Logistical Challenges in Last-Mile Deliveries in the Outskirts of the City of São Paulo. An Analysis of the Cargo Theft and Robbery Rates of an E-commerce Company
摘要
The logistics of transportation and distribution of goods is considered one of the most critical stages in the production chain of different product, and service segments worldwide. Urban freight distribution is a vital function for the flow of production, the delivery of goods, and the provision of services to society. However, large urban centers face many logistical problems that affect the delivery and distribution of goods. Some examples include the lack of urban road infrastructure, high operating costs, and lack of planning for roads and highways, among other factors that affect the entire logistics chain. Another severe problem related to the distribution of goods is the high rates of cargo theft, especially in significant suburbs. In this scenario, it is crucial to evaluate the financial losses resulting from thefts in an e-commerce company in the city of São Paulo—Brazil, seeking to understand and quantify the financial and material losses associated with cargo theft. The research adopts a quantitative–qualitative or mixed approach. Its theoretical support comes from the following authors: Araújo (2012), Ballou [1], Manerba [12], documents from the websites of the National Transportation Confederation-CNT (2009), Data Favela, and the Central Única das Favelas-CUFA [2, 3], among others; based on studies carried out in 2023. The empirical results of the analysis reveal that in the year 2023, it was found that the eastern region of Greater São Paulo had the most significant loss from cargo theft; out of the company's total losses of R$279.536,48, the eastern region had R$122.266,09. This amount is equivalent to almost 44% of all losses, with a high concentration in April, September, October, and November. Hence, there is a need for the company to have good data management and analysis, as well as risk management, and to develop actions to combat cargo theft to identify the relevant variables employing strategies to reduce thefts.