Factor Determination And Reverse Logistics Modelling: Theory Vs. Practice

Reverse logistics management has been the subject of scientific and practical attention for a few decades now. An additional interest for this topic has arisen during the last decade, due to a growing number of business entities it affects and the insight into the strategic potential of adequately managing the reverse logistics flows. Up to now, practical research and empirical confirmation regarding reverse logistics management has been scarce, and the question of defining elements, i.e. factors which determine the reverse logistics flows has remained without a complete answer. In time, various authors have tried to solve this question by setting certain guidelines and models which comprehensively show factors considered to be of key importance for the realization of the reverse logistics flows. The subject of this paper is to analyze in depth such existing models. After defining the very term of reverse logistics, the carried out model analysis respects the dynamic time component, first focusing on the theoretical model in this area- the Carter-Ellram model, and later on to the one empirically confirmed- the contemporary reverse logistics model. The aim of this paper is threefold. First, to explain the evolution of the meaning of reverse logistics. Second, to revise the two approaches which most comprehensively define the set of factors considered to be of most importance for the reverse logistics management. Thirdly, it is necessary to compare the factors identified within the theoretical model, with the ones generated empirically, in order to see the similarities and certain differences among them.