Does B2C online logistics service quality impact urban logistics?

This paper reports on an in-progress research study regarding the impact of business to consumer (B2C) online logistics service quality (OLSQ) for shopper satisfaction and loyalty on urban logistics across the UK, France and Germany to also investigate country-specific differences of consumer online shopping behaviour and channel strategies. A two-stage approach is adopted consisting of firstly of qualitative research conducted with managers at the producer/retailer interface and secondly a quantitative survey stage targeting consumers as online shoppers to determine how their expectations of OLSQ and associated activities influence their satisfaction and ongoing loyalty. This study should contribute theoretically by considering a B2C setting for OLSQ, which is the final aspect of point-of-origin to point-of-consumption, as most general literature on these topics has been dominated by business to business (B2B) logistical designs, and also identify any discrepancies between consumer expectations or behaviour as it may affect urban logistics solutions. Further, this study should contribute practically by providing managers with an understanding of the components of OLSQ considered critical by consumers

Value-based Design of Collaboration Processes for e-Commerce

Designing cross-organizational e-business applications faces the problem that the collaborating businesses must align their commercial interests without any central decision making authority. The design process must therefore yield a clear view of the commercial value of the collaboration for each economic actor, as well as a clear specification of the activities to be performed by each actor and a specification of information systems to be used by each actor. We present guidelines for designing the value network of the collaboration, which shows the commercial value of the collaboration for each participating actor. We then present guidelines for transforming the value network into process models, which show the feasibility of implementing the value network in the business processes of the actors. Our approach has been developed in different consultancy projects. We illustrate our approach with a consultancy project performed at a company that we will call the Amsterdam Times

Exploring unattended delivery services in e-grocery retail : A consumer-centric perspective on last-mile logistics

The retail landscape is transforming at an unprecedented speed and scale, thereby driving an unparalleled growth in last-mile delivery. The already rapidly growing online sales have been further fueled by the coronavirus pandemic. However, the share of online sales varies greatly among different retail sectors. In grocery retail, the share of online sales is still relatively low even though it is the fastest growing e-retail sector. The idiosyncrasies of groceries set high requirements for last-mile delivery. Thus, retailers continuously explore the use of innovative services. Despite the growing interest of scholars in last-mile logistics, little is known about the customer perspective on delivery services. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to contribute to consumer-centric last-mile logistics research. This research employs a qualitative exploratory approach based on three studies that have been presented in three appended papers. The first study is a systematic review of the literature in last-mile logistics. The systematic review reveals a lack of consumer research in the field. Thus, the subsequent empirical studies explore the consumer perspective on last-mile delivery using a marketing perspective. The second study is a multiple case study on early adopters of unattended grocery delivery services that explores customer expectations of such services. The third study is an interview study that explores the customer experience related to unattended grocery delivery services. The findings of this licentiate thesis shed light on the consumer perspective in last-mile logistics. The systematic literature review reveals that last-mile logistics research lacks examination from the consumer perspective. The findings of the multiple case study provide a conceptual model of customer expectations of unattended grocery delivery services. The model represents the relationship between forms and determinants of service expectations. The study finds various forms of desired service, expected standard service, and predicted service. Furthermore, the empirical evidence demonstrates that these service expectations are determined by personal needs, technology literacy, and situational factors. The interview study findings offer a conceptual model of the customer experience of unattended grocery delivery services. The model represents the relationship between customer experience elements, customer experience dimensions, and unattended grocery delivery experience. The analysis reveals various elements related to the emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral experiences of customers. This research has several implications for theory and practice. Theoretically, this research contributes a cohesive overview of the literature on last-mile logistics. Further, the two empirical studies provide insights into the pre-purchase and post-purchase stages of the customer journey in unattended grocery delivery services. Managers can use the proposed conceptual models to design and improve unattended grocery delivery services

Last-mile delivery services in retail : a consumer-centric approach

The retail industry faces a multitude of complex sustainability challenges, which calls for transformational change. While the retail industry is a major driver of production and consumption patterns, it also offers significant potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Notably, logistics services, such as warehousing, delivery, and returns, have gained vital importance in retail due to the continuous growth of e-commerce and the development toward omnichannel retail. Escalating parcel shipping volumes have sparked growing interest in last-mile delivery among scholars and practitioners. In fact, last-mile delivery has been described as the most expensive, least efficient, and most polluting part of the supply chain. Despite the recognition of the growing importance of the consumer, scholarly investigations on last-mile delivery from the consumer perspective remain fragmented and rather limited. Building on the notion that changing consumer demands and behavioral patterns represent the primary drivers of change in the retail industry, the purpose of this research is to explore the consumer perspective on last-mile delivery to provide a foundation for more sustainable retail business models.This dissertation compiles the results of four papers from four separate, yet subsequent, studies. The first study, a systematic literature review, proposed a framework of last-mile logistics research that consists of five interrelated components. The review identified a lack of consumer research in last-mile logistics. The second study, a multiple case study, explores customer expectations of an unattended home delivery service in e-grocery retail. The study captured three types of services expectations—desired service, expected standard service, and predicted service—which are formed by three determinants; personal needs, technology literacy, and situational factors. The third study, an engaged scholarship field study, explored customer experience of an unattended home delivery service in e-grocery retail. The study found that the total customer experience in last-mile delivery is multidimensional, comprising consumers’ cognitive, emotional, behavioral, sensorial, physical, and social responses to the service. The fourth study, a collaborative study, explored the drivers of circular business model innovation and how to accelerate this process in fashion retail. The study proposes that consumer centricity acts as a main driver of circular business model innovation, and that logistics acts as a catalyst that accelerates this process, which contributes to the transformation of fashion retail towards the circular economy. This dissertation contributes to research in multiple ways. The results of this dissertation shed light on the last-mile delivery customer journey in retail by mapping forms and determinants of customer expectations and by providing a rich understanding of customer experience dimensions. The findings illustrate how customer experience has become more logistics and supply chain-related. Furthermore, this dissertation contributes to the literature by identifying patterns of circular business model innovation and illustrates how consumer centricity and logistics affect the transition of retail business models toward circular economy.This dissertation also holds multiple implications for practice. This research indicates that consumer centricity holds significant potential to reduce the environmental impact of last-mile delivery. Retailers can leverage consumer centricity to encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable last-mile delivery services and accept longer lead times and time windows. Moreover, managers are encouraged to take advantage of consumer centricity as an innovation driver and logistics as a catalyst in circular business model innovation to unfold the full potential of the circular economy

