Improving the Economic Performance of Remanufacturing Systems through Flexible Design Strategies: A Case Study Based on Remanufacturing Laptop Computers for the Cambodian Market

Although numerous studies have highlighted the contributions of remanufacturing to sustainable development and the circular economy, the decision for a company to take up this strategy is riddled with uncertainties, especially when significant capital investment is involved. To improve the economic performance of a remanufacturing system in the face of uncertainties, we propose a methodological framework for flexible design of remanufacturing systems. Its application is demonstrated using a case study based on remanufacturing laptop computers for the Cambodian market. Through the case study, we show how one can explore the opportunity of setting up a remanufacturing system, study its economic feasibility and design flexible strategies to improve its economic performance in the face of uncertainties. More interestingly, we demonstrate how Monte Carlo simulation can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of different flexible design strategies in dealing with the uncertainties. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment