The dissertation has focused its attention on rail freight transport in the EU where it tried to identify trends that have accompanied that transport in the last decades. The identified trends are: intermodality, interoperability, creation of railway corridors and harmonization of legal norms for transport of goods. Each trend has been judged from the perspective of the so-called "common transport policy". The complexity of the analyzed environment as well as the interest in the depiction of the situation in the Czech Republic have led to the setting of three goals and three scientific questions. The result of the author's scientific investigation is a completely original work that should contribute to better understanding of changes of structural-systemic nature that happen in the rail cargo transport in the territory of the EU. Such a work is also an evaluating mirror for the reform of the railway sector undertaken by the same institution.

In der Verkehrswirtschaft findet ein von der Europäischen Union ausgelöster Deregulierungsprozess statt, welcher zu neuen und wissenschaftlich bisher nicht identifizierten Geschäftsmodellen in den Transportketten des Schienengüterverkehrs in Europa geführt hat. Diese Geschäftsmodelle stellen den Untersuchungsgegenstand der Dissertation dar. Zur Durchführung deren Identifikation definiert der Autor ein Geschäftsmodellverständnis und grenzt dieses vom Strategiebegriff ab. Er konkretisiert den Geschäftsmodellbegriff mit der Art und Weise der Wertschöpfung im Unternehmen und nutzt dafür unter anderem theoretische Ansätze des strategischen Managements und der Institutionenökonomie. Die gewählten Ansätze verknüpft er zu einem Wertschöpfungswürfel, mit welchem er die Identifikation der Wertschöpfung in den Geschäftsmodellen des Schienengüterverkehrs vornimmt. Den Leistungsumfang der Geschäftsmodelle des Schienengüterverkehrs gegenüber den Kunden bringt der Autor durch die Berücksichtigung der Transportketten in die Diskussion ein. Aus den Dimensionen Art und Weise der Wertschöpfung und Leistungsumfang in den Transportketten bildet er ein Portfolio zur Geschäftsmodellidentifikation, welches neun theoretische Geschäftsmodelle in den Transportketten des europäischen Schienengüterverkehrs beschreibt. Um die Geschäftsmodelle auch empirisch nachzuweisen führt der Autor eine Studie unter Güterbahnen im deutschsprachigen Raum durch. Die Auswertung erfolgt mittels einer Korrespondenzanalyse, durch welche das theoretisch aufgestellte Portfolio bestätigt wird und sechs zum Teil signifikant verschiedene Geschäftsmodelle in den Transportketten des Schienengüterverkehrs identifiziert werden. Mittels der entwickelten Geschäftsmodelllogik ermittelt der Autor den Veränderungsbedarf je Geschäftsmodell, wofür auch erweiterte Korrespondenzanalyen zur Anwendung kommen. (Autorenreferat) / In transport economics a deregulation process is taking place, triggered by the European Union, which has led to new and not scientifically identified business models in transport chains of European rail freight transport. These business models represent the examination subject of the thesis. For their identification the author defines an understanding of business model and delimits this from the strategy concept. He puts the business model concept in concrete terms with the way of the added value in the enterprise and uses among other things theoretical approaches of the strategic management and the institutional economics. He connects the chosen approaches to an added value cube with which he carries out the identification of the added value in the business models of rail freight transport. Considering also transport chains the author brings into the discussion the scope of work of the business models of rail freight transport for the customer. Out of the dimensions ‘way of the added value’ and ‘scope of work in the transport chains’ he forms a portfolio for the business model identification which describes nine theoretical business models in the transport chains of the European rail freight transport. To prove the business models also empirically, the author carries out a study under railway undertakings in the German-speaking area. The examination of the study was done with a correspondence analysis with which the theoretically built portfolio was confirmed and six partly significantly different business models in the transport chains of the rail freight transport were identified. By means of the developed business model logic the author determines the change requirement per business model. For this he uses also enlarged applications of the correspondence analysis. (Author’s abstract)

In times when capacities of roads are starting to run out, it is necessary to search for any alternatives with environmental protection in mind. One of the options is to move some of the road freight transport to railways. One of the possible ways to achieve it is by using Public logistics centres. This concept is already in use in Western Europe and the demand for building terminals of combined transport is growing in the Czech Republic as well. The goal of this thesis is to evaluate the potential of PLC and its influence on the regional development based on information from other countries. In the thesis, theoretical aspects of infrastructure investment and predicted effects of localization into targeted regions are assessed. Outcomes of this research are weaknesses and suggestions for potential implementation of this concept in the Czech Republic.

The aim of the thesis is to analyse the status of the rail freight transport in Europe in the sense of its competitiveness on the transport market. The analysis is based on the identification of main barriers that characterise European rail freight and the extent of technological and legislative harmonisation across Europe. The status of the rail freight transport is also explored on the basis of the volume of goods transported by rail in European countries as well as on the comparison with road transport. In order to get the realistic idea about this issue the thesis focuses also on the main Czech rail carrier, ČD Cargo, a.s. and their realized transportations.

