Influence of reverse logistics on competitiveness, economic performance, ecological environment and society

Background: Today, companies operate in an environment that is significantly affected by the forces of transformational changes, which create problems for logistics. Reverse logistics is a relatively new topic for businesses. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to study the relationship between reverse logistics and competitiveness, economic performance, the environment, and society. Methods: The research methodology includes general scientific and special methods, such as synthesis and analysis, logical generalization, correlation and regression analysis. The hypotheses were empirically tested using sample data from 37 countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The analysis period ranged from 2000 to 2019, which corresponds to an unbalanced group of 591 observations. Results: Eight different models were developed to analyse the proposed hypotheses. It was confirmed that reverse logistics has a positive effect on competitiveness, economic performance, environmental performance and society. Conclusions: Therefore, companies should pay attention to reverse logistics, as it will promote their development and benefit during their activities. The aspects highlighted in the article will help to understand the development and scientific substantiation of logistics management measures. The conclusions of this document can serve as a guide for leadership and management