IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i5p1413-d211727.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On the Environmental and Social Sustainability of Technological Innovations in Urban Bus Transport: The EU Case

Author

Listed:
  • Cristina López

    (Department of Management & Marketing, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Carretera de Utrera, Km.1, 41013 Seville, Spain)

  • Rocío Ruíz-Benítez

    (Department of Management & Marketing, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Carretera de Utrera, Km.1, 41013 Seville, Spain)

  • Carmen Vargas-Machuca

    (Faculty of Business, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Carretera de Utrera, Km.1, 41013 Seville, Spain)

Abstract

Logistics in urban areas are currently suffering a radical transformation due to increasing population concentration and the massive use of cars as the preferred transport mode. These issues have resulted in higher pollution levels in urban environments and traffic congestion, impacting the world globally. Facilitating the use of sustainable transport modes is widely regarded as a necessity to cope with these adverse effects on citizens’ life quality. Hence, some regions, such as the European Union, are encouraging bus transport firms to make their business models more environmentally and socially sustainable. The aim of this research is thus to explore how technological innovations adopted by urban bus companies can improve cities’ sustainability. With this in mind, a combined Importance Performance Analysis (IPA)–Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was applied. In this way, their environmental and social sustainability effects were separately represented through hierarchical structures. Subsequently, the importance and performance ratings of technological innovations in each sustainability dimension were estimated, and thus two IPA grids were generated. These grids support managers in the establishment of more effective action plans to improve logistics sustainability in cities. The findings also provide guidance to governments on the technological innovations that should be promoted in future urban mobility plans.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristina López & Rocío Ruíz-Benítez & Carmen Vargas-Machuca, 2019. "On the Environmental and Social Sustainability of Technological Innovations in Urban Bus Transport: The EU Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-22, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:5:p:1413-:d:211727
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/5/1413/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/5/1413/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Abalo, Javier & Varela, Jesus & Manzano, Vicente, 2007. "Importance values for Importance-Performance Analysis: A formula for spreading out values derived from preference rankings," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 115-121, February.
    2. Azzopardi, Ernest & Nash, Robert, 2013. "A critical evaluation of importance–performance analysis," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 222-233.
    3. Wen-Kai K. Hsu & Hong-Fwu Yu & Show-Hui S. Huang, 2015. "Evaluating the service requirements of dedicated container terminals: a revised IPA model with fuzzy AHP," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(8), pages 789-805, November.
    4. Saaty, Thomas L., 1990. "How to make a decision: The analytic hierarchy process," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 9-26, September.
    5. Fatemeh Zahedi, 1986. "The Analytic Hierarchy Process---A Survey of the Method and its Applications," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 16(4), pages 96-108, August.
    6. Currie, Graham, 2010. "Quantifying spatial gaps in public transport supply based on social needs," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 31-41.
    7. Matthias Finkbeiner & Erwin M. Schau & Annekatrin Lehmann & Marzia Traverso, 2010. "Towards Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(10), pages 1-14, October.
    8. Bert van Wee, 2011. "Transport and Ethics," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14281.
    9. Mengying Feng & John Mangan & Chee Wong & Maozeng Xu & Chandra Lalwani, 2014. "Investigating the different approaches to importance-performance analysis," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(12), pages 1021-1041, August.
    10. Chih-Chao Chung & Li-Chung Chao & Shi-Jer Lou, 2016. "The Establishment of a Green Supplier Selection and Guidance Mechanism with the ANP and IPA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-24, March.
    11. Jong-Ryool Kim & Eui-Chan Jeon & Seongmoon Cho & Hana Kim, 2018. "The Promotion of Environmental Management in the South Korean Health Sector—Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-20, June.
    12. Ruiz-Benítez, Rocío & López, Cristina & Real, Juan C., 2018. "The lean and resilient management of the supply chain and its impact on performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 190-202.
