Material Economy and Logistics 04/2023

The article presents the results of survey research assessing the importance of individual components of relational capital from the point of view of the strategies implemented in enterprises. The relationship between relational capital and logistics processes was also analysed. The analysis of the data was based on the results of surveys from 200 enterprises located in the southern part of Poland. The purpose of the research was to determine the relationship between selected elements of relational capital and the effects of functioning of enterprises in the context of logistics processes. The research conducted and the results obtained allowed to demonstrate that in the studied group of enterprises there were correlations between the approach of enterprises to building relational capital and the results achieved in the context of selected aspects of logistics processes.

This paper evaluates infrastructural investments in Poland and their impact on rail transport development between China and the European Union. Using data from diverse sources, including EU databases and the PKP database, the study employs a comprehensive methodology to explore railway transport, identifying main freight routes, understanding determinants, and recognizing barriers and challenges. Emphasis is placed on dependencies in route exchange, the consequences of the Russia–Ukraine conflict, data analysis in connections between cities, corridors, and their current state, and trends, barriers, and new initiatives, including crucial structural developments in Poland. Findings reveal dynamic growth in container railway freight since 2013. Poland, exceeding most EU states in rail intermodal transport growth, appears poised to be an "intermodal logistics hub" with planned modernization. The paper offers practical significance, providing insights for policymakers, railway operators, and logistics providers, identifying opportunities and challenges for enhancing railway freight competitiveness between China and the EU and encouraging collaboration among BRI stakeholders to address shared issues. The originality of the paper lies in the assessment of the railway freight routes between China and the EU, the Belt and Road Initiative, and its relationship with the infrastructural investments in Poland.

The postulate of reducing CO₂ emissions while maintaining economic efficiency is part of the conditions for the functioning of modern enterprises, also in the area of logistics. In the case of the largest enterprises, the transformation process towards low-emission solutions seems to be easier mainly due to the resources they have. Green transformation for smaller enterprises may turn out to be much more difficult, which is undoubtedly a consequence of the specific characteristics of these enterprises. The aim of the article is to identify the conditions for the development of low-carbon logistics in small and medium-sized enterprises and to identify possible changes that have occurred in this area in the post-pandemic period. The article is based on empirical research conducted in a group of 200 small and medium-sized enterprises in 2021 and 2023.

Autonomous transport is one of the main trends in the development of urban mobility. In Poland, this area is relatively poorly studied, partly because of the small number of implemented projects. So, do autonomous vehicles have a chance to become more frequent sight on Polish streets? The authors of this publication have two objectives. The first is to assess plans and measures undertaken to implement autonomous transport in Polish cities. The second aim of the publication is to define further perspectives for the development of autonomous transport in Polish cities. The basis of the survey was formulated as the following research problems: What is the level of advancement of autonomous transport implementation in Polish cities? What is the interest by the authorities of Polish cities (local government units) in the subject of autonomous transport? The authors decided to use triangulation of studies. On the one hand, hard data were collected (by analysing the strategic documents of cities), on the other – a survey was conducted. The survey itself collected information about the measures implemented as well as more subjective and prognostic elements related to the "opinions" of Polish cities on autonomous transport. Activities for the implementation of autonomous transport in Polish cities are at a low level. The study shows that the road to autonomous vehicles in public transport in Polish cities is still a long way off: their experience in implementing such innovative projects is very scarce, mostly because benefits of implementing modern technologies in public transport are not really perceived, while a lot of organisational and financial barriers are obvious.

Global warming is one of the most discussed issues in the context of climate change and refers to the steady increase in the Earth's average air temperature. The main cause of the changes affecting the environment is human activity. The most important task is to reduce atmospheric emissions of greenhouse gases, and one of the most important elements is to change the direction of energy policy – moving away from traditional fossil fuels to zero-carbon energy sources, and according to the author of the publication, systemic changes in the transportation process are also necessary. The article proposes a mathematical model of the eco-efficiency of the transportation process in terms of reducing CO₂ emissions into the environment. A detailed analysis of delivery costs was carried out, which in turn led to measurable results of the model in the form of optimal parameters of the studied process (frequency of deliveries and economic size of deliveries) with minimal costs. Existing studies in the field of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road transport often ignore input data, which is incompatible with a systemic approach. The solutions used in this study integrate both input and output parameters, taking into account economic and environmental aspects, and reflecting diverse global policy practices. The model represents a kind of reengineering of the transportation process and is flexible enough to be applied to most modes of transportation, mainly those that generate the highest CO₂ emissions (road transport).

Expeditionary projects are complex projects, combining both high-tech and traditional equipment, requiring varying competences of team members, a high degree of complex organisational processes, including logistics, and the need to operate in diverse cultural contexts. The course of an expedition project is to a large extent conditioned by events that are difficult and unpredictable, therefore subject to risks both to the safety of the participants and to success. Hence, based on practical experience and scientific studies, the authors have undertaken the task of identifying areas of resilience formation in expedition projects. This is the main objective of the consideration.

This article contributes to the discussion on the security of warehousing systems in the management of a service enterprise operating in the supply chain. The focus of analysis and assessment is the measurement and monitoring of warehouse processes within a selected service enterprise, based on which proposals for enhancements are made. The following research problem was formulated in relation to the adopted topic: "Is the application of the indicator method justified for evaluating the security level of the warehousing systems in service enterprises operating in the supply chain?" Seeking an answer to this question involved a literature review to gather empirical data, which were then processed using an analysis of functional areas in the field of enterprise warehouse management, a synthesis of proposed procedures for evaluating the warehousing system of the selected enterprise using the indicator method and an indication of the benefits of its application, deductive reasoning, logistical measures and indicators, and algorithmic methods. Finally, through the method of inference, an answer to the research question was formulated: It is hypothesized that the application of the indicator method provides a comprehensive picture of the current state of operational security of the warehousing system within a service enterprise operating in the supply chain.