SCALING UP SMART CITY LOGISTICS PROJECTS: The Case of the SMOOTh project

Abstract

A large number of smart city logistics projects fail to scale up, remaining a local experimental exercise. Lack of scalability is, in fact, commonly recognized as a major problem. This study aims to determine the key success factors related to the scalability of smart city logistics projects. Scale up, which is articulated as expansion, roll-out, and replication, is defined as the ability of a system to improve its scale by aiming to meet increasing volume demand. Specifically, this study investigates scalability intended as expansion and roll-out. A qualitative case study was conducted to fulfill the research purpose. The chosen case study is SMOOTh, a pilot project currently underway in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden, involving a diverse group of actors including Volvo Group and DHL. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven of the project’s stakeholders. Through a thematic analysis, four categories and the respective success factors were identified. These are represented by business model, technical, stakeholders and regulatory factors. The paper concludes with observations and recommendations aimed at the pilot initiatives, adding new perspectives to the upscaling debate.