    13. Qazi, Abroon & Dickson, Alex & Quigley, John & Gaudenzi, Barbara, 2018. "Supply chain risk network management: A Bayesian belief network and expected utility based approach for managing supply chain risks," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 24-42.
    14. Foth, Nicole & Manaugh, Kevin & El-Geneidy, Ahmed M., 2013. "Towards equitable transit: examining transit accessibility and social need in Toronto, Canada, 1996–2006," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 1-10.
    15. Fontoura, Wlisses Bonelá & Chaves, Gisele de Lorena Diniz & Ribeiro, Glaydston Mattos, 2019. "The Brazilian urban mobility policy: The impact in São Paulo transport system using system dynamics," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 51-61.
    16. Yongzhi Chang & Yang Yang & Suocheng Dong, 2018. "Comprehensive Sustainability Evaluation of High-Speed Railway (HSR) Construction Projects Based on Unascertained Measure and Analytic Hierarchy Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-19, February.
    17. Ajanovic, Amela & Haas, Reinhard, 2016. "Dissemination of electric vehicles in urban areas: Major factors for success," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(P2), pages 1451-1458.
    18. Corazza, Maria Vittoria & Guida, Umberto & Musso, Antonio & Tozzi, Michele, 2016. "A new generation of buses to support more sustainable urban transport policies: A path towards “greener” awareness among bus stakeholders in Europe," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 20-29.
    19. Anastasios Xepapadeas, 2014. "Environmental Sustainability and Economic Development: Cost Benefit Analysis for Sustainable Development," DEOS Working Papers 1413, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gabriella Vitorino Guimarães & Tálita Floriano Santos & Vicente Aprigliano Fernandes & Jorge Eliécer Córdoba Maquilón & Marcelino Aurélio Vieira da Silva, 2020. "Assessment for the Social Sustainability and Equity under the Perspective of Accessibility to Jobs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-23, December.
    2. Shihong Zeng & Gen Li & Shaomin Wu & Zhanfeng Dong, 2022. "The Impact of Green Technology Innovation on Carbon Emissions in the Context of Carbon Neutrality in China: Evidence from Spatial Spillover and Nonlinear Effect Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-25, January.
    3. Yuhui Guo & Zhiwei Tang & Jie Guo, 2020. "Could a Smart City Ameliorate Urban Traffic Congestion? A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on a Smart City Pilot Program in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-19, March.
    4. Janez Blaž & Klemen Zajc & Samo Zupan & Miha Ambrož, 2019. "Evaluation System for the Implementation of Public Passenger Transport as a Public Service Obligation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-17, June.
    5. Clara Moreira Senne & Josiane Palma Lima & Fábio Favaretto, 2021. "An Index for the Sustainability of Integrated Urban Transport and Logistics: The Case Study of São Paulo," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-18, November.
    6. Arghadeep Bose & Debanjan Basak & Subham Roy & Indrajit Roy Chowdhury & Hazem Ghassan Abdo & Mohammed Aldagheiri & Hussein Almohamad, 2023. "Evaluation of Urban Sustainability through Perceived Importance, Performance, Satisfaction and Loyalty: An Integrated IPA–SEM-Based Modelling Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-22, June.
    7. Mariano Gallo & Mario Marinelli, 2020. "Sustainable Mobility: A Review of Possible Actions and Policies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-39, September.
    8. Say-Wah Lee & Chuen-Wah Seow & Ke Xue, 2021. "Residents’ Sustainable City Evaluation, Satisfaction and Loyalty: Integrating Importance-Performance Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-14, June.
    9. Alberto Romero-Ania & Lourdes Rivero Gutiérrez & María Auxiliadora De Vicente Oliva, 2021. "Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis of Sustainable Urban Public Transport Systems," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(16), pages 1-30, August.
    10. Lourdes Rivero Gutiérrez & María Auxiliadora De Vicente Oliva & Alberto Romero-Ania, 2021. "Managing Sustainable Urban Public Transport Systems: An AHP Multicriteria Decision Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-20, April.
    11. Irena Pawlyszyn & Halyna Ryzhkova, 2021. "Methodical Aspects of Planning Sustainable Urban Mobility," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 5), pages 344-365.
    12. Suprava Chakraborty & Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Arunkumar Jayakumar & Santanu Kumar Dash & Devaraj Elangovan, 2021. "Selected Aspects of Sustainable Mobility Reveals Implementable Approaches and Conceivable Actions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-31, November.
    13. Raoul S. Liévanos & Amy Lubitow & Julius Alexander McGee, 2019. "Misrecognition in a Sustainability Capital: Race, Representation, and Transportation Survey Response Rates in the Portland Metropolitan Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-33, August.
