Peer-reviewed journal articles

[30] Merlano F, Frei R, Zhang D, Murzacheva E, and Wood S (2024). Consumer Perspectives on Interventions to Combat Fraudulent Product Returns in Omnichannel Fashion Retail. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management. Online first. (doi) (preprint pdf)

[29] Dacre N, Yan J, Frei R, Al-Mhdawi MKS, and Dong H (2024). Advancing sustainable manufacturing: a systematic exploration of Industry 5.0 supply chains for sustainability, human-centricity, and resilience. Production Planning & Control. Online first. (doi)

[28] Lase, IS, Frei R, Gong M, Vazquez-Brust D, Peeters E, Roelans G, Dewulf J, Ragaert K, and De Meester S (2023). A method to develop potential business cases of plastic recycling from urban areas: A case study on non-household end-use plastic film waste in Belgium. ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering Journal, 11(34), 12677–12694. (pdf)

[27] Zhang D, Frei R, Wills G, Gerding E and Senyo PK (2023). Strategies and practices to reduce the ecological impact of product returns: an environmental sustainability framework for multichannel retail. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32(7), 4636-4661. (doi)

[26] Zhang, D., Frei, R., Bayer, S., Senyo, PK, Gerding, E., Wills, G., and Beck, A. (2022). Understanding fraudulent returns and mitigation strategies in multichannel retailing. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 70, 103145. (doi)

[25] Gong Y, Wang Y, Frei R, Wang B and Zhao C (2022). Blockchain application in circular marine plastic debris management. Industrial Marketing Management, 102, p.164-176. (doi)

[24] Frei R, Jack L and Krzyzaniak SA (2022). Mapping product returns processes in multichannel retailing: challenges and opportunities. Sustainability, 14(3), 1382. (doi)

[23] Baden D and Frei R (2022). Product Returns: An Opportunity to Shift towards an Access-Based Economy? Sustainability, 14(1), 410. (doi)

[22] Dockree J, Wang Q and Frei R (2021). Error Chain Analysis - An effective method for tighter manufacturing process control. Production Planning & Control (PPC), 32(8), p.641-651. (doi)

[21] Frei R, Jack L and Brown, S (2020). Product returns: a growing problem for business, society and environment. Int. J. of Operations and Production Management (IJOPM), 40:10, p.1613-1621. (doi) (pdf)

[20] Frei R, Jack L and Krzyzaniak SA (2020). Sustainable reverse supply chains and circular economy in multichannel retail returns. Business Strategies and the Environment (BSE) 29(5), p.1925-1940. (doi)

[19] J. El Baz, R. Frei and I. Laguir (2018). Reverse supply chain practices in developing countries: the case of Morocco. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management (JMTM), 29(1), pages 198-216. (doi)

[18] R. Frei and N. Bausch (2017). 3 hard realities for 3D printing. Int. J. of Latest Engineering and Management Research (IJLEMR), 2(11), pages 43-52. (pdf)

[17] N. Bausch, D.P. Dawkins, R. Frei and S. Klein (2016). 3D Printing onto Unknown Uneven Surfaces. IFAC Mechatronics, September 2016, Loughborough / IFAC-PapersOnLine, 49(21), pages 583-590. (doi)

[16] R. Frei and N. Bausch (2016). Additive manufacturing as a socio-technical system. Int. J. of Latest Engineering and Management Research (IJLEMR), 1(10), pages 18-33. (pdf)

[15] R. Frei, A. Bines, I. Lothian and L. Jack (2016). Understanding Reverse Supply Chains. International Journal of Supply Chain Management and Operations Resilience, 2(4), pages 246-266. (doi)

[14] M. Butar Butar, D. Sanders and R. Frei (2016). Measuring performance of reverse supply chains in a carpet manufacturer. Journal of Advanced Management Science, 4(2), pages 152–158. (pdf)

[13] R. Frei, T.F. Serbanuta and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2014). Self-Organising Assembly Systems formally specified in Maude. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, 5(4), pages 491–510. (pdf)

[12] R. Frei, R. McWilliam, B. Derrick, A. Purvis, A.Tiwari and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2013). Self-healing and self-repairing technologies. Int. J. of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 69(5), pages 1033–1061. (pdf)

