Introducing proprietary parts to gain a competitive edge is a well-known, yet poorly understood strategy original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) adopt. In this paper, we consider an OEM which sells new products and competes with an independent remanufacturer (IR) selling remanufactured products....

The integration of product recovery into regular production processes enables new opportunities for cost savings. It also yields new challenges for inventory management because there are two sources to satisfy product requirements which need to be coordinated by additionally taking into account...

After-sales service is a major profit generator for more and more OEMs in industries with durable products. Successful engagement in after-sales service improves customer loyalty and allows for competitive differentiation through superior service like an extended service period after end of...

In the management of spare parts for durables OEMs often face a sharp decline in sales of spare parts when the warranty period of their products ends. One reason for this effect is given by the high profitability of the after sales market which attracts competitors. If the competitors’ main...