The transport service triad: a key unit of analysis

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to identify and discuss the transport service triad (TST) as a key unit of analysis to understand the operations and conditions for change in freight transport systems at the micro level, i.e. at the level of analysis where business decisions and change interaction take place. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical framing is rooted in the IMP approach and in the literature on triads. A case study approach is used to illustrate the TST by analyzing a case involving a wholesaler of installation products, tools and supplies, a main construction company and a transport service provider. Findings The paper shows how the connections between the business relationships in the TST, influenced by connections to relationships outside the triad, impact on the efficiency in freight transport. The paper illustrates how analysis of TSTs can be applied in micro-level studies of change in freight transport systems and in supply networks. Research limitations/implications The triadic approach is instrumental to understand change in the transport system because it includes all relevant parties and relationships of concern, as well as the logic framing of their actions. However, while arguing that TSTs are generic to their nature, each TST is unique and needs to be identified and analyzed in its specific context. Practical implications The suggested framework may contribute to an understanding of the embeddedness of transport services in supply/business networks. The framework may support the development of new ways of operating and creating value for customers and offering sustainable transport solutions. Originality/value From the transport policy makers’ perspective, micro-level analysis is important to understand behavioral adjustments to new policies.

The role of public actors in construction logistics: effects on and of relational interfaces

“…Firms increasingly adopt a service-based business model to provide various service setups, such as CLS, which have increased the adoption of service triads (Bastl et al 2019). Investigations of triads have been suggested to better understand the importance and effects of service provision in general (Wynstra et al 2015) and with regard to transport-and logistics services specifically (Andersson et al 2019).…”

Egy hálózatos iparág élő hálózatok nélkül. Miért múlt századi az ügyfélélmény a magyar közösségi közlekedési rendszerben, és mit lehetne tanulni más iparágaktól?

“…A gazdasági hálózatok kutatásának egyik fontos felismerése elsősorban a termelési ellátási láncok szerkezetének elemzése kapcsán éppen a logisztikai szolgáltatók látszólag egyszerű szerepének mélyebb vizsgálatából adódott, hiszen ezek a szereplők nem csak áruszállítást végeznek, de szerepük van többek közt a koordinációban, a tudás és technológiatranszferben is (Gelei & Nagy, 2017). Az így létrejövő kiterjesztett ellátási hálózat alapegysége a megrendelő, a beszállító és a logisztikai szolgáltató alkotta triád: ez az elemzési keret számtalan elemzési lehetőséget bont ki (Andersson et al, 2018). A rugalmas gazdasági hálózatokban a szerepek sem tekinthetők állandónak egyegy vállalat különböző kapcsolataiban más és más szerepben jelenhet meg (Harrison et al, 2012).…”

Exploring Process Management as a Means for Greening Road Freight Transport

“…The road freight transport sector is also making efforts to achieve the goal (e.g. Evangelista and Sweeney, 2014;Andersson et al, 2019). However, the efforts have not been enough, as evidenced by the chart in Figure 1.…”

“…Furthermore, research on the road freight transport sector has been mainly performed within large companies (Lieb and Lieb, 2010) while most of the companies from this business sector in Sweden are small to medium-sized (Sveriges Åkeriföretag, 2019). The competitive pressures within the freight transport business sector are considered to be high, with customers expecting high levels of service, short delivery times and low costs (Evangelista and Sweeney, 2014;Andersson et al, 2019). This need to optimise their resources certainly translates into a need to be more innovative and creative in order to improve their efficiency (Andersson et al, 2019).…”

“…The competitive pressures within the freight transport business sector are considered to be high, with customers expecting high levels of service, short delivery times and low costs (Evangelista and Sweeney, 2014;Andersson et al, 2019). This need to optimise their resources certainly translates into a need to be more innovative and creative in order to improve their efficiency (Andersson et al, 2019). The need for innovation and optimisation, together with the environmental goal call for new efforts in different areas, including managerial approaches (Evangelista et al, 2017).…”