Analysis and optimization of distribution logistics for Just Water Company

This report details the various factors that affect the operational efficiency of distribution logistics. The research aimed at studying the existing components involved in the distribution logistics of Just Water. Distribution logistics begins at the end of the production line where the finished product is emerged until it reaches the customers. The literature review explains the key components of distribution logistics in an organisation. This research analyses the existing components of the distribution logistics of Just Water and discusses possible improvements that can be adapted to increase the overall efficiency of the distribution logistics operation. The background of the research is that Just Water faces difficulty with delivering its products on time during peak seasons. The research tries to unveil the reason for this delay and finds that the demands for extra water-out deliveries are interfering with the normal runs of the trucks, therein delaying their regular schedule. One another cause was found to be the shortage of supplies due to slow or less return logistics. The research suggests a change in the existing drop shipping distribution model and recommends the adaptation of intermediary or multi-stage distribution networks, possibly the ‘Last Mile Delivery’ configuration in order to reduce delivery lead-time, reduce transportation costs and improve customer satisfaction

Expanding the education role to narrow the audit expectation gap: exploring the expectation gap’s existence among accounting students

Society perceives and expects more from auditor’s than what auditors can actually achieve. Society has been found to misperceive the role of an auditor, in particular, in regards to fraud, internal controls and going concern issues. Society’s differing perceptions and expectations of the auditing profession is known as the audit expectation gap. This study aims to explore the audit expectation gap’s existence among Wintec accounting students and the effect that education has on the audit expectation gap. This research intends to answer two research questions. First, does an audit expectation gap exist among Wintec accounting students? Second, what is the effect of education on the audit expectation gap? To answer these research questions, 20 Wintec accounting students have been interviewed. Ten students who have received an audit education, and ten students who have not received audit education. Qualitative data was collected from these interviews and analysed using a mixed methods approach. This study found that an audit education exists among Wintec accounting students. This study also found that education reduced the audit expectation gap, in particular, the deficient performance gap and the communication gap. However, while education did reduce the audit expectations gap, it was not eliminated. This study recommends that Wintec provides a more basic auditing education during introductory accounting papers, educating students on the role of an auditor. This study also recommends that education focuses on the practical use of an audit report, to increase student’s understandings of the information in the audit report, and how this information is communicated. Thus, the researcher believes that these recommendations will help to further reduce the audit expectation

Research in multi-cultural relationship building

This study aims to explore the ‘missing gap' between the values of an Accounting firm and the preference shown by Maaori on how they would like to be approached when wanting to build a trusted relationship within a business sense. This study makes use of qualitative approaches in which data is collected primarily through interviews and analysed to produce results and recommendations. The study found that Maaori would like to be approached in a way that makes sense to them and also identifies with their cultural proceedings. It also provides insight into how important trust is when establishing a relationship with Maaori. The study recommends that further studies conducted should interview a wider variety of focus groups to add different elements to this research and that FIRM A's small business department's offerings do not align with what Maaori want so need to be rethought to adapt to Maaor expectations

Chapter 3 - Mobility on demand (MOD) and mobility as a service (MaaS): early understanding of shared mobility impacts and public transit partnerships

Technology is changing the way we move and reshaping cities and society. Shared and on-demand mobility represent notable transportation shifts in the 21st century. In recent years, mobility on demand (MOD)—where consumers access mobility, goods, and services on-demand by dispatching shared modes, courier services, public transport, and other innovative strategies—has grown rapidly due to technological advancements; changing consumer preferences; and a range of economic, environmental, and social factors. New attitudes toward sharing, MOD, and mobility as a service (MaaS) are changing traveler behavior and creating new opportunities and challenges for public transportation. This chapter discusses similarities and differences between the evolving concepts of MaaS and MOD. Next, it characterizes the range of existing public transit and MOD service models and enabling partnerships. The chapter also explores emerging trends impacting public transportation. While vehicle automation could result in greater public transit competition in the future, it could also foster new opportunities for transit enhancements (e.g., microtransit services, first- and last-mile connections, reduced operating costs). The chapter concludes with a discussion of how MOD/MaaS partnerships and automation could enable the public transit industry to reinvent itself, making it more attractive and competitive with private vehicle ownership and use