Share:


Performance of reverse logistics in electronic commerce: a case study from Lebanon and Syria

    Vida Davidavičienė Affiliation
    ; Mohamad Al Majzoub Affiliation

Abstract

The technological advancements facilitated the progress of the Business-To-Consumer (B2C) e-commerce business tremendously. B2C e-commerce has several benefits such as saving costs by decreasing the use of resources, increasing profits, and competitive advantage, especially in the pandemic context. However, this opportunity comes with challenges, and one of such is related to a significant number of products that are returned to the vendor or manufacturer. These challenges in the Reverse Logistics’ (RL) in the context of e-commerce become a new phenomenon – Reverse E-Logistics’ (REL), because the product in the e-commerce is physical goods or electronic ones like videos, music, books, etc. This study focuses on identifying the most critical factors that impact REL performance and discusses how REL can affect its performance. The methodology used is mainly a literature review, synthesis, survey methods, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). This study is done in Lebanon and Syria with a sample of 412 companies that perform B2C e-commerce and are faced with REL’ . The results showed that out of the ten factors identified during the literature review, eight factors (management, employees, IT and technology, return policy and procedures/guarantee, infrastructure, organizational structure and culture, customer services/satisfaction, and quality management) have a positive correlation with REL performance. Moreover, improved REL performance results increase in companies’ performances. The business research model was created based on performed REL performance in Lebanon and Syria, and this gives new scientific insights and knowledge about REL specificity in developing countries.


First published online 21 May 2021

Keyword : reverse logistics, e-logistics, e-commerce, reverse e-logistics, reverse e-logistics’ performance, supply chain, performance measurement

How to Cite
Davidavičienė, V., & Al Majzoub, M. (2021). Performance of reverse logistics in electronic commerce: a case study from Lebanon and Syria. Transport, 36(3), 260-282. https://doi.org/10.3846/transport.2021.14956
Published in Issue
Sep 28, 2021
Abstract Views
2660
PDF Downloads
2155
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Abebe, G. K.; Bahn, R. A.; Chalak, A.; Yehya, A. A. K. 2020. Drivers for the implementation of market‐based food safety management systems: Evidence from Lebanon, Food Science & Nutrition 8(2): 1082–1092. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.1394

Agarwal, V.; Govindan, K.; Darbari, J. D.; Jha, P. C. 2016. An optimization model for sustainable solutions towards implementation of reverse logistics under collaborative framework, International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management 7(4): 480–487. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13198-016-0486-3

Agrawal, S.; Singh, R. K.; Murtaza, Q. 2016. Triple bottom line performance evaluation of reverse logistics, Competitiveness Review 26(3): 289–310. https://doi.org/10.1108/CR-04-2015-0029

Al Majzoub, M.; Davidavičienė, V. 2019. Comparative analysis of reverse e-logistics’ solution in Asia and Europe, in International Scientific Conference “Contemporary Issues in Business, Management and Economics Engineering 2019”, 9–10 May 2019, Vilnius, Lithuania, 890–899. https://doi.org/10.3846/cibmee.2019.091

Al Majzoub, M.; Davidavičienė, V.; Meidutė-Kavaliauskienė, I. 2020. Measuring the impact of factors affecting reverse elogistics’ performance in the electronic industry in Lebanon and Syria, Independent Journal of Management & Production 11(6): 1969–1990. https://doi.org/10.14807/ijmp.v11i7.1254

Alamir, I.; Ayoubi, R. M.; Massoud, H.; Hallak, L. A. 2019. Transformational leadership, organizational justice and organizational outcomes: A study from the higher education sector in Syria, Leadership & Organization Development Journal 40(7): 749–763. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-01-2019-0033

Alsaeed, A.; Adams, C. 2015. E-service adoption in developing countries with instability status: the case of e-government in Syria, in ECEG 2015 – Proceedings of the 15th European Conference on e-Government, 18–19 June 2015, Portsmouth, UK. 376–385.

