Mike Bernon

Retail reverse logistics: a call and grounding framework for research

Purpose – From a synthesis of empirical findings and literature, the aim of this paper is to present a conceptual framework for managing retail reverse logistics operations. The framework is designed to assist both practitioners and academics in better understanding the key management aspects involved. The paper also identifies some future research directions that are derived from this conceptual framework.Design/methodology/approach – The study was exploratory and motivated by a grounded theory approach aimed at providing a conceptual framework for managing retail reverse logistics.Findings – Retail reverse logistics operations are multi‐faceted and need to be managed as an integrated supply chain activity. Three overarching management dimensions are proposed; operational performance, organisational integration and management reporting and control.Research limitations/implications – This is an inductive piece of research and it is important to recognise that only analytical generalisation is claimed rath...

An integrated approach to managing reverse logistics

Supply chain management has been defined as the management of upstream and downstream relationships with suppliers and customers in order to create enhanced value in the final market-place at less cost to the supply chain as a whole. However, most research in the field has focused on the delivery of product to the market-place and there has been limited research on the reverse logistics process. The research reported in this paper seeks to contribute to the development of a literature on reverse logistics and, based on empirical findings in the UK retail sector, it is argued that if organisations managed product returns in a holistic way, the level of returns currently experienced by retailers could be reduced significantly. A framework is put forward for managing reverse logistics through adopting the three management approaches of integration, collaboration and evaluation. In conclusion, it is argued that the use of such an integrated supply chain approach offers significant opportunities to reduce the cost of reverse logistics operations while maximising asset recovery values.

An exploration of supply chain integration in the retail product returns process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore supply chain integration (SCI) enabling practices, their benefits and barriers in a retail product returns process context. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a case study research strategy. It draws on a single case, comprised of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and its two retailers. It utilizes an in-depth semi structured interviewing approach, combined with walk-through observations. Findings – The study finds that management of retail product returns can significantly benefit both an OEM and its customers when appropriate SCI enabling practices are deployed. While these practices are similar to those in forward supply chain processes, barriers are driven by the characteristics of product returns processes. Research limitations/implications – The limitations of this study stem primarily from its methodological design. A single case research strategy provides a limited opportunity for external generalization of the resear...

The evolution of customised executive education in supply chain management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the evolving nature of supply chain management customised executive education over the past decade and present a conceptual framework for curriculum development and design.Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a combination of methods utilising both in‐depth interviews with academics and practitioners and a single longitudinal case study based on records of 197 customised executive education programmes delivered since 2000.Findings – The findings show that the needs of practitioners have evolved from acquiring competency‐based training to obtaining support for wider strategy deployment and change management programmes within organisations. Moreover, the design and delivery of programmes have developed over the period considering the requirements for experiential learning, project work involving deeper faculty engagement, pre‐ and post‐course project activity, supported by internet‐based learning portals.Research limitations/implications – The auth...

Online retail returns management: Integration within an omni-channel distribution context

Purpose – With the rapid growth of consumer sales being fulfilled through omni-channel retailing, the purpose of this paper is to explore the subsequent impact on the levels of consumer retail returns experienced through online sales and the emergent returns management strategies being affected by retailers in relation to network configuration and returns management processes. Design/methodology/approach – The authors uses a mixed methods approach from an interpretive perspective. It is appropriate to describe the approach in terms of convergent design, since the authors have collected both qualitative and quantitative data. Findings – Return rates for online retailing can be double those for stores, while return levels for “considered purchases” remain similar. The findings suggest that omni-channel returns management has yet to fully mature and the authors find challenges for network design and returns processes in offering a seamless solution. Research limitations/implications – For practitioners the a...

Applying selected quality management techniques to diagnose delivery time variability

Purpose – This research seeks to identify and apply techniques that can be used in a supply chain context to diagnose the causes of variability in delivery lead time. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review was conducted and a number of quality management (QM), techniques were selected as candidates for diagnosing delivery time variability. A case study of the application of these techniques is provided on the UK-based defence supply chain that supported UK operations in the Iraq war of 2003. Findings – Candidate QM techniques for diagnosing delivery time variability were identified, namely: Process Chart; Histogram; Failure Mode and Effect Analysis; and Cause and Effect Analysis. These techniques were successful in enabling the diagnosis of the causes of delivery time variability in the context of the case study investigated. Practical implications – The work illustrates how QM techniques can be employed to address issues with supply chains, not least with regard to the important problem of variability in delivery leadtime. In practice, this highlights benefits that result to practitioners in order to improve the performance of operations in a dynamic setting, such as the defence supply chain studied here. Originality/value – This work has value in presenting the findings of an in-depth case study on the application of QM techniques in a multi-echelon supply chain setting. It is also original in employing the FMEA technique together with an end-customer perspective to assess the effect of failure modes in operations across a supply chain. FMEA also provided the means to examine supply chain risk, thus providing a research instrument for deploying risk as a lens. The application of QM techniques in this novel setting provides support for their application beyond the conventional setting of internal operations.

Aligning Retail Reverse Logistics Practice with Circular Economy Values: An Exploratory Framework

Abstract Although there is a growing body of literature concerning Circular Economy (CE), there is little, in terms of frameworks in the literature, which focuses on embedding CE values in consumer Retail Reverse Logistics (RRL) operations. The aim of this paper is to present a conceptual framework that supports the adoption of CE values within RRL operations. The framework is designed to assist both practitioners and academics in better understanding the key management aspects involved. The methodology adopts a mixed methods approach combining a desk-based research with rich empirical data from interviews with senior management practitioners and academics in the fields of CE and RRL. From this research, it was found that embedding CE values within RRL necessitates the adoption of a multi-faceted approach. The adoption of the framework will have an impact on practitioners by assisting them in moving towards a more restorative and less impactful approach to their RRL practices. The work is considered innovative and novel as this is the first time the empirical results that suggest a multi-dimensional approach embedding CE values in RRL operations are presented.