The increasing complexity of supply chains and the corresponding demand for efficiency and reliability highlight the urgent need for enhanced performance and measurement standards. The drive for improved competitiveness is a central theme across all sectors, driving the demand for superior performance and high-quality services. Research on performance factors in the domain of inland waterway transport (IWT) is limited, and the existing studies lack the incorporation of practical methods that could effectively enhance the reliability of performance management results. Thus, this study aims to identify and analyse factors influencing performance perception in IWT and establish a benchmarking methodology for assessing UK IWT performance and four other European market leaders.
The paper uses the fuzzy-analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) and the technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS) based methodology to support the IWT benchmarking process which is divided into three stages. Firstly, the study identifies performance factors through literature analysis and, then, validates them through a structured questionnaire survey, In the second stage, the critical success factors are prioritized using FAHP and expert judgments. Finally, the UK’s IWT performance was benchmarked with four European market leaders using the TOPSIS method.
The study identified 48 performance factors in IWT supply chains, categorized into eight: mobility and reliability, efficiency, profitability, environmental impact, infrastructure condition, safety, security, economic development, innovative transport technology and policy formulation. Mobility and infrastructure conditions were found to be the most significant.
The present study will contribute by enhancing the overall understanding of performance management within IWT supply chains. The performance factors identified, along with the structural hierarchy taxonomic diagram will create a detailed performance database.
This study uses empirical data to identify performance determinants in intermodal IWT supply chains. It contributes to the theoretical framework surrounding the measurement and standards of IWT supply chain performance. The study also adopts the fuzzy-AHP method to evaluate and prioritize these performance factors to inform relevant stakeholders and policymakers of the most significant performance factors. Furthermore, this study serves as a preliminary reference for future research.
