Relationship between Reverse Logistics and Performance; Case Study in Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

The relationship between the actions of a company and the impact they generate – not only in the economic, but also in the social and environmental – is an aspect profusely analyzed in recent management literature, giving way to the emergence of general concepts like corporate social responsibility or sustainability and some more specific like green marketing, cleaner production, or reverse logistics. This article deals with this last concept, seeking to test the relationship existing between the inverse logistics function and a company’s performance, relating to the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental. The qualitative approach was proposed as methodology through case studies, carried out in six companies in the city of Córdoba, Province of Córdoba, Argentina. The research results indicate that incorporating aspects of reverse logistics in the strategic planning of companies requires the integration of social and environmental aspects, besides the economic aspects, including a high number of stakeholders and, hence, of measurements for evaluation, improvement, and communication. All this impacts directly on better performance related to sustainability.