A systematic review of 3PLS’ entry into reverse logistics

Date
2018-11-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concepts of Industry 4.0 and closed loop supply chains are becoming popular as logistics management evolves. Industry 4.0, through its instruments such as cloud manufacturing and the Internet of Things, has been known to improve operations management significantly. At the same time, closed loop supply chains have gained momentum with the increase in environmental sustainability issues. However, closed loop supply chains are often associated with uncertainties in the timing, quality, and quantity of returns. For these and other reasons, most organisations employ third parties to perform most reverse logistics activities. This paper systematically reviews the literature on the entry and use of third parties in reverse logistics with the objective of providing researchers with future research directions for this fast-emerging topic. The results show that there is a need to expand on the literature and on managerial issues such as performance measurement of reverse logistics networks with third parties. The literature also needs to consider how third parties use technological aspects such as Industry 4.0 to manage and operate reverse supply chains successfully.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konsepte van industrie 4.0 en geslote voorsieningskettings word al hoe meer gewild soos logistieke bestuur ontwikkel. Dit is bekend dat Industrie 4.0, deur middel van instrumente soos wolkvervaardiging en die Internet van Dinge, bedryfsbestuur beduidend kan verbeter. Terselfdertyd het geslote voorsieningskettings momentum gekry met die toename in omgewingsvolhoubaarheidskwessies. Geslote voorsieningskettings word egter dikwels geassosieer met onsekerhede in die tydsberekening, kwaliteit en hoeveelheid opbrengste. Om hierdie en ander redes gebruik die meeste organisasies derde partye om die meeste omgekeerde logistieke aktiwiteite uit te voer. In hierdie artikel word die literatuur oor die toetrede en gebruik van derde partye in omgekeerde logistiek hersien, met die doel om navorsers toekomstige navorsingsaanwysings vir hierdie vinnig opkomende onderwerp te verskaf. Die resultate toon dat daar behoefte is aan die uitbreiding van die literatuur en bestuursvraagstukke soos prestasiemeting van omgekeerde logistieke netwerke met derde partye. Die literatuur moet ook oorweeg hoe derde partye tegnologiese aspekte soos Industrie 4.0 gebruik om voorsieningskettings suksesvol te bestuur en te bedryf.
Description
CITATION: Tombido, L. L., Louw, L. & Van Eeden, J. 2018. A systematic review of 3PLS’ entry into reverse logistics. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 29(3):235-260, doi:10.7166/29-3-2062.
The original publication is available at http://sajie.journals.ac.za
Keywords
Integrated logistic support, Supply chain management
Citation
Tombido, L. L., Louw, L. & Van Eeden, J. 2018. A systematic review of 3PLS’ entry into reverse logistics. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 29(3):235-260, doi:10.7166/29-3-2062