User needs in reverse logistics of electro medical equipment in a product-service system
by Adriana Hofmann Trevisan; Carina Campese; Janaina Mascarenhas
International Journal of Product Lifecycle Management (IJPLM), Vol. 15, No. 1, 2023

Abstract: Product-service systems (PSS) and circular economy (CE) require reverse logistics (RL) networks to recover and maximise product lifespan. Those three systems (PSS, CE, and RL) must be designed from the consumer's perspective to succeed. However, few studies highlighted users' relevance in RL in the PSS context. In this sense, this research seeks to understand the user's needs to perform RL in a PSS. An initial case study was carried out with a company that manufactures and sells medical devices in Brazil. Then, multiple case studies were carried out in hospitals to collect on-site needs related to the RL of medical devices. The identified needs were organised into seven categories. The results indicate that lack of agility in the RL process can lead to critical situations within hospitals (e.g., lack of equipment to use), as well as the creation of stressful situations for all stakeholders involved in the process.

Online publication date: Mon, 25-Sep-2023

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