From Linear Exchange to Circular Coordination: A Theoretical Integration of Reverse Logistics Into Sustainable Marketing

Abstract Sustainable marketing theory has traditionally emphasized forward flows of value, focusing on production, consumption, and co-creation, while largely neglecting post-consumption processes and material recovery. Simultaneously, reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chain research have provided operational insights into returns, recycling, and remanufacturing, but these studies rarely integrate marketing’s strategic role in coordinating circular flows. Sustainable marketing scholarship has focused primarily on communication, green positioning, and consumer behavior, under-theorizing system-level coordination for sustainability. Addressing this gap, the paper introduces Circular Coordination - a conceptual framework positioning marketing as the orchestrator of both forward and reverse flows across stakeholders. The framework comprises four dimensions: reverse-flow strategic integration, recovery-oriented demand shaping, end-of-life relationship management, and circular stakeholder alignment. Based on this construct, five propositions are developed linking Circular Coordination to enhanced sustainability performance, stakeholder legitimacy, and long-term value resilience. The paper advances sustainable marketing theory by extending its scope beyond linear exchange, bridging marketing and operations scholarship, and embedding marketing activity within stakeholder and institutional contexts. Managerial implications are discussed, highlighting how firms can operationalize Circular Coordination to achieve systemic sustainability while creating competitive advantage. This framework provides a platform for future conceptual and empirical research in marketing and circular economy contexts.