New research project: Innovative sustainable urban last-mile: small vehicles and business models (i-SMILE)

In collaboration with Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, VTI Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, Gothenburg and the Institute of Transport Economics in Oslo plus a number of private companies in retail and urban freight, Department of Operations Management now starts an innovation research project that will investigate the rationale of stakeholders in last-mile deliveries in cities to identify the drivers for making sustainable choices and propose innovative business models. Primary stakeholders are consumers, shippers and logistics service providers, as well as municipalities.

The project purpose is to increase sustainability in urban last-mile deliveries – with a special focus on cargo bikes - by understanding how innovations in urban last-mile reduce the negative effects of e-commerce and at the same time create world-class delivery services for consumers. Further, the aim of the i-Smile project is to develop an innovation platform for upscaling sustainable business models for urban last-mile deliveries.

Nordic Innovation has funded the three year project. Department of Operations Management is lead partner of the work-package on Eco-systems and Innovation and will contribute to all others.

For more information contact Professor Britta Gammelgaard, e-mail bg.om@cbs.dk