Direct Deliveries Research Articles

Роль соціальних мереж при формуванні моделі поведінки споживачів

The aim of the article is to develop theoretical and practical foundations for determining the role of social networks in the formation of a model of consumer behavior under modern economic conditions. According to the results of the carried out study, it is found that due to the spread of the Internet, the emphasis in communications has shifted from mass ones to personalized ones, which has led to a change in the trade infrastructure and the nature of communications, in particular, up to the emergence of a dialogue in real time. Commodity flows in distribution channels have given way to information flows, and trade in goods has turned into information support for direct deliveries. In the world of social media, things are constantly changing, and it’s hard to predict exactly what will happen next. That is why the study of the development of marketing in the Internet environment under the influence of innovations and social networks is an important stage in planning consumer behavior. The article proposes a model for the formation of consumer behavior with the help of social networks, which takes into account the nature of network information, its content and distribution channels. In the described model, the process of formation of consumer behavior with the help of social networks is reflected in the form of both non-linear and cyclical behavior. The practical significance of the obtained results lies in the development of a model, which, unlike the existing ones, reflects not only the stages of the purchase process, but also the sources of information and its nature at each stage. There is a significant amount of information about products on the Internet, and the consumer is in contact with online information at every stage of the purchase process. Moreover, this contact can influence the further sequence of consumer actions, actualizing new needs and restarting the process of finding and evaluating alternatives. Such use of the Internet possibilities of today provides enterprises with a number of advantages that will help increase their competitiveness and improve economic indicators.

An algorithm for flexible transshipments with perfect synchronization

Direct and instant deliveries have gained popularity among customers, but have also increased the burden on cities due to rising transport incidents, especially as delivery vehicles often drive empty when returning to their origin. Flexible transshipments with perfect synchronization would allow loads to be transshiped between these vehicles without the need for storage facilities. This may increase their average proximity to their origin and reduce the proportion of empty rides. We present a problem-specific algorithm with three sub-steps to solve this concept. The first evaluates the relational position between two deliveries and, based on 36 structured cases, decides which pairs to exclude from the solution space. The second formulates the optimization problem to find the best transshipment location while considering time-limit constraints and transfer times. Finally, we apply the request-pair combination problem to graph theory to determine the lowest overall travel time. In our paper, we consider a continuous problem definition which allows flexible transshipments, and assume unit-sized capacity per vehicle and a maximum of one transshipment per request.We show that our algorithm reduces the initial total travel time of direct deliveries by 9.6% in a numerical simulation, and by 11% in a case study using food delivery data from the city of Bordeaux. We also demonstrate that the total time is best reduced by increasing time constraints rather than adding requests to increase the chance of transshipments. Our algorithm not only helps to reduce travel time, but also improves sustainability, mitigates driver shortages and is easy to implement.

Two-echelon vehicle routing problem with direct deliveries and access time windows

Nowadays, heavy-duty trucks are usually restricted from entering urban areas due to emission and congestion problems in most cities. So, a two-echelon distribution system becomes vastly applicable, in which satellites transfer cargo and avoid heavy-duty trucks entering urban areas. However, with the development of new energy vehicles and access policies and regulations, some environmentally friendly trucks are accessible to urban areas within specific time windows of daytime directly. In light of this, we introduce a two-echelon vehicle routing problem with direct deliveries and access time windows (2E-VRPDDATW) arising in city logistics. In this problem, customers are served by the two-echelon distribution systems within their required time windows and are allowed to be directly delivered by the first echelon vehicles within access time windows, which provides more flexible routing schemes. A novel mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model for the above problem is presented, and the corresponding adaptive large neighborhood algorithm is developed. The computational experiments are provided to verify the validity of the proposed model and the effectiveness of the algorithm. Finally, the sensitivity analysis shows some interesting findings about the number of two-echelon vehicles and the assignment of customers. Moreover, we conclude that direct deliveries are advantageous in transportation costs when the proportion of the end time of access time window to the last end time of customers is greater than 0.25.

Transnasal targeted delivery of therapeutics in central nervous system diseases: a narrative review.

