Differences Analysis and Collaborative Development Research on Low-carbon Logistics in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei

Headnote

Abstract: The collaborative development of low carbon logistics is the important content to realize the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, which are important areas of energy conservation and emissions reduction, low carbon environmental protection of China. Due to different political and economic environment, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei have big differences in low carbon logistics environment, low carbon logistics strength, low carbon logistics level and low carbon logistics potential, etc. All these seriously affect the three areas to achieve synergistic effects and processes. Therefore, based on cooperative development plan, it is the inevitable choice to Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei for vertical integration and horizontal cooperation development direction of reposition logistics functions from low-carbon transport, low-carbon logistics technology and Talent joint training.

Keywords: Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Low-carbon logistics, Differences analysis, Collaborative development

(ProQuest: ... denotes formula omitted.)

1.Introduction

With increasingly obvious eco-environmental problems, the call to seek low-carbon economic development becomes higher in China and even the whole world. At present, "low-carbon" has become the important method and direction for long-term environmental protection all over the world. The core belt of China, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei is enveloped by haze in recent years. Therefore, a series of logistics measures are implemented, including traffic control, yard protection, and freight control. In such situation, it is urgent to develop low-carbon logistics (Li, 2013). In order to adapt national reform and regional economic development, the Party and country consider the situation to make a great arrangement, collaborative development, in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. This arrangement can complement advantages in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei to promote the development in Circum-Bohai Sea Economic Zone and northern interior. Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei logistics leads the regional economic development. With this this good opportunity, regional restrictions should be broken to make low-carbon integration and optimization of the logistics by multiple ways and views.

Located in the center of Circum-Bohai Sea area, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei has special geographic location and development trend. Therefore, this area is called as "the third pole of economic growth in China" by scholars. However, the economic development level of this area remains to be improved. Particularly, the traffic advantages have not been fully played and utilized in the inferior of north China, Hebei which relies on Beijing and Tianjin. This makes the effects of economic development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei insignificant.

Therefore, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei must break the restriction of administrative areas to realize comprehensive and collaborative development of multiple industries. Logistics collaboration will certainly become the foundation and guidance of other industrial collaboration in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei.

2.Function mechanism of low-carbon logistics collaborative development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei

As the important measure to realize collaborative development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, low-carbon collaborative development is also important in striving for energy conservation and emission reduction, as well as low-carbon environmental protection. The low-carbon logistics collaborative development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei is beneficial to not only smooth collaboration in other industries, but also resource integration in BeijingTianjin-Hebei. Therefore, advantages can be complemented in low-carbon logistics to integrate harbor and inland logistics and improve regional logistics competitiveness.

2.1. Low-carbon logistics collaborative development is the important content in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei collaborative development

In the general trend of low-carbon economy and regional economic integration, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei collaborative development has become important to optimize resource allocation and improve regional competitiveness. Logistics is an important component in national economy when advancing low-carbon and collaborative development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. Therefore, low-carbon logistics collaboration is of course important in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei collaborative development. Moreover, low-carbon logistics collaborative development can promote the collaboration and cooperation of other industries and regional integration in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. As guidance and foundation, the development provides reference to the establishment of capital economy circle and the collaboration of other industries (Trkay, 2004; Sá et al., 2016).

2.2. Low-carbon logistics and collaborative development supplement each other in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei

In Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the key goals in logistics development are low carbon and collaboration which supplement and promote each other. On one hand, collaborative development can promote low-carbon logistics. Logistics collaboration is based on the complementation of capacity advantage, optimization of resource allocation, and scientific and rational division and cooperation in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Xu, 2012). Therefore, one of important products is low-carbon logistics. On the other hand, low-carbon logistics meets urgent demands of environmental improvement and intention of collaborative development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. Therefore, breaking administrative boundary and reducing redundant links, low-carbon logistics can further consolidate collaborative development by energy conservation, emission reduction, and low-carbon environmental protection (Zhu, 2015).