Anderson, P. 2018. Aleppo in Asia: mercantile networks between Syria, China and post-Soviet Eurasia since 1970, History and Anthropology 29(1): S67–S83. https://doi.org/10.1080/02757206.2018.1513930

Ardila Gamboa, C. D.; Ballesteros Riveros, F. A. 2018. Data envelopment analysis to measure relative performance based on key indicators from a supply network with reverse logistics, INGE CUC 14(2): 137–146. https://doi.org/10.17981/ingecuc.14.2.2018.13

Asian, S.; Pool, J. K.; Nazarpour, A.; Tabaeeian, R. A. 2019. On the importance of service performance and customer satisfaction in third-party logistics selection: an application of Kano model, Benchmarking: an International Journal 26(5): 1550–1564. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-05-2018-0121

Bahn, R. A.; Abebe, G. K. 2017. Analysis of food retail patterns in urban, peri-urban and rural settings: a case study from Lebanon, Applied Geography 87: 28–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2017.07.010

Bai, C.; Sarkis, J. 2019. Integrating and extending data and decision tools for sustainable third-party reverse logistics provider selection, Computers & Operations Research 110: 188–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cor.2018.06.005

Bal, A.; Satoglu, S. I. 2018. A goal programming model for sustainable reverse logistics operations planning and an application, Journal of Cleaner Production 201: 1081–1091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.08.104

Batarfi, R.; Jaber, M. Y.; Aljazzar, S. M. 2017. A profit maximization for a reverse logistics dual-channel supply chain with a return policy, Computers & Industrial Engineering 106: 58–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2017.01.024

Bouzon, M.; Spricigo, R.; Rodriguez, C. M. T.; De Queiroz, A. A.; Cauchick Miguel, P. A. 2015. Reverse logistics drivers: empirical evidence from a case study in an emerging economy, Production Planning & Control: the Management of Operations 26(16): 1368–1385. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2015.1049239

Cannella, S.; Bruccoleri, M.; Framinan, J. M. 2016. Closed-loop supply chains: what reverse logistics factors influence performance?, International Journal of Production Economics 175: 35–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2016.01.012

Chen, L.; Li, W.; Zhai, H. 2016. The analysis of reverse logistics model in the e-commerce models, International Journal of Grid and Distributed Computing 9(9): 173–184. https://doi.org/10.14257/ijgdc.2016.9.9.15

Chileshe, N.; Rameezdeen, R.; Hosseini, M. R.; Martek, I.; Li, H. X.; Panjehbashi-Aghdam, P. 2018. Factors driving the implementation of reverse logistics: a quantified model for the construction industry, Waste Management 79: 48–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.07.013

Chinda, T. 2017. Examination of factors influencing the successful implementation of reverse logistics in the construction industry: pilot study, Procedia Engineering 182: 99–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.03.128

Choi, Y.; Mai, D. Q. 2018. The sustainable role of the e-trust in the B2C e-commerce of Vietnam, Sustainability 10(1): 291. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10010291

Cooper, A. L.; Huscroft, J. R.; Overstreet, R. E.; Hazen, B. T. 2016. Knowledge management for logistics service providers: the role of learning culture, Industrial Management & Data Systems 116(3): 584–602. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-06-2015-0262

Da Silveira Guimaraes, J. L.; Salomon, V. A. P. 2015. ANP applied to the evaluation of performance indicators of reverse logistics in footwear industry, Procedia Computer Science 55: 139–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2015.07.021

Daugherty, P. J.; Bolumole, Y.; Grawe, S. J. 2019. The new age of customer impatience: An agenda for reawakening logistics customer service research, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management 49(1): 4–32. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-03-2018-0143

Davidavičienė, V.; Raudeliūnienė, J.; Tvaronavičienė, M.; Kaušinis, J. 2019. The importance of security aspects in consumer preferences in electronic environment, Journal of Security and Sustainability Issues: International Entrepreneurial Perspectives and Innovative Outcomes 8(3): 399–411.

El Rassi, M. A. B. 2020. Why one e‐business adoption model won’t fit all firm sizes: the case of Lebanon’s e‐service industry, The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries 86(5): e12135. https://doi.org/10.1002/isd2.12135

Eskandarpour, M.; Masehian, E.; Soltani, R.; Khosrojerdi, A. 2014. A reverse logistics network for recovery systems and a robust metaheuristic solution approach, The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 74(9–12): 1393–1406. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-014-6045-7

Euchi, J.; Bouzidi, D.; Bouzid, Z. 2019. Structural analysis of acute success factors of performance of reverse logistics relative to customer satisfaction, International Journal of Combinatorial Optimization Problems and Informatics 10(2): 39–56.

