Date of Award
2024
Publication Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.Sc.
Department
Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Keywords
Cellphones; Consumer-Collector Relationship; Consumer-Refurbisher Relationship; Data-Driven Analysis; Reverse Logistcis; SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations)
Supervisor
Walid Abdul-Kader
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Reverse logistics holds critical importance within the cell phone industry, driven by its profound economic and environmental implications. This research tackles challenges in electronic waste management in the cellphone industry, highlighting low return rates, consumer reluctance towards refurbished devices, and inadequate collection rates, emphasizing their critical environmental implications. Integrating mental models, system dynamics, and systems thinking, the methodology analyzes both quantifiable metrics and subjective factors in cellphone reverse logistics. Utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), analysis was also conducted to assist in decision-making, offering a structured approach to evaluating and prioritizing various flows impacting the return process. By understanding consumer behavior, this thesis develops comprehensive frameworks for sustainable practices. The results include effective strategies to increase return rates by enhancing consumer awareness and trust in refurbished devices, alongside improvements in refurbishers' efficiency and quality assurance processes. The AHP analysis provided valuable insights by quantifying and ranking key flows, allowing for more targeted improvements in the reverse logistics process. This study provides valuable managerial insights into the necessity of fostering consumer satisfaction and confidence in refurbished devices to effectively increase return rates in cellphone reverse logistics. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of refurbishers focusing on enhancing quality assurance processes to maintain high standards and meet consumer expectations, advancing strong Consumer-Refurbisher and Consumer-Collector relationships.
Recommended Citation
Ibrahim, Abdul Aziz, "Deciphering Cell Phone Reverse Logistics: The Influence of Mental Models on Customer Decision Dynamics" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 9627.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/9627