2.3.Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei have natural conditions to develop lowcarbon collaboration

Connecting in region and frequently communicating in economy, Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei have natural relation in geology, people, and industry. Firstly, with mountains behind and sea beside, Beijing-Tian-Hebei is the important channel to the sea in north China. The densest traffic network, improved sea-road-air facilities, and convenient traffic provide fundamental conditions for regional collaborative development. Secondly, as the largest industrial compact district in north China, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei cooperates with each other in industrial development, infrastructure construction, and environmental protection to some extent. Therefore, good environment is provided to logistics collaboration and low-carbon development in this area (Li, 2011). Thirdly, there is obvious difference in resource endowment, economic development level, industrial structure, industrial advantages, talent education, etc. in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. Such strong complementarity sets solid foundation for the complement and collaboration of logistic capability.

3.Difference analysis and evaluation of low-carbon logistics development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei

Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei are quite different in logistics capability and development level for the difference in historical development and resource endowment. Therefore, there are various difficulties in logistics collaboration and communication between regions. Referring evaluation indexes of logistics capability, this part highlighted features of low emission, energy consumption, and pollution (Zhang, 2010). Moreover, low-carbon logistics development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei was diagnosed by analytic hierarchy process in the comprehensive evaluation system with secondary indexes, including environment, strength, capability, and potential of low-carbon logistics (Ma, 2014). Therefore, the reference can be provided to determine the difference in low-carbon logistics development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. The specific analysis steps are as follows:

Step 1: Establishing the structural model for analytical hierarchy process

As shown in following figure, level A is the general objective. Level B includes low-carbon logistics environment, low-carbon logistics strength, low-carbon logistics level, and lowcarbon logistics potential represented by B^sub 4^, B^sub 2^, B^sub 3^, and B^sub 4^, respectively. Level C includes 14 evaluation indexes which are represented by C^sub 1^ -C^sub 14^.

Step II: Construct pairwise comparison matrix

Pairwise comparison matrix was constructed for every hierarchy to each element in the last hierarchy according to scale 1~9 proposed by Saaty et al. Table 1 shows the specific scale value:

After pairwise comparison of element between two hierarchies, relevant expert scored every element with above scale 1~9. Then, the pairwise comparison matrix was obtained with arithmetic mean. The maximum characteristic root and corresponding characteristic vector were calculated for every matrix after normalization processing. Table 2-6 shows the judgment matrix and characteristic vector of criterion hierarchy to target hierarchy and sub-criterion hierarchy to criterion hierarchy.

Comparison was conducted for the weight of elements in second hierarchy to general target. It can be seen that the risk from logistics operational hierarchy is the largest, followed by that from the hierarchy of supply chain and enterprise management. Relatively, the risk from the hierarchy of external environment is small.

This method was used to obtain judgment matrixes and through characteristic vectors of project hierarchies to each sub-criterion hierarchy. To save space, this work only listed characteristic vectors of project hierarchies to each sub-criterion hierarchy as shown in Table 7.

Step III: Make consistency check

Consistency check was conducted with the maximum characteristic root for every pairwise comparison matrix. If the check passes, the characteristic vector is weight vector.

Define consistency index CI:

...

The larger CI is, the more severe the inconsistency will be.

2. Define consistency ratio CR: CR = CI/RI.

When CR<0.1, the consistency check passes. Consistency check was conducted for each matrix with above two formulas. The consistency ratio CR was less than 0.1 for each matrix by calculation, so consistency check passed.

Step IV: Calculate and sequence compound weight vectors

The compound weight vector of the forth hierarchy to the first hierarchy was (0.394, 0.327, 0.279) T according to respective weight vectors of the second, third, and forth hierarchies to the first, second, and third hierarchies.

