E Logistics

Research paper E-logistics and the natural environment
Joseph Sarkis, Laura M. Meade and Srinivas Talluri
The authors
Joseph Sarkis is in the Graduate School of Management, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. Laura M. Meade is in the Graduate School of Management, University of Dallas, Irving, Texas, USA. Srinivas Talluri is in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, Eli Broad College of Business Administration, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.

Introduction
Many Internet and traditionally-based electronic commerce (e-commerce) companies, whether focused on business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) markets, have come to realize that easy access to information and communication and the delivery of their products or services are important drivers in developing market competitiveness. Having a supportive electronic logistics (e-logistics) and reverse e-logistics system is necessary to maintain this competitiveness. Billions of dollars will be spent on developing, using and maintaining these systems. The B2C market in the USA generated an estimated $28 billion in 2000, up from $17.3 billion in 1999 and $7.7 billion in 1998, according to the US Census Bureau. According to Jupiter Research, the B2B marketplace reached $2.1 billion in 2000 and is predicted to grow to $80.9 billion in 2005. Jupiter also expects B2C to grow to $210 billion in the Asia Pacific Region alone by 2006. Billions more dollars of services and materials will flow over these systems. Killen and Associates (2001) expect that total worldwide Internet commerce will be $2.2 trillion by the year 2005. It is expected that billions of dollars will be spent on developing infrastructure and supporting processes in this evolving environment. Organizations will feel the economic burden and benefits of such electronic inter-organizational systems when integrated into their commerce relationships and delivery mechanisms. However, the

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