Empowering the Transition Towards a Circular Economy: Empirically-Driven Research in Closed-Loop Supply Chains

Guest Editors:

Andrea Genovese (The University of Sheffield, UK) [Leading Guest Editor]

Borja Ponte (The Open University, UK)

Salvatore Cannella (University of Catania, Italy)

Roberto Dominguez (University of Seville, Spain)

Background

For a long time, economic growth has been driven by substantial depletion of natural resources and degradation of ecosystems, also resulting in adverse impacts on humans. Finding ways to implement production systems and supply chains inspired by alternative economic principles has therefore become crucial if the boundaries of environmental sustainability have to be extended. Such concerns have been pushing towards the transition from a linear to a circular economic model, in a bid to alleviate environmental impacts.

As a result, national and international bodies (such as the European Union) have announced ambitious initiatives. An increasing number of regulations and directives are aimed at closing the loop of product lifecycles through greater recycling, remanufacturing and reuse, with the objective of benefiting both the environment (by promoting energy savings, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and resource efficiency) and the economy (by creating green and sustainable jobs).

Within this context, the field of closed-loop supply chain management is gaining momentum both in the academic literature and in industrial practice (Battini et al., 2017). However, many scholars have argued that in economic contexts dominated by free-market ideologies, companies might have already captured most of the economically attractive opportunities to recycle, remanufacture and reuse. This leads them to claim that reaching higher levels of circularity may involve an economic cost many companies cannot cope with. For this reason, while environmental benefits of closed-loop supply chains are obvious, the implementation of such systems is often challenging from an economic perspective, as market dynamics and the lack of incentives may lead to higher cost of production (Genovese et al., 2017). As such, the transition towards a circular economy would be accelerated by a better synchronisation of environmental and economic gains of closed-loop supply chain practices.

Having said that, some cases of successful implementation of practices inspired by a circular economy paradigm can be identified. As an example, Hewlett–Packard used to consider consumer returns as a problem rather than an opportunity. Nowadays, this company efficiently integrates reverse flows of materials as a natural part of their business, and views remanufacturing as a strategic weapon (Atasu et al., 2010). Analogously, many other large companies, such as Xerox, Caterpillar and Toyota, have also incorporated circular economy principles in their operations, using them as a strategic tool to improve profitability (Zhou et al., 2017; Abbey and Guide, 2018).

Nevertheless, the advancement of closed-loop supply chain research and practice has suffered from a noticeable gap, as reported by several authors. For example, Guide and van Wassenhove (2009, p. 17) highlighted that “many assumptions […] are rapidly becoming institutionalized [in this area], and this can reduce modelling efforts to elegant solutions addressing non-existent problems”. In fact, the current lack of empirical focus in this research area may lead to erroneous conceptualisations and to research whose impact on real-world operations is quite limited. In light of these concerns, there is a fundamental need for empirically-grounded research (see e.g. Souza 2013 and Goltsos et al. 2018; Mokhtar et al., 2019). This requires researchers and practitioners to pose and investigate industrially-relevant research questions, thus facilitating knowledge-transfer for the development of environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable production and distribution systems.

Objective

The purpose of this Special Issue (SI) is to advance the limited knowledge of the practical problems arising in closed-loop supply chain settings and to suggest solutions for better managing such systems. We aim to publish high-quality research pieces addressing the opportunities and challenges associated with real-world closed-loop supply chain management issues.

This SI aims to attract contributions with a strong empirical basis. Submitted papers must be clearly motivated by practical problems and supported by real-world data and/or interaction with stakeholders involved in closed-loop supply chain settings (either in private or public sectors). The SI will be characterised by a pluralistic methodological stance. Submissions based on traditional empirical research, employing either quantitative or qualitative approaches, are particularly encouraged. Model-based papers are welcome provided they are strongly empirically grounded and have clear implications for practice. Also, contributions applying simulation and mathematical modelling frameworks to real-world case studies are welcome. In all cases, authors are required to provide a section specifically devoted to the managerial implications of their work, highlighting the practical impact of their contribution on closed-loop supply chain operations.

Potential topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Product acquisition management and design of an appropriate transportation channel for efficient closed-loop supply chain management
• Pretesting, quality grading, and selection of the appropriate recovery option for the products collected from the market
• Production planning of remanufacturing and recycling facilities and inventory control of recoverable inventories
• Forecasting the quality and quantity of returns in closed-loop settings(Re)marketing of remanufactured and recycled products, and the interplays with the demand of new products
• Application of systemic paradigms, like Lean, and collaborative solutions, like CPFR, to the management of closed-loop production and distribution systems
• Synchronisation and coordination of closed-loop supply chains, including incentive alignment considerations between the different partners involved
• Implications deriving from the structure of the remanufacturing process (e.g., third-party centralized remanufacturing, hybrid manufacturing/remanufacturing systems, etc.)
• Risk and relationship management in closed-loop supply chains and distribution systems
• Supply chain coordination mechanisms for fostering the implementation of circular economy practices
• Supplier selection in closed-loop supply chains
• Economic, environmental and social assessment of closed-loop supply chains