In der Verkehrswirtschaft findet ein von der Europäischen Union ausgelöster Deregulierungsprozess statt, welcher zu neuen und wissenschaftlich bisher nicht identifizierten Geschäftsmodellen in den Transportketten des Schienengüterverkehrs in Europa geführt hat. Diese Geschäftsmodelle stellen den Untersuchungsgegenstand der Dissertation dar. Zur Durchführung deren Identifikation definiert der Autor ein Geschäftsmodellverständnis und grenzt dieses vom Strategiebegriff ab. Er konkretisiert den Geschäftsmodellbegriff mit der Art und Weise der Wertschöpfung im Unternehmen und nutzt dafür unter anderem theoretische Ansätze des strategischen Managements und der Institutionenökonomie. Die gewählten Ansätze verknüpft er zu einem Wertschöpfungswürfel, mit welchem er die Identifikation der Wertschöpfung in den Geschäftsmodellen des Schienengüterverkehrs vornimmt. Den Leistungsumfang der Geschäftsmodelle des Schienengüterverkehrs gegenüber den Kunden bringt der Autor durch die Berücksichtigung der Transportketten in die Diskussion ein. Aus den Dimensionen Art und Weise der Wertschöpfung und Leistungsumfang in den Transportketten bildet er ein Portfolio zur Geschäftsmodellidentifikation, welches neun theoretische Geschäftsmodelle in den Transportketten des europäischen Schienengüterverkehrs beschreibt. Um die Geschäftsmodelle auch empirisch nachzuweisen führt der Autor eine Studie unter Güterbahnen im deutschsprachigen Raum durch. Die Auswertung erfolgt mittels einer Korrespondenzanalyse, durch welche das theoretisch aufgestellte Portfolio bestätigt wird und sechs zum Teil signifikant verschiedene Geschäftsmodelle in den Transportketten des Schienengüterverkehrs identifiziert werden. Mittels der entwickelten Geschäftsmodelllogik ermittelt der Autor den Veränderungsbedarf je Geschäftsmodell, wofür auch erweiterte Korrespondenzanalyen zur Anwendung kommen. (Autorenreferat) / In transport economics a deregulation process is taking place, triggered by the European Union, which has led to new and not scientifically identified business models in transport chains of European rail freight transport. These business models represent the examination subject of the thesis. For their identification the author defines an understanding of business model and delimits this from the strategy concept. He puts the business model concept in concrete terms with the way of the added value in the enterprise and uses among other things theoretical approaches of the strategic management and the institutional economics. He connects the chosen approaches to an added value cube with which he carries out the identification of the added value in the business models of rail freight transport. Considering also transport chains the author brings into the discussion the scope of work of the business models of rail freight transport for the customer. Out of the dimensions ‘way of the added value’ and ‘scope of work in the transport chains’ he forms a portfolio for the business model identification which describes nine theoretical business models in the transport chains of the European rail freight transport. To prove the business models also empirically, the author carries out a study under railway undertakings in the German-speaking area. The examination of the study was done with a correspondence analysis with which the theoretically built portfolio was confirmed and six partly significantly different business models in the transport chains of the rail freight transport were identified. By means of the developed business model logic the author determines the change requirement per business model. For this he uses also enlarged applications of the correspondence analysis. (Author’s abstract)

The goal of the thesis is to sum up the issues of the contract for the international carriage of goods by road and rail comprehensively, from the perspective of the Czech legal system, and to analyze the issues of the electronic consignment notes, to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of their usage, or to asses the barriers for their usage if they are not widely used yet.

Trade liberalization and resultantly globalization has led to the relative free flow of goods, services, capital and people. The transport system in South Africa must be highly reliable and rapid to contribute to economic development. The focus of this research study is on the Port/Rail Interface in the Port of Durban which critically assesses the transfer of goods particularly from rail transport to and from vessels within the port precinct. Some of the major constraints identified in the study related to poor infrastructure, operations and levels of services; lack of maintenance, availability of rolling stock, locomotives and cargo stacking space. Transnet's role is pivotal in providing efficient port and rail operations and is currently upgrading infrastructure, operations and capacity of the port and rail services. One of the main objectives of the study is to present recommendations to Transnet management that arise out of the shortcomings identified during the course of the research study. / Transport Economics / M. Comm.

Trade liberalization and resultantly globalization has led to the relative free flow of goods, services, capital and people. The transport system in South Africa must be highly reliable and rapid to contribute to economic development. The focus of this research study is on the Port/Rail Interface in the Port of Durban which critically assesses the transfer of goods particularly from rail transport to and from vessels within the port precinct. Some of the major constraints identified in the study related to poor infrastructure, operations and levels of services; lack of maintenance, availability of rolling stock, locomotives and cargo stacking space. Transnet's role is pivotal in providing efficient port and rail operations and is currently upgrading infrastructure, operations and capacity of the port and rail services. One of the main objectives of the study is to present recommendations to Transnet management that arise out of the shortcomings identified during the course of the research study. / Transport Economics / M. Comm.