Companies’ Approach to Reverse Flows Management: The Case of the Czech Republic

Over the last two decades reverse flows have become a recognized part of supply chain management. It is primarily the material flow that moves in the supply chain in the opposite direction from the material processed into the form of the final product from suppliers to customers into their processes of consumption. In this chapter the answers to the fundamental questions of the management of reverse flows using the example of the Czech Republic are presented, namely on the basis of collected data and information from the long-term empirical research carried out between managers of 150 Czech companies. The first question is why reverse flows are generated, and why do companies pay or not pay attention to them. Furthermore, who carries out the processes associated with these flows and how they are realized, whereas part of this question is, how the performance of these processes and their economic consequences for businesses are monitored. Three accompanying mini-case studies contribute to a better understanding of the present knowledge targeted at reverse logistics management practices. The basic finding is that the view of the Czech enterprises is somewhat polarized; reverse flows represent “a necessity that must be addressed” for 61 % of enterprises. The remaining 39 % of companies see reverse flows as a source of value, but not an essential one.