49 research outputs found
An Adaptive Conjoint Analysis of Freight Service Alternatives: Evaluating the Maritime Alternative
No full textThe growing interest towards a re-balancing of freight traffic over the different modes, has brought renewed focus on the "Motorways of the sea" as they have been defined by the EU Commission in the recently issued White paper (2001). These could constitute a valid alternative to land transport over medium-long distance, favouring, at the same time, a greater integration among different modes. However, the great potential of this alternative - which is increasingly capturing the interest of policymakers - should be evaluated also in the light of the level of competitiveness nowadays required by the operators. The latter, in fact, need a flexible transport system capable of adapting to the modern system of production and completely integrated within the logistics networks (both existing and under construction). Furthermore, in order to effectively promote the use of this alternative, it is necessary to undertake a number of initiatives directed mainly at reducing the bottlenecks currently present within the ports and in the links between ports and their interland. In determining the necessary investments in intermodal sea-land infrastructures it is essential to evaluate the dimension and the extent of the potential re-orientation of traffic flows towards maritime transport which would yield insight on the appropriate/optimal dimension of such investments. In order to achieve this, it would be essential to have a set of information not only on the current movements but also on their potential reallocation. An estimation of the latter cannot be achieved without an in-depth analysis of shippers behaviour. However, while in the last year a number of documents have been put forward on the great opportunities offered by the development of the "Motorways of the sea" in re-directing freight flows, there is a lack of any empirical analysis on the determinants of such choice by operators. In other words, a lot has been done in analysing supply while very little in analysing demand. In this work we aim to identify the value that the user assigns to the specific transport alternative and the factors - related to both the mode and the specific organisation of the companies - that exert a significant influence on the choice of the shipper. These elements represent a necessary prerequisite for any previsions. The methodology used falls within the definition of conjoint Analysis. We will measure the trade-offs users of freight transport services make in choosing between alternative modes. We will also use the result to predict their choices with regards to alternatives which, at the moment might not be present, but which might be placed on the market. The assumption we make, following the approach of Bolis and Maggi (1999) and Fowkes and Tweddle (1996), is that the transport service can be ?broken down? into its component attributes. As it is well known, conjoint analysis allows to determine the value that individuals place on any product as equivalent to the sum of the utility they derive from all the attributes making up a product. In particular, given the successful applications to land transport, we use "Adaptive Stated Preferences" (ASP) techniques adjusted in order to carry out the analysis of freight transport demand in the maritime context. We aim to evaluate the preferences of operators in terms of service attributes of sea transport. Given the purposes of this study, for the moment we focus the empirical application on a specific geographical context. In particular, we analyse the preferences of operators localised in the north-west regions of Italy with respect to the possibility of accessing a maritime ro-ro service from the ports of Genoa or La Spezia. The analysis is carried out in two phases: a postal survey and a subsequent direct interview. The latter is done creating a ?transport experiment? and recording the behaviour and the choices of the interviewed. Following this approach, we obtain an accurate estimation of operators? willingness to pay for the specific service characteristics (hard output) and we induce them to reveal the rank of their preferences for a set of potential new services (soft output). In the first part of the paper we give details of the specific transport options we are considering and we describe the project carried out, in the second part we illustrate the methodology used the and the necessary modification we have had to carry out in order to implement the study in a maritime context. In the third part we discuss the data collection process and we carry out a preliminary data analysis, while, in the fourth section, we present the results of the econometric model (logit model) used to analyse the data and we give some interpretation. Finally, in the last section, we present some concluding remarks.
An Analysis of Maritime Ro-Ro Freight Transport Service Attributes through Adaptive Stated Preference: an Application to a Sample of Freight Forwarders
No full textIn this paper we present preliminary evidence from a pilot study carried out with the primary objective
of testing the validity of adaptive conjoint data collecting methods in analysing operators’ preferences
when redirecting current on-land transport services to a hypothetical maritime ro-ro service alternative.
