Operational Risks Management in the Reverse Logistics of Lead-Acid Batteries

Abstract

Operational risk management is an essential aspect of the current supply chain management activities. Supply Chains must identify and prioritize the most critical risks to take actions oriented to mitigate or eliminate them. Reverse logistics activities include proper disposal, recycling, reuse, or remanufacturing the products or wastes generated in the supply chain process. On the other hand, lead is one of the most dangerous elements in the world. Considering these aspects, this work develops an operational risk identification and prioritization in the reverse logistics of lead-acid batteries in Colombia using the questionnaires and FQFD (Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment) approaches. We identified operational risks in the reverse logistics of lead batteries and a probability-impact matrix to define which of these risks should be prioritized with FQFD. In this way, we established the priority of the risks considered. These prioritized risks help organizations related to this activity to develop action plans to mitigate these risks. Once the most critical risks are defined, actions to mitigate or eliminate them were proposed.