Abstract
In light of the increasing importance of last-mile delivery (LMD) and the associated high costs, air pollution, and logistical challenges, research on sustainable LMD is highly trending and dynamic. The selection of sustainable LMD mode is an emerging problem for decision-makers in the logistics industry. The key question is how to determine the best LMD mode from a set of alternatives under numerous criteria with ambiguous, vague, and uncertain sustainability-related information. This paper aims to provide an advanced decision-making approach for sustainable LMD. Firstly, 20 sustainable LMD mode evaluation criteria are identified. Secondly, picture fuzzy sets (PFSs) are exploited to help decision-makers to more naturally express their preferences by voting. Thirdly, a hybrid picture fuzzy criteria weighting method based on the Direct rating and R-norm entropy is developed to compute the importance of evaluation criteria. Fourthly, a novel picture fuzzy Combined Compromise Solution method is formulated to rank alternative LMD modes. Fifthly, the presented picture fuzzy approach for sustainable LMD is implemented in the real-life decision-making context. The results show that “e-cargo bike” is the best alternative in the Pardubice context. The comparative analysis with three state-of-the-art PFS-based MCDM methods approved the high reliability of the provided approach. The sensitivity analyses of the trade-off parameter and balancing factor confirmed the high robustness of the presented approach. The introduced approach can help decision-makers in the logistics industry to elucidate sustainable LMD mode. It can solve not only the highlighted problem but also other MCDM problems under the picture fuzzy environment.
Highlights
Policy-makers strive to design as good as possible sustainable urban mobility plans
Importance of sustainable last-mile delivery (LMD) mode evaluation criteria; and (v) The Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) method has not been extended before using picture fuzzy sets
The major contributions are as follows: (1) Twenty sustainable LMD mode evaluation criteria are identified from the literature review; (2) Advanced picture fuzzy sets (PFSs) are implemented in the introduced decision-making framework to catch ambiguous, uncertain, and vague sustainability-related information; (3) Hybrid picture fuzzy criteria weighting method based on the Direct rating and R-norm entropy is developed to determine the importance of sustainable LMD mode evaluation criteria; (4) Picture fuzzy CoCoSo method is formulated to rank alternative LMD modes; and (5) The presented picture fuzzy decision-making approach for sustainable LMD is implemented in the Pardubice context
Summary
Policy-makers strive to design as good as possible sustainable urban mobility plans. A significant part of these plans refers to last-mile delivery (LMD). The selection of sustainable LMD mode is an emerging problem for decision-makers in the logistics industry It is a complex multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem with a plethora of ambiguous, uncertain, and vague sustainability-related information. PFSs are superior in handling uncertain, imprecise, and vague sustainability-related information; (3) Compute the importance of each sustainable LMD mode evaluation criteria by using the new hybrid picture fuzzy criteria weighting method. This method is developed by coupling the Direct rating and R-norm entropy methods under the picture fuzzy environment; (4) Rank alternative LMD modes by employing the novel picture fuzzy CoCoSo method.
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