Rethinking Reverse Logistics: Neutrosophic Strategies for Warehouse Management Challenges

Implementing warehouse management platforms (WMPs) in Vietnam's smart reverse logistics (SRL) sector faces numerous barriers, hindering operational efficiency and competitiveness. This study develops a robust multi-stage decision-making framework to identify, analyze, and address these barriers, filling a critical research gap in SRL practices. The proposed model integrates Neutrosophic Sets (NS) for managing uncertainties in expert evaluations with the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method to examine cause-and-effect relationships among barriers. Additionally, the Neutrosophic Combined Compromise Solution (NS COCOSO) method ranks solutions for overcoming these challenges. In the first stage, key barriers—such as insufficient strategic planning, lack of expertise in reverse logistics, inadequate performance metrics, and a shortage of skilled personnel—are identified through an extensive literature review and expert validation using the NS Delphi technique. The second stage applies NS DEMATEL to analyze the interdependencies and significance of these barriers. The final stage prioritizes solutions to mitigate these challenges using NS COCOSO. This integrated approach provides three key contributions: (i) a systematic exploration of inter-barrier relationships, (ii) an advanced mechanism for addressing uncertainties in expert judgments, and (iii) a comprehensive ranking of actionable strategies for stakeholders. The findings underscore the need for long-term strategic planning, regulatory alignment, and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies to enhance WMP implementation in SRL. Sensitivity analyses validate the model’s robustness, and comparative assessments demonstrate its superiority over traditional methods. This study offers a novel and practical decision-support framework for logistics firms, policymakers, and stakeholders to drive sustainable advancements in reverse logistics.