[11] R. Frei and J. Whitacre (2012). Degeneracy and Networked Buffering: principles for supporting emergent evolvability in agile manufacturing systems. Natural Computing Journal - Special issue on Engineering Emergence, 11(3), pages 417–430. (pdf)

[10] M. Puviani, G. Di Marzo Serugendo, R. Frei and G. Cabri (2012). A method fragments approach to methodologies for engineering self-organising systems. ACM Transactions on Autonomous and Adaptive Systems (TAAS), 7(3), pages 33:1–33:25. JCR 5-year impact factor in 2011: 1.645 (pdf)

[9] R. Frei and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2012). The Future of Complexity Engineering. Central European Journal of Engineering, 2(2), pages 164–188. (pdf)

[8] R. Frei and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2011). Concepts in Complexity Engineering. Int. J. of Bio-Inspired Computation, 3(2), pages 123–139. (pdf)

[7] R. Frei and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2011). Advances in Complexity Engineering. Int. J. of Bio-Inspired Computation, 3(4), pages 199–212. (pdf)

[6] R. Frei and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2011). Self-organising evolvable assembly systems. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics: Part C, 41(6), pages 885–897. JCR 5-year impact factor in 2011: 2.112 (pdf)

[5] R. Frei, G. Di Marzo Serugendo and T. F. Serbanuta (2010). Ambient intelligence in self-organising assembly systems using the chemical reaction model. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, 1(3), pages 163–184. (pdf)

[4] R. Frei and J. Barata (2010). Distributed systems - from natural to engineered: three phases of inspiration by nature. Int. J. of Bio-inspired Computation, 2(3/4), pages 258–270. (pdf)

[3] R. Frei and J. Barata (2008). Manufacturing systems of the future: a multidisciplinary approach. In A. Azevedo, editor, Innovation in Manufacturing Networks, volume 266, pages 239–244. Springer, Boston, MA, USA. (pdf)

[2] R. Frei and J. Barata (2008). Embodied intelligence to turn evolvable assembly systems reality. In A. Azevedo, editor, Innovation in Manufacturing Networks, volume 266, pages 269–278. Springer, Boston, MA, USA. (pdf)

[1] M. Onori, J. Barata and R. Frei (2006). Evolvable assembly systems basic principles. In W. Shen, editor, Information Technology for Balanced Manufacturing Systems, volume 220, pages 317–328. Springer, Boston, MA, USA. (pdf)

Conference talks without proceedings

Frei R (June 2022). Product returns. Keynote speech at the Reverse Logistics Association's EMEA Summit, Amsterdam. Watch online.

Frei R (10 Sept 2021). The PlastiCity Project – Solutions for ‘Lost Plastics’ in the Circular Economy Framework – Presentation as part of an online seminar.

Frei R (2020). Plastics recycling in the UK: before and during Covid-19. Keynote speech at the Conference on Sustainability Science, Padjadjaran, Indonesia (online).

Frei R, Jack L and Krzyzaniak SA (2020). Sustainability in product returns. EurOMA Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Forum, Nottingham, UK.

Alexander A, Ashby A, Lee M and Frei R (2020). Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainable Supply Chains in the Post-global Economy. Panel discussion at EurOMA Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Forum, Nottingham, UK.

R. Frei (2017). Towards a decision-making framework for reverse supply chain. Greening of Industry Network: Sustainable Development Goals and Supply Chains Symposium, Royal Holloway, UK.

S. Klein, M. Avery, R. Richardson, P. Bartlett, R. Frei and S. Simske (2015). 3D printed glass: surface finish and bulk properties as a function of the printing process. SPIE Conf. on Measuring, Modeling, and Reproducing Material Appearance (EI 2015), San Francisco, CA, USA. Invited paper.

M. Butar Butar, D. Sanders, G. Tewkesbury and R. Frei (2014). Measuring performance of reverse supply chains in a carpet manufacturer. Int. Conf. on Industrial Technology and Management (ICITM 2014), Paris, France.

