Competition versus cooperation? Which is better in a remanufacturing supply chain considering blockchain

• Selection of remanufacturing modes in a supply chain with blockchain is analyzed. • The remanufcturer only chooses the competition mode with exogenous patent license fee. • The manufacuturer may choose the cooperation or competition mode. • The brand advantage only affects the manufacturer’s mode selection. • Blockchain affects both the manufacturer’s and the remanufacturer’s mode selections. Remanufacturers often sell remanufactured products via their own channels (i.e., competition mode) or manufacturers’ channels with brand advantage (i.e., cooperation mode). Besides, blockchain improves consumers’ perceived quality of remanufactured products by alleviating their concerns. We develop game models by considering the influences of brand advantage and blockchain. Findings show that the brand advantage has critical effects on the manufacturer’s mode selection except for the remanufacturer, but blockchain influences both of their selections. Moreover, the remanufacturer may choose either cooperation or competition when the patent license fee is exogenous, but will only choose cooperation when the patent license fee is endogenous.