Decision Support Systems in Reverse Supply Chain Management

Abstract

The paper aims at presenting the main issues concerning the Reverse Supply Chains (RSC) and the specific attributes of Decision Support Systems (DSS) meant to be used in the RSC management activities in line with the new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Having reviewed several main milestones of the way to the conscious environmental manufacturing systems, Reverse Supply Chain frameworks, architecture and activities are described. Initiatives and implementation solutions of Decision Support Systems for RSC in some European countries are also presented. In the final part, the role of pacing technologies to support green manufacturing development with main emphasis on issues such as agent technologies, cloud computing, big data and cyber physical systems is explained.