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Taghreed Abu Salim, May El Barachi, Okey Peter Onyia and Sujith Samuel Mathew
Smart city services (SCS) in contrast with other technology-based services, demand significant interaction and collaboration between the users and the service providers. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Smart city services (SCS) in contrast with other technology-based services, demand significant interaction and collaboration between the users and the service providers. This study examines the SCS delivery-channel characteristics and the users' personal (behavioral and demographic) characteristics that influence their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the services, as well as their intention to adopt (i.e. continue using) the SCS-delivery channels.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative study using a structured questionnaire was conducted for this paper. The data-collection method was administered by emailing the survey to a list of 2,350 city/urban residents who are members of the two largest universities in the greater Dubai metropolis. A total of 600 completed responses (26 percent) were received back, while 580 useable responses (25 percent) were analyzed for this paper.
Findings
Our initial findings suggest that contrary to popular belief, it is not only SCS channel factors that influence user satisfaction and continuance intention. SCS users' personal characteristics (such as their user innovativeness and control-seeking behavior) are also pivotal in determining their satisfaction and intention to continue or not continue using the SCS-delivery channels.
Research limitations/implications
The paper argues that both SCS channel factors and SCS users' personal characteristics jointly influence the users' experience of the services and therefore jointly determine their satisfaction with the service as well as their SCS usage continuance intention. The result of our research gives important insights into users' behaviors toward the emerging SCS channels in general, and it will be of great value to architects and designers of Smart City technologies around the world.
Practical implications
The paper argues that both SCS channel factors and SCS users' personal (behavioral and demographic) characteristics jointly influence the users' trials of the services, and therefore jointly determine their satisfaction with the service as well as their SCS usage continuance intention. The result of our research gives important insights into users' behavioral intentions toward the emerging SCS channels in general; and it will be of great value to architects and designers of Smart City technologies around the world.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first few studies focused on investigating the antecedents of SCS usage behaviors in the Middle Eastern region.
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Hao Luo, Yilun Wang and Zhixing Luo
The paper aims to study the challenges and solutions of city logistics in the new retail era. The new retail, which is characterized by omni-channel, fragmented orders and…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to study the challenges and solutions of city logistics in the new retail era. The new retail, which is characterized by omni-channel, fragmented orders and decentralized 2C distribution, is becoming the mainstream of the retail industry worldwide. In order to achieve a comprehensive breakthrough in new retail, the change of order fulfillment mode is the most noteworthy issue. The aim of this paper is to design a city logistics operation model for new retail and verify its feasibility and efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
A physical internet (PI) enabled two-tier city logistics solution is proposed by redefining the key facilities in city logistics with the PI concept. A “Container-as-a-Warehouse” operation mode is designed to provide a more flexible store and transfer solution. A mathematical model of the proposed solution is established. An adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) is designed based upon an iterative procedure, which ensures consistent and optimal results.
Findings
To quantitatively assess the feasibility of the proposed solution, a computational experiment is designed to compare the performance of the proposed model against the conventional two-tier city logistics operation. The effects of geographical location pattern, utilization of PI-hub as well as the fluctuation of customer orders are analyzed. The results show that the PI-enabled city logistics is more advantageous than the conventional solution.
Research limitations/implications
This study does not consider the impact of new technologies in city logistics; for example, the replenishment problem of unmanned vending machines and the charging problem of electric vehicles.
Practical implications
The proposed PI-enabled solution and analysis results in this paper have positive guiding significance for future practical application.
Originality/value
Based on the concept of PI, this paper proposes an innovative and practical operation model to solve the city logistics challenges.
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Linda Christie and Mike Danson
The purpose of this chapter is to provide the rationale for the public authorities’ direct interventions to realise benefits for the city and region of Glasgow acting as host city…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to provide the rationale for the public authorities’ direct interventions to realise benefits for the city and region of Glasgow acting as host city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Methodology/approach
The methodology relies on an extensive literature review of the impact of large sporting and cultural events and of the evolution of the partnership approach to social and economic development and regeneration. One of the authors was critically involved in the construction of The Commonwealth Games legacy for Glasgow and so the chapter uses a participant researcher methodology.
Findings
The findings are consistent with the lessons from previous mega events as proposed following recent Olympic and Commonwealth Games and World Cups. The City Council was able to introduce a partnership approach which intervened to establish a viable legacy programme.
Research implications
Research implications, as previous studies have argued, are of a need for evaluation of the legacy programme over a period of several years.
Practical implications
Practical implications follow from the success of the Glasgow Games which confirm the advantages of a partnership-based legacy programme being established early by the host city.
Social implications
Social implications have been addressed over the short term by others and the longer term impacts of public sector interventions need to be analysed.
Originality/value
Originality/value of the chapter come from the description and assessment of the first legacy programme to be established before the event with wide stakeholder support.
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Daniele Patier and Louis Alligier
Business-to-consumer e-commerce results in deliveries to consumers. Before evaluating the impact on urban networks, it is necessary to describe and understand the underlying…
Abstract
Business-to-consumer e-commerce results in deliveries to consumers. Before evaluating the impact on urban networks, it is necessary to describe and understand the underlying logistics. Certain sectors, e.g. food products, require specific solutions.
Distribution systems are presented as an alternative to private shopping trips. However, the costs of order handling (order-picking, packaging) and home deliveries are still high and not always covered by the price paid by the consumer. On the whole, the profitability of on-line retailing is uncertain and the number of clients limited.
Electric freight vehicles (EFVs) are one of the solutions to improve city logistics’ sustainability. EFVs, that are electric powered light and heavy vehicles with a number plate…
Abstract
Purpose
Electric freight vehicles (EFVs) are one of the solutions to improve city logistics’ sustainability. EFVs, that are electric powered light and heavy vehicles with a number plate, have the potential to make zero emission city logistics possible within the urban area. However, although trials have been undertaken for the last years, large-scale usage of EFVs in city logistics does not occur yet. EFVs are technically possible, but the implementation of EFVs in practice is relatively limited.
Design
This chapter examines by reviewing current and past EFV implementations, what are the challenges, barriers and success factors for EFVs in city logistics operations. EFVs have especially positive environmental effects, but are overall usually more expensive (especially in procurement) than conventional vehicles. Besides, other technical and operational issues remain to be solved, and many uncertainties still exist on long-term usage.
Findings
Three main barriers for large-scale EFV uptake are identified. The current logistics concepts are developed for conventional vehicles and should be redesigned to fit EFVs better. Local authorities’ support is essential in order to find a positive (or not too negative) business case. And EFV implementation requires companies that want to be sustainable. This contribution presents examples of how some companies or authorities deal with these barriers.
Value
This chapter concludes by identifying elements that are necessary for acceleration of EFV uptake in city logistics operations.
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Shenja van der Graaf and Carina Veeckman
The purpose of this study is yield insight into how cities can optimize citizen involvement in the co-development of citizen services by providing the rights tools, knowledge and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is yield insight into how cities can optimize citizen involvement in the co-development of citizen services by providing the rights tools, knowledge and resources.
Design/methodology/approach
By conducting a case study analysis of the city of Ghent, this study investigates how users are engaged in the development of mobile applications on a city-hosted platform.
Findings
Findings show that public service delivery, related to the urban space, can be co-designed between the city and its citizens, if different toolkits aligned with the specific capacities and skills of the citizens are provided.
Research limitations/implications
Data were collected between August 2012 and December 2013. Some preliminary findings are presented on the (design of the) dynamic co-creation ecosystem and the citizens’ capacities to participate on the city-hosted platform. In addition, while the examination is still ongoing some insights can be offered in the learning dynamics underpinning how the cities are setting up such a bottom-up process and how local participation for different citizen groups can be optimized in the context of design capabilities and the design space.
Originality/value
This study yields relevant insights for policymakers, city administrations, as well as Living Lab practitioners into how public service delivery, supported by an inclusive participatory governance by design framework at the local level, can be co-designed between the city and citizens, if different toolkits aligned with the specific capacities and skills of the users are provided. By providing tailored tools, even ordinary citizens can take a much more active role in the development and appropriation of their urban space and generate solutions from which both the city and citizens’ everyday life can possibly benefit.
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Merlin Stone, Jonathan Knapper, Geraint Evans and Eleni Aravopoulou
The purpose of this paper is to investigate information management in a smart city. It identifies the main trends in progress and how innovation in information technology is…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate information management in a smart city. It identifies the main trends in progress and how innovation in information technology is helping all those in the smart city ecosystem in terms of generating new sources of data and connecting them. It investigates how information management in the smart city may go through several phases, but contests the notion that the co-ordinated information management that is the dream of many city managers is an appropriate vision, given the tendency in the private sector for competing information platforms to develop, giving value in different ways.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper has been written by using a combination of academic insight and literature, extensive research of relevant grey literature (e.g. blogs and industry press) and interviews and interaction with some of the organisations involved in developing and implementing the smart city concept, including public transport organisations, other data providers, analysts and systems and sensor suppliers.
Findings
Smart city concepts are evolving in different ways, with divergence of views which involves centralisation and control of information by city authorities and a more democratic view in which the information is managed on different platforms between which smart city stakeholders can choose.
Research limitations/implications
The research method is exploratory. Validating the findings would require a more structured approach in which stakeholders of all kinds are consulted.
Practical implications
All organisational stakeholders in the idea and delivery of smart cities need to consider how their interests in smart city information and those of other stakeholders are evolving and to what extent they should be in partnership with other members of the ecosystem in generating and using the information.
Social implications
Individuals, whether workers, commuters, shoppers, tourists or others, will be greatly affected by the evolution of smart city information, and their choices about whether to be smart themselves will have an important effect on the benefits they receive from city smartening and on the viability of the smart cities.
Originality/value
Little research has been carried out into the different choices organisations and individuals have in terms of how they will relate to smart city information and how they can manage it. This research makes a start on this task.
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Shenle Pan, Vaggelis Giannikas, Yufei Han, Etta Grover-Silva and Bin Qiao
The development of e-grocery allows people to purchase food online and benefit from home delivery service. Nevertheless, a high rate of failed deliveries due to the customer’s…
Abstract
Purpose
The development of e-grocery allows people to purchase food online and benefit from home delivery service. Nevertheless, a high rate of failed deliveries due to the customer’s absence causes significant loss of logistics efficiency, especially for perishable food. The purpose of this paper is to propose an innovative approach to use customer-related data to optimize e-grocery home delivery. The approach estimates the absence probability of a customer by mining electricity consumption data, in order to improve the success rate of delivery and optimize transportation.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodological approach consists of two stages: a data mining stage that estimates absence probabilities, and an optimization stage to optimize transportation.
Findings
Computational experiments reveal that the proposed approach could reduce the total travel distance by 3-20 percent, and theoretically increase the success rate of first-round delivery approximately by18-26 percent.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed approach combines two attractive research streams on data mining and transportation planning to provide a solution for e-commerce logistics.
Practical implications
This study gives an insight to e-grocery retailers and carriers on how to use customer-related data to improve home delivery effectiveness and efficiency.
Social implications
The proposed approach can be used to reduce environmental footprint generated by freight distribution in a city, and to improve customers’ experience on online shopping.
Originality/value
Being an experimental study, this work demonstrates the effectiveness of data-driven innovative solutions to e-grocery home delivery problem. The paper also provides a methodological approach to this line of research.
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