21st century reverse logistics : consumer to business space explored

Despite a growing body of information about the importance of good logistics and supply chain management, there remains a dearth of research regarding consumer-to-business reverse logistics (the collection of processes required to move individual goods from individual end-consumers to the appropriate retailer, manufacturer, or third party). Indeed, there is not a comprehensive framework to assist enterprises in understanding, evaluating, creating, implementing, or changing a consumer-to-business reverse logistics policy of program. Given the growth of e-commerce and the Internet channel, where goods are often delivered to end-consumers in quantities of one and may likely be returned in quantities of one, this absence of a framework is peculiar. This thesis seeks to fill that gap by utilizing analysis of existing literature, as well as extrapolation of recent trends and developments in reverse logistics service offerings, technology, and last mile solutions. The results are that there is enough available information on the processes and issues surrounding consumer-to-business reverse logistics that a flexible and pragmatic framework can be proposed for use in the United States. This is accomplished by synthesizing results with original analysis, thought, and context. Though the framework cannot be considered comprehensive, it does provide an initial tool for critique and improvement.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2000

Author dc:creator

• Fleck, Jonathan M. (Jonathan Michael), 1974-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• James B. Rice, Jr.

• Engineering Systems Division.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8730

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/8730