Hub Cities Research Articles

Tradeoffs between privacy and screening efficiency for air passengers – Implications for tourism supply chain management

ABSTRACT This study employs the stated preference method to explore airline passengers’ choices during security screening and examines their trade-offs between privacy and efficiency. We compare two Asian economic hub cities (i.e. Hong Kong and Shanghai), with 500 business and leisure travellers sampled from each city. A generalised mixed multinomial logit model is estimated. The results suggest that travellers display varied levels of privacy concerns, including biometrics, biographical data, identifiers, and behavioural information. The participants from Shanghai expressed a willingness to go through fingerprint scanning and to provide facial images. The travellers in Hong Kong displayed notable reluctance to receive iris scans and disclose political and religious affiliations, and they were particularly hesitant about sharing medication records. Despite some differences between the two markets, both groups strongly opposed smartphone tracking, including access to search history and GPS location. In general, business (vs. leisure) travellers, men (vs. women), individuals with higher education levels, and those with higher personal monthly incomes strongly preferred fast-track schemes that utilised personal data. Our findings highlight the possibility of making more effective transitions to high-tech screening methods that meet the changing expectations of travellers if total screening time can be significantly decreased.

Effects of high-speed rail on intercity travels, utility and social welfare in urban agglomerations: A game-theoretic perspective

This paper investigates the effects of newly built high-speed rail on urban performances in terms of intercity travels, utility and social welfare by extending the two-city system into a representative urban agglomeration system consisting of a hub city and two peripheral cities. A framework based on the Cournot model with three interacted games is developed to characterize competitions among HSR operators in the system. Introducing HSR between peripheral cities decentralizes the intercity travel demands from the hub city to peripheral cities, and it does not always induce more that for the urban agglomeration. We find that “weight” on social welfare, substitutability, gross benefits ratio, HSR accessibility and frequency would differentially impact the hub and peripheral cities. Numerical examples and a case study incorporating all factors based on Central Plains Urban Agglomeration in China are conducted to illustrate the model, together with some policy implications.

Vulnerability Analysis of a Multilayer Logistics Network against Cascading Failure

One of the most challenging issues in contemporary complex network research is to understand the structure and vulnerability of multilayer networks, even though cascading failures in single networks have been widely studied in recent years. The goal of this work is to compare the similarities and differences between four single layers and understand the implications of interdependencies among cities on the overall vulnerability of a multilayer global logistics network. In this paper, a global logistics network model set as a multilayer network considering cascading failures is proposed in different disruption scenarios. Two types of attack strategies—a highest load attack and a lowest load attack—are used to evaluate the vulnerability of the global logistics network and to further analyze the changes in the topology properties. For a multilayer network, the vulnerability of single layers is compared as well. The results suggest that compared with the results of a single global logistics network, a multilayer network has a higher vulnerability. In addition, the heterogeneity of networks plays an important role in the vulnerability of a multilayer network against targeted attacks. Protecting the most important nodes is critical to safeguard the potential “vulnerability” in the development of the global logistics network. The three-step response strategy of “Prewarning–Response–Postrepair” is the main pathway to improving the adjustment ability and adaptability of logistics hub cities in response to external shocks. These findings supplement and extend the previous attack results on nodes and can thus help us better explain the vulnerability of different networks and provide insight into more tolerant, real, complex system designs.

Venture capitalist directors and managerial incentives

We examine the effect of board members with venture capital experience (VC directors) on executive incentives at non-venture-backed public firms. VC directors serving on the compensation committee are associated with greater CEO risk-taking incentives (vega) and pay-for-performance sensitivity (delta). These effects are more substantial if VC directors are from highly reputable VC firms. Using the change of direct flight availability to VC hub cities caused by major airline mergers and annual estimates of VC dry powder per industry as instruments, we show that these results are causal. In addition, VC directors are more focused on growth performance goals in CEO compensation contracts. We also document that prior finding of greater research intensity and innovation when VC directors serve on boards of public firms is partly explained by stronger CEO incentives instilled by such directors. Lastly, we find that having VC directors on nominating and/or governance committees is associated with a higher likelihood of forced CEO turnover.

