Client Name

Innova Agri Solutions

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Yasir Mansoor Kundi

SBS Thought Leadership Areas

Other

SBS Thought Leadership Area Justification

This project aligns with the Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) thought leadership area as it focuses on reverse logistics and returns optimization, a critical component of modern supply chains. Using analysis of 420+ transactions across 17+ areas and 100+ distributors, the project identified key drivers of product returns, evaluated inefficiencies in the reverse flow process, and proposed data-driven solutions to improve operational performance.

The project applies core supply chain management concepts and tools, including returns analysis, Pareto analysis, KPI development, stakeholder interviews, and process mapping. Its outcomes include a reusable analytical framework, monitoring dashboard, and actionable recommendations that can support supply chain managers in reducing returns, improving order discipline, and enhancing overall supply chain efficiency.

Aligned SDGs

GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Aligned SDGs Justification

This project supports SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by improving operational efficiency and reducing the financial losses associated with product returns. Through the analysis of 420+ transactions across 17+ areas and 100+ distributors, the project identified opportunities to optimize the returns process, enhance productivity, and strengthen the performance of Innova Agri Solutions and its distribution network.

By minimizing wasteful reverse logistics activities and promoting more efficient use of resources, the project contributes to sustainable economic growth and aligns with SDG 8's objective of improving productivity through innovation and operational improvements.

NDA

No

Abstract

This Experiential Learning Project is an in-depth study of the issue of product return and reverse logistics at one of Pakistan’s top agricultural inputs companies, Innova Agri Solutions, with more than five hundred franchise outlets. As the business expanded, handling returns from the distributors, franchise outlets and customers has become a heavy burden on the business and also on the finances because there were significant swings in the seasonal demand, overstocking by distributors, handling damage, and order fulfilment errors. The overall aim of the project was to establish the causes of these returns, estimate the financial consequences and develop recommendations, based on facts, to improve the reverse logistics system. The study was conducted in Hyderabad region and 17 reporting areas of the region, and the 12-months return data pertaining to calendar year 2025 was taken for the analysis. The design used was the mixed methods approach. The quantitative part analyzed 421 return transactions with the total value of PKR 32.19 million based on a fully formula driven model in excel which generated area, distributor, product, reason and monthly views of the data. The qualitative aspect involved a visit to the factory, a structured meeting in the head office and the regional office and telephone interviews with the distributors connected by the company. They found that the distribution of returns is very skewed. Almost ninety-five percent (60.6 percent and 34.2 percent respectively) of the return value was due to seasonal returns and distributor overstocking under the A to B policy. There was also geographical concentration of returns with the Hyderabad area accounting for 25.6 percent of the value, and customer concentration with one distributor accounting for 23.6 percent of the value. A few, high value items predominated, hybrid rice seed being the most prominent among them. These patterns indicate a forecasting and discipline of order problem and not a quality issue. The project suggests seasonal demand forecasting while capping the orders, a real time return tracking system connected to company ERP, distributor scorecards, strict order confirmation and dispatch verification, and a monitoring dashboard based on clear KPIs. When taken together these measures can help to reduce return rates, operating costs and help to coordinate the supply chain. Keywords: reverse logistics, returns management, supply chain optimization, demand forecasting, agricultural inputs, Pakistan

Document Type

Restricted Access

Document Name for Citation

Experiential Learning Project

Notes

This Experiential Learning Project was completed in collaboration with Innova Agri Solution, Pakistan. The corporate client was Mr. Bilal Ahmed, Director of Import and Production. The project was supervised by Dr. Yasir Mansoor Kundi, Department of Management, Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi, Spring Semester 2026.

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