Paper submission and review process

All papers submitted to this SI will follow the double-blind review process of the International Journal of Production Economics. Therefore, they need to comply with the aims and scope of the journal (please refer to https://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-production-economics) and the elaboration of the manuscript need to consider the Guide for Authors (please refer to https://www.elsevier.com/journals/international-journal-of-production-economics/0925-5273/guide-for-authors). Submissions will be handled by the Guest Editors of the SI, who will make recommendations to the Editor-in-Chief of the journal. The Submission deadline for the Special Issue is 30 September 2020.

References

• Abbey, J. D., & Guide Jr, V. D. R. (2018). A typology of remanufacturing in closed-loop supply chains. International Journal of Production Research, 56(1-2), 374-384.
• Atasu, A., Guide Jr, V. D. R., & Van Wassenhove, L. N. (2010). So what if remanufacturing cannibalizes my new product sales?. California Management Review, 52(2), 56-76.
• Battini, D., Bogataj, M., & Choudhary, A. (2017). Closed loop supply chain (CLSC): economics, modelling, management and control. International Journal of Production Economics, 183, 319-321.
• Genovese, A., Acquaye, A. A., Figueroa, A., & Koh, S. L. (2017). Sustainable supply chain management and the transition towards a circular economy: Evidence and some applications. Omega, 66, 344-357.
• Goltsos, T. E., Ponte, B., Wang, S., Liu, Y., Naim, M. M., & Syntetos, A. A. (2018). The boomerang returns? Accounting for the impact of uncertainties on the dynamics of remanufacturing systems. International Journal of Production Research, 1-34.
• Guide Jr, V. D. R., & Van Wassenhove, L. N. (2009). OR FORUM — The evolution of closed-loop supply chain research. Operations Research, 57(1), 10-18.
• Mokhtar, A. R. M., Genovese, A., Brint, A., & Kumar, N. (2019). Improving reverse supply chain performance: The role of supply chain leadership and governance mechanisms. Journal of Cleaner Production, 216, 42-55.
• Souza, G. C. (2013). Closed‐loop supply chains: A critical review, and future research. Decision Sciences, 44(1), 7-38.
• Zhou, L., Naim, M. M., & Disney, S. M. (2017). The impact of product returns and remanufacturing uncertainties on the dynamic performance of a multi-echelon closed-loop supply chain. International Journal of Production Economics, 183, 487-502.

赋能向循环经济转型：闭环供应链的实证驱动研究

特邀编辑

Andrea Genovese (谢菲尔德大学, 英国) [首席特邀编辑]

Borja Ponte (开放大学, 英国)

Salvatore Cannella (卡塔尼亚大学, 意大利)

Roberto Dominguez (塞维利亚大学, 西班牙)

背景

长期以来，经济增长的动力来自自然资源的大量枯竭和生态系统的退化，也给人类带来了不利的影响。因此，如果必须扩大环境可持续性的界限，那么寻找实施受替代经济原则启发的生产系统和供应链的方法就变得至关重要。这些担忧一直在推动从线性经济模式向循环经济模式的转变，以减轻对环境的影响。

因此，国家和国际机构（如欧盟）宣布了雄心勃勃的倡议。越来越多的法规和指令旨在通过更大程度的回收、再制造和再利用来实现闭环产品生命周期，目的是使环境（通过促进节能，减少温室气体排放和资源效率）和经济（通过创造绿色和可持续的就业机会）受益。

在这种背景下，闭环供应链管理领域在学术文献和工业实践中都获得了发展势头（Battini等人，2017）。然而，许多学者认为，在自由市场意识形态主导的经济环境下，企业可能已经抓住了大多数具有经济吸引力的回收、再制造和再利用机会。这导致他们声称，达到更高的循环水平可能涉及许多公司无法应付的经济成本。因此，虽然闭环供应链的环境效益显而易见，但从经济角度来看，此类系统的实施往往具有挑战性，因为市场动态和缺乏激励措施可能会导致更高的生产成本（Genovese等人，2017）。因此，通过更好地同步闭环供应链实践的环境和经济收益，将加速向循环经济的过渡。

尽管如此，一些成功实施由循环经济范式启发的实践案例可以确定。例如，惠普过去常常把消费者的退货看作是一个问题，而不是一个机会。如今，这家公司有效地将逆向物流整合为其业务的一部分，并将再制造视为一种战略武器（Atasu等人，2010）。类似地，许多其他大公司，如施乐（Xerox）、卡特彼勒（Caterpillar）和丰田（Toyota），也将循环经济原则纳入其运营中，将其作为提高盈利能力的战略工具（Zhou等人，2017；Abbey and Guide，2018）。