Currently, neurointervention, surgery, medication, and central nervous system (CNS) stimulation are the main treatments used in CNS diseases. These approaches are used to overcome the blood brain barrier (BBB), but they have limitations that necessitate the development of targeted delivery methods. Thus, recent research has focused on spatiotemporally direct and indirect targeted delivery methods because they decrease the effect on nontarget cells, thus minimizing side effects and increasing the patient's quality of life. Methods that enable therapeutics to be directly passed through the BBB to facilitate delivery to target cells include the use of nanomedicine (nanoparticles and extracellular vesicles), and magnetic field-mediated delivery. Nanoparticles are divided into organic, inorganic types depending on their outer shell composition. Extracellular vesicles consist of apoptotic bodies, microvesicles, and exosomes. Magnetic field-mediated delivery methods include magnetic field-mediated passive/actively-assisted navigation, magnetotactic bacteria, magnetic resonance navigation, and magnetic nanobots-in developmental chronological order of when they were developed. Indirect methods increase the BBB permeability, allowing therapeutics to reach the CNS, and include chemical delivery and mechanical delivery (focused ultrasound and LASER therapy). Chemical methods (chemical permeation enhancers) include mannitol, a prevalent BBB permeabilizer, and other chemicals-bradykinin and 1-O-pentylglycerol-to resolve the limitations of mannitol. Focused ultrasound is in either high intensity or low intensity. LASER therapies includes three types: laser interstitial therapy, photodynamic therapy, and photobiomodulation therapy. The combination of direct and indirect methods is not as common as their individual use but represents an area for further research in the field. This review aims to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of these methods, describe the combined use of direct and indirect deliveries, and provide the future prospects of each targeted delivery method. We conclude that the most promising method is the nose-to-CNS delivery of hybrid nanomedicine, multiple combination of organic, inorganic nanoparticles and exosomes, via magnetic resonance navigation following preconditioning treatment with photobiomodulation therapy or focused ultrasound in low intensity as a strategy for differentiating this review from others on targeted CNS delivery; however, additional studies are needed to demonstrate the application of this approach in more complex in vivo pathways.

Commodity market profiling methodology

The article considers the methodology of commodity markets research, which includes the assessment of the volume and structure of supply and demand according to a wide range of indicators. The information on formation of system representations of markets on the basis of segmentation of markets, marketing profiling of markets and their clients is generalized. The market profiling approach is discussed in depth. This approach consists in the representation of the market as a multidimensional array of data on the type of goods, price ranges, the distribution of buyers and sellers by region, industry and other characteristics on the basis of available reliable, but incomplete data. The article considers the problem of obtaining reliable data to determine their reliable sources and organization of data collection in the framework of consulting services. The relevance of the task of forming the correct sample for consulting markets research, which provides in conjunction with data from public sources, a representative representation of the commodity market. Specific features of commodity markets, which causes the variability of approaches to the market dependence on imports, the share of direct deliveries, transport channels of supply and other factors have been considered; features of profiling in the express-analysis of commodity markets have been determined. As an example of practical realization of commodity markets profiling methodology, the market of hot-rolled stainless steel sheets with thickness of 2.0–13.0 mm and width up to 1600 mm is considered. This market is characterized by high import dependence and, therefore, the Federal Customs Service database was used as a source of information for it. Market profiling, performed in accordance with the proposed methodology, provided detailed information on the distribution of imports and consumption of individual groups of stainless steel sheets. Estimates of the commodity market obtained as a result of the study using market profiling have been verified by independent consulting studies.

Comparing Regional Energy Consumption for Direct Drone and Truck Deliveries

Drone delivery, once thought of as fictitious, is becoming a reality with the efforts of both forward-looking enterprises and supportive government policies. This emerging mode of e-commerce delivery raises many concerns. One important concern is the energy efficiency of direct delivery drones compared with conventional delivery trucks at a regional systems level. In this study, we develop and apply methods to quantify the regional energy impacts of drone delivery, then we assess these impacts and compare them with the impacts of truck delivery. To study this problem, we develop an optimization model that determines an optimal set of fulfillment centers (FCs) with variable service capacities that allow drones to make direct e-commerce deliveries. We adopt two drone delivery energy estimation models from the literature and use them as inputs to demonstrate the potential range of energy needs. We also develop another optimization model to account for the energy consumption of diesel trucks (DTs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). We test the models using validated simulation data for the Chicago metropolitan area in the U.S. to quantify the energy implications of these three delivery modes. For drone delivery, we further extend our analyses by considering the impact of wind speed and flight patterns. Our results show that direct delivery drones require 15.8% more energy than BEVs on an average windy day, and they need 15% more energy than DTs on a very windy day. We provide essential parameter values for reproducibility and list relevant open problems.

