Characterising Sustainability of Urban Last-Mile Delivery Logistics: An Ethiopian Case

Abstract

The surge in e-commerce is fuelled by globalisation, population growth, and urbanisation. E-commerce significantly depends on last-mile delivery. Its notable aspects are enhanced efficiency and heightened challenges related to cost, environmental impact, and urban congestion. Due to the fragmented nature of previous research in the area of urban last-mile delivery, this study aims to comprehensively explore the sustainability of last-mile delivery logistics, recognising its multidisciplinary nature. A descriptive and explanatory research design with a mixed research approach was used. A survey was conducted with diverse stakeholders resulting in a total of 135 usable responses out of 215 to examine interconnections among nine intertwined factors identified from the literature within the last-mile delivery ecosystem using the DEMATEL technique. While electric vehicles offer a potential solution, their adoption is hampered by infrastructure, battery, and cost limitations. The study identified six factors as effects and three as causes within the delivery ecosystem. Home delivery emerged as a top priority, requiring significant efforts to ensure sustainability. Collaboration was determined to be the most influential factor among the causes. This research establishes a cause-and-effect relationship among nine factors having significant implications for the last-mile delivery logistics sustainability from an Ethiopian context. The findings serve as a stepping stone for further investigation in this industry. The findings will guide city logistics leaders and government officials on where to focus to improve the sustainability of last-mile delivery logistics.

Keywords: Urban Logistics, Last-Mile Delivery, Sustainability, Addis Ababa, DEMATEL

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