The Impact Of Reverse Logistics On The Transportation And Logistics Field

All about Reverse Logistics
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Abstract
For this research project, the reader will be able to better understand the concept of reverse logistics. Reverse logistics is the ‘reverse’ effect of forward logistics. Apart from having the product go from production to the end user, the product will now go from the end user to the producer. This concept is mainly dealing with products that are recalled, past shelf life, or returned. A product being returned can be for any number of reasons; broken, unwanted, or even returned due to notification of recall. Once a customer brings in a select product for return, it is then inputted into a system to further be processed for return to manufacturer. Once to the manufacturer, there are multiple ways to handle the product. The 3Rs (recycle, reuse, and reduce) is a great guidance tool for this step. The product can be properly recycled, reused for spare parts or fixed itself, or the product can be used to help reduce the product to improve the expected life span. Reverse logistics may have multiple moving parts to the process, but has greatly impacted the operations of transportation and logistics, as will be discussed within the paper.
Table of Contents
TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Abstract PAGEREF _Toc499813895 \h 2
Introduction PAGEREF _Toc499813896 \h 4
What is Reverse Logistics? PAGEREF _Toc499813897 \h 5
Step by Step Process of Reverse Logistics PAGEREF _Toc499813898 \h 7
Decisions to Be Made Once in the Hands of the Manufacturer PAGEREF _Toc499813899 \h 8
Challenges Faced By Reverse Logistics PAGEREF _Toc499813900 \h 12
Possible Solutions to the Stated Challenges PAGEREF _Toc499813901 \h 14
Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc499813902 \h 16
References PAGEREF _Toc499813903 \h 18
Introduction
Reverse logistics involves moving products from the end user all the way back to the manufacturer. Reverse logistics is important because it reduces wastage and ensures that the products being moved back to the manufacturers are put to better use. It ensures that consumers utilize the value of a product effectively through use and reuse of the product (Britto & Dekker, 2002). It deals with all the operations involved in the management of products to be recovered. These products are usually moved due to reasons such as recall of products by the manufacturer or expiry of the products. Reverse logistics can be initiated by law, profits that are ripped from the process or the desire of a company to engage in reverse logistics as a result of felt a responsibility (Britto & Dekker, 2002). It is however valuable to any company since the benefits are high. Reverse logistics is more labor intensive than primary logistics since it involves the same process as primary logistics, but instead of large quantities of products, only a few are involved since goods are processed as received from the consumers (Reese, 2011).
Reverse logistics comes with its share of challenges. The whole process of reverse logistics may pose a challenge to the organization since it requires drastic changes in the organization in terms of policies, procedures and structure and failure to be flexible can result in poor reverse logistics. In addition, consumers may ...