Peer-reviewed conference papers

[23] Merlano F, Frei R and Zhang D (2024). A tool for SMEs to assess circular opportunities. In Proceedings of the Low-Cost Digital Solutions for Industrial Automation Conference, October 2024, Cambridge. (The IET Digital Library)

[22] Zhang D, Dawson I, Frei R and Merlano F (2024). Navigating the Green Path: exploring the dynamics and impact of Peer-to-Peer Retail Returns. In Proceedings of the EuROMA Conference, July 2024, Barcelona. (pdf)

[21] Frei R, Gong M, Vazquez-Brust D and Litaudon, V (2023). PlastiCity scenarios and modelling: plastic waste collection in urban environments. In Proceedings of the Operational Research Society Simulation Workshop 2023 (SW23), C. Currie and L. Rhodes-Leader, eds., pp.129-138. (doi)

[20] Zhang D, Frei R, Bayer S, Senyo PK, Wills G, Gerding E and Beck A (2022). The Impact of COVID-19 on Managing Product Returns in Retail. Proceedings of World POM, Nara, Japan, August 2022, pp. 633-642. (eprints)

[19] Zhang D, Bayer S, Wills G, Frei R, Gerding E and Senyo, PK (2022). Using big data analytics to combat retail fraud. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Finance, Economics, Management and IT Business, pp. 85-92 . (doi)

[18] J. El Baz, R. Frei and I. Laguir (2016). Exploring reverse supply chain practices in Morocco. Int. Conf. Project and Logistic (PROLOG), Agadir, Morocco. (pdf)

[17] R. Frei, I. Lothian, A. Bines, M. Butar Butar and L. Da Gama (2015). Performance in Reverse Supply Chains. Logistics Research Network Annual Conference (LRN), Derby, UK. (pdf)

[16] M. Puviani and R. Frei (2013). Self-management for Cloud computing. IEEE Science and Information (SAI) Conference, London, UK, pages 940–946 (pdf).

[15] R. Frei, S. Macbeth, J. Pitt and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2012). Simulation of complex emergent and self-healing structures in Presage and based on MetaSelf. International Conference on Through-life Engineering Services (TESConf), Shrivenham, UK, pages 337–344. (pdf)

[14] G. Di Marzo Serugendo, R. Frei and J.L. Fernandez-Marques (2012). Chemically inspired rules for self-healing in Self-Organising Assembly Systems. International Conference on Through-life Engineering Services (TESConf), Shrivenham, UK, pages 329–336. (pdf)

[13] M. Puviani, G. Cabri and R. Frei (2012). Self-healing in ensembles' collaboration patterns. International Conference on Through-life Engineering Services (TESConf), Shrivenham, UK, pages 361–367. (pdf)

[12] R. McWilliam, A. Purvis, D. Jones, P. Schiefer, R. Frei and A. Tiwari (2012). Self-repairing electronic logic units based on convergent cellular automata. International Conference on Through-life Engineering Services (TESConf), Shrivenham, UK, pages 353–360. (pdf)

[11] R. Frei (2011). A complex systems approach to education in Switzerland. European Conf. on Artificial Life (ECAL), pages 242-249, Paris, France. (pdf)

[10] G. Di Marzo Serugendo and R. Frei (2010). Experience report in developing and applying a method for self-organisation to agile manufacturing. IEEE Int. Conf. on Self-Adaptive and Self-Organizing Systems (SASO), Budapest, Hungary, 2010. (pdf poster, pdf 6 pages version, pdf 10 pages version)

[9] R. Frei, N. Pereira, J. Belo, J. Barata and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2010). Implementing self-organisation and self-management in evolvable assembly systems. IEEE Int. Symp. on Industrial Electronics (ISIE), pages 3527–3532, Bari, Italy. (pdf)

[8] R. Frei, B. Ferreira, G. Di Marzo Serugendo and J. Barata (2009). An Architecture for Self-Managing Evolvable Assembly Systems. IEEE Int. Conf. on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC), San Antonio, Texas, USA. (pdf)

[7] M. Puviani, G. Di Marzo Serugendo, R. Frei and G. Cabri (2009). Methodologies for self-organising systems: a SPEM approach. IEEE/WIC/ACM Int. Conf. on Intelligent Agent Technology (IAT) Milan, Italy. (pdf)

[6] R. Frei, G. Di Marzo Serugendo and J. Barata (2008). Designing self-organization for evolvable assembly systems. In IEEE Int. Conf. on Self-Adaptive and Self-Organizing Systems (SASO), pages 97–106, Venice, Italy. (pdf)

