Chapter 13: Logistics Managers’ Stated Preferences for Freight Service Attributes: A Comparative Research Method Analysis

This chapter reviews a set of articles, based on stated preferences techniques, focusing on logistics managers’ preferences for freight transport attributes with the intent of assessing the quality of knowledge applied research has produced, its reliability and transferability. Transport choices are relevant in a globalized economy where aggressive marketing strategies are often used to acquire a competitive advantage in the market. Freight transport modeling has been derived out of the four-step classical approach developed for passenger transport. A new behavioral approach is progressively gaining popularity thanks to the specific behavioral focus it is based upon. The review performed indicates that there are some evident shortcomings in the way research has been performed so far but, at the same time, there is also a high potential if corrective actions are taken. In particular, substantial improvements could be obtained by (1) clearly defining research and reporting protocols, (2) defining and circumscribing who has to be interviewed in the different freight contexts studied, (3) reporting the contractual relationships governing freight movements, (4) reporting freight details (e.g., volume, value, and weight), (5) motivating the attribute selection method used. In summary, there is a need for systematizing the procedures and reporting adopted in applied research by introducing a much higher level of detail and rigor in both defining the object of measurement and in the experimental design protocols employed.