International Transport Systems and Functioning

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Abstract

International Transport Systems (ITSs) allow maintaining a connection between people, organizations, and communities all over the world. Therefore, the enhancement of their efficacy should be viewed as a priority in the present-day environment. However, the improvement of an ITS’s functioning hinges on a range of factors that are yet to be determined. By designing an all-embracive measurement tool that will help evaluate the performance of ITSs, one will be able to contribute extensively to massive improvements in a variety of domains, from business and management to healthcare and nursing.

The identification of the measurement system components can be viewed as the primary goal of the current research. It is necessary to focus on the issues that affect the quality of ITS functioning, as well as the unique properties thereof. As a result, an efficient assessment system can be built so that the measurement of it can be carried out in the context of the global economic environment.

The qualitative design will be used as the basis for exploring the issue. The identified approach will allow for an in-depth analysis of the available data and the identification of recurrent patterns in ITS development. Furthermore, the existing problems will need to be outlined so that the key assessment rubrics could be defined and incorporated into the measurement tool. Finally, the scale based on which the efficacy of ITSs will be assessed will have to be designed. As a result, a comprehensive framework for managing ITS-associated issues can be built.

Introduction: Exploring the Efficacy of International Transportation Systems

Introducing improvements in the modern International Transport Systems (ITSs) is a crucial step toward enhancing the contemporary economy on both local and global levels. Indeed, a close focus on the rearrangement of the ITS will lead to a significant positive change in the Supply Chain Management (SCM) processes, particularly, the introduction of faster and safer strategies for raw material and product transportation (Coyle 11).

Therefore, a redesign of the current ITS is required. By introducing new measurement tools for defining the efficacy of ITS performance, one will be able to control the implementation of the relevant changes, therefore, making sure that the quality of transportation and other processes associated with ITS should remain high.

It is suggested that the measurement process should be based on several aspects. The factors affecting the quality of the transportation process (e.g., the smoothness of the road, the ease of navigation, the design of transport hubs and the system, in general, etc.), as well as the ones that define the safety of the passengers and staff (e.g., security systems, emergency options, information management tools, etc.), must be incorporated into the assessment so that a detailed overview of ITSs could be conducted (Gubbings 19). As a result, a comprehensive analysis thereof will become a possibility, and the options for enhancing the efficacy of ITS-related operations will be identified (McLaughlin 25).

Creating the environment in which transportation-related procedures can take place safely and efficiently is a crucial step toward improving not only the quality of provided services but also the efficacy of the economy, in general. Furthermore, an efficient measurement system for ITSs will allow detecting possible issues, and addressing them in a manner as successful and expeditious as possible will be introduced into the context of the contemporary economic realm (Morash and Clinton 11). The following research questions will be answered:

What are the crucial characteristics of modern ITS?
How can an ITS be measured?
What are the major factors affecting modern ITS?
Are there any measurement tools for it?
How can the current measurement tools for ITSs be improved?

Literature Review: Current Interpretation of the Problem and Suggested Solutions

Current International Transportation System: Description

The current ITS is defined by its current focus on improving the communication process across the elements of the system and, thus, create the premises for a rapid improvement in the quality of transportation services (Wheater 76). The modern ITS is characterized by the focus on the active collaboration on a global level, i.e., with the involvement of as many states as possible (Khalid 15). For instance, the significance of the globalist movement must be recognized when considering the specifics of the relationships within the global ITS (Ulker 19). Indeed, with the focus on exploring new opportunities in business communication and expanding the supply chain, one must embrace the array of options that the global market has to offer (Ausubel and Marchetti 23).

Besides, the significance of technological innovations must be viewed as one of the primary features of an ITS. Seeing that information has become the most valuable resource in the context of the global market, a range of devices for capturing, retrieving, and processing it has been suggested. Nevertheless, the increasingly fast pace of technological progress compels the agents of ITS to adopt the latest IT innovations to enhance the processes associated with the transfer and analysis of information.

The contemporary global market also demands that an ITS should be based on the principles of environmentalism. Even though the concern for managing hazardous materials in a way that does not negatively affect the environment is not new, it remains the focus of the global community. Therefore, environmentalism can be deemed as an important tendency in the context of the global economy (Tozer 13).

