Evaluating the growing importance of IT in the management of transport logistics and supply chain

Abstract

The potential of “action research” as a method for conducting transport surveys is examined in this paper, with a focus on evaluating it critically in order to address important transport policy issues like mitigating the effects of climate change and the environment, addressing social exclusion related to transport, and addressing issues of intergenerational equity. This is not a particularly new method in the social sciences, but it is one that has, up until now, been largely ignored in the subject of transport studies. The study investigates whether and how action research has produced distinct results from other qualitative transport survey methodologies and provides some real-world examples of how it has been used to gather data about people’s travel experiences and behaviours. It looks at the best settings for action research as well as the abilities and methods that researchers should learn to get beyond some of the major objections to the approach. After that, it assesses a few of the most important obstacles to using an action research strategy and suggests possible solutions. In conclusion, it addresses the main obstacles that researchers conducting action research may have when analysing, presenting, and disseminating their “data” and suggests possible solutions.