Optimizing the location selection of urban consolidation centers with sustainability considerations in the city of Bordeaux

The delivery of parcels in city centers is nowadays a topical issue and a major challenge for the local authorities. In this paper, we tackle the parcels distribution network in the city of Bordeaux. This city is at the very beginning of the process of moving from direct deliveries towards city center, to a more rational organization based on joint deliveries. We focus on the potential contributions of a two-tier distribution system made up of warehouses, proximity logistics spaces and intermediate depots so-called urban consolidation centers (UCCs). We seek to optimize the costs of the distribution network (i.e. transport and UCCs) and the selection of UCCs, while assessing the impact in terms of sustainable development by measuring CO2 emissions. We analyze and compare different scenarios using different deliveries' variants (with or without UCCs), different total UCCs capacities and different truck speeds. The findings demonstrate the benefits of using UCCs for city center distribution. The reductions in total cost and CO2 are most significant when the size of the UCCs is balanced with the total deliveries demands.

Horticultural supply chain network design of small and medium-sized enterprises

This study investigates supply chain networks of small and medium-sized companies in the ornamental plants, perennials and cut flowers business in non-auction-driven markets such as Germany, and formulates a mathematical model depicting prevalent network design options. The results are based on an embedded multiple case study featuring in-depth expert interviews with people in charge of corresponding companies. The typical logistics network structures and associated product flows are identified and systematized that represent the supply chains of producers, wholesalers and retailers, as well as their vertical integration. These supply chain networks are analyzed in terms of characteristics and context-specifics and finally transferred to a mathematical model formulation. We find that direct deliveries from producers to retailers are preferred despite production-related lead times of several months or more because of shorter transportation times and therefore better product quality. Wholesalers are mostly used to compensate for product surpluses or deficits, and can offer short lead times. Our results show that the whole sector is dependent on reliable information about the market situation that is needed for accurate planning among the uncertainties the sector faces regarding aspects such as quality fluctuations, pests, trends in demand, and weather impacts on plant growth and final customer demand. This study is the first to provide a systematization and model of logistics systems in the horticulture business. It thereby aims at building the basis for a decision-oriented future stream of research, investigating and optimizing logistics in horticulture in a sustainable manner.

Selection and optimization of distribution channels for small-scale organic producers of fruits and vegetables

The purpose is to identify and analyze common sales channels for organic products, possibility of introducing alternative marketing strategies for its implementation for small-scale producers of the Almaty region who have made the transition to organic horticulture. The object of the study is international and Kazakhstani experience in building organizational and economic relations regarding production and sale of organic agricultural products. Methods – along with desk research methods, industry information from open access sources, scientific literature, and survey of business entities is summarized. Results – international experience in formation of system for distribution of environmentally friendly products is considered, chain of creation of its value, depending on scale of production, is determined. In Kazakhstan, where production of organic goods is about 20 years and is represented by large agricultural producers of exportoriented grain direction, indirect directions of trade in organic raw materials were accordingly involved. The emerging domestic market for eco-products, involvement of small producers in this sector requires the adoption of effective marketing programs and introduction of a wide range of direct deliveries. The possibilities of introducing such types of marketing as plan of proposals after receiving information about the needs of buyers "Organic box", community-supported farming (CSA - Community-supported agriculture), centralized sales management platform U-pick, organic farmers' markets and sales fairs, shops with organic farms, organic restaurants, public procurement, agritourism and e-commerce are justified. Conclusions – the choice of points for sale of organic products is important management decision that affects economic efficiency of agricultural enterprise. For producers with a small-scale economy, several distribution channels should be developed, when manufacturer works directly with consumers, ensuring close ties.