    14. Maria Vittoria Corazza & Sandro Imbastaro & Marco Pascucci, 2020. "Regenerating Communities. New Life for a Local Railway: A Technological and Environmental Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-24, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ana Mehak & Yongtong Mu & Muhammad Mohsin & Xing-Can Zhang, 2023. "MCDM-Based Ranking and Prioritization of Fisheries’ Risks: A Case Study of Sindh, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-21, May.
    2. Datu Buyung Agusdinata & Wenjuan Liu & Sinta Sulistyo & Philippe LeBillon & Je'anne Wegner, 2023. "Evaluating sustainability impacts of critical mineral extractions: Integration of life cycle sustainability assessment and SDGs frameworks," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(3), pages 746-759, June.
    3. Michele Preziosi & Alessia Acampora & Maria Claudia Lucchetti & Roberto Merli, 2022. "Delighting Hotel Guests with Sustainability: Revamping Importance-Performance Analysis in the Light of the Three-Factor Theory of Customer Satisfaction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Andre Bender & Allan Din & Philippe Favarger & Martin Hoesli & Janne Laakso, 1997. "An Analysis of Perceptions Concerning the Environmental Quality of Housing in Geneva," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 34(3), pages 503-513, March.
    5. Song, Yena & Kim, Hyun & Lee, Keumsook & Ahn, Kwangwon, 2018. "Subway network expansion and transit equity: A case study of Gwangju metropolitan area, South Korea," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 148-158.
    6. Faiza Haseeb & Shahzad Khan & Sajid Khan & Arif Alam & Ikram Shah, 2020. "Role of Peace Education in Sustainability and Development of Pakistan," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 10(5), pages 317-326.
    7. Lai, Ivan Ka Wai & Hitchcock, Michael, 2015. "Importance–performance analysis in tourism: A framework for researchers," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 242-267.
    8. Ha, Min-Ho & Yang, Zaili & Lam, Jasmine Siu Lee, 2019. "Port performance in container transport logistics: A multi-stakeholder perspective," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 25-40.
    9. Legrain, Alexander & Buliung, Ron & El-Geneidy, Ahmed M., 2016. "Travelling fair: Targeting equitable transit by understanding job location, sectorial concentration, and transit use among low-wage workers," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1-11.
    10. R. Jothi Basu & Nachiappan Subramanian & Angappa Gunasekaran & P. L. K. Palaniappan, 2017. "Influence of non-price and environmental sustainability factors on truckload procurement process," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 250(2), pages 363-388, March.
    11. Esmailpour, Javad & Aghabayk, Kayvan & Abrari Vajari, Mohammad & De Gruyter, Chris, 2020. "Importance – Performance Analysis (IPA) of bus service attributes: A case study in a developing country," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 129-150.
    12. Tontini, Gerson, 2016. "Identifying opportunities for improvement in online shopping sites," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 228-238.
    13. Ida Rašovská & Marketa Kubickova & Kateřina Ryglová, 2021. "Importance–performance analysis approach to destination management," Tourism Economics, , vol. 27(4), pages 777-794, June.
    14. Iwaro, Joseph & Mwasha, Abrahams & Williams, Rupert G. & Zico, Ricardo, 2014. "An Integrated Criteria Weighting Framework for the sustainable performance assessment and design of building envelope," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 417-434.
    15. Chwolka, Anne & Raith, Matthias G., 2001. "Group preference aggregation with the AHP - implications for multiple-issue agendas," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(1), pages 176-186, July.
    16. Lai, Ivan Ka Wai & Hitchcock, Michael, 2016. "A comparison of service quality attributes for stand-alone and resort-based luxury hotels in Macau: 3-Dimensional importance-performance analysis," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 139-159.
    17. Allen, Jeff & Farber, Steven, 2020. "Suburbanization of transport poverty," SocArXiv hkpfj, Center for Open Science.
    18. Shi, Yuji & Blainey, Simon & Sun, Chao & Jing, Peng, 2020. "A literature review on accessibility using bibliometric analysis techniques," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    19. Jomehpour Chahar Aman, Javad & Smith-Colin, Janille, 2020. "Transit Deserts: Equity analysis of public transit accessibility," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    20. Liu, Chengliang & Duan, Dezhong, 2020. "Spatial inequality of bus transit dependence on urban streets and its relationships with socioeconomic intensities: A tale of two megacities in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:5:p:1413-:d:211727. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.