Modelo para avaliar o desempenho da logística urbana

Abstract

The urban distribution of goods is increasingly impacting cities. Understanding the process of urban distribution of goods is indispensable for the development of policies that provide a balance between the needs of the population, regarding urban supply and the negative impacts generated by this activity. This has led some countries to the development of alternative projects for distribution in the urban area, called city logistics, in which the areas of planning and management of logistics flows are addressed as means to find solutions to problems in search of parity between responsiveness and costs (social and process). However, the literature is still incipient of research in the analysis of the performance of urban logistics. Thus, the present work aims to develop a model to evaluate the performance of city logistics and its component parts, with ponderation of which are of greater relevance in the configuration of efficient, responsive and sustainable activities. The study is of the qualitative and quantitative exploratory-descriptive type, using the self-administered cross-sectional survey procedure, in which the questionnaire was available online. The 575 professionals of companies were questioned, divided between shippers, logistics operators and carriers operating in the Brazilian scenario, selected them randomly. The data obtained were analyzed by the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique based on Partial Least Squares (PLS). A mathematical model was presented, forming 3 exogenous latent variables: (i) relationship history, (ii) meetings and (iii) urban parameters; and 3 endogenous: (i) collaboration, (ii) key factors and (iii) city logistics performance. After testing the model using structural equations, 5 of the 8 hypotheses proposed in the theoretical model were supported, however, 7 hypotheses were maintained in the final model. The results showed that the latent collaboration variables, key factors and urban parameters had significance to foresee the performance of city logistics by 57,8 %, highlighting the magnitude of the external factor loadings of the latter and still demonstrating the importance of integrated solutions. The model presented relevant contributions to the refinement of theory and practical contributions to support the management of the distribution of goods in the urban area.