A heuristic for two-echelon urban distribution systems

The negative impacts of urban freight transport have fostered the design of new distribution systems for inner city deliveries. One of the proposed city logistics solutions is the establishment of two-echelon distribution systems, where freight originating from the periphery of the city is transferred at intermediate locations (satellites) from larger vehicles (urban freighters) to smaller more environmentally friendly vehicles (city freighters), deemed more suited to operate in the city centre. In this paper, we address a variant of the two-echelon (capacitated) vehicle routing problem (2E-CVRP) arising in the context of city logistics encompassing characteristics such as a heterogeneous fleet of city freighters, time windows, vehicles synchronisation at satellites, direct deliveries, the possibility of freight transfers at customers, and multiple trips by city freighters. We propose a heuristic solution method for this problem based on a Variable Neighbourhood Search (VNS) heuristic, as well as a set of auxiliary evaluation metrics designed to support the decision making process. Preliminary results show the flexibility of the proposed heuristic to account for different problem characteristics, as well as the impacts of considering different best insertion criteria for the initial solution construction. Additionally, the proposed evaluation metrics have allowed for an improved assessment of the trade-offs between different city logistic solutions, and may be considered when developing decision support systems.

МІЖНАРОДНИЙ ТРАНСПОРТНО-ЛОІГСТИЧНИЙ БІЗНЕС В СИСТЕМІ МІЖНАРОДНОЇ ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ

The article analyzes the current trends of the international transport and logistics business in the system of international economic security. The development of the integration of the world economy and the globalization of business contribute to the creation of international logistics systems and global supply chains. The article highlights the main directions of increasing the efficiency of supply chain management and indicates the sources of increasing the efficiency of this process. The key negative aspects that prevent the effective functioning of international transport and logistics systems have been identified. A comparison is made between the traditional approach to production and the logistic approach, when the manufacturer starts production only when a specific order is received. The inventory management system of the seller is characterized. An overview of modern trends in the international transport and logistics business was carried out, in particular: increasing turnover while shortening delivery times, increasing investments in logistics startups by venture funds, customization, the use of multimodal transport and logistics centers, ecological logistics, etc. The main directions in which digital logistics centers can help logistics companies to achieve success are determined, in particular, it was determined that success will be achieved through the use of the method of «postponement» or «delayed product differentiation», the organization of e-commerce logistics, containerization, increasing the share of direct express deliveries from the producer to the consumer, bypassing intermediaries and intermediate warehouses, electronic exchange of data and various information, the growth of the agricultural machinery market, the use of multimodal transport and logistics centers, as well as clear planning of supply chains, flexibility, management of stocks and volumes. Also, a hypothesis was put forward about the emergence of a new term «logtech company», which includes not only the creation of new technologies, but also new logistics business models based on the joint use (shared use) of transportation.

The Energy Efficiency of the Last Mile in the E-Commerce Distribution in the Context the COVID-19 Pandemic

The e-commerce industry has been developing extremely dynamically for many years. This development was intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the research conducted by the authors of this paper, in Poland, during the pandemic, the number of delivered parcels increased 20–100%, depending on the courier company. The research of the authors of this article focused on the energy efficiency of the last mile, which is very important for the efficiency of the entire delivery process to customers. As the authors calculated, the last mile can consume over 70% of energy of the whole distribution channel. The article presents the results of research concerning the energy efficiency of deliveries performed by couriers and express companies in Poland. Two models of distribution used Poland have been compared—direct deliveries to final customers, and deliveries to parcel lockers. The research methods are interviews with the managers and couriers, analysis of the literature, and the simulation method. According to the results of the simulations performed by the authors, distribution with the use of parcels lockers can help reduce the consumption of fuel even by 74–87% per parcel or 36% per m3. Apart from this, the authors calculated the impact of scale of operations on the energy efficiency of the transport processes on the last mile, which is an indirect effect of the growth of the e-commerce market, caused by the pandemic. Based on the results of the original research of the authors, it can be assessed that the growth of the number of the delivered parcels during the pandemic resulted in the consumption of fuel per one parcel being reduced in some cases by over 36%. The novelty of the authors’ research is that the conducted simulations regarded not only the efficiency of the processes, but also the energy consumption in delivering parcels at the last mile and during the pandemic.

