Links between production systems and transport: the example of German and French industries

Michèle Guilbault, Elisabeth Gouvernal, Marie Lebaudy, Barbara Lenz, Sebastian Schneider and Katia Kohler
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Michèle Guilbault: INRETS/SPLOTT - Systèmes productifs, logistique, organisation des transports et travail - INRETS - Institut National de Recherche sur les Transports et leur Sécurité
Elisabeth Gouvernal: INRETS/SPLOTT - Systèmes productifs, logistique, organisation des transports et travail - INRETS - Institut National de Recherche sur les Transports et leur Sécurité
Marie Lebaudy: INRETS/SPLOTT - Systèmes productifs, logistique, organisation des transports et travail - INRETS - Institut National de Recherche sur les Transports et leur Sécurité
Barbara Lenz: DLR - German Aerospace Center
Sebastian Schneider: DLR - German Aerospace Center
Katia Kohler: DLR - German Aerospace Center

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Abstract: Changes in transportation are closely linked to the economic and logistical characteristics of the production system. The aim of this paper is, on the basis of data on the economic context and surveys conducted in France (the 1988 Shipper survey and the 2004 ECHO survey) and in Germany (the 2005 DLR survey), to show the major changes that have occurred in the two countries at both micro- and macro-economic levels and how these have affected transport demand. The first level of analysis relates to changes in the economic fabric. In particular, we have demonstrated the growing proportion of small and medium-sized firms at a time when large production units, which are those that are best able to concentrate their freight and use modes other than the road, are becoming fewer and fewer. At the same time, economic links are becoming more complex and, in the case of France, we have shown the increasing role played by wholesale traders in the distribution of goods. The constant reduction in transport costs and the opening up of markets is another structural factor whose impacts in both France and Germany we have also analysed. In addition to these economic changes, the internal modes of production of firms have also changed. Production is becoming more diversified and Just-in-time practices are spreading. The fragmentation of freight flows is thus occurring both in space and in time, which also has a major effect on the characteristics of the flows generated by firms and changes in transport. In the case of all these changes we have attempted to show the differences and similarities between the ways transport has changed in the two countries.

Keywords: TRANSPORT DE MARCHANDISES; ALLEMAGNE; FRANCE (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-07-11
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-00615153
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published in 12th World Conference on Transport Research, Jul 2010, Lisbonne, Portugal. 32p

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