Research on the competitiveness of the Arctic transportation route under the belt and road initiative

AbstractWith the continuous improvement of the navigation environment of the Arctic routes, the commercialization potential of the Arctic routes is enhanced, which brings new challenges to the Suez Canal route and the China–Europe railway Express. In addition, geopolitical factors such as the Russia–Ukraine conflict and the Red Sea crisis have also brought some impact on the Eurasian transport pattern. In this context, the future trade and transportation between China and Europe will take on a new pattern. In order to study the transport competition pattern between China and Europe under the opening of the Arctic routes, this article takes into account the time‐value cost of goods and geopolitical factors, constructs a logit competition model, and quantitatively investigates the competitiveness of the Arctic route and the traditional routes of the “Belt and Road Initiative” using major international transportation hub cities in China. The results show that the types of cargo and the level of freight are important factors affecting the competitiveness of Arctic routes. Under the influence of geopolitics, the competitive advantage of the Arctic routes are highlighted.

The Redesign of Logistics Network of Fresh Fruit in Guangxi Province of China

This study aims to investigate the distribution characteristics of China's agricultural industry and its logistics network design. The study is based on the theory and method of hub-and-spoke logistics network design, takes the logistics of agricultural products in China as the research area, and focuses on the fresh fruit industry. The specific case study took the fruit industry in Guangxi Province as an object and analyzed the overall spatial distribution from 2014 to 2022. By considering the factors of economic development, logistics development and fruit industry development, 11 indicators were selected to construct a comprehensive evaluation index system of logistics-level node cities within the logistics network. This index system aims to provide a holistic assessment of the logistics capabilities of these cities. The hub cities and spoke cities of the fresh fruit industry logistics network were determined by cluster analysis based on factor analysis. The cities are identified using the gravitational model and the logistics affiliation degree. As a result, a hub-and-spoke logistics network for the fresh fruit industry is centered on Nanning, Liuzhou and Guilin, which are designated as the key hub cities. Yulin, Qinzhou, Guigang and Baise are the secondary spoke nodes, while Beihai, Wuzhou, Chongzuo, Fangchenggang, Hezhou, Laibin and Hechi are the tertiary and quaternary spoke nodes. In order to better develop the fresh fruit industry in Guangxi, proposals are made to guide the layout of the fruit industry, improve the logistics infrastructure in the node cities, and ensure the quality of fruit transportation.

Forecasting Post-Epidemic Air Passenger Flow Among Hub Cities in China Based on PLS and GA-SVR Model

For stakeholders and companies involved in civil aviation to plan and make wise decisions, accurate estimates of air passenger flow are necessary. The conclusions drawn from this model serve as an invaluable resource for pertinent choices. The top hub cities in mainland China's air travel network are predicted using a variable weight combination model that combines PLS and GA-SVR. According to the test results, the model developed in this study improves prediction accuracy. This demonstrates how well detailed information about social and economic development can be gleaned from linear development patterns and nonlinear fluctuation rules. Predictions can be made with more accuracy and a better fit as a result. Over the next five years, it is predicted that over 300 million passengers will fly between the top hub cities in mainland China, an increase of 6.51% per year. The growth in passenger traffic varies significantly between different routes. The routes from Beijing to Shanghai and Shanghai to Shenzhen saw the most travellers, while the Beijing-Chengdu route saw the fastest growth in traveller numbers. The study's findings provide useful advice for civil aviation businesses and people involved in their decision-making, fostering growth in the sector during the post-pandemic period.

