A fuzzy-hybrid TOPSIS approach to analyse the attitude towards homeworking and its implications for travel demand

An increase in commuting is a common trend affecting urban areas worldwide, which results in higher congestion and negative externalities for the community. Mobility restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic intensified the diffusion of homework. Initially conceived as a necessity, homework soon evolved into a new opportunity to reduce travel demand. However, it requires the acceptance of employers and employees. While it is well known that the former base their attitude on the assumed efficiency, the latter’s attitude towards homeworking (ATHW) has been insufficiently studied. To address this issue, this study investigated a) the ATHW of European citizens using a fuzzy-hybrid variant of the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) decision-making method, and b) the influence of individual socioeconomic characteristics by adopting econometric tools. Based on questionnaire responses from the European Social Survey (2020), the outcomes of our model revealed that inhabitants of Central and Northern Europe are more open to homeworking than those of Southern and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, some individual characteristics influence the ATHW. The profile of those with a higher ATHW is outlined by young age, frequent use of the Internet and its availability at home, high education, self-employment, and living comfortably on their present income. Conversely, opinions on climate change and being native to a certain country are not influencing factors. These results have relevant implications in terms of policy, as a reduction in systematic mobility may contribute to a reduction in systematic travel demand and related transport externalities. However, the success of these initiatives depends on user acceptance. Understanding their propensity to change their working and travel behaviours is a requisite for introducing effective solutions