Research in Transportation Business & Management· 2026Q1
Logistics infrastructure carrying capacity and spatial inequality: Evidence from China
- 1citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
A novel heterogeneity-based Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with slack-based measurement (SBM) reveals a nationwide deficiency in social logistics carrying capacity (LISCC) compared to economic and environmental aspects, with Eastern China outperforming other regions.
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Key points
- Developed a heterogeneity-based DEA-SBM model to assess LICC across economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
- Found a pervasive nationwide deficiency in social logistics carrying capacity (LISCC) relative to economic and environmental aspects.
- Identified a clear spatial inequality, with Eastern Chinese provinces exhibiting higher LISCC than Central and Western regions.
- Observed LISCC improvement during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting its social value amidst broader declines.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Logistics Infrastructure Carrying Capacity (LICC) is crucial for sustainable development, yet current evaluations overlook regional heterogeneity, fostering spatial inequalities, especially in the social dimension. We propose a novel heterogeneity-based Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with slack-based measurement (SBM), using meta-frontier and group-frontier frameworks, to assess LICC across economic, social, and environmental perspectives. Validated with 2007–2022 data from 30 Chinese provinces, our approach mitigates LICC polarisation. Findings reveal a pervasive deficiency in social carrying capacity (LISCC) nationwide compared to economic and environmental aspects, with Eastern regions outperforming Central and Western. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted logistics' social value, showing LISCC improvement amidst other declines. This study offers a robust framework and actionable insights for equitable and resilient logistics infrastructure development, advancing transport equality, economic geography, and sustainable development theory.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Economics and Econometrics
Economics and EconometricsEconomics, Econometrics and Finance