Factors for implementing end-of-life product reverse logistics in the Chinese manufacturing sector

Abstract

Dedicated, skilled and relatively cheap manpower coupled with efficient manufacturing techniques has elevated China’s status as the world’s factory. China is now capable of producing virtually any product, from cheap toys to some of the most sophisticated goods and equipment. The resultant economic benefits and associated enormous consumption due to rise in per capita income are accompanied by an equally unprecedented negative environmental impact arising from the huge increase of end-of-life (EoL) products. This study aims to understand and prioritise EoL product reverse logistics (RL) factors from Chinese manufacturing sector perspective. Multiple case studies in five different industries within the manufacturing sector have been carried out and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been employed to prioritise the governing factors for the successful RL implementation in the Chinese manufacturing sector. Results indicate that Chinese firms are unlikely to embark on RL operations without external factors such as strict government legislation.

Keywords:

• reverse logistics
• end-of-life products
• manufacturing sector
• AHP
• China

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Ningbo Science and Technology Bureau, under the Innovation Team Project (Grant No. 2011B1006) for sponsoring this research. Also the authors are grateful to the special issue editors and the anonymous reviewers for their critical and very insightful comments that have helped in improving the quality of this article.