Problems of the Contemporary International Transportation System

A closer look at the issues that can be observed in the global transportation system at present concerns primarily two dilemmas, i.e., the expensiveness of the process and the delays experienced during the transportation (Musso and Parola 96).

Furthermore, when considering the problems that the contemporary ITS faces, one must mention the issue of delays resulting from an inappropriate strategy for managing the available information (Musso et al. 99). Therefore, delays are an inevitable element of modern ITS. The incorporation of IT tools as the means of preventing mismanagement of the necessary data, prevention of misconceptions and misunderstandings, etc., has recently become a basis for addressing the identified issues (Docwra 21).

That being said, the current approach toward managing data in the realm of the global economy could use significant improvement. The threats associated with political issues, such as possible terrorist attacks, should also be listed among the key factors that trigger a drop in the security levels in the modern ITS (Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers 61).

Opportunities for Measuring the Efficacy of the International Transportation System

As the information provided above suggests, the speed of item or passenger transfer should be listed among the primary characteristics based on which the quality of ITSs should be measured. Even though the contemporary ITS suffers from the lack of strategies allowing one to avoid delays, it is crucial to introduce the time factor as one of the primary concepts allowing for an assessment of the ITS’s efficacy.

It should be noted that the speed of transfer as one of the key parameters of quality assessment should not be restricted to evaluating the speed of passenger of product transportation. Apart from the specified aspect of the measurement process, one should also include information about the speed of data transfer. Seeing that information is the most valuable asset of an organization operating in the context of the global economy, it will be necessary to evaluate the identified aspect of a company’s operations separately (Banister and Stead 22).

Furthermore, when considering the aspects of ITS operations, one should take the management and prevention of accidents into account as one of the possible elements of the assessment scale. Particularly, the opportunities for predicting possible incidences associated with political and economic concerns and reducing the impact thereof on the transportation process should be listed among the key concerns (Wensveen 16). Indeed, in light of the recent increase of threats associated with terrorist attacks, it is imperative to make sure that the safety and security of all stakeholders involved should be maintained (Wheater 76). By measuring the efficacy of the systems designed to address the identified issues and remove a terrorist threat must be included in the measurement process.

Research Design: Methodology and the Rationale for Choosing It

Conceptual Framework: Theoretical Foundation for the Analysis

To make sure that every element of an ITS is in its place, one must take a range of economic, financial, cultural, technological, and other factors that define the efficacy of the tool in the target realm. Therefore, the subject matter must be reviewed from several perspectives.

The application of the Relational Conceptual Framework as the tool for incorporating several disciplines for examining the issue of infrastructure measurement will help consider different approaches toward managing the problem, including the technology-oriented one, analysis of economic factors and concerns, communication-related issues, etc. The resulting output will provide the basis for a better understanding of the factors that define the efficacy of the ITS. Consequently, the prerequisites for building a viable assessment tool for measuring the performance of ITSs and determining their flaws are created.

Secondary Data Collection: Gathering Crucial Pieces of Evidence

To carry out an all-embracive analysis of the subject matter, one should consider using secondary data such as researches addressing the problems associated with ITSs, reviews of the related literature, etc., as the source of information. Furthermore, the use of the information provided by the state censuses is a necessity since it sheds a lot of light on the factors affecting ITSs on a global level. Furthermore, major impediments to the application of the existing strategies for carrying out SCM-related tasks and performing other activities involving transportation will be identified upon the analysis of the identified data sources.

The recent studies addressing the factors that should be used as the elements of a measurement system for ITSs should also be taken into account. Particularly, the articles that explore and develop specific devices for evaluating the performance within contemporary ITS should be viewed as the sources of crucial information. As a result, the opportunities for building an all-embracive approach that will incorporate the most successful ideas and elements of the existing frameworks can be created.

