Transport management in small and medium-sized enterprises in Brazil

Abstract

The research reported in this paper, looks at the internal processes of Brazilian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) concerning the transport decision. SME represent over 99% of the formal enterprises in Brazil. The sample size was 400 industrial companies (with up to 100 employees) of Brazilian manufacturing sector. The results indicated that shippers do not use transportation as an opportunity to create competitive advantages. In addition, to get the needed services, Brazilian SMEs tend to buy transport services, readily available, without concerns for future transactions and more stringent and systematic criteria for the selection and evaluation of the service.

Attributes of Transport Service in Retail-Industry Relationship

“…Martins et al (2010) demonstraram haver diferenças na forma de gestão do transporte, em termos de atributos do serviço, e de satisfação, conforme o cliente ser indústria, atacado ou varejo. 3 …”

Study of Logistical Intermodality in Paraná State – Brazil

“…Flexibility for the analysis is necessary. Martins et al (2010), points out that the transportation activity is the basis of distribution, since it is responsible for directly impacting costs, and positively or negatively influences customer satisfaction. The authors argue that the act of delivery performed with delays or defects affect customer loyalty or impacts on decisions regarding new purchases.…”

Intention to Use Collaborative Transportation Among SMEs: An Exploratory Investigation of the Wine Industry

“…Yet there have been calls for SMEs to pursue more creative approaches to strategy that enable increased opportunities (Bengtsson & Johansson, 2014). One such pathway focuses on collaboration as collaboration is believed to be increasingly vital to SME success (Gnyawali & Park, 2009;Martins et al, 2010).…”

“…However, one area of SME collaboration that has received little attention is the area of transportation. This is surprising given that transportation is vital for market access, influences bargaining power, has considerable cost implications for SMEs and is needed for both inbound and outbound logistics (ACCC, 2019;ET Online, 2021;Martins et al, 2010;Purolator, 2016). Not examining trans-portation misses an opportunity to advance an understanding of the strategic value of collaboration in a new context-and what might shape such a collaborative relationship.…”