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Table 1 Comparison of organizational setups among alliances, and E-marketplace platforms
From: Horizontal collaboration in the freight transport sector: barrier and decision-making frameworks
| Â | Transport alliances (see an example in [23]) | Electronic shipping marketplace (see an example in [21]) |
|---|---|---|
Membership | Contract-based membership to ensure responsibilities Partners might be required to pay membership fees or be shareholders to enter the alliance | Non-contract-based membership but partners have to sign the electronic license agreement to use the platform and pay a fee |
Management and ownership | CTN management is made by a limited liability company (LLC) owned by alliance partners The board of the LLC includes representatives from the largest partners Strategic decisions might flow from above to down or might be made in a horizontally centralized way Partners who do not accept the decisions can leave the alliance | The electronic marketplace is developed, managed, and owned by an IT specialist company or 3PL Partners (users) do not necessarily have shares in the ownership of the platform |
Main duties | The LLC is responsible for operating the CTNs, providing the CDSSs, and expanding the infrastructure and transport resources The CTNs are formed by the partners’ assets, e.g., freight terminals Partners and the LLC are responsible for sales and marketing, feeding the alliance network, and executing transportation services for the alliance | The developer company develops the marketplace to connect the users Partners develop collaborative solutions themselves The developer company operates, improves, and markets the marketplace The developer company verifies all necessary documents of a new user before joining the marketplace |