30 May 2024 13:00 – 14:00pm BST
Abstract
Digital innovation comes in many forms but one crucial challenge for operators is ‘last mile delivery’. This applies to food but also to medical supplies and many consumer goods.
We are delighted that Professor Sousa will use this webinar to explain the challenges in last-mile operations and more generally the challenges of research in service design.
Last Mile Operations (LMOs) involve the final delivery of goods and services directly to consumers (in retailing and on-demand platforms), patients (in healthcare), beneficiaries (during disaster relief), and other agents. LMOs have widespread relevance across major economic sectors, including retail, food services, healthcare, humanitarian services, energy distribution, telecommunications, public services, among other. The operational challenges and costs in LMOs are considerable. For example, because of short time frames and high delivery volumes, there is little room for human error. With the advent of digital technologies and online shopping, we are witnessing rapid growth in innovations seeking to improve these operations. For example, Starship Technologies introduced autonomous delivery robots aimed at reducing labor costs and extending delivery hours. Although academic research in LMOs predates the 21st century, an updated conceptualization of the field is needed to frame more recent innovations and technology developments, and inform operational practices as organizations try to address the myriad of challenges brought about by the advent of the information technology and automation to LMOs.
This seminar advances a conceptualization of the field and directions for future research in LMOs. This work-in-progress contribution results from the special issue that the authors are guest editing for the Journal of Operations Management, on “Innovations, Technologies, and the Economics of Last-Mile Operations”. Contributions from the audience for advancing thinking on the topic are most welcome.
Speaker Bio
Rui Sousa is Full Professor of Operations Management at Católica Porto Business School (triple-accredited), Catholic University of Portugal. He holds a PhD from London Business School and is Honorary Fellow of the European Operations Management Association, having served in the Board of this association for six years. He has served as Dean, President of the Scientific Council and Department Chair at Catolica Porto Business School, among other roles. His research has won several awards and has been published in leading international journals, including the Journal of Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Decision Sciences and the Journal of Service Research. He has been included since 2021 in the list of most cited scientists, according to Stanford University’s “World’s Top 2% Scientists” ranking. Rui is Associate Editor for the Journal of Operations Management and the International Journal of Operations & Production Management. Rui has taught at the London Business School, London School of Economics and is invited lecturer of EIASM (European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management, Brussels). He is Director of the Service Management Lab and has worked with a number of leading organizations, including Rank Xerox, Siemens, Ministry of Finance of France, EDP (major Portuguese electricity utility), Sonae (largest Portuguese retailer), among others.
