. ..,

1. . .., -.-/- (,-/ */)/)/_L*rF q%@ ,/L Expert Systemswith Applications 38 (201 I ) 12231-12236 ffi---_ ...c o n te .l Is| i stsavai | ab| eetsc!enceD i rect ExperiSystems with Applications jo u r n a I h o m e p a ge: w w w .el sevi er.com/l ocate/esw a A new chance-constrained envelopment data analysis selecting for third-party providers the existence dual-role reverse logistics in of factors RezaFarzipoorSaenb'* Majid Azadi"'1, ^ Faculty oJ Economicsand ManaEement, Islamic Azad University Scienceand Reseorchtsranch,1'ehran, lran b Deportnent oJ Industrial Monogemett, Faalty of Management and Accounnng,lslamic Azad University - Koraj Branch, PO. BoxNo. 31485-313, Koraj, lran A R T ICL E INF O ABSTRACT Outsourcingin logisticsis a very significanttheme and third-party reverselogistics (3PL) provider eval- Keywords: Third-paily' reverselogistics (3PL) providers uation and selectionhas to be realized in a careful manner in order to provide the expectedbenefits.[n data envelopment Chance-constrained this paper a new chance-constrained data envelopment analysis(CCDEA) approach rs proposedto assist analysis the decisionmakersto detennine the most appropriatethird-party reverselogistics(3PL)providersin the Dual-role factors presence ofboth dual-role factorsand stochastic data.A numerical example demonstratesthe application o fth e p r o p o s ed model . O 201 I ElsevierLtd. All riehts reserved. ers in logisticsfunctions.Lackof preciseawareness customs,tax 1. Introduction of regulationsand infrastructureof destination countries has forced logistics the process planning, firms to get hold ofexpertiseof third-party logisticsserviceprovid- Reverse is of implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost effective flow of raw equipments, ers. Consequently, firms are concentratingtheir energieson core in-process stock, finished merchandise,and related information activitiesand leaving the rest to expert firms. from the point of expenditure to the point of origin for the aim Outsourcinglogistics functions to third-party reverselogistics (3PL) providers have been a resource of competitive benefit for of recapturing value or of appropriate disposal. quote greaterflexibility,opera- Recycling is a sub-procedure within reverse logistics to most companies. Most companies decrease solid waste volume generated the disposition by of tional efficiency, enhanced customerseruicelevels,and a better the consufirercargos normally at the end of product's life-span or centeron their corebusinesses part of the advantages appeal- as of due to fault. A reversecanal is the physical distribution process ing the services 3PLproviders. The main profits of logistics of alli- of all these recyclableswithin which recycledmaterials are pro- ancesare to allow the outsourcingcompany to focus on the core cessedinto diverseforms in order to eliminate either perilous competence, escalate the efficiency, enhancethe service,lessen materials before the final disposition into landfills or to extract the transportation cost,restructure the supply chains,and create the marketplace legality. Hence, a proper 3PL provider which valuablesubstances resellingback to the market.The capabili- for ties and interactions of the agents in the recycling canal have a meetsdiversedemandsis criticalfor the augmentation and com- momentous impact on the efficiency of processing recycled petenceof an enterprise. Numerousmanufacturers have under- Differentagentswithin the canalsmay have dissimilar materials. stood that their core competences are not in the logisticsfield and have,hence,graduallysought to purchaselogisticsservices operationsobjectivesand constraints. They have diversecompeti- and functions from 3PL providers. with other agents the sameor tion and/orcooperation behaviors in The importance studyingreverse of diversetiers. logistics hasbeenincreased in recentyearsfor several (Farzipoor A key logic for outsourcingof logisticsfunctions is the intensi- reasons Saen, 2009;Prahinski glob- fied globalization businesses. of Duringthe last two decades, & I(ocabasoglu, 2006). alizationhas been appeared a main force of shapingbusiness as strategies,leading firms to develop goods designedfor a global r The amount of product returns can be very high, with some globally. marketplace and to sourcecomponents This has led to industries returnsat over 50%of sales. experiencing betterparticipation manag- . Sales opportunitiesin secondaryand global markets have moreknotty supplychainsrequiring of increased revenue generation from previously discarded products. + Coresponding author. Tel.: +0098 (21 ) 44869658. . End-of-lifetake-backlaws have proliferated over the past dec- (M. majid.azadi.edu@gnrail.com Azadi), farzipour@yahoo.com E-moil addre.s.ses: ade in developed countries, requiringbusinesses effectively to ( R . F. a e n ). S managethe entire life of the product. 1 T e f.:0 0 9 8 (2 6 1 )4 4 1 8 1/- 46.; fax: + 0098 ( 261) 4418156. 0957-417415 see front matter o 201 I ElsevierLtd. All fights reserwed. - doi: 10.i 016/j.eswa.201 1.04.001