Article: The road to synchromodality - an exploratory study of drivers, facilitators, barriers, and components Journal: International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics (IJSTL) 2025 Vol.20 No.5 pp.1 - 35 Abstract: This paper augments current knowledge about synchromodality by investigating the factors that underpin the implementation of this logistical paradigm in an effort to inform managerial practice and public policy. Employing a conceptual model of drivers, facilitators, barriers, and managerial actions, we conducted a qualitative study with European experts on synchromodality. We identified drivers, such as complexity reduction or more efficient inventory management, and contextual characteristics (facilitators and barriers) that enable or hinder synchromodality, such as operational flexibility or resistance to change. Regarding managerial actions (components), we find that data governance and interfirm trust issues are salient aspects for sustaining synchromodality. Furthermore, we specified how policymakers can influence the necessary conditions and the health of partnerships for synchromodality implementation. The paper contributes to the existing logistics literature by studying synchromodality implementation issues beyond the optimisation frameworks examined by analytical models and beyond the technological focus of extant empirical studies. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: The road to synchromodality - an exploratory study of drivers, facilitators, barriers, and components

Authors: Diogo Cotta; Kristel Alons-Hoen; Ron van Duin; Adela Iriskic

Addresses: Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, Tongersestraat 53, 6211 LM, Maastricht, Netherlands ' Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Eindhoven, Netherlands ' Faculty Technology, Policy and Management, Knowledge Center Sustainable Port Cities, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands ' Flexport, California, USA

Abstract: This paper augments current knowledge about synchromodality by investigating the factors that underpin the implementation of this logistical paradigm in an effort to inform managerial practice and public policy. Employing a conceptual model of drivers, facilitators, barriers, and managerial actions, we conducted a qualitative study with European experts on synchromodality. We identified drivers, such as complexity reduction or more efficient inventory management, and contextual characteristics (facilitators and barriers) that enable or hinder synchromodality, such as operational flexibility or resistance to change. Regarding managerial actions (components), we find that data governance and interfirm trust issues are salient aspects for sustaining synchromodality. Furthermore, we specified how policymakers can influence the necessary conditions and the health of partnerships for synchromodality implementation. The paper contributes to the existing logistics literature by studying synchromodality implementation issues beyond the optimisation frameworks examined by analytical models and beyond the technological focus of extant empirical studies.

Keywords: synchromodality; implementation challenges; expert interviews; policymaking; barriers; drivers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTL.2025.146892

International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 2025 Vol.20 No.5, pp.1 - 35

Received: 13 Jul 2024
Accepted: 08 Jan 2025
Published online: 24 Jun 2025 *

Title: The road to synchromodality - an exploratory study of drivers, facilitators, barriers, and components

Keep up-to-date