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In a closed-loop supply chain, the reuse of spare parts from returned systems is a recovery process referred to as spare parts harvesting. The unpredictability of the parts supply capacity from returned systems is a challenge in healthcare industry as product returns depend on several factors and regulatory and legal requirements must be respected. The focus of this paper is to provide a forecasting method of harvested parts supply capacity in healthcare industry that combines statistical methods with field information and business knowledge to provide an informed forecast. We propose a dynamic forecasting process that gets updated monthly employing TSB-Croston, 12-month moving average, ARIMA, ARIMA with seasonality, and a new business knowledge based model. A prediction method of the inventory state changes is introduced. The forecasters judgment is transformed into validation rules for an automatic forecast adjustment. This method is evaluated on more than 1400 time series with intermittent behaviour representing General Electric Healthcare spare parts harvesting history. We evaluate the performance of our method compared to each tested model using a modified MAPE, MAE, MSE, and RMSE. By means of the designed method, the forecast performance is improved compared to all tested models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dramatic increase in Chinese residents' income has driven a sharp increase in the purchase of household durable metal products (HDMPs), which are classified into automobiles and other durable products, mainly appliances and electronics. To explore the energy efficiency potential of the closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) for the HDMP industry in China, we develop a comprehensive evaluation framework based on dynamic material flow analysis and life cycle assessment. The results show that the demand for appliances and electronics and for electric cars will reach peaks in 2028 and 2035, respectively, and annual scrap for appliances and electronics and for electric cars will reach peaks in approximately 2036 and 2040, respectively. The recycling of scrap iron, aluminium, and copper can achieve energy conservation of approximately 72%, 94%, and 82%, respectively, compared with metal primary production, while remanufacturing processes can further reduce energy consumption by approximately 68%, 57%, and 72%, respectively. If the energy consumption of metal production, recycling rate, and remanufacturing rate can reach internationally advanced levels by 2035, approximately 50.5 Mtce (million-ton coal equivalent) will be saved compared to low-speed development by 2050; among these factors, the regeneration of waste metals can achieve the most significant energy efficiency effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study deals with a closed-loop supply chain where inventory levels are controlled by an order-up-to inventory policy. The system under consideration is the cylinder-packaged gas supply chain of Air Liquide company, where empty cylinders used by customers are returned to be filled again by company plants. First, we examine the goodness of fit for demand distributions based on company real data. This enables us to better characterise demands pertaining to different classes of products. Then, we formulate the multi-echelon serial inventory model to be optimised and propose a heuristic to compute the target inventory levels that helps in achieving the desired customer service level while minimising the total inventory cost. The proposed heuristic is easy to implement in the field and gives results close those obtained using a simulation-optimisation approach that is more time-consuming. Finally, we perform a numerical analysis based on company real data and compare several methods that can be used to compute the target inventory levels by varying mainly two assumptions: parameters regarding demand distributions and metrics used to assess customer service levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Operations management researchers and practitioners have shown increasing interest in incorporating sustainability into supply chain (SC) design models. This means that sustainability must be considered in all aspects of the SC, including location, inventory and transportation (LIT) decisions. Hence the aim of this article is to propose an optimisation model that incorporates: (i) LIT decisions in an integrated manner; (ii) the three sustainability (3S) aspects, i.e. economic, environmental and social, into each named decisions; and (iii) a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) structure. The proposed formulation is a multi-objective mixed integer non-linear programming (MO-MINLP) model whose objectives consider minimisation of economic and social costs (economic aspect) and carbon emissions (environmental aspect), and maximisation of the social impact of SC operations (social aspect). A transformation technique is applied to one of the objective functions, which results in an MO-MILP model solved by the lexicographic method. This article focuses on commodity industries where only one finished product is manufactured. Hence the 3S-LIT model is validated with a randomly generated dataset and against a recently published alternative model applied to the copper mining industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the impact of return decisions on the bullwhip effect in the online closed-loop supply chain. We investigate the optimal return modes when the inspection system is undertaken by the logistics centre or the remanufacturer. Then, we optimise the online retailers' return decisions of minimising the inventory cost and bullwhip effect under different supply chain circumstances. Distinctive from previous conclusion that the inspection operation is usually undertaken by the remanufacturer to sort the returned products, the analysis results reveal that the optimal decision of mitigating the bullwhip effect in most cases is to set the inspection system on logistics centre. Besides, consumers' return and exchange behaviours in e-commerce have different impacts on the supply chain efficiency. The product return can not necessarily mitigate the information distortion in online closed-loop supply chain. The research provides insights for managers to strategise about return policies and resource allocation in different e-commerce contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a circular economy (CE) and protect the environment, waste recycling (WR) is crucial. This study examines WR research conducted over the past two decades to identify the most significant advancements and