A Bilevel Programming Model for Designing a Collaborative Network for Regional Railway Transportation and Logistics: The Case of the Beijing‐Tianjin‐Hebei Region in China

For the coordinated development of regional logistics, there is a need to break down the administrative barriers between cities and build an efficient and smooth regional logistics network. Integrating regional logistics resources to achieve cross‐regional optimal allocation is essential for efficient logistics networks. The accessibility and high capacity of the railway transportation network make it possible and necessary for the coordinated construction of railway transportation and logistics networks. This paper studies a bilevel programming model to analyse the collaborative network planning process of railway transportation and logistics. The objective is to take into account the existing layout of regional railway traffic network and the future needs of regional logistics. For the upper level of the bilevel programming model, the social, economic, and logistics service index of regional railway traffic nodes is considered to determine the numbers and locations of radiation of the cities. Meanwhile, the lower programming model uses a logistics gravity model, 0‐1 integer programming model, and logistics membership degree to calculate the logistics correlation between node cities and the radiation range of the hub cities. An empirical study of the Beijing‐Tianjin‐Hebei region in China shows the process and effectiveness of the bilevel programming model. Four distinctive logistics radiation circles, five trunk lines, nine hub‐spoke branch lines, and six branch lines are suggested. A railway traffic‐oriented regional logistics network provides a reference for regional railway traffic planning, thereby optimizing the allocation of regional logistics resources, improving the level of regional logistics services, and contributing to the development of the regional logistics industry.

Advancing and lagging effects of weather conditions on intercity traffic volume: A geographically weighted regression analysis in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

With the rapid expansion of urban areas, intercity highways have become crucial for daily transportation. Traffic administrators and planners increasingly rely on evaluating highway traffic volume. This paper aims to investigate the relationship between various factors and intercity traffic volume, with a specific focus on exploring the advancing and lagging effects of weather conditions on traffic volume in the districts of urban agglomerations. Using multiple data sources in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including weather factors (i.e., rain, temperature, wind, and visibility), traffic factors (i.e., total traffic volume and travel time), and other factors (i.e., node degree, hub cities, and time of day), a mixed geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model is applied to examine the spatial heterogeneity of these factors. The results show that intercity traffic volume is influenced by weather, traffic, and other factors. Additionally, the advancing and lagging effects of different weather factors exhibit spatial heterogeneity across districts. Moreover, the weather lagging effect has a more significant impact than the advancing effect on intercity traffic volume. These findings provide valuable insights into the impact of weather on intercity travel volume and offer precise traffic guidance for intercity travelers.

Digitalization capability and sustainable performance in emerging markets: mediating roles of in/out-bound open innovation and coopetition strategy

PurposeStudies concentrating on digitalization and interconnected capabilities have increased over the past several decades. Digitalization capability and open innovation are perceived as sources of sustained competitiveness across disciplines. This study investigated how digitalization capability and coopetition strategy affect the sustainable performance of firms by exploring the role of internal and external factors in influencing the adoption and success of open innovation in emerging markets.Design/methodology/approachTo test the hypothesis, the authors conducted a structural equation model analysis on 509 firm datasets from the hub cities in China, an innovative battlefield where multilateral cooperation and competition are interwoven for globalization, clean development and the enhancement of economic growth.FindingsThe authors found that a firm's digitalization capability positively impacts outbound/inbound open innovation, coopetition strategy and sustainable performance. This study’s results support a series of mediating effects through outbound/inbound open innovation and coopetition strategy. Also, it provides a nuanced understanding of how digitalization capability and open innovation can affect sustainable performance in emerging markets.Originality/valueThe present study provides a nuanced understanding of how digitalization capability and in/out-bound open innovation can affect sustainable performance in emerging markets. The authors believe this model contributes to current knowledge by filling several research gaps, and this study’s findings offer valuable and practical implications for achieving open innovation and creating sustainable performance.

전국 주택구매력지수(HAI)의 변화가 지방 주택매매시장에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

This study analyzed the effect of changes in the national housing purchasing power index on the local housing sales market, which is recognized as a heterogeneous market with the metropolitan area. The analysis method used the Vector Error Correction Model in consideration of the time-series observation characteristics of the main variables of this study. The summary and implications of this study are as follows.
 First, if housing prices in the metropolitan area soar and housing investors' investment capacity in the metropolitan area decreases, it is estimated that they are interested in the local housing market with relatively high price benefits. In particular, the effect of the change in housing purchasing power is expected to occur mainly in the housing market in local hub cities. Second, it can be seen that the local housing market is most affected by income increase through economic growth in the long run. Third, the total population of Jeollabuk-do is expected to gradually flow out due to the concentration of the economy in the metropolitan area, and the trend of aging is expected to increase rapidly. However, Jeonju, a hub city, is expected to show a significant difference in the housing sales market depending on regional characteristics, such as the continuous influx of population. Finally, unlike the results of a study conducted on the housing market in the Seoul metropolitan area, changes in major macroeconomic variables such as interest rates excluding economic growth did not have a significant effect. This result is judged to be because local housing prices have a very low price level compared to the metropolitan area, so the merit as investment goods or inflation hedging is not high.

