“Perspectives on Sustainable Logistics and Return Policies”
by M.Ali Ülkü
Bilkent University
Abstract
A product may be returned for a variety of reasons, including the product having poor functionality, being damaged during shipment, or simply prompting regret for an impulsive purchase. As a risk-reliever for consumer’s purchasing decision, especially for online sales, almost all retailers provide lenient returns policies. Add to this, a returns policy that comes with a product may signal a higher product quality and may enhance sales. However, such lenient return policies, if abused by the consumers, may mar supply chain profitability. In this talk, drawing on my past publications and ongoing research related to sustainable logistics and consumer (post-purchase) behavior, I will elaborate on insights into how various retailer’s return policies may impact supply chain decisions and sustainability.
M. Ali Ülkü is a Professor and the Director of the Centre for Research in Sustainable Supply Chain Analytics, in the Rowe School of Business at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS, Canada. He received his Ph.D. in Management Sciences from the University of Waterloo, M.Sc. in Operations Research from Çukurova University, and B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Bilkent University. Prior to his academic career, he worked as a productivity consultant at Anadolu Efes. Dr. Ülkü’s writings include the theoretical modeling of sustainable supply chain and logistics systems, operations-marketing interface, and mathematical modeling of consumer behavior. He published in such journals as Annals of Operations Research, European Journal of Operational Research, International Journal of Production Economics, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Cleaner Production, and Service Science. He served as the Program Chair for the 2018 Conference of the Canadian Operational Research Society. Dr. Ülkü taught at various universities in Turkey, Canada, and the USA. A recipient of the 2007 Exceptional Teaching Award at the University of Waterloo, Dr. Ülkü is an avid supporter of “the science and the teaching of the better.” During Spring 2019, Prof. Dr. Ülkü was a visiting professor at the Faculty of Business Administration, Bilkent University.
