Reverse logistics in the publishing industry: China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan

Purpose - This paper compares the characteristics of reverse logistics in the publishing industry among China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Design/methodology/ approach - A multiple-case approach in combination with EIQ (entry of order, items, and quantity) analysis is selected to allow analytical generalization of the findings. Findings - The research findings show that the reverse logistics of Chinese publications is still in early stage and is not mature enough to be interconnected in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The reverse logistics cost in these areas is unlikely to be significantly reduced in the near future. Practical implications - Instead of making effort to process returned goods, logistics firms or publishers may consider discarding the returned goods directly. The loss on material cost is far less than the manpower spent on processing. Also, publishers can sort returned goods in off-peak season to save cost on reverse logistics. Originality/value - This research provides the first empirical study by applying EIQ analysis to understand the challenges of reverse logistics in the publishing industry in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, which has been rarely discussed in the past.