Data Analysis Method: Grounded Theory as the Basis

To analyze the information received from secondary sources, one must consider the use of a grounded theory framework. To be more specific, codes will be assigned to the excerpts of the analyzed texts that address a particular aspect of ITSs and the problems associated with their measurement, as well as certain aspects of their functioning that can be used as the foundation for designing a comprehensive assessment tool.

Based on the information retrieved from the codes, the link between various factors, and the efficacy of the ITS will be located. The results obtained in the course of the analysis, in turn, will serve as the platform for designing a measurement framework that will help assess the efficacy of the existing ITS, as well as define possible pathways for its further development.

The use of the grounded theory framework will create a leeway for exploring the relationships between external and internal factors affecting the performance of ITS and the efficacy thereof in the context of the global economy real. As a result, the rubrics for assessing the performance of a particular ITS can be designed.

Conclusion: New Opportunities for Improving the International Transportation System

By designing a comprehensive ITS measurement system, one will be able to enhance the safety and security of all participants involved, as well as contribute to a rapid rise in the quality of the transportation process. As a result, a significant increase in business productivity can be expected. Particularly, a vast improvement of the SCM-related activities can be expected as a primary effect of introducing a new and enhanced ITS measurement framework.

Using concepts such as transportation safety, the speed of data transfer, quality of the transportation process, etc., one will be able to measure ITSs successfully. Furthermore, the suggested tool for assessing the efficacy of ITSs is likely to provide extensional information for the further improvement of the system. As a result, the tool will be used to build the foundation for a consistent and efficient change management framework.

The importance of taking the factors associated with data management into account can hardly be overrated in the environment of the global economy. By assessing the issues related to the process of data transfer, one will be able to set the quality expectations comparatively high, therefore, triggering a massive improvement in the way in which ITSs are managed.

Works Cited

Ausubel, Jesse D., and Cesare Marchetti. “The Evolution of Transport.” The Industrial Physicist, 2001, pp. 20-24.

Banister, David, and Dominic Stead. “Sustainable Transport Policies: Scenarios for the Future.” Transport Policy and Research: What Future?, edited by Liana Giorgi and Ronald Pohoryles, Ashgate, 2001, pp. 90-129.

Coyle, John J., et al. Transportation. 6th ed., Thomson South-Western, 2005.

Docwra, George. “Transport Regulation, Deregulation and Regulatory Reform in Australia.” Transport Deregulation: An International Movement, edited by Kenneth Button and David Pitfield, MacMillan, 1991.

Gubbings, Edmund. Managing Transport Operations. 2nd ed., Kogan Page, 1996.

Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers. “Operators of Multi-Modal Transport and Logistic Services.” Logistics and Multi-Modal Transport, edited by the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, 2nd ed., Witherby Seamanship International Ltd, 2009, pp. 53-75.

Khalid, Nazery. “The Road Ahead.” Maritime Risk International, September 2005, pp. 14-15.

McLaughlin, John. “Highlighting the Security Dilemma.” BIMCO Review, 2004, pp. 24-27.

Morash, Edward A., and Steve R. Clinton. “The Role of Transportation Capabilities in International Supply Chain Management.” Transport and Logistics, edited by Alan McKinnon et al., Edward Elgar Publishing, 2003, pp. 3-15.

Musso, Enrico, and Francesco Parola. “Mediterranean Ports in the Global Network: How to Make the Hub and Spoke Paradigm Sustainable?” Ports, Cities, and Global Supply Chains, edited by James Wang et al., Ashgate, 2007, pp. 89-104.

Musso, Enrico, et al. “Socio-Economic Impact of Transport Policies: An Institutional Approach.” Transport Project Evaluation, edited by Elvira Haezendonck, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2007, pp. 95-114.

Tozer, David. “Ultra-large Container Ships: The Green Ships of the Future?” Lloyd’s Register, vol. 132, no. 204, 2004, pp. 13-14.

Ulker, Kemal. “Transport Goes Transnational.” Transport International, vol. 3, no. 1, 2005, pp. 19-20.

Wensveen, John G. Air Transportation: A Management Perspective. 6th ed., Ashgate, 2007.

Wheater, Patrick. “Port Security Steps up.” Seatrade, 2005, pp. 75-77.

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