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

Hugo de Tarragon, Christina Theodoraki (), Martine Hlady-Rispal and Gauthier Casteran ()
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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]

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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.

Date: 2024-09-26
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Published in Journal of Supply Chain Management, 2024, ⟨10.1111/jscm.12333⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04714543

DOI: 10.1111/jscm.12333

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