Sustainability and New Technologies: Last-Mile Delivery in the Context of Smart Cities

Karaoulanis Andreas ()
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Karaoulanis Andreas: Kauno Kolegija Higher Education Institution, Pramones av. 20, LT-50468 Kaunas, Lithuania

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-24

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to conduct a literature review on urban last-mile logistics in the context of smart cities to help with defining the industry in new ways which involve space-wise innovations and the use of new technologies such as robotics, drones, IoT etc., toward a sustainable future. This literature review follows the SALSA approach and the CASP checklist, as well as several inclusion criteria for article collection. The results highlight the positive role of the industry 4.0 technologies and the role of smart cities in alleviating the last-mile logistics problem, while pinpointing that new initiatives such as dark stores and micro-fulfilment centers can also be a positive determinant of a more sustainable urban life. This is an original literature review which combines many important elements that come together in the context of smart cities and try to give some new perspectives to their last-mile logistics from viewpoints that have never been used before in similar research works. In addition, it can be used as a yardstick for future researchers who might try to dig dipper into the context of last-mile logistics, especially in smart cities.

Keywords: last-mile logistics; internet of things; micro-fulfilment centers; search appraisal synthesis analysis; critical appraisal skills program (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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