Academic literature on the topic 'Freight forwarding organization'

Problem: The issue of efficiency in the delivery of goods in international transportation is particularly relevant given the high level of competition among intermediary organizations in the freight forwarding services market. Each business entity offers a different range of services to customers, which vary in terms of cost, duration, and service quality. To establish reliable partnerships, it is advisable to agree on cooperation conditions between the client and the service provider that align with the strategic goals of both organizations. Goal: The objective of this study is to develop a simulation model of the activities of a freight forwarding company in organizing multimodal cargo transportation, as well as to create a methodology for clients to select a freight forwarding company that best meets their needs. Methodology: The evaluation of the performance indicators of freight forwarding companies that provide services to clients under various commercial conditions is carried out based on a simulation model developed in the GPSS software environment. This approach allows for the identification of deviations in the generalized efficiency indicators of freight forwarding companies, taking into account customer requirements regarding cooperation terms and delivery routes. Results: The application of modern software solutions in the activities of production and trade enterprises enables a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of cooperation with various foreign economic entities and facilitates managerial decision-making regarding the servicing of individual orders or the establishment of long-term partnerships. A key advantage of the proposed model is its ability to assess both qualitative and quantitative indicators of freight forwarding companies’ performance, considering the individual requirements of the client. Originality: The proposed simulation model for selecting a freight forwarding company to meet customer needs in organizing multimodal cargo transportation allows for a justified choice of an intermediary organization, considering the commercial cooperation terms, service quality, and efficiency indicators. Practical Value: The practical significance of this study lies in the fact that the proposed simulation model can be applied for planning the operations of a freight forwarding company when servicing clients who require cargo delivery via various multimodal routes. This is achieved through formalizing the time characteristics of operations performed at each service stage and evaluating the quality of service provided by company personnel. Additionally, clients can use this software solution to select an intermediary organization based on previous interaction experience and transportation route considerations.

The purpose of the paper is to plan the activities of freight forwarding enterprises when organizing cooperation with customs-logistics infrastructure objects to meet customer needs. The efficiency indicators of cargo customs complexes, customs warehouses, and temporary storage warehouses were analyzed. The process of selecting customs-logistics infrastructure objects with varying levels of organizational, technical, and technological support was investigated. The proposed development will enable specialists of freight forwarding enterprises to form recommendations for cooperation with customs-logistics infrastructure objects in accordance with individual customer needs. Methodology. The determination of technical and operational performance indicators of customs-logistics infrastructure objects was implemented based on a simulation model developed in the GPSS software environment. This approach allows for the identification of deviations of generalized performance indicators of infrastructure objects from benchmark levels, which are formed taking into account customer requirements. Findings. To ensure a high level of competitiveness of the freight forwarding enterprise, it is necessary to use modern software systems capable of implementing management decisions regarding the formation of partnerships with customs-logistics infrastructure objects. Based on the assessment of technical and operational performance indicators of cargo customs complexes, customs warehouses, and temporary storage warehouses, and considering the main requirements of service customers, it becomes possible to select the most efficient business entity for cooperation. A significant advantage of the proposed development is the ability to perform a comparative analysis of the efficiency indicators of all studied enterprises in relation to the benchmark infrastructure object. Originality. The proposed simulation model for selecting customs-logistics infrastructure objects will allow specialists of freight forwarding enterprises to make a choice of intermediary organizations based on a comparative analysis of the technical and operational performance of the studied objects. Practical value. The practical significance of this work lies in the fact that the proposed model enables the selection of the customs-logistics infrastructure object that most effectively meets the individual needs of the customer. This will make it possible to plan the work of the freight forwarding enterprise based on the implementation of organizational and management measures that will positively impact the internal processes of the organization and contribute to forming its competitive advantages in the market of freight forwarding services. This implementation will reduce the duration of freight forwarding and customs-logistics services and minimize commercial risks at all stages of foreign trade operations by establishing cooperation with the most efficient intermediary organizations.

