Summary This article offers a comprehensive synthesis of critical success factors (CSFs) for implementing digitally enabled reverse logistics (RL), addressing a gap in the current academic discourse. A systematic review of 165 scholarly publications was conducted, with 56 studies selected for in-depth qualitative content analysis. Recurring enablers and barriers were identified and organized into a structured taxonomy comprising four core dimensions: (1) Stakeholder Integration and Support, (2) Sustainable Practices and Resource Management, (3) Regulatory Compliance and Strategic Alignment, and (4) Organizational and Infrastructure Adaptability. During the taxonomy development, three systemic levels—micro (company-internal), meso (inter-organizational), and macro (external environment)—emerged inductively, capturing the multi-layered complexity of RL implementation. The resulting taxonomy constitutes a novel conceptual framework that synthesizes the current state of research, offering scholars a multi-level lens and practitioners a diagnostic tool for strategy development. The study also identifies persistent challenges and outlines future research directions at the intersection of digital transformation and circular logistics.
Pichler et al. (Sat,) studied this question.
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