Service Challenges, Business Opportunities, and Regulatory Responses in the Postal Sector

This edited volume includes original essays by prominent researchers and practitioners in the field of postal and delivery economics, originally presented at the 31st Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics held in Gdańsk, Poland, May 24-26, 2023. The book primarily examines the impact of digital platforms on the postal and delivery sectors, exploring the intricate regulatory challenges and competitive dynamics associated with this digital transformation. Other important topics include the regulation of parcels and their environmental footprint, in light of the innovations affecting the so-called last mile, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the postal sector, on both the global and local levels. Chapters also address postal costs, the funding of Universal Service Obligation (USO), and the related role of Universal Service Providers, especially in providing social services and facilitating digital inclusion. Finally, the impact of innovative technologies, such as AI, in the postal sector is discussed. This book is useful for graduate students and professors interested in postal and regulatory economics as well as postal administrations, consulting firms, and federal government departments.