World Review of Intermodal Transportation Research (4 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Assessment of human physiology as indicators of stress when driving, biking and walking  
  by Wesley Cândido De Melo, Augusto César De Mendonça Brasil, Rita De Cássia Silva 
  Abstract: Human factors influence the choice of means of transport used for daily commuting, especially when the traveller perceives the effects of physical effort and stress. This study evaluated physiological indicators (blood pressure, galvanic skin response and heart and respiratory rate) during walking, cycling and driving private light vehicles, from the residential area to the University of Brasilia, in the early morning and late afternoon, in six specific routes for walking, cycling and driving. The results show that non-motorised trips are less stressful than motorised ones, proving that when walking and cycling the traveller is free to obtain the best body conditions to reduce effort and stress, a fact explained by the cost of the minimum specific energy used during the shift.
  Keywords: active mobility; energy cost; physiological indicators; heart rate; blood pressure; respiration rate; galvanic skin response; walking; biking; driving.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRITR.2022.10049709
   
  
• The impact of socioeconomic, political and institutional factors on countries’ logistic performance  
  by Flávia Ferreira Marques Bernardino, Marcelo Tavares 
  Abstract: This research aims to measure the impact of socioeconomic, political and institutional factors pointed out in the international literature on the efficiency and performance of countries logistic services. To that end, were used correlation analysis, cluster analysis and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The new configuration of logistic efficiency in countries obtained brings Iceland, Hong Kong, Switzerland, New Zealand and Luxembourg among the 10 most efficient countries in logistics, in contrast with what was pointed out by the LPI. The main disagreement in the DEA and LPI rankings clearly concerns Iceland, which is far more efficient using the DEA methodology (in all models). This difference can be attributed to the level of infrastructure development, as well as Icelands strong institutional structure, information technology, skilled labour, high degree of economic freedom, solid democracy and low levels of corruption. This fundamentally points to the role that the factors included in the DEA model play in measuring countries logistic efficiency. Therefore, this study contributes in expanding theoretical literature on the subject, as well as suggesting a methodology to measure efficiency that objectively presents the relative importance of its determinants.
  Keywords: countries logistic performance; DEA; data envelopment analysis; socioeconomic aspects; political aspects; institutional aspects.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRITR.2022.10049872
   
  
• Shifting towards sustainability? Questioning the effectiveness of policymaking for intermodal freight transport  
  by Patrick Witte, Bart Wiegmans, Tom De Jong, Frank Van Oort 
  Abstract: Stimulating combined and Intermodal Freight Transport (IFT) to foster sustainability has been on the global policy agendas for a long time. An understudied dimension in this debate is the effectiveness and efficiency of IFT policies. This paper presents an academic literature review of goals, indicators and methods of IFT policies. An ex-post evaluation of the 2001 and 2011 EU White Papers on freight transport shows that from a policy dimension, attention to modal shift, sustainability and capacity is visible, but that ambitious goals are oftentimes not supported by concrete targets and realistic budgets. Our proposed alternative, a GIS data-based exploration of the dense IFT network in the Netherlands shows that many industrial or logistics companies are already located at strategic locations with multi-modal accessibility. That despite this precondition the market share of combined and intermodal freight transport is still so small, seriously questions the effectiveness of 30 years of policy attention to IFT.
  Keywords: combined transport; intermodal freight transport; network integration; policy; ex-post evaluation.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRITR.2022.10050258
   
  
• Resilience and risk management in agribusiness supply chain: a systematic literature review  
  by Jéssica Dos Santos Leite Gonella, Lucas Rodigues Deliberador, Moacir Godinho Filho, Karoline Arguelho Da Silva, Mário Otávio Batalha 
  Abstract: Resilience and risk management approaches have adherence when applied to the agribusiness sector, in view of the instabilities that increase on the activity. Resilience emerges as a way to easily such adversities, being a top theme on the business and scientific agenda. In this sense, the purpose of this study is to identify how studies on risk management and resilience in agribusiness supply chain are configured. A systematic literature review (slr) in the Scopus database was performed, considering the areas focus of this analysis: risk management and resilience in agricultural supply chains. The literature revealed that there is a growing study trend under this analysis option, resilience is an area that is growing and theoretical and conceptual maturing. In addition to outlining the profile of the state-of-the-art, the revision identified the main bottles of agricultural supply chains. Strategies for risk management and resilience in the supply chain in the agribusiness sector are addressed in accordance with the supply chain insert context. The resilience elements were indicated, according to the importance shown by the authors, being that the primordially of the adoption of the strategies to make the chain more resilient resides from the understanding of the complexity of the relationships.
  Keywords: risk management; resilience; agribusiness.
  DOI: 10.1504/WRITR.2022.10050620