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Commercial Drone Deliveries: Strategic Options and Public Opinion

Marshall, Garret Edward
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1613162629714048

Abstract Details

2021, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, Manufacturing and Technology Management.
Drones are a hot topic. While once exclusively a military tool, in recent years, drones have found a number of civilian applications. They are in the news, shown in movies, given as toys for children, used by hobbyists for shooting videos, and the government for surveillance. They are becoming part of our culture. This has created a great deal of anticipation and speculation as to how far this new technology could be pushed. The most obvious possibility would be for package delivery. The race to commercialize this new customer service channel is advancing quickly outside of the U.S. Pizza delivery by drone is being tested in the U.K. Textbooks are being delivered in Sydney, Australia. Medical supplies are rushed to emergency sites across Europe through drones. Yet, in the United States, concerns over the risks of accidents have lead regulators to all but prohibit autonomous drones. However, firms such as Amazon, DHL, and UPS are eagerly waiting for these regulations to be lifted, and it is only a matter of time. Meanwhile, many firms wait on the sidelines and consider how using drones might benefit them. Some will wait until the technology has matured, but others want to grasp a potential first-mover advantage. However, there are many questions that have to be answered. The use of drones is surrounded by a good deal of hype and speculation. A firm considering drone delivery would want to know what drones can do. They would also want to determine how drones might be integrated into their existing operations - or what new operational models they might adopt. Potential cost savings would have to be explored. Finally, market research would be needed to determine if a potential customer would even want the service. This doctoral dissertation seeks to address these questions in separate chapters. The first chapter explores how drones are currently being used, the legal hurdles to overcome, development efforts by large domestic firms, and an overview of the two operational models that are most likely to be implemented. After a brief literature review, the third chapter discusses the costs of these operational models and other factors that might influence a firm's strategic decision to adopt drones. The fourth chapter details the development of a measuring tool for use in market research on the acceptance of commercial drones.
Yue Zhang, Dr. (Committee Chair)
Xinghao Yan, Dr. (Committee Member)
Christine Fox, Dr. (Committee Member)
Wittmer Jenell, Dr. (Committee Member)
229 p.
Business Administration; Business Costs; Management; Marketing
drones; logistics; public acceptance; package delivery

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Marshall, G. E. (2021). Commercial Drone Deliveries: Strategic Options and Public Opinion [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1613162629714048

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Marshall, Garret. Commercial Drone Deliveries: Strategic Options and Public Opinion. 2021. University of Toledo, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1613162629714048.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Marshall, Garret. "Commercial Drone Deliveries: Strategic Options and Public Opinion." Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1613162629714048

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

toledo1613162629714048
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This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.