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Proactive reduction of returns : management and metrics

Thesis (M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-70). / Management of reverse logistics is becoming an important research area. Within this body of research, very little work has been done on proactively reducing returns. The current writing on returns management is almost exclusively efficiency focused. In essence, authors attempt to answer the question, how do we react well to errors and unaligned motivation in a system? A more proactive way of thinking of the problem is to ask how can we reduce errors and align motivation in a system so there is nothing to react to. This paper takes a first look at the opportunities of proactively working to reduce returns in a manufacturer distributor relationship. Findings suggest that returns come from both direct and indirect drivers. Direct returns come from linked causal relationships such as damages (DOA), incorrect shipments, and off schedule deliveries. Indirect returns are products returned at the discretion of distributors to minimize several different risks. Several methods of reducing returns are discussed and metrics are proposed. / by Lucas A. Zaientz. / M.Eng.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:MIT/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/8735
Date January 2000
CreatorsZaientz, Lucas A. (Lucas Aaron), 1971-
ContributorsJonathan L.S. Byrnes., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division.
PublisherMassachusetts Institute of Technology
Source SetsM.I.T. Theses and Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format86 leaves, 7355260 bytes, 7355020 bytes, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf
RightsM.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission., http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

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