然而，正如一些作者所报道的那样，闭环供应链的研究和实践的进展仍然存在着明显的空缺。例如，Guide和van Wassenhove（2009，第17页）强调，“许多假设[……]正迅速[在这一领域]制度化，这可以减少以优雅的解决方案解决不存在的问题的建模工作”。事实上，目前在这一研究领域缺乏实证关注可能导致错误的概念化，并导致研究对现实世界的影响相当有限。考虑到这些问题，有必要进行基于实证的研究（参见Souza 2013和Goltsos等人，2018；Mokhtar等人，2019）。这就要求研究人员和实践者提出并调查与工业有关的研究问题，从而促进知识转化，以发展环境、经济和社会可持续的生产和分配系统。

目的

本特刊（SI）旨在提高对闭环供应链环境中出现的实践问题的有限认识，并提出更好地管理此类系统的解决方案。我们的目标是发表高质量的研究文章，解决与现实世界闭环供应链管理问题相关的机遇和挑战。

本特刊旨在吸引具有强大实证基础的贡献。提交的论文必须清楚地以实践问题为动机，并以真实世界的数据和/或与闭环供应链环境（无论是私营部门还是公共部门）的利益相关者的互动作为支持。该特刊将以多元化的方法论立场为特征。特别鼓励以传统的实证研究为基础，采用定量或定性方法的提交论文。基于模型的论文是受欢迎的，只要它们有很强的实证基础，并且对实践有明确的意义。此外，将仿真和数学建模框架应用于实际案例研究的贡献也是受欢迎的。在所有情况下，要求作者提供一节专门介绍其工作的管理含义，强调他们的贡献对闭环供应链运营的实际影响。

可能感兴趣的主题包括但不限于以下内容：

• 产品采购管理和为高效闭环供应链管理设计适当的运输渠道
• 预测试、质量分级，以及为从市场上收集的产品选择适当的回收方案
• 再制造和回收设施的生产计划以及可回收库存的库存控制
• 在闭环环境下预测再制造和回收产品的质量和数量
• 再制造与回收产品的（再）营销，以及与新产品需求的相互作用
• 系统范式（如精益）和协同解决方案（如CPFR）在闭环生产和分销系统管理中的应用
• 闭环供应链的同步和协调，包括不同合作伙伴之间的激励协调考虑
• 再制造过程结构产生的影响（例如，第三方集中再制造、混合制造/再制造系统等）
• 闭环供应链和分销系统中的风险和关系管理
• 供应链协调机制促进循环经济实践的实施
• 闭环供应链中的供应商选择
• 闭环供应链的经济、环境和社会评估

论文提交和审查过程

所有提交给本特刊的论文将遵循《国际生产经济学杂志》的双盲评审流程。因此，他们需要符合期刊的目的和范围（请参阅https://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-production-economics)而手稿的阐述需要考虑作者指南（请参考https://www.elsevier.com/journals/international-journal-of-production-economics/0925-5273/guide-for-authors). 投稿将由特刊的特邀编辑处理，他们将向期刊的主编提出建议。特刊的提交截止日期为2020年9月30日。

参考文献

• Abbey, J. D., & Guide Jr, V. D. R. (2018). A typology of remanufacturing in closed-loop supply chains. International Journal of Production Research, 56(1-2), 374-384.
• Atasu, A., Guide Jr, V. D. R., & Van Wassenhove, L. N. (2010). So what if remanufacturing cannibalizes my new product sales?. California Management Review, 52(2), 56-76.
• Battini, D., Bogataj, M., & Choudhary, A. (2017). Closed loop supply chain (CLSC): economics, modelling, management and control. International Journal of Production Economics, 183, 319-321.
• Genovese, A., Acquaye, A. A., Figueroa, A., & Koh, S. L. (2017). Sustainable supply chain management and the transition towards a circular economy: Evidence and some applications. Omega, 66, 344-357.
• Goltsos, T. E., Ponte, B., Wang, S., Liu, Y., Naim, M. M., & Syntetos, A. A. (2018). The boomerang returns? Accounting for the impact of uncertainties on the dynamics of remanufacturing systems. International Journal of Production Research, 1-34.
• Guide Jr, V. D. R., & Van Wassenhove, L. N. (2009). OR FORUM — The evolution of closed-loop supply chain research. Operations Research, 57(1), 10-18.
• Mokhtar, A. R. M., Genovese, A., Brint, A., & Kumar, N. (2019). Improving reverse supply chain performance: The role of supply chain leadership and governance mechanisms. Journal of Cleaner Production, 216, 42-55.
• Souza, G. C. (2013). Closed‐loop supply chains: A critical review, and future research. Decision Sciences, 44(1), 7-38.
• Zhou, L., Naim, M. M., & Disney, S. M. (2017). The impact of product returns and remanufacturing uncertainties on the dynamic performance of a multi-echelon closed-loop supply chain. International Journal of Production Economics, 183, 487-502.