Low-carbon logistics capability is mainly dependent on low-carbon logistics strength and level according to evaluation indexes in above calculation results. Low-carbon logistics potential and environment have weak effects on the capability. However, the strong influence factors are industrial resource integration capability and enterprise logistic functional capability in low-carbon logistics strength. Key factors to affect low-carbon logistics level are development level and input-output level of logistic enterprise (Bart, 2014). Moreover, low-carbon logistics potential in one area is dependent on the potential of logistic demand increase and investment growth (Dudek 2007). In low-carbon logistics environment, the key influence factors include low-carbon logistics infrastructure and policies. The development difference in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei shows that Beijing has the strongest comprehensive capability of low-carbon logistics, followed with Tianjin and Hebei. Beijing is strong in government coordination and management capability, logistics input-output level, management of industrial resources, and development level of logistics enterprise. Tianjin has some advantages in infrastructure, policies, and technology of lowcarbon logistics and development level of alternative energy. Hebei has obvious advantage in potential oflow-carbon logistics, but is relatively weak in other three aspects. (Jiao, 2008) In particular, Hebei is significantly inferior to Beijing and Tianjin in low-carbon logistics infrastructure, propaganda work, and government coordination and management.

4.Direction of low-carbon logistics collaborative development

In current development status, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei should focus on collaborative and low-carbon development according to regional difference in low-carbon logistics capability. Guided by fright transport, multimodal transport is combined with direct allocated transport. By optimizing and integrating the third party logistics enterprises, port and inland logistics and urban and rural logistics are integrated in multiple views and layers. Therefore, the direction of low-carbon collaborative development can be further explored in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei.

4.1. Relocate logistics functions

In the environment of regional economic integration, Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei have strong correlation and complement even with different development status. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate logistics resources to relocate logistics functions. Therefore, logistics resources can be fully and rationally utilized. Logistics functions in Beijing are dispersed to Tianjin, Tangshan, Baoding, and Shijiazhuang, so are logistics resources and facilities. Moreover, the commercial logistics is transferred to Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Handan, etc. because Beijing trade enterprises are dispersed to cities in Hebei. Focusing on port logistics, Tianjin takes responsibility of shipping function in BeijingTianjin-Hebei with Qinhuangdao Port, Caofeidian Port in Tangshan, and Huangye Port in Cangzhou. Hebei should be scientifically planned in virtue of logistics resource input from Beijing and Tianjin. Logistics functional cluster zones with characteristics should be established in Tangshan, Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Handan, Cangzhou, etc. to form air-sealand stereoscopic network facing the whole country and serving Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei.

4.2. Develop inter-governmental low-carbon logistics collaborative capability

Regional logistics collaborative development can be realized with collaboration capability between local governments to great extent. At present, it is feasible to develop logistics collaboration by formulating collaboration policy and balancing long-term mechanism of various interests based on collaborative development in Beijing-TianjinHebei. Therefore, governments in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei make common plan in this opportunity. On one hand, logistics cooperation and interest coordination mechanism are established among Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei to give play of cooperation and coordination capability of governments. Policies are formulated for integrating traffic, communication, and energy conservation and emission reduction to realize horizontal cooperation and butt joint of logistics in three areas. On the other hand, led by local government, collaborative mechanism among industrial departments is established to promote orderly and high-efficient operation of logistics. Bock segmentation is broken and longitudinal cooperation enhanced in all industries with low energy, pollution, and emission as target. Therefore, a high-efficient and low-carbon logistics system network is formed with professionalization, socialization, and informationalization.