The Evolution of the Waterfront Utilization and Sustainable Development of the Container Ports in the Yangtze River: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta

Waterfront resources are an important support system for the social and economic development within the region along the Yangtze River. Container ports are an important component of the Yangtze River port system, as well as for the growth point of waterfront utilization. Based on the summary of remote sensing images and relevant data, this paper calculates the waterfront utilization of the container ports along the Yangtze River in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), analyzes the waterfront organization pattern and change characteristics, and puts forward the enlightenment and countermeasures for the sustainable development of the port waterfronts. Extending the study of port resources from coastal areas to inland areas is an academic contribution of this paper. At the same time, it has practical significance for the high-quality development of port and shipping and the development and protection of land resources along the Yangtze River. In the YRD, the waterfront utilization of container ports has increased along the Yangtze River, showing a decrease from downstream to upwards, and it has formed dense zones attached to the central cities and major manufacturing bases. The ports with higher length of waterfront are mostly located in the shipping central cities and the Yangtze River estuary. The development direction of container ports is large-scale and specialized. The utilization of the container port waterfront is approaching the periphery of the city and areas with convenient transportation. The utilization of container port shorelines will be close to the periphery of the city and convenient transportation areas. The container port waterfronts occupy the ecological reserve, and the conflicts are expanding with the development of shipping, mainly distributed in the Yangtze River estuary. Based on the empirical analysis, this paper puts forward four enlightenments. First, the exploitation and utilization of the port waterfront has experienced multiple stages of “exploitation—conflict—mitigation”. With the transformation of productive waterfront utilization, the pattern of sustainable development along the Yangtze River has changed. Secondly, the conflict between waterfront utilization and protection is inevitable. Additionally, it is necessary to face up to the temporary rapid rise of encroachment on the reserve. Third, through the horizontal coordination of the port system along the river, the original focus on the hub cities will be transferred to the comprehensive consideration of the port cities in the whole region, and the waterfront load of different types of container ports can be balanced. Fourth, the Yangtze River Delta integration mechanism can solve the barriers between higher and lower levels or between different departments and cities.

Analysis on the Spatial Structure and Interaction of Aviation Network and Tourism Efficiency Network in Major Cities in China

Tourism efficiency is crucial for measuring sustainable tourism development. Examining the relationship between aviation and tourism efficiency networks is key to promoting their synergistic development in China's urban areas. This study employs various methods, such as complex network analysis method, entropy-weighted TOPSIS, tourism efficiency gravity model, and quadratic assignment procedure, to analyze the networks' spatial structure evolution characteristics and interaction effects. Results show that (1) China's major cities' aviation network has improved its organizational efficiency and formed a "double rhombus-single axis" spatial evolution pattern of the axis-spoke network. The number of intermediary networks and hub cities in the central and western regions has increased. (2) The tourism efficiency network adopts a "honeycomb" structure pattern with the simultaneous layout of "point-to-point" and "star" networks. The network's tourism efficiency follows "Pareto's Law," and tourism cities above the second level form a club group development. The tourism efficiency development potential area is shifting to the southwest. (3) The aviation and tourism efficiency networks exhibit a clear trend of synergistic evolution with a "path locking" phenomenon between them. Differences in tourism resource endowment, labor advantage, and capital advantage positively impact the aviation network's structure. Conversely, differences in revenue capacity and market scale negatively impact the structure. The aviation scale advantage, openness, intimacy, and influence exhibit decreasing positive effects on the tourism efficiency network's structure.

