automobile sector and the emerging regulations in the shipping sector. We describe the challenges and the lessons to be...

In this article, we discuss ways of actively influencing product returns and we review data-driven methods for forecasting return flows that exploit the fact that future returns are a function of past sales. In particular we assess the value of return forecasting at an operational level,...

Reverse Logistics has been stretching out worldwide, involving all the layers of supply chains in various industry sectors. While some actors in the chain have been forced to take products back, others have pro-actively done so, attracted by the value in used products One way or the other,...

During the early nineties, the Council of Logistics Management started publishing studies where Reverse Logistics was recognized as being relevant both for business and society (Stock, 1992). Other studies followed stressing the opportunities on reuse and recycling (Kopicki et al., 1993),...

Already for a long time retailers take back products. In this paper we explore the factors contributing to the decision of combining vs. separating inbound and outbound flows during the return handling process. We do so through a comparative analysis of the operations in nine retailer...

Products, components, materials and other equipment stream forward andback wards and back in their supply chains. Reverse Logistics dealswith the processes associated with the reverse stream fromusers/owners to re-users. This paper provides a review and contentanalysis of scientific literature...

In this article we focus on product return handling and warehousingissues. In some businesses return rates can be well over 20% andreturns can be especially costly when not handled properly. In spiteof this, many managers have handled returns extemporarily. The factthat quantitative methods...