Urban Logistics Ecosystem: a system of system framework for stakeholders in urban freight transport projects

Urban freight transportation plays a pivotal role in ensuring the liveability of urban areas, due to its fulfilment of citizens needs and its induced economic impact. Building upon the body of research on the topic of city logistics and its connected impacts and measures, this paper focuses on the development of a framework which is collectively exhaustive in describing the concerning crucial elements and in revealing their multiple and mutual influences. Through the investigation of an academic definition of ecosystem, its explanation in terms of urban logistics followed by its application to case studies, such a framework has been firstly theoretically designed and then some application examples are given.