Study examples
Of towns, hinterland and e-commerce
E-commerce is continuing to boom. However, this trend has not only led to fundamental changes in the CEP sector, but has also attracted massive criticism regarding the negative impact of rising shipment volumes. Public pressure on the industry is mounting. In our 2018 study, we compared traffic volumes created by private transport, commercial vehicles and parcel deliveries in the city of Hamburg. This has contributed to the ongoing debate.
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Digitisation in the postal market
This study, on behalf of Germany's regulatory authority, the Federal Network Agency, includes a quantitative analysis of the CEP market in 2015. Additionally, the key drivers in the German CEP and neighbouring markets were identified and their impact evaluated, both qualitatively and quantitatively. For the first time, a 'gain-loss analysis' was developed for the CEP market, which showed the amount and impact of volume shifts between the market segments and associated submarkets (e. g. FTL, e-fulfilment of retailers).
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E-Commerce – challenges and solutions for logistics in Hamburg
In collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute SCS and the IAL, we have compiled a study on the chances and challenges e-commerce presents for Hamburg as a logistics location. Besides the regional economic impact regarding the expected area and labour demand, the study focussed on last-mile delivery. Overall, we identified ten main fields of action, and made tangible recommendations on these issues. These included developing methods to channel traffic in cities more effectively.
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Market survey and development trends
In 2016, we compiled a further study on the impact of e-commerce on the CEP industry on behalf of the Federal Network Agency. This identified the key growth drivers and the major factors influencing market development. In addition to this, the study contained numerous examples of new e-commerce offers and how their logistics concepts were implemented.
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The individualisation of delivery services – how new concepts are changing e-commerce
Based on the market surveys on e-commerce by the German e-Commerce and Mail Order Trade Association (bevh), we have compiled a study that describes and categorises the latest trends and changes regarding delivery concepts and services. In addition, the study contains information on shipment volumes by commodity and postcode. The study, which, among other things, describes recent changes in last-mile delivery processes, is now the fourth study we have conducted on behalf of the bevh.
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Market survey and development trends in the courier, express and parcel business, 2017
In 2017, the Federal Network Agency commissioned MRU and the Institute for Applied Logistics at the University of Applied Science, Würzburg-Schweinfurt IAL, with writing a market survey on development trends in the courier, express and parcel market. Since 1995, we have regularly compiled studies on behalf of the regulatory authority on postal services that are not subject to licensing, the developments in these segments, and their interdependence. These market surveys are part of the Federal Network Agency's official task to inform legislative bodies about developments in the postal market. This study has not been published yet.
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Technological and social developments with an impact on the business models of mail services
The increasing substitution of traditional letters by electronic means of communication, such as e-mails or text messages, has had a severe impact on the German mail market. Moreover, these developments are putting mail companies under pressure. The German parliament's Office for Technology Assessment commissioned us with analysing the influence of the increasing penetration of information and communication technologies in the postal market. The object of the expertise was to show how mail companies have to react to this development, and how the political regulatory framework has to be adapted to these developments to secure a properly functioning market. The study was used by the parliament's Committee for Education, Science and Technology Assessment to compile a report for the lower house.
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