promising areas for future research. The following challenges were handled through text mining, content, and bibliometrics analysis: How has CE influenced the evolution of WR research? What are the CE's most important WR research trends and themes? What directions could future research on WR take regarding the CE transition? Using 1118 articles from the Scopus database journal, bibliometric networks were made and analyzed. Hence, five critical CE-related problems needing further research were recognized: waste recycling is the first cluster, followed by technology, the CE transformation, plastic waste, and waste management (WM). Examining WM and inclusive waste reduction practices and their distinct highlight patterns may impact future research fields and serve as a transitional tool to CE (which aims to minimize waste generation). Forthcoming research targets contain waste reduction and incorporation of WR into the CE framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid growth of the electric vehicle industry, the recycling of power batteries has attracted significant attention. In light of current circumstances, the question of how the government can incentivize relevant stakeholders to actively engage in recycling and improve its efficiency has become increasingly pressing. In this context, this study analyses and develops four closed-loop supply chain recycling models to investigate how different government subsidy recipients under varying power structures influence recycling efficiency, profitability, and the overall supply chain structures. The following conclusions are derived from numerical simulations: (1) Government subsidies serve to elevate recycling prices, expand profit margins, and consequently boost the volume of recycled batteries, thus incentivizing corporate engagement in recycling initiatives. (2) When the processor assumes the role of the leader in the Stackelberg game framework, it can maximize the overall efficiency and profitability of the supply chain. (3) The sensitivity coefficient and the competition coefficient are closely interrelated, exerting opposing impacts on the recycling decision made by enterprises. (4) The supply chain leader plays a crucial role in ensuring orderly supply chain development, with government subsidies of the supply chain being transmitted to its members through the leader. Consequently, this study offers a theoretical foundation for the government to enhance policy-making and for enterprises to make informed decisions. It also holds significant practical relevance in addressing the challenges associated with power battery recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of closed-loop supply chains (CLSC) and reverse logistics (RL) to improve the triple bottom line (economic, social and environmental values) has increased the development of design and management models for CLSCs and RL. Consequently, there exists an extensive body of literature dedicated to exploring these supply and logistics issues. This paper reviews recent and relevant literature on CLSC and RL with an emphasis on uncertainty, carbon emissions, greenness index, return product quality and reliability considerations. The selected references are organized, reviewed, and analyzed to establish valuable mapping to highlight major findings. Finally, the outcomes are synthesized, and the primary research gaps are emphasized, pointing toward potential avenues for future investigation. These findings reveal that research efforts must be directed towards the development of multi-criteria greenness indices and multi-objective robust optimization models for uncertain quality and reliability of returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular design facilitates easy disassembly and reduces the manufacturer's remanufacturing costs. However, the simplicity and modular structure of products can intensify competition between manufacturers and third-party recyclers. To improve recovery efficiency, this study examines the impact of modular design on the manufacturer's selection of recovery strategies, including centralized, cooperation, and competition strategies. We examine the optimal recovery strategy for achieving both economic goals, such as supply chain profit, and environmental goals, such as collection quantity. Our results indicate that the manufacturer should adopt cooperation recovery and invest in higher modularity when faced with strong competition from third-party recyclers. Conversely, when the competitiveness of third-party recovery is relatively low, a competition recovery strategy is more advantageous. Contrary to conventional wisdom, which suggests limiting product disassembly to reduce third-party recovery competitiveness, our results indicate that manufacturers should invest in higher modularity and avoid engaging in price wars to prevent third-party entry. Moreover, competition recovery leads to a higher collection quantity, while cooperation recovery is preferred in terms of supply chain profit. This study provides theoretical guidance for manufacturers in selecting optimal recovery strategies and offers recommendations for governments on regulating product disassembly effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers and practitioners have been paying close attention to the circular economy (CE) since it addresses both social and environmental benefits. It allows for the optimization of the manufacturing process by developing sustainable products that retain as much of their value as feasible. This study focuses on the constraints that obstruct the application of circular economy practices in the Malaysian automobile industry. Slight attention has been paid in the literature to the hurdles to CE adoption in Malaysia. Moreover, the pandemic COVID- 19 that disrupted the supply chain in automotive industries are the foundation of issue that led to this study. Governmental, economic, and social barriers are identified among the barriers that impede the implementation of CE for automotive industry in Malaysia. Expected result will suggest the most significant variable influencing barriers to the implementation of CE practices. Researchers might use the proposed new conceptual framework to conduct future research or add more variables to the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting a circular economy requires an active engagement of enterprises, the government, and the consumers. However, the extant literature has limited evidence of government policies and enterprise initiatives' impact on circular economy adoption. This study addresses this gap and develops a framework investigating the government and enterprises' roles in adopting the circular economy. A