Unravelling intercity mobility patterns in China using multi-year big data: A city classification based on monthly fluctuations and year-round trends

Although China's daily intercity mobility patterns have received growing academic attention with the availability and popularity of data with location information from the lens of time and behavioural geographies, little interpretative evidence has been reached on monthly and annual mobility patterns and dynamics considering the influence of the floating population. Using 3-year big data, this paper provides a comprehensive framework to decode China's intercity mobility using machine learning-based city classification techniques and econometric analysis. Cities are classified into four types according to monthly fluctuations and year-round mobility trends: central cities, tourist and hub cities, labour export cities, and less-mobility cities. Central cities are located in major urban agglomerations, while tourist and hub cities are sparsely distributed nationwide. There is also a north-south divide pattern where labour export cities cover areas of central and southern regions, and less-mobility cities are mainly located in northern and northeastern regions. The econometric analysis results reveal the predominant role of the long-term floating population in all mobility indexes and the different impacts of short-term leisure and business trips and transportation facilities. Furthermore, moderating effects of city types and city change paths are detected. The findings provide significant implications for rethinking and decoding intercity mobility from a typological and deconstructive perspective.

Price discrimination through hidden city options? A data-driven study on the extent and evolution of skiplaggability in the global aviation system

The application of revenue management in airlines, mainly driven by profitability seeking and an increased competition, has led to the evolution of so-called booking ploys, where passengers exploit technical loopholes to reduce their ticket fares significantly. One of these booking ploys is hidden city ticketing, also called skiplagging: A passenger who wants to travel from A to B books a multi-segment itinerary A–B–C while deliberately taking the first segment A–B only. The legal status of such ploys is uncertain, but airlines argue that such strategies reduce the profit and accordingly try to prevent such cases through their conditions of carriage. Given the significant potential fare savings, the popularity of skiplagging services is ubiquitous. Existing studies on this subject have mostly focused on theoretical models reproducing the effect of skiplagging and also discussed various legal and moral aspects. In this study, we investigate the existence of skiplagging opportunities in the global aviation system. Given worldwide airfare data for the years 2010 to 2021, we perform a data-driven analysis to identify spatial regions and temporal periods of skiplaggability. Such a quantification is, to the best of our knowledge, unique in the scientific literature. We find that skiplaggability is largely driven by hub airports and the extent to which they host dominating airlines. Particularly, we identify disadvantages for passengers living in hub cities with dominant hub airlines, apart from their paying hub premiums. Moreover, we have identified a significant shift of skiplaggability from the US (in the early 2010s) towards Asia (2015+). We believe that the outcome of our study helps policy makers to perform more informed decision making regarding hidden city options, by better understanding the recent scope and extent of this phenomenon.

서울 주택구매력지수의 변화가 지방거점도시 주택시장에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

This study attempted to derive the effect of changes in the Seoul Housing Purchasing Power Index on apartment prices in Jeonju, one of the representative non-metropolitan base cities, and to understand its meaning. The analysis method used VECM in consideration of the characteristics of the variables measured in time series. The summary and implications of the results of this study are as follows.
 First, the change in housing purchasing power in Seoul was found to be one of the main variables affecting apartment prices in Jeonju, a local hub city, and in particular, it was found to have a significant impact on the lag behind. In other words, if housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area soar and housing investors' ability to invest in the Seoul metropolitan housing market decreases, it is interpreted that they are interested in the apartment market in local hub cities with relatively high price advantages over some time difference. Second, it was found that the change in the population had the greatest effect on apartment prices in Jeonju. Finally, unlike research results on housing prices in Seoul and the metropolitan area, changes in major macroeconomic environments such as total currency, economic growth, and consumer price index did not significantly affect housing prices in Jeonju. This result is judged to be because the level of housing prices is very low compared to the metropolitan area, and the merit as an investment good or an inflation hedge is not high.

