Title: Modelling reverse logistics practices: a case study of recycled tyres in Colombia

Authors: Carolina Pirachicán-Mayorga; Jairo R. Montoya-Torres; Jairo Jarrín; Ana Ximena Halabi Echeverry

Addresses: Escuela Internacional de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Universidad de La Sabana, km 7 autopista norte de Bogotá, Chía (Cundinamarca), Colombia ' Escuela Internacional de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Universidad de La Sabana, km 7 autopista norte de Bogotá, Chía (Cundinamarca), Colombia ' Escuela Internacional de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Universidad de La Sabana, km 7 autopista norte de Bogotá, Chía (Cundinamarca), Colombia ' Escuela Internacional de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, Universidad de La Sabana, km 7 autopista norte de Bogotá, Chía (Cundinamarca), Colombia

Abstract: The increase concern on sustainability has implied a number of changes for companies. Management in supply chains has turned to a new paradigm to include sustainability so that organisations and business processes across and within them are now seeking for the achievement of social, environmental and economic objectives shared by organisation and the entire supply chain. In order to ensure that current logistics practices are sustainable in the long-term, the concept of reverse logistics becomes part of the supply chain management allowing the efficient and effective management of product recycling and reuse. This paper is a contribution on reverse logistics practices as it attempts to assess in what extend Colombian enterprises implement reverse logistics concepts. Conceptual models are presented in this paper as 'evidence for the field' and documented through a rigorous exploratory study. Results are discussed and suggestions to decrease a negative impact on the environment are presented.

Keywords: reverse logistics; sustainability; recycled tyres; case study; Colombia; conceptual modelling; tyre recycling; sustainable development; supply chain management; SCM.

DOI: 10.1504/LAJMSD.2014.059784

Latin American Journal of Management for Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.1 No.1, pp.58 - 72

Received: 16 Jul 2013
Accepted: 29 Jul 2013

Published online: 30 May 2014 *

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