ABSTRACT
The very significant changes that have been taking place in the high tech service and logistics support industry over the last 10 to 15 years have led to dramatic improvements in the strategic management, control, and direction of field reverse logistics (RL) support for whole units, subassemblies, and spare parts control using a closed loop system. In order to understand and make use of these improvements, it is essential to see, in a broader perspective, the almost revolutionary changes, which have taken place in the typical field and logistics support service organization. In general, in the 1950s through the 1980s, in almost all equipment manufacturing sectors, but particularly in high tech areas (data processing, office automation, telecommunications, medical electronics, etc), field service, including the provision of whole unit installation, maintenance, and repair services, was operated as a cost center.
