Development of Remanufacturing Readiness Index for MSMEs: A Comprehensive Framework

Micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) have the opportunity to increase resource efficiency, decrease waste, and promote sustainability by implementing remanufacturing techniques. However, determining whether MSMEs are prepared for the adoption of such techniques requires a methodical approach that considers several aspects of manufacturing readiness, such as core acquisition, the design of remanufacturing, and others. Therefore, this study proposes a framework to measure the readiness for the adoption of remanufacturing practices. Further, the remanufacturing readiness index (RRI) is proposed by combining remanufacturing indicators with a structural approach based on graph theory and matrices (GTM). Nine remanufacturing readiness attributes are identified through the literature and validated by an expert team. These nine attributes include core acquisition, reverse logistics availability, resource availability for remanufacturing initiatives, the design for remanufacturing, enterprise collaboration, remanufactured product positioning, performance measurement, labor skill and availability, and a flexible remanufacturing system. The finalized remanufacturing readiness attributes are modelled using GTM to explore their interdependencies, forming the basis for a quantitative index (RRI) that reflects MSMEs’ readiness for the adoption of remanufacturing. It is used to measure the possibility of MSMEs implementing remanufacturing processes. To illustrate the efficacy of the RRI, a case study of a remanufacturing facility was conducted. This RRI acts as a decision-support tool to help MSMEs, industry stakeholders, and governments identify priority areas for intervention, promote resource efficiency, and create sustainable growth. The results highlight the importance of readiness attributes as fundamental components in implementing remanufacturing practices at the MSME level.