Road Freight and Privatisation

This work examines both successes and failures of privatization and seeks to adopt a critical approach. The very idea of privatization has been called into question by some commentators, particularly in the context of transport, which often has prominent environmental and social factors to be taken into account. For this reason, this book devotes a chapter to the external environmental and social costs associated with road haulage and its privatization. It can also be seen as part of the increasing body of published work on business logistic and supply chain management. There has been a rapid growth of interest in logistics in recent years as manufacturers, retailers and other members of the supply chain appreciate the benefits of an integrated approach to production, the management of inventory, customer service and transport, particularly when associated with international distribution. The globalization of international business and its supply chains has led to a world-wide demand for higher quality freight transport services by all modes of transport.
Most of the literature on logistics is associated with developed countries, particularly in North America and Western Europe, and there is a shortage of published work on logistics for developing countries, which are, nevertheless, part of the same global supply system. Poor transport systems in developing countries reduce the effectiveness of international supply chains and, consequently, the attractiveness of such countries for general industrial investment by overseas corporations.