Hans-Joachim Schramm

Freight Forwarder's Intermediary Role in Multimodal Transport Chains

A Social Network Approach

Physica -Verlag
A Springer Company

Contents

1 Introduction 1.1 Freight Forwarding as a Research Topic So Far 1.2 Purpose and Research Objectives 1.3 Research Methodology and Outline 2 Legal and Functional Perspective of Freight Forwarding in Multimodal Transport Chains 2.1 The Freight Forwarder from a Legal and Functional Point of View 2.1.1 Actual Legal Status of Forwarding Business in Germany and Austria 2.1.2 Comparisons with Legal Status of Forwarding Business in Other Countries 2.1.3 Freight Forwarders from a Functional Point of View 2.1.4 Fields of Activity and Specialization in Forwarding Business 2.2 Freight Forwarding in Multimodal Transport Chains 2.2.1 Introductory Notes and Basic Definitions 2.2.2 The Ocean Shipping Industry in the General Cargo Segment 2.2.3 The Cargo Segment in the Airline Industry 2.2.4 Mapping of Inter-organizational Interaction and Cargo Movement 2.3 Summary and Concluding Remarks on the Functional Perspective 3 New Institutional Economics, Intermediation Theory, and the Intermediary Perspective 3.1 New Institutional Economics 3.1.1 Ancedents of the New Institutional Economics 3.1.2 Common Assumptions of New Institutional Economics 3.1.3 Building Blocks of New Institutional Economics 3.1.4 Conclusions and Some Comparisons

1 2 7 9 13 14 14 19 24 30 34 34 41 48 54 72 77 78 78 80 93 106 vii

Contents

3.2

Market Microstructure and Intermediation Theory 3.2.1 Market Makers, Specialists, Dealers, Marketers and Merchants .'. 3.2.2 Matchmakers and Brokers 3.2.3 Information Production, Guarantors and Certificators 3.2.4 Delegated Expertise, Bargaining, Contracting and/or Monitoring 3.2.5 Conclusions and Some Applications 3.3 A Taxonomy of Intermediaries in Multimodal Transport and Logistic Chains 3.3.1 Commercial Middlemen and Service Providers 3.3.2 Financial Middlemen and Service Providers 3.3.3 Transport Middlemen and Service Providers 3.3.4 Logistics Middlemen and Service Providers 3.3.5 Freight Forwarders as a Strange Hybrid 3.4 Summary and Some Criticism on the Intermediary Perspective Models of Network Structure and the Network Perspective 4.1 Network Modelling in Operations Research and Management Science 4.1.1 Historical and Theoretical Background 4.1.2 Applications 4.1.3 Critical Comments 4.2 Strategic Networks: Focal Companies with Cooperative Relationships 4.2.1 Theoretical Background 4.2.2 Applications and Critical Comments" 4.3 Dynamic Networks: Temporary Virtual Companies for Specific Tasks 4.3.1 Theoretical Background. / 4.3.2 Applications and Critical Comments 4.4 Entrepreneurial Networks: Specialized Intermediaries Economizing on Information Costs 4.4.1 Theoretical Background 4.4.2 Applications 4.4.3 Critical Comments 4.5 Industrial Networks: Interdependent Business Relationships 4.5.1 Theoretical Background 4.5.2 Applications 4.5.3 Concluding Comments 4.6 Social Networks: Network Structure, Positions and Relationships... 4.6.1 Theoretical Background 4.6.2 Applications 4.6.3 Concluding Comments 4.7 Comparisons and Evaluation

108 Ill 120 128 135 144 147 148 151 152 153 155 156 161 163 163 165 169 170 170 172 174 174 175 176 177 180 183 184 184 188 189 190 191 198 199 200

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5 A Closer Look on Contemporary Social Network Analysis 5.1 Roots of Contemporary Social Network Analysis 5.1.1 Sociometric Analysis and Graph Theory 5.1.2 US-American Community and Industrial Sociology 5.1.3 Manchester School of Social Anthropology 5.1.4 Methodological Breakthroughs 5.2 Levels of Analysis in Contemporary Social Network Analysis 5.3 Analytical Instruments of Contemporary Social Network Analysis 5.3.1 Actor's Degree, Density, Multiplexity, Heterogeneity and Connectedness 5.3.2 Tie Strength, Durability, Directedness, Multiplexity and Connectedness 5.3.3 Network Size, Density, Cohesion, Multiplexity and Connectedness 5.3.4 Prominence: Centrality, Centralization, Prestige and Hierarchization * 5.3.5 Network Constraint and Brokerage Concepts 5.4 Summary and Concluding Remarks 6 Freight Forwarder's Personal Network in Multimodal Transport Chains: An Empirical Investigation 6.1 Survey Design 6.1.1 A Generic Multimodal Transport Chain Model 6.1.2 Levels of Analysis and Analytical Instruments 6.2 Sample Design and Preliminary Analysis 6.3 Presentation of Empirical Results 6.3.1 Sample Characteristics 6.3.2 Personal Network Structure and Position 6.3.3 Intermediary Roles 7 Final Conclusions 7.1 Summarizing Main Findings 7.1.1 What Is the Intermediary Role of Freight Forwarders in Multimodal Transport Chains Including a Leg by Sea or Air? 7.1.2 Which Body of Theory May Help to Explore Its Intermediary Role Theoretically? 7.1.3 Which Kinds of Measures Are Needed to Catch Its Intermediary Role Empirically? 7.2 Contribution to Extant Research 7.3 Managerial Implications 7.4 Limitations and Suggestions for Further Research References Appendix

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285 ' 286 286 287 288 289 293 351