AbstractA country’s maritime connectivity is integral to its international trade and regional economic growth. Advancements in technology and complex network theory have elevated maritime connectivity in regional transport policy agendas. This study introduces a novel conceptualisation of the maritime network called the market proximal network which better highlights connectivity concerns and opportunities that leverage a country’s current market position. By implementing a temporal view (using Time-Granularity Graphs) of the market proximal network, connectivity trends can be appreciated. The policy value of this approach is illustrated by the case of Aotearoa New Zealand, a maritime connectivity taker, between January 2018 and June 2021. Five maritime connectivity priorities are identified regarding the country’s gateways onto the major maritime highways. The potential policy value of the temporal view of the market proximal network is illustrated by identifying priorities that are actionable because they are based on the existing business cases that draw shipping companies to call in Aotearoa New Zealand.

AbstractWe investigate the Meal Delivery Routing Problem (MDRP), managing courier assignments between restaurants and customers. Our proposed variant considers uncertainties in meal preparation times and future order numbers with their locations, mirroring real challenges meal delivery providers face. Employing a rolling-horizon framework integrating Sample Average Approximation (SAA) and the Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search (ALNS) algorithm, we analyze modified Grubhub MDRP instances. Considering route planning uncertainties, our approach identifies routes at least 25% more profitable than deterministic methods reliant on expected values. Our study underscores the pivotal role of efficient meal preparation time management, impacting order rejections, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

AbstractThe study investigates if the advancements in the domestic servicification of manufacturing reflect the rise in Chinese servicification within the manufacturing sectors of its trade partners. In a broader context, the article verifies whether China is following global trends related to servicification and digitalization in GVCs with Europe. The research reveals a growing role for Chinese services in both developed and developing European economies, with a higher absorption observed in Western European countries due to their level of development. However, the study did not fully confirm that China is strengthening its role in European digital GVCs. The Chinese strategy of joining advanced GVCs is two-pronged, with heavy servicification with traditional services and considerable variation in the servicification with digital services.