Ghasemzadeh, F.; Pishdar, M.; Antuchevičienė, J. 2017. Prioritization of petroleum supply chains’ disruption management strategies using combined framework of BSC approach, fuzzy AHP and fuzzy Choquet integral operator, Journal of Business Economics and Management 18(5): 897–919. https://doi.org/10.3846/16111699.2017.1380075

Govindan, K.; Bouzon, M. 2018. From a literature review to a multi-perspective framework for reverse logistics barriers and drivers, Journal of Cleaner Production 187: 318–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.040

Han, H.; Trimi, S. 2018. A fuzzy TOPSIS method for performance evaluation of reverse logistics in social commerce platforms, Expert Systems with Applications 103: 133–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2018.03.003

Huang, Y.-C.; Rahman, S.; Wu, Y.-C. J.; Huang, C.-J. 2015. Salient task environment, reverse logistics and performance, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management 45(9/10): 979–1006. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-08-2014-0182

Ibeh, K.; Kasem, L. 2011. The network perspective and the internationalization of small and medium sized software firms from Syria, Industrial Marketing Management 40(3): 358–367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2010.08.004

Jianu, Iu.; Jianu, Io.; Turlea, C. 2017. Measuring the company’s real performance by physical capital maintenance, Economic Computation and Economic Cybernetics Studies and Research 51(1): 37–57.

Keshavarz Ghorabaee, M.; Amiri, M., Olfat, L.; Khatami Firouzabadi, S. M. A. 2017. Designing a multi-product multi-period supply chain network with reverse logistics and multiple objectives under uncertainty, Technological and Economic Development of Economy 23(3): 520–548. https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2017.1312630

Li, Y.-L.; Ying, C.-S.; Chin, K.-S.; Yang, H.-T.; Xu, J. 2018. Thirdparty reverse logistics provider selection approach based on hybrid-information MCDM and cumulative prospect theory, Journal of Cleaner Production 195: 573–584. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.213

Mahindroo, A.; Samalia, H. V.; Verma, P. 2018. Moderated influence of return frequency and resource commitment on information systems and reverse logistics strategic performance, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management 67(3): 550–570. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-05-2016-0101

Morgan, T. R.; Tokman, M.; Richey, R. G.; Defee, C. 2018. Resource commitment and sustainability: a reverse logistics performance process model, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management 48(2): 164–182. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2017-0068

Mouchawar, R. 2017. Souq.com’s CEO on building an e-commerce powerhouse in the Middle East, Harvard Business Review (5): 35–38.

Mouselli, S.; Khalifa, B. 2017. Entrepreneurship in crisis: the determinants of Syrian students’ entrepreneurial intentions, Business, Management and Education 15(2): 159–173. https://doi.org/10.3846/bme.2017.386

Nisar, T. M.; Prabhakar, G. 2017. What factors determine satisfaction and consumer spending in e-commerce retailing?, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 39: 135–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2017.07.010

Ochocka, J. 2019. Mobile technologies in logistic customer service as a tool for winning customers’ satisfaction, LogForum: Scientific Journal of Logistics 15(3): 403–411. https://doi.org/10.17270/J.LOG.2019.338

Pandian, G. R. S.; Abdul-Kader, W. 2017. Performance evaluation of reverse logistics enterprise – an agent-based simulation approach, International Journal of Sustainable Engineering 10(6): 384–398. https://doi.org/10.1080/19397038.2017.1370032

Panigrahi, S. K.; Kar, F. W.; Fen, T. A.; Hoe, L. K.; Wong, M. 2018. A strategic initiative for successful reverse logistics management in retail industry, Global Business Review 19(3): S151–S175. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150918758096

Pham, T. S. H.; Ahammad, M. F. 2017. Antecedents and consequences of online customer satisfaction: A holistic process perspective, Technological Forecasting and Social Change 124: 332–342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.04.003

Prakash, C.; Barua, M. K. 2015. Integration of AHP-TOPSIS method for prioritizing the solutions of reverse logistics adoption to overcome its barriers under fuzzy environment, Journal of Manufacturing Systems 37: 599–615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmsy.2015.03.001

Pulansari, F.; Sukma Donoriyanto, D.; Masruroh, N. 2016. Customer’s perception and expectation for reverse logistics implementation, Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research 15: 208–211. https://doi.org/10.2991/gcbme-16.2016.38

Sangwan, K. S. 2017. Key activities, decision variables and performance indicators of reverse logistics, Procedia CIRP 61: 257–262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2016.11.185

Sanyala, S.; Hisamb, M. W. 2019. Factors affecting customer satisfaction with ecommerce websites – an Omani perspective, in 2019 International Conference on Digitization (ICD), 18–19 November 2019, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, 232–236. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICD47981.2019.9105780

Shaik, M. N.; Abdul-Kader, W. 2018. A hybrid multiple criteria decision making approach for measuring comprehensive performance of reverse logistics enterprises, Computers & Industrial Engineering 123: 9–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2018.06.007

