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Article
Publication date: 21 April 2020

Wanjie Hu, Jianjun Dong, Bon-Gang Hwang, Rui Ren and Zhilong Chen

Underground logistics system (ULS) is recognized as sustainable alleviator to road-dominated urban logistics infrastructure with various social and environmental benefits. The…

Abstract

Purpose

Underground logistics system (ULS) is recognized as sustainable alleviator to road-dominated urban logistics infrastructure with various social and environmental benefits. The purpose of this study is to propose effective modeling and optimization method for planning a hub-and-spoke ULS network in urban region.

Design/methodology/approach

Underground freight tunnels and the last-mile ground delivery were organized as a hierarchical network. A mixed-integer programming model (MIP) with minimum system cost was developed. Then a two-phase optimization schema combining Genetic-based fuzzy C-means algorithm (GA-FCM), Depth-first-search FCM (DFS-FCM) algorithm and Dijkstra algorithm (DA), etc. was designed to optimize the location-allocation of ULS facilities and customer clusters. Finally, a real-world simulation was conducted for validation.

Findings

The multistage strategy and hybrid algorithms could efficiently yield hub-and-spoke network configurations at the lowest objective cost. GA-FCM performed better than K-means in customer-node clustering. The combination of DFS-FCM and DA achieved superior network configuration than that of combining K-means and minimum spanning tree technique. The results also provided some management insights: (1) greater scale economies effect in underground freight movement could reduce system budget, (2) changes in transportation cost would not have obvious impact on ULS network layout and (3) over 90% of transportation process in ULS network took place underground, giving remarkable alleviation to road freight traffic.

Research limitations/implications

Demand pairs among customers were not considered due to lacking data. Heterogeneity of facilities capacity parameters was omitted.

Originality/value

This study has used an innovative hybrid optimization technique to address the two-phase network planning of urban ULS. The novel design and solution approaches offer insights for urban ULS development and management.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 27 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 September 2023

Li-Chun Hsu and Hsin-Yi Kao

With the high penetration rate of the Internet and the prevalence of social networking sites (SNSs), the negative emotions caused by stressors on SNS have become an important…

Abstract

Purpose

With the high penetration rate of the Internet and the prevalence of social networking sites (SNSs), the negative emotions caused by stressors on SNS have become an important issue worthy of attention. This study explored the relationship between SNS stressors, negative emotions and prosocial behavior, by employing negative emotions as the mediation role and social support as the moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

The samples of this study were Facebook users who have used it constantly in the past six months. An online survey was conducted, from which 547 responses were completed, and 525 were valid, for an effective recovery ratio of 95.98%.

Findings

Employing the structural equation model (SEM), the findings show that five paths were supported with a good fit. Negative emotions (anxiety and loneliness) have a moderating effect.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by factors divided by negative emotions of anxiety and loneliness from SNS stressors’ perspectives. In addition, this study provides additional support the moderating effect of social support of anxiety on prosocial behavior.

Details

Journal of Contemporary Marketing Science, vol. 6 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2516-7480

Keywords

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