4.3.Promote regional logistics collaboration

As the principal factor affecting logistics performance, transportation is the key to realize collaborative development of low-carbon logistics and the foundation to implement collaboration in other industries in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. Firstly, modern highway network can be constructed with national highway trunks and expressways as principle by further improving the input and utilization rate of transportation infrastructure and continuously enhancing the construction of modern comprehensive transport network in and between Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Secondly, guided and coordinated by local government, the transportation system of highway and rail way is connected with port, aviation, and information systems to positively develop "sea-land-air", "land-sea", "land-air" and other multimodal transport systems and through transport systems. Therefore, green, effective, and convenient development of transport system can be driven by informationization. Thirdly, transport enterprises should coordinate functions and benefits. On one hand, situation of "various, small, scattered, and disordered" is changed by various methods by consolidation, recombination, cooperation, etc. On the other hand, scientific and technological transformation should be developed in logistics enterprises to optimize logistics process and links and improve the technology level of logistics facilities. In order to reduce the energy consumption and pollution in logistics, the environmental friendly new energy should be encouraged, while the awareness and capability of environmental protection be enhanced for transport enterprises. Fourthly, transport resources should be integrated and distributed in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. All the airports and ports are coordinated to transform homogeneous competition to rational collaboration and labor division coordinating in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. Therefore, an international shipping network with orderly assembly can be formed all around the world.

4.4.Operation with modern logistics technology

The vigorous R&D and application of advanced logistics technology is necessary to realize the collaborative operation of low-carbon logistics in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. On one hand, attention should be paid to the application of information technology and construction of information platform. Modern logistics is strongly dependent on electrical information technology. In particular, the transregional and trans-enterprise logistics is inseparable from the application of information technology and the construction of information sharing mechanism. On the other hand, low-carbon logistics technology should be positively developed in logistics operation and management. In the aspect of logistics operation, effective measures should be taken in low-carbon storage, green package, transportation, and distribution processing. Therefore, the economic benefit of reducing logistics cost can be unified with the social benefit of energy conservation and emission reduction. In aspect of logistics management, overall planning should be conducted to commerce flow, material flow, and information flow in the system. The information flow can guide the commerce flow and material flow to orderly and effectively flow. Management technology of green supply is applied with attention to the rational revolution and recycling of logistics tools, equipment, etc. This technology considers the low-carbon of positive forward logistics and reverse logistics system in supply chain. Therefore, collaborative development can be realized across the enterprises and regions in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei to create "multi-win" situation in enterprises and society.

4.5. Combined cultivation of logistics talents

The joint culture and flow of logistics talents are crucial to low-carbon collaborative development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. Firstly, governments in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei should take the lead to take full advantage of rich scientific and technological resources and intensive university talents in Beijing and Tianjin. Secondly, colleges and universities should enhance practical teaching of professional logistics talents with logistics enterprises as practical teaching bases for intern (Hernandez, 2011). On the other hand, logistics enterprises can send employees to colleges and universities by batches and levels for professional education and theoretical training. Thirdly, joint cooperation can be led between low-carbon technology enterprises and logistics enterprises to establish effective and orderly strategic relationship. Therefore, high-tech logistics talents can be introduced to promote R&D and application of low-carbon logistics technology. In this way, the endless power can be injected to the collaborative development of low-carbon logistics in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei fundamentally.

5.Conclusions

The development of low-carbon logistics is the important measure to solve environment pollution. It is also the important component and realization approach to promote economic low-carbon and collaborative development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. However, Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei have various differences in administration, system, economy, and resource, so there is also great difference in the environment, strength, level, and potential of low-carbon logistics. With the planning opportunity in Beijing-TianjinHebei, the collaborative development should be led by transportation collaboration with support of low-carbon logistics technology by joint training for logistics talents. This difference impedes the realization of collaborative development. Therefore, the idea must be transformed from "separately development" to "multi-win by cooperation" in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. The collaborative development should be established by horizontal cooperation between governments and enterprises and vertical cooperation in transportation, storage, distribution processing, expressage, and other industries.

Acknowledgement

This work is the phased research achievement of key subject of Hebei Federation of Humanities and Social Science "Evaluation of Logistics in Hebei with Collaborative Development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Study on Promotion Strategy" (2014020207), and the project of Hebei Social Science Foundation "Logistics Network Structure in BeijingTianjin-Hebei and Study on Collaborative Development Mechanism" (HB14GL026).

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