total of 518 responses were obtained from Indian consumers. The data analysis was performed using structural equation modelling in SmartPLS. Our study's findings indicate that the government, directly and indirectly, influences attitude towards the circular economy. In contrast, enterprises were found to be directly responsible for green purchase intention. Another finding indicates the lack of awareness among the consumers about the circular economy. Based on the findings, data-driven strategies for both policymakers and enterprises are outlined. Finally, the conclusion and opportunities for future research are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides are essential to modern agriculture, significantly enhancing crop yields and quality to ensure global food security. Their critical role in preventing hunger is highlighted by the notable increase in global pesticide trade over the past decade. In Indonesia, pesticide usage has surged, with a 24% rise in registered pesticide formulations between 2017 and 2021. However, this increase presents challenges, particularly in the disposal of empty pesticide containers (EPC), which pose substantial environmental and health risks if improperly managed. To address this, a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) is proposed as an effective, eco-friendly solution for the management of EPC waste. This study evaluates the implementation of a CLSC for EPC in Indonesia, employing rich picture analysis and stakeholder interviews to identify key challenges, opportunities, and strengths. Notable challenges include regulatory gaps, financial and operational feasibility, and limited farmer engagement. However, opportunities exist in enhancing environmental sustainability, generating economic benefits, and gaining support from industry groups. One key strength is the widespread practice of triple rinsing among farmers, with 62.63% of respondents already adopting this method. This study underscores the important of establishing clear and enforceable regulations, introducing financial incentives and supportive policies, promoting public–private partnerships, creating targeted behavior change interventions, and ensuring organizational commitments and training programs. These insights are crucial in developing a sustainable CLSC, ensuring both environmental and economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the design of a sustainable closed-loop supply chain network for agricultural products with the goals of minimizing the cost and emission of greenhouse gases and maximizing the response to customer demand, and creating justice-based job opportunities, simultaneously, are aimed. The intended chain is based on the fruit supply chain study, which includes fresh fruits, concentrate, and vermicompost fertilizer. A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model has been developed to achieve the triple bottom line. Due to the nature of the NP-hard problem, the proposed model is solved using metaheuristic approaches consisting of two renowned algorithms, NSGA-II and NRGA, and a relatively new algorithm called NSGA-III. It is worth noting that the parameters of the algorithms are adjusted to achieve the best performance in small, medium, and large-size problems exerting the Taguchi method. After comparing the results of the three algorithms based on the well-known criteria, NRGA is introduced as the superior algorithm. Ultimately, the results of sensitivity analysis indicate that appending the possibility of using vermicompost in gardens and considering several vehicles in the proposed sustainable supply chain boosts the values of economic and environmental objective functions to about 6.4 and 8.2%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fleet sizing problem is a critical challenge in closed-loop supply chains because of the additional requirements of managing product returns. To tackle this challenge, this study addresses the integration of fleet sizing with vehicle routing problem in closed-loop supply chain management, considering simultaneous delivery and pickup under demand uncertainty. A mixed-integer linear programming model is proposed to minimize vehicle acquisition and shipment costs, and a multi-stage adjustable robust optimization formulation is employed to handle uncertainty. Prior studies have neglected to address this important problem due to a lack of efficient solving methods. Hence, three exact, heuristic, and metaheuristic algorithms are developed to solve the problem. The numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed methods outperform the existing Hyper-box based Branch-and-Partition method, improving computational efficiency and solution quality. This study also helps practitioners make better fleet sizing decisions under uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recycling and remanufacturing of materials is an important method of improving the efficiency of resource utilisation. However, it is often subject to financial constraints that increase the risk of chain breakage in the closed-loop supply chain of recycling and remanufacturing. Furthermore, market uncertainty exacerbates this risk. Consequently, it is necessary to investigate different financing models for the supply chain. In this paper, we utilise a closed-loop supply chain comprising a risk-averse manufacturer, a capital-constrained retailer and a remanufacturer responsible for recycling and remanufacturing as a case study. We employ game theory and mean-variance theory to investigate the financing strategies of the closed-loop supply chain under capital constraints. Firstly, a financing decision model in which the retailer has the ability to obtain bank loans is constructed as a reference model. On this basis, the financing model of commercial credit financing and the combined financing model of equity transfer and bank financing are considered separately in order to explore the impact of the retailer's financing strategy on heterogeneous product pricing and risk-averse supply chain returns. The computational results demonstrate that the manufacturer provides financial support to the remanufacturer by reducing the patent license fee, which enables the remanufacturer to invest more resources in recycling activities and, consequently, enhances the efficiency of resource utilization within the supply chain. The simulation results indicate that the retailer and the remanufacturer prefer the commercial credit financing model, although the combined strategy of equity transfer and bank financing can result in gains. It is also noteworthy that the manufacturer's risk aversion benefits not only the entire supply chain but also consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality control of remanufactured products in a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) can significantly influence consumers' decision-making, and the contract coordination of CLSC has also become a research hotspot. This paper explores the quality control problem in a three-level remanufacturing CLSC consisting of a remanufacturer, a retailer, and a recycler by constructing a system dynamics (SD) model, which contains two contract schemes: quality control contract and quality control–revenue-sharing contract. Subsequently, the proposed SD model is analyzed using various schemes. The findings suggest that without mandatory contracts, CLSC members are frequently unable to fulfill their quality improvement commitments. Among them, recyclers are less likely to improve quality and more prone to breaking promises. The quality control problem in CLSC can be addressed through contract coordination, and the quality control contract scheme can avoid non-compliance with quality improvement commitments. The application of the quality control–revenue-sharing combination contract scheme not only resolves the quality control issue but also promotes profit improvement in the CLSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies optimal decisions in an authorized remanufacturing closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) consisting of a manufacturer, a retailer, and an authorized third-party remanufacturer with dual-fairness concerns (distributional fairness concerns and peer-induced fairness concerns). Four Stackelberg game models are developed: (i) the dual-fairness concerns are considered by the retailer (model F); (ii) the retailer does not consider both types of fairness concerns (model N); (iii) the retailer only considers the distributional fairness concerns (model D); (iv) the retailer only considers the peer-induced fairness concerns (model P). We use numerical analysis to examine the equilibrium outcomes under dual-fairness concerns. The results show that: (1) The increase in the coefficient of peer-induced fairness concerns will result in more profit for the manufacturer in most cases, while distributional fairness concerns always hurt the manufacturer; (2) In most parameter cases, the increase in the degree of distributional fairness concerns favors the retailer. The retailer considers only peer-induced fairness concerns when the degree of distributional fairness concerns is low and the degree of peer-induced fairness concerns is relatively high, whereas in other cases, two kinds of fairness concerns are ignored; (3) Model P is the most profitable and model D is most disadvantageous for the third party, however, for the manufacturer it is the opposite; (4) The impact of fairness concerns on the environment depends on the retailer's attitude towards fairness concerns. Model P is the best for the environment, while model D has the highest environmental impact. This study introduces dual-fairness concerns into the authorized remanufacturing CLSC model and provides theoretical references for authorized remanufacturing and sustainability practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The management issues of this article, and the author is attempting to address these issues, are as follows: What is the optimal decision of each entity in the closed-loop supply chain for the cascading utilization of power batteries under three government measures: no subsidies, subsidies and rewards and punishments? How do different measures affect the process of cascading the utilization of power batteries? Which measures will help incentivize cascading utilization and battery recycling efforts? Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses game analysis methods to study the optimal decisions of various stakeholders in the supply chain under the conditions of subsidies, non-subsidies and reward and punishment policies. The impact of various parameters on the returns of game entities is tested through Matlab numerical simulation. Findings – The analysis discovered that each party in the supply chain will see an increase in earnings if the government boosts trade-in subsidies, which means that the degree of recycling efforts of each entity will also increase; under the condition with subsidies, the recycling efforts and echelon utilization rates of each stakeholder are higher than those under the incentive and punishment measure. In terms of the power battery echelon’s closed-loop supply chain incentive, the subsidy policy exceeds the reward and punishment policy. Originality/value – The article takes the perspective of differential games and considers the dynamic process of exchanging old for new, providing important value for the practice of using old for new behavior in the closed-loop supply chain of power battery cascading utilization.

Extended warranties are widely adopted and accepted in the marketplace by manufacturers and retailers as it helps to enhance the customers' post-sale satisfaction. In closed-loop supply chains, the extended warranty not only generates profit for the manufacturer, but also provides warranty returns of the new products for remanufacturing. In this paper, a two-period model is developed and optimal pricing strategies for the extended warranties are derived. We compare the optimal pricing and retailing strategies of the extended warranties for remanufactured and new products offered by the manufacturer with and without the retailer's own extended warranty while considering the competition between the manufacturer and the retailer for the extended warranty of new products. We find that the introduction of the retailer's extended warranty does not always hurt the manufacturer's profit. Numerical analyses also show that there exists an optimal extended warranty length for the manufacturer that maximises its profit. Moreover, we show that the retailer cannot extract more profit by increasing the length of its own extended warranty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closed-Loop Supply Chain (CLSC) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) are two significant initiatives that have engaged European and global business over the past few years. While direct effects of these initiatives on performance have been found, the nature and performance effects of interactions among these two initiatives remain largely unexamined. This exploratory study theorises and investigates how I4.0 technologies can facilitate CLSC initiatives. Data are collected and analysed from enterprises located in the northeast of Italy. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is deployed to analyse the data. The data suggest a significant and beneficial moderator of I4.0 technologies on the relationship between CLSC practices and firm environmental and social performance. The data fails to find a significant relationship between CLSC practices and financial performance. Data-driven I4.0 technologies are seen to be of greater significance in such moderator roles, comparative to process-driven I4.0 technologies. Our analysis suggests that companies may be advised to adopt a targeted, systems approach for using data-driven I4.0 applications in conjunction with CLSC practices in order to realise performance gains. The findings represent important building blocks in developing theory in this formative area of study. Further implications are discussed from theoretical and practical perspectives. Abbreviations: CE: Circular Economy; CLSC: Closed-Loop Supply Chain; CLSC_ADO: Closed-Loop Supply Chain activities adoption; I4.0: Industry 4.0; I4.0_ADO: Industry 4.0 technologies adoption; PERF: Company Performance; PLS-SEM: Partial least squares structural equation modelling; TBL: Triple Bottom Line (Financial, Environmental, Social) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a game model of a closed-loop supply chain consisting of one manufacturer, one remanufacturer and one retailer and investigates the long-term collection strategies of the manufacturer who needs to cooperate with the remanufacturer to develop the remanufacturing technology. The game model is developed from a fully dynamic perspective on the remanufacturing technology development and analyzed using the system dynamics method. We identify the trade-off in the choice of collection strategies: the early entry in the remanufacturing industry versus the complete control in the later stage. The simulation results show that when the entry barrier to the remanufacturing industry is low, the manufacturer can develop the remanufacturing technology in a short time and the direct reverse channel outperforms the indirect reverse channel; when the entry barrier is high, the manufacturer can achieve more profits under the indirect reverse channel by acquiring the remanufacturing technology directly from the remanufacturer. Moreover, the indirect reverse channel is more likely to be superior for low-barrier remanufacturing industry when the cost advantage is high as the early entry in the remanufacturing industry becomes more important than the complete control in the later stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this article is based on the unit patent license fee model in the closed-loop supply chain. Design/methodology/approach – This paper analyzes the impact of the bundling strategy of the retailer selling new products and remanufactured products on the closed-loop supply chain under the condition that the original manufacturer produces new products and the remanufacturer produces remanufacturing products. Findings – The results show that alternative products can be bundled, and in many cases, the bundling of remanufactured products and new products is better than selling alone. Originality/value – If the retailer chooses bundling, for the remanufacturer, when certain conditions are met, the benefits of bundling are greater than the separate sales at that time; for the original manufacturer, when the recycling price sensitivity coefficient is high, the bundling is better than separate sales.

This study examines the optimal authorization strategy for an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the optimal distribution channel choice for a platform, and their interactions. We developed four models based on the OEM's two strategy choices — authorization and non-authorization strategies, and the platform having two distribution channels for refurbished products: reselling and agency selling channels. Our results indicate that the authorization strategy is optimal for the OEM when consumer's preference for refurbished products is not sufficiently high. Unlike conventional research, an increase in the production cost of a new product leads to different choices for the OEM. Specifically, the OEM prefers a non-authorization strategy in the reselling channel and an authorization strategy in the agency selling channel. Moreover, under the OEM's authorization strategy, the platform always adopts a reselling channel for refurbished products. However, under the OEM's non-authorization strategy, the platform's choice is determined by the commission fee and the production cost of the new product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a dynamic closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) model, incorporating a manufacturer, a retailer, and an internet recycling platform (IRP), utilizing differential game theory while considering the forgetting effect of consumers. The model encompasses factors such as the quality level of used products and Big Data marketing (BDM), comparing optimal equilibriums under decentralized and cooperative decision scenarios. To effectively coordinate the dynamic CLSC at each time point, we propose a revenue-sharing and cost-sharing (RSCS) combined contract. In addition to ensuring reasonable sharing of revenues and costs, this contract allows the manufacturer to flexibly adjust wholesale prices for final products and transfer prices for used products in order to distribute profits appropriately and achieve Pareto optimality within the CLSC system. Furthermore, our results indicate that there exists a threshold for Big Data marketing efficiency; high-efficiency BDM not only facilitates increased recycling on Internet platforms but also reduces unit recycling costs for enterprises. Interestingly, when implementing the combined contract, Big Data marketing efficiency does not impact the transfer price paid by manufacturers to Internet recycling platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterprises adopting a circular economy approach can effectively solve the severe situation of resources and the environment, and recycling is considered an effective means to solve environmental issues. Simultaneously, blockchain technology (BT) has been used to enhance product quality trust. However, there is limited literature on how to choose between monopolistic and competitive recycling modes by considering BT. This paper uses a game involving a manufacturer, a retailer, and a third-party recycler (TPR) in a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC). The retailer can recycle on itself and compete with the TPR for recycling used products. The results show that BT adoption could increase the recycling rate and demand for remanufactured products. BT benefits the firms in the CLSC when they control usage costs, regardless of whether competitive