The transport selection criteria of Norwegian exporters

Abstract

Examines transport selection criteria with particular reference to Norwegian exports. Because results of studies of carrier selection determinants tend to have a degree of consensus, there is a risk of assuming context‐free determinants, whereas throughout the world there is a range of contexts that may influence determinants. Norway has distinctive features including export dependency with a small home market, a peripheral location, and an extreme topography and climate. Despite an awareness of logistics concepts, Norwegian exporters appear to place more emphasis on direct transport costs than many context‐free studies would suggest. The paper concludes that logistics studies should have an accepted typology of relevant context features, so that better comparisons between studies can be made.