Identifying reverse 3PL performance critical success factors

The reverse and third party logistics operational process is now well known and established to be a vital component of modern day supply chain and product / service-based organizations (Marasco, 2007). Apart from being a vital component of such enterprises, many researchers and practitioners have also been noting the importance of this approach and its impact on customer service, satisfaction, profitability and other key performance indicators (Autry et al., 2001). However, studies relating to reverse 3PL performance are still limited. This research attempts to examine the factors that influence the reverse logistics performance within 3PL, within a specific case study organization in Thailand, which aims to add to work carried out relating to such operations in this part of the world such as by Bhatnagar et al. (1999). This research uses a combination of a qualitative case study along with a quantitative approach (Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping) to model and analyse the constructs which underpin the dynamics involved within a 3PL scenario. As such, both the combined approaches are based upon the development and testing of a hypothesis via empirical primary and computational data. Hence, using extant literature, and combined qualitative and quantitative research approaches, the paper identifies significant and pertinent critical success factors for reverse 3PL performance (centred around the indogenous/exogenous relationship between information systems, resource commitment and organizational structure). The paper also explores the deep inter-relationships involved within 3PL operations using the Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping technique, contributing to the existing literature on reverse 3PL and performant supply chains, and identifying critical success factors and underlying determinants of reverse 3PL of use to those industry and investigating the area from an academic perspective.