Integrating Product, In
formation and Financial Flows in the Returns
Management Process
Year:
2013
Type of item:
Contributo in atti di convegno
Tipologia ANVUR:
Contributo in Atti di convegno
Language:
Inglese
Format:
Elettronico
Congresso:
The 2013 CSCMP Educators’ Conference
Place:
Denver
Period:
October, 20
Page numbers:
3-4
Keyword:
managing retuns; flow integration; grounded theory
Short description of contents:
The strategic importance of managing return goods is gaining attention in
the academic literature. Poorly managed processes can impact a company’s brand
reputation, sustainability i
mpact and profitability. Returns represent a business
conundrum: on the marketing side, returns policies are part of the sales assurance
process
—
promising liberal returns allowances reduces the purchase risk for the
buyer, and thus enhances sales. But on t
he operations side, liberal returns policies
mean more returns, more processing, and thus more expenses incurred. Yet many
firms fail to manage the reverse flow of products well because they do not
understand the value
-
creating potential of effective and e
fficient returns
management. In exploring the cross
-
functional nature of returns management, we
take a systems approach to evaluating the product, information and financial flows
that encompass returns management. The Logistics literature has long highligh
ted
these channel flows in the forward supply chain, but has yet to assess the
integration of these flows in the reverse supply chain. A qualitative methodology
was employed, utilizing multiple sources of evidence including in
-
depth interviews,
site visits
, printed materials provided by the participating firms, and secondary
sources. Six U.S.
-
based firms participated; all firms supply retailers and/or business
customers. A total of 54 managers across the companies participated, reflecting
diversity along mu
ltiple dimensions such as function and job level, in particular. The
results highlight the challenges firms experience in managing these three critical
flows in the reverse supply chain, and simultaneously, how critically important an
integrated approach i
s to successful returns management processes. The results
add to the emerging body of knowledge in the returns management, integration, and
value creation literatures and suggest insights for both theory development and
improved managerial practice
Note:
The 2013 CSCMP Educators’ Conference consists of three tracks. Two research tracks (Supply Chain Research and Logistics Research Track) and one Teaching Innovation Track. The research papers will be hosted in sessions chaired by JBL Associate Editors, who will provide valuable feedback on the topic. Review the Educators' Conference
Frankel, R.; Mollenkopf, D.; Russo, Ivan,
Integrating Product, In
formation and Financial Flows in the Returns
Management Process
, Proceedings of "The 2013 CSCMP Educators’ Conference"
, Denver
, October, 20
, 2013
, pp. 3-4