[5] R. Frei, B. Ferreira and J. Barata (2008). Dynamic coalitions for self-organizing manufacturing systems. In CIRP Int. Conf. on Intelligent Computation in Manufacturing Engineering (ICME), Naples, Italy. (pdf)

[4] R. Frei, L. Ribeiro, J. Barata and D. Semere (2007). Evolvable assembly systems: Towards user friendly manufacturing. In IEEE Int. Symposium on Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM), pages 288 – 293, Ann Harbor, MI, USA. (pdf)

[3] R. Frei, J. Barata and M. Onori (2007). Evolvable production systems, context and implications. In IEEE Int. Symp. on Industrial Electronics (ISIE), pages 3233-3238, Vigo, Spain. (pdf)

[2] R. Frei, J. Barata and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2007). A complexity theory approach to evolvable production systems. In Sapaty, P. and Filipe, J., editors, Int. Workshop on Multi-Agent Robotic Systems (MARS), pages 44–53, Angers, France. INSTICC Press. (pdf)

[1] J. Barata, M. Onori, R. Frei and P. Leitão (2007). Evolvable production systems: Enabling research domains. In Int. Conf. on Changeable, Agile, Reconfigurable and Virtual Production (CARV), pages 239–244, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (pdf)

In the Media

Webb B (29 August 2024). Overconsumption: Can we ever put the genie back in the bottle? Vogue Business. Available online. (pdf)

Henley P, Frei R et al. (3 March 2024). BBC One, Politics South: segment on product returns

Davis E, Frei R et al. (25 Jan 2024). BBC Radio 4, The Bottom Line: Many unhappy returns

Doherty B (5 October 2023). Why more fashion retailers are charging return fees. BBC Worklife.

Finamore E (7 August 2023). The scandalous reality of fashion retail’s returns. Drapers.

Tait A (31 Mar 2023). Buy. Return. Repeat … What really happens when we send back unwanted clothes? The Guardian

Slade D (16 Jan 2023). Retailers warned returns policies could cost billions and cause waste. Southern Daily Echo

Searles K (11 Jan 2023). Wasteful returns policies are costing the earth, retail expert warns. DeliveryX

Skeldon P (11 Jan 2023). Stop being nice – or risk return fraudster deluge, retail expert warns. Retailing Online

van Genuchten E (2 Sept 2022). How Returning Products In E-Commerce Can Be Made More Sustainable. Medium

Eccles L (22 May 2022). Refund racket hitting online retailers. The Sunday Times

Hines T, Frei R and Plant-O'Toole, E (2022). Supply Chain Careers, Skills and Courses. Chain Reaction podcast, 22 March. Available online.

Hines T and Frei R (2022). Reverse Supply Chains. Chain Reaction podcast, 23 February. Available online.

Edited books

Frei R, Zhang D and Merlano F (2024). Product returns in omnichannel retail. In Encyclopedia of Retailing. Elgar (in print)

Frei R, Ibrahim S and Akenroye T, eds. (2021). Africa and Sustainable Global Value Chains. Greening of Industry Networks Studies book series. Springer, Heidelberg. To appear: https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030787905#aboutBook

N. Yakoleva, R. Frei and S. Rama Murthy, eds. (2019). Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainable Supply Chains in the Post-global Economy. Greening of the Industry Network book series. Springer, Heidelberg. (Book)

Book chapters

R. Frei, L. Jack and S.A. Krzyzaniak (2019). Sustainable reverse supply chains for retail product returns. In: N. Yakoleva, R. Frei and S. Rama Murthy (eds.), Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainable Supply Chains in the Post-global Economy. Greening of the Industry Network book series. Springer, Heidelberg. (pdf)

N. Yakoleva, R. Frei and S. Rama Murthy (2019). Editorial. In: N. Yakoleva, R. Frei and S. Rama Murthy (eds.), Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainable Supply Chains in the Post-global Economy. Greening of the Industry Network book series. Springer, Heidelberg.

R. Frei (2016). Reverse supply chains. In C. Weetman: A Circular Economy handbook for business and supply chains. Kogan Page, London, p.323-329.

R. Frei and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2014). Self-Healing Software. In: The Computer After Me. Pitt, J. (editor), Chapter 5. Imperial College Press, London.