Accessibility of high-speed rail (HSR) stations and HSR–air competition: Evidence from China

Most high-speed rail (HSR) stations in China were built in the urban periphery. This study investigates whether peripheral HSR stations increase the demand for air transportation, a mode of transportation that competes with HSR. We establish a series of novel city-pair level indicators of accessibility of HSR stations using geographical information system (GIS) technology, and adopt an extended difference-in-differences analysis to comprehensively elucidate the effect of HSR station accessibility on parallel air transportation. Based on the data of 581 Chinese air routes from 2003 to 2019, we find that less accessible HSR stations increase passenger traffic and flights on parallel air routes, but do not affect cargo traffic on parallel air routes. Specifically, travel time to/from HSR stations, rather than the physical location of HSR stations, affects the intermodal substitution between HSR and air. Our study indicates that for 1 % decline in the public transport travel time-based station accessibility for a given HSR route, the annual number of passengers on the parallel air route will increase by 809. This effect, which would increase the demand for airline services in the long run, is larger for routes shorter than 1,500 km, routes with airports that serve as bases for low-cost air carriers, and routes connecting hub cities, tourism cities, or cities with advanced economic conditions. Our findings offer new insights into HSR station accessibility and provide policy implications regarding the integration of intra-city public transportation systems with HSR stations.

Association analysis between socioeconomic factors and urban ozone pollution in China.

Ozone pollution in China has gradually increased, attracting extensive attention. Existing studies on ozone pollution typically take environmental and chemical perspectives. As air pollution is closely related to social and economic activities, it is also important to study ozone pollution from a socioeconomic perspective. Using the association rule mining technique, we uncovered hidden patterns between ozone variance and socioeconomic factors in macro-, meso-, and micro-scenarios in 297 Chinese cities. We found that the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization has indeed aggravated urban ozone pollution. The supply of water and power resources may be a significant factor influencing urban ozone pollution. Transportation hub cities with more developed economies and industries are more likely to suffer from ozone pollution in summer and autumn. Human behavior is a critical factor influencing the weekly variance in ozone concentration during weekdays and weekends. The influence of plant-derived VOC emissions on the formation of ozone cannot be overlooked. Our results deepen the understanding of ozone pollution in Chinese cities, and we provide corresponding policy recommendations to alleviate ozone pollution and improve air quality.

The morphological structure and influence factors analysis of China's domestic civil aviation freight transport network

Civil aviation freight transport (CAFT) in China plays an important role in social and economic development. However, research on the morphological structure of China's CAFT network and its influence factors remains rare. In this paper, we focus on this topic by using a new data set of China's domestic routes from 2015 to 2019. With the complex network theory, we make an empirical study on the morphological structure of China's domestic CAFT network, and try to explore the nexus between the attributes of the network and the influence factors. The results show that China's domestic CAFT network is in line with the small world network model, which has a low average path length and a high clustering coefficient. The centrality of the network presents a saddle distribution with dense in the east and west, while sparse in the central. The results also indicate that there are many localized networks dominated by a few core airports. A number of regional hub cities exist, which are mainly located in the west of China. The development of China's CAFT highly depends on the civil aviation passenger transport (CAPT) network, and is highly affected by GDP, the industrial structure and the geographical location of cities. Finally, we give several policy suggestions, including developing the freight dedicated airports, establishing independent freight transport network system, vigorously developing core and intermediate hub cities, as well as constructing the regional network.

Assessing the spread risk of COVID-19 associated with multi-mode transportation networks in China

The spatial spread of COVID-19 during early 2020 in China was primarily driven by outbound travelers leaving the epicenter, Wuhan, Hubei province. Existing studies focus on the influence of aggregated out-bound population flows originating from Wuhan; however, the impacts of different modes of transportation and the network structure of transportation systems on the early spread of COVID-19 in China are not well understood. Here, we assess the roles of the road, railway, and air transportation networks in driving the spatial spread of COVID-19 in China. We find that the short-range spread within Hubei province was dominated by ground traffic, notably, the railway transportation. In contrast, long-range spread to cities in other provinces was mediated by multiple factors, including a higher risk of case importation associated with air transportation and a larger outbreak size in hub cities located at the center of transportation networks. We further show that, although the dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 across countries and continents is determined by the worldwide air transportation network, the early geographic dispersal of COVID-19 within China is better predicted by the railway traffic. Given the recent emergence of multiple more transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2, our findings can support a better assessment of the spread risk of those variants and improve future pandemic preparedness and responses.