IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlogis/v8y2024i4p114-d1516544.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Automating Logistics Operations: Qualitative Insights from Four European Sites

Author

Listed:
  • Guglielmo Papagni

    (Center for Technology Experience, Austrian Institute of Technology, 1210 Vienna, Austria)

  • Setareh Zafari

    (Center for Technology Experience, Austrian Institute of Technology, 1210 Vienna, Austria)

  • Johann Schrammel

    (Center for Technology Experience, Austrian Institute of Technology, 1210 Vienna, Austria)

  • Manfred Tscheligi

    (Center for Technology Experience, Austrian Institute of Technology, 1210 Vienna, Austria
    Center for Human-Computer Interaction, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria)

Abstract

Background: Automated vehicles are increasingly entering logistics operations, driven by factors like controllability, standardization, and reduced risk. However, successful automation requires understanding the diverse perspectives of logistics stakeholders. Method: This paper investigates these perspectives through 28 interviews with representatives from five key stakeholder groups within the European Project AWARD’s four pilot sites. Results: Key findings highlight positive expectations for efficiency, safety, and reliability, but also identify critical prerequisites still to be met: further technological advancements, shifts in logistics roles and working conditions, regulatory improvements, and careful narrative building around technology. Conclusions: A deeper analysis of individual stakeholder groups and pilot site representatives reveals nuanced needs and concerns, emphasizing the importance of considering different perspectives and need for further research involving a wider range of stakeholder groups to fully capture the complexities of this emerging field.

Suggested Citation

  • Guglielmo Papagni & Setareh Zafari & Johann Schrammel & Manfred Tscheligi, 2024. "Automating Logistics Operations: Qualitative Insights from Four European Sites," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-21, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlogis:v:8:y:2024:i:4:p:114-:d:1516544
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/8/4/114/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/8/4/114/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Valeska Engesser & Evy Rombaut & Lieselot Vanhaverbeke & Philippe Lebeau, 2023. "Autonomous Delivery Solutions for Last-Mile Logistics Operations: A Literature Review and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, February.
    2. David H. Autor, 2015. "Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? The History and Future of Workplace Automation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 29(3), pages 3-30, Summer.
    3. Sgarbossa, F. & Grosse, E. H. & Neumann, W. P. & Battini, D. & Glock, C. H., 2020. "Human factors in production and logistics systems of the future," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 120615, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Brauner, Philipp & Ziefle, Martina, 2022. "Beyond playful learning – Serious games for the human-centric digital transformation of production and a design process model," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    2. Ashraf Elsafty & Ahmed Elzeftawy, 2023. "Towards Effective Mitigation of the Digital Transformation and COVID-19 Risk on Unemployment in Mobile Operators in Egypt," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 17(2), pages 123-123, February.
    3. Cette, Gilbert & Devillard, Aurélien & Spiezia, Vincenzo, 2021. "The contribution of robots to productivity growth in 30 OECD countries over 1975–2019," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    4. Ayhan, Fatih & Elal, Onuray, 2023. "The IMPACTS of technological change on employment: Evidence from OECD countries with panel data analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    5. Ville-Veikko Pulkka, 2017. "A free lunch with robots – can a basic income stabilise the digital economy?," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 23(3), pages 295-311, August.
    6. Adrian Otoiu & Ramona Bere & Catalin Silvestru, 2017. "An Assessment of the First Round Impact of Innovation Industries on Europe’s Regional Economies," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 19(44), pages 289-289, February.
    7. Lütkenhorst, Wilfried, 2018. "Creating wealth without labour? Emerging contours of a new techno-economic landscape," IDOS Discussion Papers 11/2018, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    8. Barth, Erling & Davis, James C. & Freeman, Richard B. & McElheran, Kristina, 2023. "Twisting the demand curve: Digitalization and the older workforce," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 233(2), pages 443-467.
    9. Böhm, Robert & Letmathe, Peter & Schinner, Matthias, 2023. "The monetary value of competencies: A novel method and case study in smart manufacturing," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    10. Caitlin Allen Whitehead & Haroon Bhorat & Robert Hill & Tim Köhler & François Steenkamp, 2021. "The Potential Employment Implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies: The Case of the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector," Working Papers 202106, University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit.
    11. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Fernández, Gastón P. & Rammer, Christian, 2023. "Artificial intelligence and firm-level productivity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 188-205.
    12. Capucine Riom & Anna Valero, 2020. "The business response to Covid-19: the CEP-CBI survey on technology adoption," CEP Covid-19 Analyses cepcovid-19-009, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    13. Molla, M. M., 2024. "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Fear of Job Displacement in Banks in Bangladesh," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 42(1), pages 1-18.
    14. Christoph Riedl & Eric Bogert, 2024. "Effects of AI Feedback on Learning, the Skill Gap, and Intellectual Diversity," Papers 2409.18660, arXiv.org.
    15. Stijn Broecke & Glenda Quintini & Marieke Vandeweyer, 2018. "Wage Inequality and Cognitive Skills: Reopening the Debate," NBER Chapters, in: Education, Skills, and Technical Change: Implications for Future US GDP Growth, pages 251-286, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Cristiano CODAGNONE & Giovanni LIVA & Egidijus BARCEVICIUS & Gianluca MISURACA & Luka KLIMAVICIUTE & Michele BENEDETTI & Irene VANINI & Giancarlo VECCHI & Emily RYEN GLOINSON & Katherine STEWART & Sti, 2020. "Assessing the impacts of digital government transformation in the EU: Conceptual framework and empirical case studies," JRC Research Reports JRC120865, Joint Research Centre.
    17. Filippos Petroulakis, 2023. "Task Content and Job Losses in the Great Lockdown," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 76(3), pages 586-613, May.
    18. Anna-Maria Kanzola, 2024. "The Knowledge Content of the Greek Production Structure in the Aftermath of the Greek Crisis," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 936-957, March.
    19. Alain Cohn & Tobias Gesche & Michel André Maréchal, 2022. "Honesty in the Digital Age," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(2), pages 827-845, February.
    20. Philippe Aghion & Céline Antonin & Simon Bunel & Xavier Jaravel, 2020. "What Are the Labor and Product Market Effects of Automation? New Evidence from France," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-03403062, HAL.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlogis:v:8:y:2024:i:4:p:114-:d:1516544. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.