Impact of smart logistics on smart city sustainable performance: an empirical investigation
The International Journal of Logistics Management
ISSN: 0957-4093
Article publication date: 11 March 2021
Issue publication date: 22 July 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Technologies continue to disrupt logistics and freight transport (known as smart logistics), but their impacts on smart city sustainability is underinvestigated. Drawing on technology, organisation and environment (TOE) perspective, the objective of this study is to empirically investigate the hierarchical effects of smart logistics on smart city sustainable dimensions (i.e. environmental, social and economic).
Design/methodology/approach
The study used cross-sectional survey to collect data from urban transporters, warehouse managers, retailers and information technology (IT) managers in Australia. Data were analysed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesised relationship between constructs of smart logistics and smart city sustainable performance.
Findings
The findings reveal that information and communications technologies (ICTs) use and IT capability (ITC) have positive and significant effects on smart logistics. Technology-enabled smart logistics have an immediate positive effect on smart city environment, which in turn has positive impacts on social and economic performance.
Practical implications
The study informs managers that smart logistics equipped with freight transport telematics can improve smart city environment through enhanced tracking and tracing of goods movement. The improved environmental stewardship is likely to support social and economic performance.
Originality/value
Smart city research remains primarily theoretical and focussed on concerns surrounding sustainable growth amid urbanisation and digitalisation. City logistics and urban freights play key role in smart city economic growth, but vehicular pollution pose social and environmental challenges. Technology-assisted smart logistics are likely to improve smart city sustainable performance but yet to find how they affect each other.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge sincere thanks to the anonymous reviewers, associate editor and editor-in-chief Professor Britta Gammelgaard for offering their valuable suggestions to improve the quality of the paper.
Citation
Shee, H.K., Miah, S.J. and De Vass, T. (2021), "Impact of smart logistics on smart city sustainable performance: an empirical investigation", The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 32 No. 3, pp. 821-845. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-07-2020-0282
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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