Optimized supply chain model reduces health system costs in DRC

ObjectiveIn 2017, an optimized immunization supply chain (iSC) model was implemented in Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The optimized model aimed to address iSC challenges and featured direct deliveries to service delivery points (SDPs), longer replenishment intervals and increased cold chain capacity. This assessment examines iSC costs before and 5 months after implementing the optimized model. Materials & MethodsWe used a nonexperimental pre-post study design to compare iSC costs before and after implementation. We applied an activity-based costing approach with a comparison arm to assess procurement, management, storage and transportation costs for three iSC tiers: Province (n = 1); Zone (n = 4) and SDP (n = 15). We included data from 3 treatment Zones and 11 treatment SDPs; 1 control Zone and 4 control SDPs. We used sample and population data to estimate iSC costs for the entirety of Equateur Province. ResultsIn the period immediately before implementing the optimized model, estimated annual iSC costs were $974,237. Following implementation, estimated annual iSC costs were $642,627—a 34% ($331,610) reduction. This change in costs was influenced by a 43% ($180,313) reduction in SDP costs, a 67% ($198,092) reduction in Zonal costs and an 18% ($46,795) increase in Provincial costs. After implementing the optimized model, average iSC costs for treatment Zones was $6,895 (SD: $6,072); for the control Zone was $21,738; for treatment SDPs was $989 (SD: $969); and for control SDPs was $1,356 (SD: $1,062). ConclusionsWe observed an absolute reduction in iSC costs in treatment Zones while control Zone post-implementation iSC costs remained the same or increased. The greatest cost reductions were for storage and transport at Zones and SDPs. Although cost implications of this model must continue to be evaluated over time, these findings are promising and will inform decisions around project expansion.

Protecting vulnerable people during pandemics through home delivery of essential supplies: a distribution logistics model

PurposeThis paper studies a concept for protecting vulnerable population groups during pandemics using direct home deliveries of essential supplies, from a distribution logistics perspective. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate feasible and resource-efficient home delivery strategies, including collaboration between retailers and logistics service providers based on a practical application.Design/methodology/approachA food home delivery concept in urban areas during pandemics is mathematically modeled. All seniors living in a district of Berlin, Germany, represent the vulnerable population supplied by a grocery distribution center. A capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) is developed in combination with a k-means clustering algorithm. To manage this large-scale problem efficiently, mixed-integer programming (MIP) is used. The impact of collaboration and additional delivery scenarios is examined with a sensitivity analysis.FindingsRoughly 45 medically vulnerable persons can be served by one delivery vehicle in the baseline scenario. Operational measures allow a drastic decrease in required resources by reducing service quality. In this way, home delivery for the vulnerable population of Berlin can be achieved. This requires collaboration between grocery and parcel services and public authorities as well as overcoming accompanying challenges.Originality/valueDeveloping a home delivery concept for providing essential goods to urban vulnerable groups during pandemics creates a special value. Setting a large-scale CVRP with variable fleet size in combination with a clustering algorithm contributes to the originality.

Zasady sprzedaży produktów wytworzonych w gospodarstwach rolnych

In connection with the establishment of a standing subcommittee on direct sales and retail trade of products produced in agricultural farms, experts presented extensive data on, inter alia, forms of production and sale of food products by individual farmers, including direct sales, direct deliveries and agricultural retail trade and the possibility of financial support from the state budget and EU funds, as well as domestic support in this area.

ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ ВЫХОДА РОССИЙСКОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ НА РЫНКИ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОЙ И ЮЖНОЙ АМЕРИКИ (на примере Перу)

In recent years, Russian agriculture has been demonstrating steady positive dynamics, ensuring the growth of its export potential, especially for grain and oilseeds. Their export is of great economic and political importance, since leads to the improvement of the economic and social situation in the agro-industrial complex and in related industries. In this context, Central and South America are considered promising regions, with stable population growth, respectively, the import of agricultural products. While Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile are among the top ten exporters of food products, at the same time, not all countries in the region fully meet their food needs. Peru, with a population of over 32 million, is one such country. Establishing direct grain deliveries from Russia to this country will, on the one hand, provide an additional grain market, as well as consolidate political interests in the region.