recycling mode is used or not. In addition, whether BT is adopted or not, CLSC firms prefer competitive recycling mode only when the competitive intensity exceeds a specific threshold. Moreover, choosing an appropriate recycling mode can alleviate the negative impact of BT on the environment, then an all-win result can be obtained for CLSC firms, consumers, and society. These results can give suggestions for managers to optimize their supply chains regarding adopting BT and implementing recycling mode. In the future, we can expand our research on the transfer price of used products, the positive and negative effects of BT, and BT cost-sharing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has garnered considerable societal attention. To incentivize WEEE recycling within a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC), a deposit-refund system (DRS) has been implemented. This study delves into the implications of a market-driven DRS on WEEE recycling under different recycling models. A Stackelberg game analysis is employed, where an electronics manufacturer (leader) has sufficient channel power over an electronics retailer and a third-party recycler (followers). The results indicate that the market-driven DRS significantly incentivizes consumer recycling efforts, ultimately elevating the economic efficiency of the supply chain. When the electronics manufacturer assumes responsibility for WEEE recycling, it streamlines the recycling process, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and profitability. Conversely, when the electronics retailer handles WEEE recycling, it reduces retail prices and simplifies the recycling process, positively influencing consumer purchasing behavior. However, when a third-party recycler undertakes WEEE recycling, the recycling volume tends to be minimal, resulting in the lowest level of supply chain profits. This paper provides theoretical and practical implications for improving the recycling effectiveness and operational efficiency of the CLSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a dual-channel supply chain within an uncertain environment where a manufacturer produces a green product and a retailer makes sales efforts to attract a higher customer base. Moreover, we incorporate a reverse supply chain model in which the manufacturer retrieves end-of-used products from customers through a collection initiative. Simultaneously, the retailer gathers end-of-used products from customers by implementing an exchange policy facilitated through a coupon applied to the product’s selling price. Then, we explore centralized, manufacturer Stackelberg, option contracts and cost-sharing contracts strategies to maximize supply chain profits under various circumstances. Subsequently, a numerical example is undertaken to showcase the utility of the models and explore sensitivity that examines how different parameters impact the supply chain’s profit. Findings suggest that the supply chain members will be profitable if they engage in the option contract model under a suitable value of the option price and exercise price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) focusing on product recycling is getting more and more attention. The question of how to motivate CLSC participants to implement product recycling effectively has come into focus. We study the optimal strategy of a two-echelon CLSC under different incentive mechanisms, characterize the return rate in the form of a state equation for its dynamic behavior and construct a closed-loop supply chain dynamic model. Subsequently, we discuss two incentives—the cooperative promotion incentive and wholesale price discount incentive—based on the no-incentive game and investigate the optimal strategy, steady-state return rate, and revenue of each CLSC player in the three scenarios. Then, the choice of incentives by manufacturers and retailers under different scenarios is determined by comparative analysis. The results indicate that retailers always favor the cooperative promotion incentive. For manufacturers, the wholesale price discount incentive is more advantageous only when the recycling efforts outperform retailers' promotion efforts in unit cost. In most other cases, the cooperative promotional incentive is more popular since it will generate more revenue for each participant and the entire supply chain. Moreover, there is a Profit-Pareto-improvement region when the CLSC implements the cooperative promotion incentive. Plain language summary: This research studies a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer, in which the manufacturer is responsible for product recycling. We characterize the return rate in the form of a state equation and construct the dynamic model of the CLSC, fully considering the dynamic peculiarities of recycling. Then three models based on the no-incentive game, the cooperative promotion incentive and the wholesale price discount incentive are conducted. We also conduct a comparative analysis of the optimal strategy and revenue in three scenarios to further study whether the implementation of these incentives will benefit all CLSC members in terms of increased incomes, improved environmental performance (improved return rates) and enhanced social performance (increased sales). The results show that the cooperative promotion incentive is beneficial to retailers and CLSCs. It can realize the Profit-Pareto improvement and enhance the economic, environmental and social performance of CLSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global environmental concerns and resource scarcity are driving the growth in sales of electric vehicles (EVs). Reusing and recycling retired batteries from EVs has significant economic value and reduces the environmental burden. Rising raw material prices have intensified competition among recyclers; in particular, recyclers without corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been added. These observations lead to a game-theoretical model consisting of three players: a battery manufacturer, a recycler with CSR and a recycler without CSR (non-CSR). The non-CSR recycler enjoys a cost advantage over the CSR recycler, but may not be considered by the consumers with high environmental awareness (CEA). We explore the incentive strategies for CSR recyclers outperform, and how the equilibrium is affected by the recyclers' Stackelberg game. Results show that (1) the deposit- refund is the most profitable strategy for all members and the whole supply chain if raw material price rises high enough; otherwise, a contract strategy should be adopted. (2) Improving CEA and echelon utilization ratio is more conducive to the implementation of revenue-sharing contract. In addition, increasing CEA contributed to CSR recycler collects more retired batteries instead of non-CSR recycler. (3) Stackelberg game between recyclers may hurt supply chain. However, CSR recycler may benefit from the non-CSR recycler-led Stackelberg game. Our work provides the basis of incentive strategies for different participants in the closed-loop supply chain of retired batteries, in particular, to encourage retired batteries flow to CSR recyclers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WEEE recycling not only effectively reduces environmental pollution and resource waste, but also creates economic benefits, which is in line with the concept of green development. However, the recycling market for used and end-of-life electrical products is characterized by problems such as asymmetric information and easy manipulation or loss of data, which may bring losses to enterprises. In this paper, by constructing a game model of the government, producers, and third-party recyclers, We delve into the optimal strategies of individual entities within the supply chain, contemplating both scenarios: the incorporation of blockchain technology and its absence, to determine the most logical and effective approach for each. The results show that the optimal strategies of the supply chain actors change in the case of adopting blockchain technology. At the same time, the profitability of each entity within the supply chain is predominantly influenced by the rate of inventory availability, information loss rate and input technology cost, and each subject can choose whether to put into use blockchain technology according to the actual situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rapid development of the clean energy sector against the global backdrop of carbon emission reduction, the availability of rare earths is becoming scarce. The strategic recycling of rare earth resources serves the dual purpose of alleviating supply shortages and aligning with the global quest for carbon reduction and environmental preservation. This study establishes a second-level, closed-loop supply chain that includes a rare earth group (REG) that synergizes rare earth mining and smelting companies with rare earth material manufacturing companies, as well as a specialized rare earth recycler. The study considers three different recycling scenarios: the recycler only recycles oil sludge scrap (S1), the recycler only recycles end-of-life products (S2), and the recycler both recycles oil sludge scrap and end-of-life products (S3). In addition, the study examines the impact of government subsidies, carbon trading mechanisms, and corporate research and development (R&D) initiatives on closed-loop supply chains. The findings are summarized below. (1) Rare earth recycling does not impact the rare earth market downstream. (2) The profits of both REG and the recycler have a positive correlation with the quantity of recycling. However, recycling sludge waste can generate higher revenues for the recycler compared to recycling end-of-life products. (3) Government subsidies exert a positive effect on the recycler's profits and the production of secondary rare earths. However, the REG redirects a segment of the recycler's profits in its direction. Elevated carbon trading prices encroach upon the REG's profitability, prompting increased procurement of secondary supply rare earths. (4) The benefits of increasing rare earth recycling rates outweigh government subsidies and carbon trading valuations in the supply chain. Therefore, enterprise-focused research and development initiatives play a critical role in improving the efficiency of the closed-loop rare earth supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper researches the impact of different innovation investment modes on the closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) profit and pricing decisions under an uncertain recycling quality background. Furthermore, we construct a battery swapping CLSC under three innovation investment modes. The research results show that: (1) Under the cooperative innovation investment mode, the decision variables and CLSC system profit all reach the optimal level. (2) Increasing the subscription duration can promote the reduction of subscription price, which is beneficial to the improvement of innovation investment level. (3) When the innovation cooperation coefficient is within a certain range, it will promote the increase of profits for the CLSC. (4) The balanced battery ratio is an important factor affecting enterprise decision-making, and it has a more significant impact on the battery swapping operator. (5) The power battery manufacturer can dynamically adjust the echelon utilization quality threshold according to the echelon utilization value to achieve optimal profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) consisting of a manufacturer, a retailer, and two competing third-party recyclers with altruistic preference is focused by us. We separately consider three altruistic preference models of differential game and Bellman theory that contrast and analyse dynamic decision-making such as the wholesale price of electric vehicle batteries (batteries) and the design innovation investment on the quality level decisions of the manufacturer, the unit selling price decision of the retailer, the recycling rate decisions of two third-party recyclers and the quality level of batteries. The numerical simulation further explores the rule of the time evolution of CLSC performance under four models. From our research, we conclude that: the altruistic preference has an optimistic impact in normal circumstances; if both the manufacturer and the retailer have altruistic preferences, the benefit of the value function of CLSC revealed only when the competition is at a lower level; the competition between two third-party recyclers is disadvantageous to the value function of CLSC, consumers and recycling activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) is the process of restoring the used product to useful life. The quantity of returned products has environmental and economic impacts on the CLSC. But, for the implementation of CLSC, one of the major barriers is the uncertain quantity of returned products. Therefore, we examine a two-period CLSC model with a dual collection channel under uncertainty in return quantity. In the model, a third party and a manufacturer compete to collect used products based on the acquisition prices offered to consumers in the second period. During the first period, the manufacturer relies solely on raw materials to produce a new product. In the second period, the manufacturer produces an improved product using both