Reverse Logistics: The Difference between Service andManufacturing Industry

This chapter examines reverse logistics management in services and presents some managerial issues of service companies concerning reverse logistics in comparison to manufacturing companies. The data were collected through personal interviews. The findings reveal several differences between reverse logistics in services compared to other industries. Specifically, we found that reverse logistics of services is driven substantially more often by issues surrounding customer relationships and marketing concerns, while corporate responsibility, concern for the environment, government regulation and cost reduction are more frequently drivers introduced by managers of manufacturing companies. Services, particularly in small-sized companies, are more innovative in their reverse logistics policies and the impact of reverse logistics on profitability is perceived substantially higher in comparison to manufacturers. Results show that reverse logistics in services might be very promising area of research which can help enrich the current knowledge of reverse logistics in general. This paper has both managerial and theoretical implications for extending the existing knowledge gap of reverse logistics in services.