A generic mathematical formulation for two-echelon distribution systems based on mobile depots

The negative impacts of urban logistics have fostered the search for new distribution systems in inner city deliveries. In this context, interesting solutions can be developed around two-echelon distribution systems based on mobile depots (2E-MD), where loads arriving from the periphery of the city are directly transferred, at intermediate locations, from larger to smaller vehicles more suited to operate in the city centre. Four types of 2E-MD can be identified, according to the degree of mobility of larger vehicles and their accessibility to customers.In this paper, we propose a generic three-index arc-based mixed integer programming model, for a two-echelon vehicle routing problem, with synchronisation at the satellites and multi-trips at the second echelon. This generic base model is formulated for the most restrictive type of problems, where larger vehicles visit a a single transfer location and do not perform direct deliveries to customers, but it can be easily extended to address the other types of 2E-MD. The paper presents how these extensions account for the characteristics of the different types of 2E-MD.The generic model, its extensions and the impact of a set of valid inequalities are tested using problem instances adapted from the VRP literature. Results show that the proposed extensions do adequately address the specific features of the different types of 2E-MD, including multiple visits to satellites, and direct deliveries to customers. Nevertheless, the resulting models can only tackle rather small instances, even if the formulations can be strengthened by adding the valid inequalities proposed in the paper.

Determinants of spatial concentration of short food supply chains on example of marginal, localized and restricted activities in Poland

The article analyses spatial concentration of marginal, localized and restricted activities creating local food systems in Poland regarded as short supply chains. Local food systems in Poland can take the forms of direct sale, direct deliveries, agricultural retail as well as marginal, localized and restricted activities. Short food supply chains play crucial role in case of local economy, environment and society. Thus, article rises issue connected with sustainability, alternatives for mass produced and distributed food, spatial diversity of local activities. Empirical part of the article focus on marginal, localized and restricted activities. The first part of the article contains a characteristic of the analyzed activities and their spatial distribution. The second part identifies factors that have the strongest influence on the formation of marginal, localized and restricted activities with the application of nonparametric models of regression trees. It is reported that spatial and environmental factors occur most frequently in the process of recurrent division of the data set and, thus, constitute the strongest determinant of marginal, localized and restricted activities.

The COVID-19 Pandemic, Small-Scale Fisheries and Coastal Fishing Communities

The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly spread around the world with extensive social and economic effects. This editorial focuses specifically on the implications of the pandemic for small-scale fishers, including marketing and processing aspects of the sector, and coastal fishing communities, drawing from news and reports from around the world. Negative consequences to date have included complete shut-downs of some fisheries, knock-on economic effects from market disruptions, increased health risks for fishers, processors and communities, additional implications for marginalized groups, exacerbated vulnerabilities to other social and environmental stressors, and increased Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing. Though much of the news is dire, there have been some positive outcomes such as food sharing, the revival of local food networks, increases in local sales through direct marketing and deliveries, collective actions to safeguard rights, collaborations between communities and governments, and reduced fishing pressure in some places. While the crisis is still unfolding, there is an urgent need to coordinate, plan and implement effective short- and long-term responses. Thus, we urge governments, development organizations, NGOs, donors, the private sector, and researchers to rapidly mobilize in support of small-scale fishers, coastal fishing communities, and associated civil society organizations, and suggest actions that can be taken by each to help these groups respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Russian Gas Transit through Ukraine: Economic Feasibility and Geopolitical Contradictions

The article is devoted to the analysis of the main economic and geopolitical factors that influenced the conditions for signing a new contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz. The author considered the most important aspects of the problem of gas transit through Ukraine, its significance and consequences for the further development of modern international relations in the energy sector between the Russia, Ukraine and the European Union. The author especially noted that the construction of such pipelines as Nord Stream — 2 and Turkish Stream significantly reduces the role of Ukraine as a transit country. Moreover, the interest of Western European countries in the implementation of the Nord Stream — 2 project is faced with opposition to the construction of the gas pipeline from several states. The author paid much attention to the influence of the United States on the sphere of energy cooperation between Russia and the European Union. The author concludes that Ukrainian transit has become a geopolitical tool for pressure from the USA and Brussels on Russia. Finally, the author shows the main scenarios of the development of Russian-Ukrainian relations in the matter of direct deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine.