Collaborative supply chain reconfigurations in the transforming Swedish retail context

Research Project, 2024 – 2025

The retail sector is undergoing a period of significant change with implications for urban freight. For example, the expansion of e-commerce and the integration of physical sales and e-commerce into omnichannels has led to a proliferation of last-mile delivery solutions in urban areas. This poses significant challenges in terms of logistics and transport arrangements that are environmentally sustainable, efficient and effective. These challenges require collaboration in different forms Although many such collaborative initiatives have been undertaken, it appears that some of these projects are more successful than others in producing long-term positive effects in urban environments. The purpose of this project is to identify the conditions of collaborative projects in the context of urban freight that make such collaborations more likely to succeed or fail.

The project is conducted as a multiple case study of collaborative initiatives aimed at creating more sustainable and efficient transport in the context of urban freight. Data is collected through qualitative interviews with experts involved in one or more collaborative projects and through documents related to specific collaborations.