Analyzing Pharmaceutical Reverse Logistics Barriers: An Interpretive Structural Modeling Approach

The purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers affecting the application of reverse logistics at a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in Egypt. The methodological approach of Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) is applied to study the mutual influences across barriers listed by a preliminary case analysis, and to identify the “driving” barriers which may worsen other barriers, and “dependent” barriers influenced by the driving barriers. Findings: This paper reveals that as many as 17 reverse logistics barriers are affecting the case company in implementing reverse logistics and these barriers have been ranked into 10 levels using the ISM method. The analysis also showed that eight dependent barriers are influenced by nine driving barriers. A key finding of the analysis is that lack of regulation enforcement and lack of public awareness regarding the importance of reverse logistics are the most driving barriers influencing the rest of the identified barriers.