The analysis has focussed on a sample of freight forwarders. Through a combination of Revealed
Preferences and Adaptive Stated Preference Experiments we have constructed a database of their
preferences’ toward the maritime ro-ro alternative using a set of transport service attributes: price,
reliability, frequency, transit time, etc. We have estimated the relevant parameters through a Tobit model
and have been able to calculate relative trade-off values among the significant attributes. The resulting
ranking highlights the relative importance of reliability and frequency in the decision to switch to
maritime services
An Adaptive Conjoint Analysis of Freight Service Alternatives: Evaluating the Maritime Alternative
No full textThe growing interest towards a re-balancing of freight traffic over the different modes, has brought renewed focus on the "Motorways of the sea" as they have been defined by the EU Commission in the recently issued White paper (2001). These could constitute a valid alternative to land transport over medium-long distance, favouring, at the same time, a greater integration among different modes. However, the great potential of this alternative - which is increasingly capturing the interest of policymakers - should be evaluated also in the light of the level of competitiveness nowadays required by the operators. The latter, in fact, need a flexible transport system capable of adapting to the modern system of production and completely integrated within the logistics networks (both existing and under construction). Furthermore, in order to effectively promote the use of this alternative, it is necessary to undertake a number of initiatives directed mainly at reducing the bottlenecks currently present within the ports and in the links between ports and their interland. In determining the necessary investments in intermodal sea-land infrastructures it is essential to evaluate the dimension and the extent of the potential re-orientation of traffic flows towards maritime transport which would yield insight on the appropriate/optimal dimension of such investments. In order to achieve this, it would be essential to have a set of information not only on the current movements but also on their potential reallocation. An estimation of the latter cannot be achieved without an in-depth analysis of shippers behaviour. However, while in the last year a number of documents have been put forward on the great opportunities offered by the development of the "Motorways of the sea" in re-directing freight flows, there is a lack of any empirical analysis on the determinants of such choice by operators. In other words, a lot has been done in analysing supply while very little in analysing demand. In this work we aim to identify the value that the user assigns to the specific transport alternative and the factors - related to both the mode and the specific organisation of the companies - that exert a significant influence on the choice of the shipper. These elements represent a necessary prerequisite for any previsions. The methodology used falls within the definition of conjoint Analysis. We will measure the trade-offs users of freight transport services make in choosing between alternative modes. We will also use the result to predict their choices with regards to alternatives which, at the moment might not be present, but which might be placed on the market. The assumption we make, following the approach of Bolis and Maggi (1999) and Fowkes and Tweddle (1996), is that the transport service can be ?broken down? into its component attributes. As it is well known, conjoint analysis allows to determine the value that individuals place on any product as equivalent to the sum of the utility they derive from all the attributes making up a product. In particular, given the successful applications to land transport, we use "Adaptive Stated Preferences" (ASP) techniques adjusted in order to carry out the analysis of freight transport demand in the maritime context. We aim to evaluate the preferences of operators in terms of service attributes of sea transport. Given the purposes of this study, for the moment we focus the empirical application on a specific geographical context. In particular, we analyse the preferences of operators localised in the north-west regions of Italy with respect to the possibility of accessing a maritime ro-ro service from the ports of Genoa or La Spezia. The analysis is carried out in two phases: a postal survey and a subsequent direct interview. The latter is done creating a ?transport experiment? and recording the behaviour and the choices of the interviewed. Following this approach, we obtain an accurate estimation of operators' willingness to pay for the specific service characteristics (hard output) and we induce them to reveal the rank of their preferences for a set of potential new services (soft output). In the first part of the paper we give details of the specific transport options we are considering and we describe the project carried out, in the second part we illustrate the methodology used the and the necessary modification we have had to carry out in order to implement the study in a maritime context. In the third part we discuss the data collection process and we carry out a preliminary data analysis, while, in the fourth section, we present the results of the econometric model (logit model) used to analyse the data and we give some interpretation. Finally, in the last section, we present some concluding remarks
Logistics Strategy and Transport Service Choices: An Adaptive Stated Preference Experiment
No full textThis paper presents the results of a microanalysis of freight transport demand in a logistics context. Current research concentrates, with few exceptions, on shippers' choice of a transport mode. However, in a global context, shippers' behavior has to be conceived as a complex decision, which considers transport mode choice as only a part of a firm's logistics strategy. Since no data exist to directly estimate the marginal values for different qualities of transport and logistics services, a stated preference approach is applied. Adaptive stated preference experiments were performed for twenty-two firms in Italy and in Switzerland. The experimental results-forty hypothetical binary choices per firm-were completed by background information on the firms' long-term logistics strategies. The results confirm the relevance of the logistics context (e.g., JIT strategies on the supplier's or customer's side) for transport demand. The calculated marginal values of time and characteristics (reliability, frequency, etc.) provide important insights and permit generalized costs in freight transport models to be recalibrated. Copyright 2003 Gatton College of Business and Economics, University of Kentucky..
Adaptive stated preference analysis of shippers? transport and logistics choice
No full textIn this paper we propose a micro analysis of freight transport demand. Current research concentrates with few exceptions on shippers? choice of a transport mode and offers consistent evidence on the importance of characteristics. However, with globalised production and liberalisation, the market offers services which range from simple movement to integrated logistics. As a consequence, shippers? behaviour is conceived here as a complex decision which considers transport mode choice as only a part of a firm?s logistics strategy. Since there exists no data to directly estimate the marginal willingness to pay for different qualities of transport and logistics services a stated preference approach is applied. Adaptive stated preference experiments are performed and completed by background information on long term logistics strategy. Here, we present first results combining the outcome of choice analysis with evidence on the cases from which the data has been collected.
Late neurocognitive effects in children and adolescents who have undercone oncological treatment: a rehabilitation model
No full textAdaptive stated preference analysis of shippers' transport and logistics choice
No full textIn this paper we propose a micro analysis of freight transport demand. Current research concentrates with few exceptions on shippers? choice of a transport mode and offers consistent evidence on the importance of characteristics. However, with globalised production and liberalisation, the market offers services which range from simple movement to integrated logistics. As a consequence, shippers? behaviour is conceived here as a complex decision which considers transport mode choice as only a part of a firm?s logistics strategy. Since there exists no data to directly estimate the marginal willingness to pay for different qualities of transport and logistics services a stated preference approach is applied. Adaptive stated preference experiments are performed and completed by background information on long term logistics strategy. Here, we present first results combining the outcome of choice analysis with evidence on the cases from which the data has been collected
An Adaptive Conjoint Analysis of Freight Service Alternatives: Evaluating the Maritime Option
No full text
