Applications of Decision Science and Operations Research in Smart City Logistics: Planning, Policy, and Implementation
A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 81
Special Issue Editors
Interests: modeling and simulation; data mining; information technology and decision making; sustainable logistics planning; quality assurance in supply chain management; sustainable supply chain management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: sustainable supply chain management; logistics management; intelligent systems; digital technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: operations and supply chain; circular economy; sustainability; waste management; Industry 4.0 technologies
Interests: information security; cyber security; cloud security; mobile and web security; artificial intelligence; IoTs; intrusion detection; network performance evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In the age of rapid urbanization, smart cities are no longer futuristic blueprints—they are evolving, data-driven ecosystems that demand intelligent, resilient logistics. Urban freight, last-mile delivery, and real-time coordination are becoming critical pressure points in the fabric of modern cities. This Special Issue explores the growing synergy between decision science, operations research (OR), and smart city logistics, with an emphasis on innovative methodologies, integrative frameworks, and sustainable implementations.
We invite original research papers and comprehensive reviews that demonstrate the use of mathematical modeling, simulation, optimization, and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) to solve real-world urban logistics challenges. We are particularly interested in systems-level approaches that align logistics infrastructure with emerging technologies, urban policies, and digital transformation goals.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Optimization of urban freight and last-mile delivery systems;
- Applications of AHP, TOPSIS, fuzzy logic, and other MCDM tools;
- Simulation modeling and queuing theory in logistics networks;
- Urban infrastructure planning and multi-stakeholder policy modeling;
- Integration of transportation, logistics, and ICT systems;
- Sustainability and resilience metrics in urban logistics;
- Case studies from both developed and developing city contexts.
We aim to provide a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue across academia, policy, and practice, bridging analytics with urban logistics innovation. This Special Issue welcomes contributions that combine technical rigor and with insights into planning and implementation for smarter, greener cities.
Prof. Dr. Anjali Awasthi
Dr. Sudhanshu Joshi
Prof. Dr. Manu Sharma
Prof. Dr. Brij B. Gupta
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- smart city logistics
- decision science and operations research
- urban freight and last-mile optimization
- multi-criteria decision making (MCDM)
- urban systems
- sustainability
- resilience
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
