Assignments

Reverse Logistics Paper Questions:

Based on Reading 1 in Required Readings, please answer the following three questions (no more than 400 words):

1. Why is packaging reduction (in Figure 1) considered a green logistics activity and not a reverse logistics activity? Please add one more example of a "green supply chain management" activity that will not be considered a "reverse logistics" activity.
2. For each of the strategic reasons of returns (see Table 4) select one of the five products used during the class discussion (soda can, jackets, laptop, hybrid car, batteries) that you think will illustrate the reason best. Explain why.
3. Review the return policy of Zappos.com an online retailer of shoes. Do you think that some of the problems described in the paper will also apply to their business model? Justify your answer.

Read Reading 3 in Required Readings, and answer the following pre-session questions:

Using the information of the "Whirlpool Corporation: Reverse Logistics" Case Study answer the following questions:

1. What is the estimated cost of Whirlpool to comply with the EPR legislation under an IFO model? How does this cost compare with the cost of regular distribution?
2. Do you expect for a Whirlpool "closed-loop" system to have higher or lower costs than an IFO model?
3. If you were Ellacot, what will you do and why?

LCA review:

Please read the posted LCA study (see Reading 5 in Required Readings) and submit a 1–2 page document that answers the following questions.

1. What are two assumptions or omissions of the Hand Drying Systems LCA that could bias the study results? Justify your answer and, if possible, estimate the impact on the study results.
2. If you were the manufacturer of the Xlerator hand drying system, what would be your response to this study?