IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/journl/hal-04714543.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Unraveling the Urban Ecosystem: An Ethnographic Study of Logistics Service Providers

Author

Listed:
  • Hugo de Tarragon

    (IAE Limoges - Ecole universitaire de management [Limoges])

  • Christina Theodoraki

    (AMU - Aix Marseille Université, AMU IAE - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises (IAE) - Aix-en-Provence - AMU - Aix Marseille Université, CERGAM - Centre d'Études et de Recherche en Gestion d'Aix-Marseille - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - UTLN - Université de Toulon)

  • Martine Hlady-Rispal

    (IAE Limoges - Ecole universitaire de management [Limoges])

  • Gauthier Casteran

    (IAE Limoges - Ecole universitaire de management [Limoges])

Abstract

ABSTRACT Although there is a growing interest in developing sustainable cities, a significant knowledge gap persists regarding the concrete logistics choices necessary to achieve such cities. Grounded in ethnographic research on city logistics, this study examines how logistics service providers (LSPs) navigate sustainability challenges within the urban ecosystem while also meeting the efficiency demands of their business ecosystem. By repositioning LSPs as a sub‐ecosystem nested within the broader urban ecosystem, the article demonstrates how LSPs adeptly address the intricacies of the urban environment and respond to pressures from their business ecosystem. This investigation greatly enhances the understanding of the underlying issues affecting city logistics' sustainability. It deepens insight into the concept of city logistics as a sub‐ecosystem within the urban ecosystem, highlighting how its sustainability is intertwined with the structure of the urban ecosystem. From a societal perspective, this research conceptualizes city logistics as a business activity and a vital social service that bolsters urban well‐being. The findings suggest a need for further research into the role of city logistics actors as key contributors to urban sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Hugo de Tarragon & Christina Theodoraki & Martine Hlady-Rispal & Gauthier Casteran, 2024. "Unraveling the Urban Ecosystem: An Ethnographic Study of Logistics Service Providers," Post-Print hal-04714543, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04714543
    DOI: 10.1111/jscm.12333
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    To our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
    1. Check below whether another version of this item is available online.
    2. Check on the provider's web page whether it is in fact available.
    3. Perform a search for a similarly titled item that would be available.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joep Cornelissen & Victoria Stephens & Lee Matthews, 2024. "Unlocking the power of diversity for supply chain knowledge: Is pluralism in theorizing styles the key?," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 60(3), pages 3-17, July.
    2. Parisa Dolati Neghabadi & Karine Evrard Samuel & Marie-Laure Espinouse, 2019. "Systematic literature review on city logistics: overview, classification and analysis," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(3), pages 865-887, February.
    3. Stephan Leixnering & Markus Höllerer, 2022. "‘Remaining the same or becoming another?’ Adaptive resilience versus transformative urban change," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(6), pages 1300-1310, May.
    4. John Van Maanen, 2011. "Ethnography as Work: Some Rules of Engagement," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 218-234, January.
    5. Herman Aguinis & Angelo M. Solarino, 2019. "Transparency and replicability in qualitative research: The case of interviews with elite informants," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(8), pages 1291-1315, August.
    6. Domenico Dentoni & Verena Bitzer & Greetje Schouten, 2018. "Harnessing Wicked Problems in Multi-stakeholder Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(2), pages 333-356, June.
    7. David B. Audretsch & Maksim Belitski, 2017. "Entrepreneurial ecosystems in cities: establishing the framework conditions," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(5), pages 1030-1051, October.
    8. Tim Gruchmann & Ani Melkonyan & Klaus Krumme, 2018. "Logistics Business Transformation for Sustainability: Assessing the Role of the Lead Sustainability Service Provider (6PL)," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-19, October.
    9. Rahul Kapoor, 2018. "Ecosystems: broadening the locus of value creation," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 7(1), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Parisa Dolati Neghabadi & Karine Evrard Samuel & Marie-Laure Espinouse, 2019. "Systematic literature review on city logistics: overview, classification and analysis," Post-Print hal-01983716, HAL.
    11. Seongtae Kim & Sangho Chae & Stephan M. Wagner & Jason W. Miller, 2022. "Buyer abusive behavior and supplier welfare: An empirical study of truck owner–operators," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 58(4), pages 90-111, October.
    12. Zahra, Shaker A. & Nambisan, Satish, 2012. "Entrepreneurship and strategic thinking in business ecosystems," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 55(3), pages 219-229.
    13. Christina Theodoraki, 2024. "Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Sustainably," Post-Print hal-04677841, HAL.
