Case
Teaching Notes
Abstract
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and global lockdown, the delivery of consumable, perishable items and essential medical or hygiene supplies has been severely disrupted. Drones now offer an alternative delivery channel for these goods, but will they be as attractive a solution once the pandemic is over? Following the trend of using drones, many corporations now aspire to redefine the delivery service industry. Wing, an Alphabet project (previously under Google X), offers a last-mile delivery solution that is not only fast but also holds benefits for consumers, businesses, suppliers and intermediaries globally. Standing as an example of Industry 4.0, the business has scaled up significantly in a very short span of time, fueled by the global pandemic. But is Wing sustainable? The pandemic cannot be the only factor propelling Wing’s drone service and its durability. This exploratory study provides students a chance to use last-mile delivery theory as a lens to comprehend and evaluate Wing’s current business model, its distinctiveness, its challenges in the marketplace and lastly, its future potential in the post-COVID-19 days.
