中文摘要
智能柜联盟网络 (Locker Alliance Network, LAN) 是新加坡"智慧国"愿景下的一项前沿举措,旨在彻底变革包裹自提流程。这项由政府主导的项目力图对新加坡城市物流实施两项重大变革:(i) 建立对所有物流服务商 (LSP) 开放使用的设施;(ii) 提升每个物流服务商的最后一公里配送效率,从而缩小其运营足迹。本研究考察智能柜网络设计对单个物流服务商配送效率的影响,并探讨政府构建一个面向所有物流服务商的包容性网络的策略。我们的研究考察两种运营模式:两程模式 (two-trip mode),即送货上门与智能柜投递分开管理;以及混合模式 (mixed-trip mode),即将两者合并到一条路线中。我们扩展了 Beardwood–Halton–Hammersley 定理,以估计前往剩余送货上门地点的配送行程长度,其中假设消费者可在智能柜自提与送货上门之间进行选择。这使我们能够将智能柜联盟网络的设计问题明确表述为一个非线性优化模型。此外,针对两种运营模式的模型均表明,最优智能柜网络设计倾向于随物流服务商市场份额的扩大而以嵌套方式扩张。这一发现表明,政府可以依据最大物流服务商的特征来设计智能柜网络,从而确保网络的扩张与现有物流基础设施相契合。利用智能柜联盟网络在新加坡试点项目的数据,我们的研究凸显了网络设计对最后一公里配送效率的关键作用。设计不当的智能柜网络可能因增加配送行程长度而在无意中降低生产率,进而抵消该系统的潜在收益。相比之下,经过优化的网络能够缓解这种对配送效率的负面影响。除网络设计之外,顾客采用率低成为另一个关键瓶颈。我们的研究结果表明,随着更多顾客转向智能柜自提,尤其是在混合模式下,配送效率会得到改善。因此,网络设计与更高的智能柜自提采用率是智能柜联盟网络取得成功的关键。政府在推动更深入的顾客参与方面所发挥的作用,加之优化网络设计与配送运营的努力,对于充分释放这一智慧国举措的潜力至关重要。本文经运营管理领域编辑 David Simchi-Levi 录用。基金资助:本工作获得……
Abstract
The Locker Alliance Network (LAN), a cutting-edge initiative under Singapore’s Smart Nation vision, aims to revolutionize parcel pickup processes. This government-led project seeks to implement two major changes in Singapore’s urban logistics: (i) establishing an open-access facility for all logistic service providers (LSPs) and (ii) enhancing the last mile delivery efficiency of each LSP, thereby reducing its operational footprint. This research investigates the impact of locker network design on the delivery efficiency of individual LSPs and explores strategies for the government to construct an inclusive network for all LSPs. Our study explores two operational modes: the two-trip mode, in which home and locker deliveries are managed separately, and the mixed-trip mode, which consolidates both into one route. We extend the Beardwood–Halton–Hammersley theorem to estimate the delivery trip length to remaining home locations, assuming consumers can choose between locker pickup or home delivery. This enables us to explicitly formulate the LAN design problem as a nonlinear optimization model. Furthermore, our models for both operational modes reveal that optimal locker network design tends to expand in a nested manner relative to the market share of an LSP. This finding suggests that governments could design locker networks based on the profiles of the largest LSP, ensuring that the expansion of these networks aligns with the existing logistics infrastructure. Leveraging data from LAN’s pilot program in Singapore, our research underscores the pivotal role of network design in last mile delivery efficiency. A poorly designed locker network can inadvertently reduce productivity by increasing the length of delivery trips, thus negating the potential benefits of the system. In contrast, an optimized network can mitigate this negative impact on delivery efficiency. Beyond network design, low customer adoption emerges as another critical bottleneck. Our findings show that, as more customers shift to locker pickup, especially in mixed-trip modes, delivery efficiency improves. Therefore, network design and a higher adoption rate of locker pickup are key to LAN’s success. The government’s role in driving deeper customer engagement, alongside efforts to optimize network design and delivery operations, is vital to unlocking the full potential of this smart nation initiative. This paper was accepted by David Simchi-Levi, operations management. Funding: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 72422006], the Hong Kong Research Grants Council [Grants 16210720, 16500423], the 2019 Academic Research Fund Tier 3, the Ministry of Education, Singapore [Award MOE-2019-T3-1-010], and the Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing, China [Grant CSTB2022NSCQ-MSX1667]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2024.04567 .