Title: Customer managed intermodal transport solutions: why, how, for whom?

Authors: Arne Jensen; Edith Sorkina

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 610, SE 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden ' Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 610, SE 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden

Abstract: The study investigates development of new intermodal transport solutions with specific focus on solutions where customers, the shippers, choose to develop and manage their own intermodal solutions instead of buying the transport service in the market. The purpose of the paper is to study the design aspects of customer managed intermodal transport system development to see what makes such systems competitive. Focus is on why shippers develop such solutions; how they solve fundamental performance problems; and what characterises such shippers. Shippers engage in development and management of intermodal solutions based on perceived weak signals about future threats and opportunities. Intermodal solutions are designed to meet cost, quality, and environmental requirements. Shippers engaging in development of such solutions have large and concentrated flows. Furthermore, they have strong environmental policies, and are highly dependent on efficient transport. Finally, they are major buyers in the transport market having previous experience in using rail/intermodal.

Keywords: intermodal transport; shippers; case study; transport strategy; cost advantage; transport quality; sustainable transport; sustainability; customer managed transport; shipper developed transport systems; transport performance; STRA theory.

DOI: 10.1504/WRITR.2013.053368

World Review of Intermodal Transportation Research, 2013 Vol.4 No.1, pp.37 - 54

Received: 05 Jul 2012
Accepted: 05 Oct 2012

Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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