Studies in regional logistics: the context of public-private collaboration and road-rail intermodality

Traditionally, collaboration in logistics is created vertically between actors in a supply chain. Occasionally, the scope of collaboration has expanded to include public-private actors, i.e. horizontal collaboration. This thesis illustrates results from studies of regional logistics collaboration consisting of public-private participation, a phenomenon that is unfamiliar to the general practitioner of logistics. It illustrates capabilities developed by public and private actors in regional logistics networks and aspects of strategic processes. The results indicate that logistics capabilities generated by regional logistics collaboration can contribute to the competitiveness of firms and the attractiveness of regions. Empirical examples show that strategic capabilities can be developed in many ways, and in many layers of the logistics system. However, collaborating in a horizontal structure places great challenges before both public and private actors due to diversification of roles. Through means of action research, this thesis tries to identify some important aspects of regional logistics collaboration. The results show that there are great opportunities incorporated in road-rail intermodal transport services based on regional logistics collaboration. However, to develop logistics capabilities in a public-private, the union between the development of strategic goals/objectives and the level of commitment must be reciprocal in character through the elements of information exchange, trust and affinity. (A). http://www3.banverket.se/raildokuffe/pdf/MR1292.pdf