Magazine articles

Frei R (2023). A new retail industry for product returns. Materials Recycling World, May 2023. (download)

Jack L and Frei R (2022). Why Primark’s new click and collect service will not be a simple win for the fast fashion giant. In: The Conversation, 23 November 2022. (Online article)

Jack L and Frei R (2021). Fashion retailer Primark is refusing to sell online – here’s why it is right to do so. In: The Conversation, 21 January 2021. (Online article)

Frei R and Jack L (2021). Future of high streets: how to prevent our city centres from turning into ghost towns. In: The Conversation, 29 January 2021. (Online article)

Frei R and Vazqzuez-Brust, D (2020). What happens to the plastic you recycle? Researchers lift the lid. In: The Conversation, 2 September 2020. (Online article)

Jack L, Frei R and Krzyzaniak SA (2019). Return to sender - Is there a point of no return for online and omni-channel retailing? Loss Prevention Magazine Europe, 1 April 2019. (Online article p.29) (pdf)

Jack L, Frei R and Krzyzaniak SA (2019). The hidden costs of online shopping – for customers and retailers. In: The Conversation, 21 January 2019. (Online article)

N. Bausch and R. Frei (2016). Conformal printing with the InSPIREd printer. http://www.3printr.com (link)

G. Di Marzo Serugendo and R. Frei (2012). Self-awareness in agile assembly systems. Awareness Magazine http://www.awareness-mag.eu; Self-Awareness in Autonomic Systems. (pdf)

Technical reports

Frei R, Zhang D, Bayer S, Senyo PK, Gerding E, Wills G, and Beck A (2023). The Impact of COVID-19 on Product Returns Management in Multichannel Retail. SSRN working paper

Frei R, Zhang D, Bayer S, Gerding E, Wills G and Speights D (2023). What factors drive product returns in multichannel retail? (SSRN working paper)

PlastiCity Consortium (2022). Logistics Simulations Report. (online)

PlastiCity Consortium (2020). Logistics Scenario Report. (online)

Jack L, Frei R and Krzyzaniak SA (2019). Buy Online, Return to Store; The Challenges and Opportunities of Product Returns in a Multichannel Environment. Research commissioned by the ECR Shrink Group (Download the project report)

R. Frei and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2010). Advances in Complexity Engineering. TR BBKCS-10-07, School of Computer Science and Information Systems, Birbeck College, London, UK. (pdf)

R. Frei, N. Pereira, J. Belo, J. Barata and G. Di Marzo Serugendo (2009). Self-awareness in evolvable assembly systems. TR BBKCS-09-07, School of Computer Science and Information Systems, Birbeck College, London, UK. (pdf)

G. Di Marzo Serugendo and R. Frei (2009). Experience report in developing and applying a method for self-organisation to agile manufacturing. TR BBKCS-09-06, School of Computer Science and Information Systems, Birbeck College, London, UK. (pdf)

M. Puviani, G. Di Marzo Serugendo, R. Frei and G. Cabri (2009). Methodologies for self-organising systems: a SPEM approach. TR BBKCS-09-05, School of Computer Science and Information Systems, Birbeck College, London, UK. (pdf)

R. Frei, G. Di Marzo Serugendo and J. Barata (2009). Designing self-organization for evolvable assembly systems. TR BBKCS-09-04, School of Computer Science and Information Systems, Birbeck College, London, UK. (pdf)

R. Frei, C. Quigley, F. Dreyer and J. Heijmans (2007). The jigsaw puzzle project, an assignment for digital biology. DECOI 2007 Summer School, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (pdf)

Theses and marked project reports

R. Frei (2010). Self-organisation in Evolvable Assembly Systems. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal. (pdf) (BBK poster 1) (BBK poster 2)

R. Frei (2006). Validation of requirements for attaining evolvable assembly systems and a preliminary methodology for the modularisation aspects. Master thesis, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland, and Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden. (pdf)

R. Frei (2005). Adhesion phenomena in component vibration feeding for micro-assembly. Semester project, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland. (pdf)

A. Amsellem and R. Frei (2005). Ethical aspects of stem cell research and therapies (in French). Semester project in "Science, Technology and Society", Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland. (pdf)

R. Frei (2004). Contact angle investigations on substrates with controlled periodic roughness: different asperity sizes and different substrate temperatures. Semester project, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland. (pdf)