Sirisawat, P.; Kiatcharoenpol, T. 2018. Fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS approaches to prioritizing solutions for reverse logistics barriers, Computers & Industrial Engineering 117: 303–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2018.01.015

Skafi, M.; Yunis, M. M.; Zekri, A. 2020. Factors influencing SMEs’ adoption of cloud computing services in lebanon: an empirical analysis using toe and contextual theory, IEEE Access 8: 79169–79181. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2987331

Soltany, Z.; Rostamzadeh, R.; Skrickij, V. 2018. A model to evaluate supply chain technology implementation influence on organizational performance, Transport 33(3): 779–792. https://doi.org/10.3846/transport.2018.5468

Sremac, S.; Stević, Ž.; Pamučar, D.; Arsić, M.; Matić, B. 2018. Evaluation of a third-party logistics (3PL) provider using a rough SWARA–WASPAS model based on a new rough Dombi aggregator, Symmetry 10(8): 305. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym10080305

Sri Yogi, K. 2015. Performance evaluation of reverse logistics: a case of LPG agency, Cogent Business & Management 2(1): 1063229. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2015.1063229

Sudarto, S.; Takahashi, K.; Morikawa, K. 2017. Reprint “Efficient flexible long-term capacity planning for optimal sustainability dimensions performance of reverse logistics social responsibility: a system dynamics approach”, International Journal of Production Economics 190: 45–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2017.06.017

Sudarto, S.; Takahashi, K.; Morikawa, K.; Nagasawa, K. 2016. The impact of capacity planning on product lifecycle for performance on sustainability dimensions in reverse logistics social responsibility, Journal of Cleaner Production 133: 28–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.05.095

Sun, Q. 2017. Research on the influencing factors of reverse logistics carbon footprint under sustainable development, Environmental Science and Pollution Research 24(29): 22790–22798. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-8140-9

Tan, Y.; Guo, C. 2019. Research on two-way logistics operation with uncertain recycling quality in government multi-policy environment, Sustainability 11(3): 882. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030882

Tavengerwei, R. 2018. Using trade facilitation to assist MSMEs in e-commerce in developing countries, Journal of International Economic Law 21(2): 349–378. https://doi.org/10.1093/jiel/jgy022

Tosarkani, B. M.; Amin, S. H. 2018. A multi-objective model to configure an electronic reverse logistics network and third party selection, Journal of Cleaner Production 198: 662–682. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.056

Tseng, S.-C.; Hung, S.-W. 2014. A strategic decision-making model considering the social costs of carbon dioxide emissions for sustainable supply chain management, Journal of Environmental Management 133: 315–322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.11.023

Vlachos, I. P. 2016. Reverse logistics capabilities and firm performance: the mediating role of business strategy, International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications: a Leading Journal of Supply Chain Management 19(5): 424–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/13675567.2015.1115471

Wang, H.; Jiang, Z.; Zhang, H.; Wang, Y.; Yang, Y.; Li, Y. 2019. An integrated MCDM approach considering demands-matching for reverse logistics, Journal of Cleaner Production 208: 199–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.131

Waqas, M.; Dong, Q.-L.; Ahmad, N.; Zhu, Y.; Nadeem, M. 2018. Critical barriers to implementation of reverse logistics in the manufacturing industry: a case study of a developing country, Sustainability 10(11): 4202. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10114202

Xu, S. X.; Cheng, M.; Huang, G. Q. 2015. Efficient intermodal transportation auctions for B2B e-commerce logistics with transaction costs, Transportation Research Part B: Methodological 80: 322–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trb.2015.07.022

Xu, Y.; Zhang, X.; Cao, J.; Chen, Y.; Ye, X. 2016. Collaboration and evolution of e-commerce and express delivery industry supply chain, Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society 2016: 3452037. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/3452037

Yadav, D. K.; Barve, A. 2015. Analysis of critical success factors of humanitarian supply chain: an application of interpretive structural modeling, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 12: 213–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2015.01.008

Yu, H.; Solvang, W. D. 2017. A carbon-constrained stochastic optimization model with augmented multi-criteria scenariobased risk-averse solution for reverse logistics network design under uncertainty, Journal of Cleaner Production 164: 1248–1267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.07.066

Zaidan, E. 2017. Analysis of ICT usage patterns, benefits and barriers in tourism SMEs in the Middle Eastern countries: the case of Dubai in UAE, Journal of Vacation Marketing 23(3): 248–263. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356766716654515