Topicality. The need of introducing new strategies and services to the activities of freight forwarding companies in order to increase their own competitiveness and maintain their positions in the market in due to the growing number of logistics service providers such as NVOCC (Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier) the services of traditional freight forwarders and their functional differences become unclear.Aim and tasks. The systematization of diversification`s types of the activities made by freight forwarding companies as a strategic direction of increasing competitiveness in the market of relevant services, determination of diversification strategy`s types and relevant areas of activity made by freight forwarding companies, development of an algorithm for implementing the diversification`s strategy of freight forwarding companies, formation of a management decisions’ list that should accompany the process of diversification freight forwarding companies.Materials and Methods. This scientific research was conducted in accordance with the logic and methodology of system analysis, the theory of transport processes and systems, as well as with the application of operations research methods. The theoretical basis of the study was the works of leading experts in strategic management, diversification of the activities of enterprises and the work of freight forwarding companies. The morphological method was used to substantiate the development directions of transport and forwarding services. Methods of analysis and synthesis were used to structure the process of development of freight forwarding services and to structure the process of development of a transport and forwarding company.Research results. Today freight forwarding companies are the first among all integrators of various transport services, which form certain delivery systems both for single shipments and for long-term transport services of regular deliveries, therefore the need of implementing a diversification strategy in the activities of enterprises is increasing so that the integration processes pass in a fully satisfactory manner. Since freight forwarding companies simply do not provide additional services to the transportation process, but are organizers and coordinators of cargo delivery, the main task of the freight forwarder is to free the cargo owner from solving issues related to cargo transportation. That is why there is a dependency between the range of services that freight forwarding companies can offer and the client's problems that these services can cause. Of course, it is more convenient and profitable for the client to transfer all types of cargo-related work to one company, which will completely take over the organization and implementation of the process without the involvement of third companies. In order for the implemented diversification strategy to bring only competitive advantages and positive consequences to the freight forwarding company, it is necessary to study and analyze the market, the behaviour of competitors, consumers and suppliers when developing a strategy and planning new areas of activity. It is no less important to distinguish the directions the diversification strategy in order for better understanding what goals should be aimed. Only with proper analysis, development of the goals and plans, understanding trends and taking into account possible risks, it is possible to accept the proper and desired results of the implementation of the diversification strategy of freight forwarding companies.Conclusion. Due to the fact that freight forwarding companies today are organizers and coordinators of freight transportation, they need to diversify their activities and range of services to fully satisfy the needs of consumers, which consist in acquiring a complete package of services that could free the cargo owner from solving any kind of issues, related to the transportation of goods. In order for the implemented diversification strategy to bring only competitive advantages and positive consequences to the freight forwarding company, it is necessary to study and analyze the market, the behaviour of competitors, consumers and suppliers when developing a strategy and planning new areas of activity.

The purpose of the paper is to improve the activities of a transport and forwarding enterprise in the delivery of goods by road transport in international traffic. The process of interaction between freight forwarders and service customers, taking into account their individual characteristics as business entities and service requirements was researched. The proposed development will allow managers of transport and forwarding enterprises to plan workforce provision, considering the duration of service for different customer categories. Methods. The determination of the duration and reliability of transport and forwarding services to customers in organizing international transportation was carried out based on a simulation model developed in the GPSS software environment. Results. The performance indicators of transport and forwarding enterprises depend on the efficiency of work organization by specialists within the enterprise, their interaction with customers, and involved intermediary organizations. The staff size of freight forwarders should be planned by the enterprise management, taking into account the flow of orders for service. Considering the main stages of transport and forwarding service to customers and the duration of their execution, the developed simulation model allows determining the following indicators: average service time, average queue waiting time, average queue length, the share of orders serviced without waiting in line, probability of service refusal, service reliability, load coefficient of freight forwarders, average number of occupied freight forwarders, enterprise throughput, and the number of freight forwarders needed for staffing the enterprise. Scientific novelty. The developed simulation model of a transport and forwarding enterprise's operation allows planning the work of a business entity based on the implementation of organizational and managerial measures to increase its competitiveness. Unlike the existing ones, the proposed model allows to study the structure of the flow of orders and the range of cargoes that arrive for service, which will ensure the possibility of planning the staffing of forwarders; to distribute the functional responsibilities of forwarders and forecast the duration of certain types of work. Practical significance. The practical significance of the paper lies in the fact that the proposed model allows evaluating the performance indicators of a transport and forwarding enterprise in organizing the export and import of goods for various customer categories. Based on the simulation results, the enterprise owner will be able to form workforce provision based on customer needs for service duration and reliability. In addition, a systematic approach to the organization of business processes will ensure significant competitive advantages of the enterprise in the market of transport and forwarding services.