Abstract:
Two hundred organisations were surveyed in a study of identifying the contributory factors (CF) to the inefficiency of Sri Lanka Railway (SLR) freight transportation service. A search of the literature revealed 12 CFs. Results indicated that CFs were directly and strongly related to the inefficiency. In addition, a different set of CFs associated with the elements of inefficiency (i.e., low innovation, negative perception, service delays, and poor communication). Interestingly a significant gap exists between the CFs that organisations believe to be important for a freight transport service provider and service attributes of SLR. Even though, in Sri Lankan context these findings may not be realistic due to economical and political misfit. Because of research, findings may be context specific. The implications of this study are significant for both private and public freight service providers. Suggestions are offered for future work in this area.
