3. Results
In the first place, we observe that reverse logistics, as a research area in the field of
production and operations management, has experienced increasing interest in the
period of analysis considered, a fact that is mainly reflected in the growth
in the number of articles published in the journals analysed (figure 1).
One of the reasons for this spectacular growth is found in the monographs and
special issues that various journals have dedicated to environmental questions
associated with production and operations management. In fact, in 1999 Computers
& Industrial Engineering dedicated an edition to the analysis of manufacturing
processes that were respectful to the environment (Environmentally Conscious
Manufacturing); in the year 2000, Interfaces published a monograph under the title
‘Sustainable Business’; in 2001, OR Spectrum and Production and Operations
Management published issues on ‘Operational Research and Environmental
Management’ and ‘Environmental Management and Operations’, respectively;
in late 2003, Interfaces published another special edition, on this occasion on the
problems thrown up by closed-loop supply chains. Finally, in 2004, California
Management Review edited a special issue on ‘Closed-loop Supply Chains
Management’. Throughout 2006 more special issues on reverse logistics will be
published: Omega on ‘Reverse production systems’, International Journal of
Production Economics on ‘Sustainable supply chain management’, OR Spectrum
on ‘Product recovery’ and Production and Operations Management on ‘Closed-loop
supply chains’. In addition to these special editions, in recent years various
monographs on reverse logistics have been published: Stock (1998),