raw materials and used products. Because an improved new version of the product is now available, some consumers decide to return their first-period purchases for the improved product. The problem is formulated as a two-period newsvendor model and solved using the backward induction approach. It is shown that the acquisition price and transfer price offered by the manufacturer increase the quantity of the returned product. The acquisition price offered by the third party first increases and then decreases if the competition between the collectors is low, but the acquisition price increases when the competition is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse logistics (RL) studies, in recent times, have gained considerable attention among practitioners and scholars in different geographical regions. This is due to the potential of RL to enhance the economic and environmental performance of firms. Nonetheless, there is a paucity of systematic scientometric studies evaluating all aspects of RL with a direction for future research on the phenomenon. This study attempts to bridge this gap by conducting a scientometric coupled with content analysis of current RL studies. A total of 2191 articles from Scopus database supported by a snowballing approach, from Google scholar, was used to construct science maps. The review unearthed most prolific journals, authorships, article citations, countries, institutions and co-occurrence network of keywords. Besides, a qualitative analysis revealed six RL themes namely: importance, drivers, implementational resources, practices, empirical studies and mathematical modeling. This study serves as an RL reference for both scholars and practitioners. It highlights the status quo and provides pointers for future RL research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A circular economy is defined as a socially responsible, policy-driven model of business or enterprise operations that contributes to more sustainable society for both current and future generations. Although the implementation of circularity principles in the economy is a long process, the impact it creates on sustainability is long-term, and its benefits will be felt by all future generations. Therefore, the development of circularity in the European Union's economy must progress, and more and more organizations should implement it as a good practice. The object of the article is the cooperation of civil sector outsourced services and the country's military forces in the field of reverse logistics. Using a qualitative research methodology, the article demonstrates the potential for the country's military forces to support the European Union's circular economy initiative in the context of sustainability. This includes reducing the consumption of natural resources by increasing the value of the closed-loop supply chain and keeping products suitable for consumption as long as possible. Considering the fact that there is limited information dissemination within the military sector, this research presents one of the few opportunities to examine the integration of civilian and military sector efforts for sustainable development from a practical and scientific perspective. The conducted research demonstrates that the closed-loop supply chain and the military's reverse logistics processes take place but are not fully integrated into one whole. They lack a unified whole directed towards a common goal when reverse logistics activities are correlated to closed-loop supply chain and national circular economy goals, as well as ensuring sustainability. Outsourced services are available and used in the military, in many cases even for reverse logistics activities (repair, storage, transportation, modernization, etc.). This research made it possible to prepare a conceptual model for the organization of the military's reverse logistics using outsourced services, thereby ensuring the creation of a sustainable supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the closed-loop supply chain decisions of battery manufacturers considering innovation investments and different subsidy methods provided by the government. The analysis encompasses four scenarios: whether battery manufacturers engage in innovation investments and whether the government opts for technology R&D subsidies or production subsidies. The study finds that innovation investments by battery manufacturers can enhance the modularization level of batteries. The reward or penalty measures for recycling quality imposed on automobile manufacturers elevate the quality of battery recycling, and also increase the wholesale price of batteries and the retail price of automobiles. After implementing R&D and production subsidies, both the modularization level of batteries and the profits of supply chain members exceed those without subsidies, though these subsidies do not affect the quality of battery recycling. R&D subsidies more effectively promote innovation capacity and product quality among battery manufacturers, whereas production subsidies more significantly boost the profits of both battery manufacturers and automobile manufacturers. Therefore, subsidy measures should be tailored according to different stages of the power battery industry's development. Regardless of whether battery manufacturers invest in innovation or whether the government provides subsidies, collaboration between battery manufacturers and automobile manufacturers is essential to coordinate the closed-loop supply chain. The research findings offer valuable guidance for formulating subsidy policies in the new energy vehicle industry across different periods, and also provide theoretical insights for decision-making behaviors among related enterprises.

Abstract The Closed-Loop Supply Chain (CLSC) stands out due to a growing concern about environmental aspects, in addition to being capable of maximizing the value of resources throughout a product’s life cycle by reducing waste. Multi-echelon supply chain management has been widely recognized as a tool well capable of minimizing total inventory costs and promoting greater cooperation among supply chain members. Nonetheless, inventory policy management is still poorly explored in literature regarding the acquisition industry. Therefore, this paper explores an inventory policy through modelling a multi-echelon CLSC in the payment card industry aimed to lower inventory, freight, and shortage costs. Results reveal that there was a reduction in total costs without negatively affecting the minimum service level expected by the company under study, considering the cost of acquisition, freight, and shortages, in addition to the influence of inventory mix on its policy.