    14. Andreas Wieland, 2021. "Dancing the Supply Chain: Toward Transformative Supply Chain Management," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 57(1), pages 58-73, January.
    15. Mareï, Nora & Savy, Michel, 2021. "Global South countries: The dark side of city logistics. Dualisation vs Bipolarisation," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 150-160.
    16. Frank Montabon & Mark Pagell & Zhaohui Wu, 2016. "Making Sustainability Sustainable," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 52(2), pages 11-27, April.
    17. Christina Theodoraki & Léo-Paul Dana & Andrea Caputo, 2022. "Building sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems: A holistic approach," Post-Print hal-04676716, HAL.
    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. Nadja Nordling, 2019. "Public policy’s role and capability in fostering the emergence and evolution of entrepreneurial ecosystems: A case of ecosystem-based policy in Finland," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 34(8), pages 807-824, December.
    2. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Flechas, Ximena Alejandra & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Borini, Felipe Mendes, 2021. "Ecosystem management: Past achievements and future promises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    3. Sergey Evgenievich Barykin & Anna Viktorovna Strimovskaya & Sergey Mikhailovich Sergeev & Larisa Nikolaevna Borisoglebskaya & Natalia Dedyukhina & Igor Sklyarov & Julia Sklyarova & Lilya Saychenko, 2023. "Smart City Logistics on the Basis of Digital Tools for ESG Goals Achievement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Magdalena Mucowska, 2021. "Trends of Environmentally Sustainable Solutions of Urban Last-Mile Deliveries on the E-Commerce Market—A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-26, May.
    5. Gleb V. Savin, 2021. "The smart city transport and logistics system: Theory, methodology and practice," Upravlenets, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 12(6), pages 67-86, October.
    6. Serban Raicu & Dorinela Costescu & Stefan Burciu, 2020. "Distribution System with Flow Consolidation at the Boundary of Urban Congested Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Jaller, Miguel & Pahwa, Anmol, 2023. "Coping with the Rise of E-commerce Generated Home Deliveries through Innovative Last-mile Technologies and Strategies," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt5t76x0kh, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    8. Liu, Dan & Kaisar, Evangelos I. & Yang, Yang & Yan, Pengyu, 2022. "Physical Internet-enabled E-grocery delivery Network:A load-dependent two-echelon vehicle routing problem with mixed vehicles," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    9. Robertson, Jeandri & Pitt, Leyland & Ferreira, Caitlin, 2020. "Entrepreneurial ecosystems and the public sector: A bibliographic analysis," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Sluijk, Natasja & Florio, Alexandre M. & Kinable, Joris & Dellaert, Nico & Van Woensel, Tom, 2023. "Two-echelon vehicle routing problems: A literature review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 304(3), pages 865-886.
    11. Hannes Thees, 2020. "Towards Local Sustainability of Mega Infrastructure: Reviewing Research on the New Silk Road," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-35, December.
    12. Andreas Wieland & Wendy L. Tate & Tingting Yan, 2024. "A guided tour through the qualitative research city," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 60(1), pages 3-12, January.
    13. Kelsey M. Taylor & Eugenia Rosca, 2023. "Sink, swim, or drift: How social enterprises use supply chain social capital to balance tensions between impact and viability," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 59(2), pages 62-86, April.
    14. Alexander Chepurenko & Maria Kristalova & Michael Wyrwich, 2019. "Historical and Institutional Determinants of Universities’ Role in Fostering Entrepreneurship," Foresight and STI Governance (Foresight-Russia till No. 3/2015), National Research University Higher School of Economics, vol. 13(4), pages 48-59.
    15. Kamilla Kohn Rådberg & Hans Löfsten, 2023. "Developing a knowledge ecosystem for large-scale research infrastructure," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 441-467, February.
    16. Abootorabi, Hooman & Wiklund, Johan & Johnson, Alan R. & Miller, Cameron D., 2021. "A holistic approach to the evolution of an entrepreneurial ecosystem: An exploratory study of academic spin-offs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(5).
    17. Miguel I. Gómez & Deishin Lee, 2023. "Transforming food supply chains for sustainability," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 59(4), pages 79-92, October.
    18. Andrea Ferrari & Giulio Mangano & Anna Corinna Cagliano & Alberto De Marco, 2023. "4.0 technologies in city logistics: an empirical investigation of contextual factors," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 345-362, March.
    19. Zahra Shirgholami & Rosanna Cole & James Aitken, 2024. "Shifting the perspective on labor exploitation: Non‐commercial organizations' contribution toward supply chain governance," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 60(3), pages 59-78, July.
    20. Büyüközkan, Gülçin & Ilıcak, Öykü, 2022. "Smart urban logistics: Literature review and future directions," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:hal:journl:hal-04714543. 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: CCSD (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    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.