Modelling Behavioural Antecedents of Inter-Firm Linkages in the Irish Road Freight Industry: an Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour

i DECLARATION . iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS . v TABLE OF CONTENTS . 9 TABLE OF FIGURES . 17 TABLE OF TABLES . 20 1 INTRODUCTION . 25 1.1 Introduction . 25 1.2 Prelude . 25 1.3 Initial Research Objectives and Questions . 26 1.4 Scope of the Thesis . 28 1.5 Thesis Structure . 28 2 TRANSPORT LOGISTICS IN IRELAND. 32 2.1 Introduction . 32 2.2 Transport’s Function in Supply Chains . 32 2.3 History of the Industry’s Development . 36 2.3.1 Change . 43 2.3.2 Collaboration . 54 2.3.3 Justification for Collaboration . 55 2.3.4 Pallet Networks . 60 2.3.5 Sustainable Logistics . 65 10 2.4 Competitive Environment . 69 2.5 Policy Development . 69 2.6 An International Comparison of the Irish Industry . 73 2.7 Summary and Conclusions . 74 3 NEO-CLASSICAL ECONOMIC THEORY OF THE FIRM . 76 3.1 Introduction . 76 3.2 The Neo-classical Theory of the Firm . 76 3.3 Critique of the Neo-classical Approach . 80 3.4 Application to the Road Freight Industry . 82 3.5 Summary and Conclusion . 88 4 ALTERNATIVE THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES . 89 4.1 Introduction . 89 4.2 Seeking Other Goals . 91 4.2.1 Firm Growth . 91 4.2.2 Maximisation of Shareholders’ Wealth . 93 4.3 Resource Based Perspective . 93 4.4 Multiple Criteria Decision Making . 109 4.5 Development of the Behavioural Approach . 110 4.6 Theoretical Framework . 115 4.7 Summary and Conclusion . 117 5 THEORETICAL APPROACH . 119 5.1 Introduction . 119 5.2 The Theory of Planned Behaviour . 121 11 5.2.1 Attitude . 123 5.2.2 Subjective Norm . 124 5.2.3 Perceived Behavioural Control . 124 5.2.4 The Intention-Behaviour Relation . 126 5.3 The Development of Attitude Measurement . 126 5.4 Change and Persuasion . 128 5.5 Modifications to the Theory . 129 5.5.1 Desire . 129 5.5.2 Self-efficacy . 129 5.5.3 Past Behaviour . 130 5.5.4 Self-identity . 130 5.5.5 Anticipated Emotions . 131 5.5.6 Cognitive Dissonance . 132 5.5.7 Theory of Entrepreneurial Cognition . 133 5.6 Extraction of Barriers . 134 5.7 Theoretical Concept and Preliminary Model . 134 5.8 Summary and Conclusion . 135 6 OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY . 136 6.1 Introduction . 136 6.2 Research Paradigm . 136 6.3 The Framework for Questionnaire Design . 142 6.4 Data Collection Methods. 142 6.5 Summary and Conclusion . 145 12 7 PHASE ONE: INITIAL STUDY . 146 7.1 Introduction . 146 7.2 Research Strategy . 146 7.3 Qualitative Investigation. 147 7.3.1 Data Collection Methods . 147 7.3.2 Analyses and Results . 150 7.4 Quantitative Study . 152 7.4.1 Aims and Hypotheses . 152 7.4.2 Data Collection Method . 153 7.5 Analyses and Discussion . 159 7.5.1 Descriptive Statistics . 159 7.5.2 Hypothesis Testing . 164 7.5.3 Profit Maximisation . 166 7.5.4 Economies of Scale . 168 7.5.5 Bounded Rationality . 170 7.6 Summary and Conclusion . 172 8 PHASE TWO: QUALITATIVE APPROACH . 174 8.1 Introduction . 174 8.2 Research Strategy . 174 8.3 Initial Qualitative Investigation . 175 8.3.1 Population and Sampling . 175 8.3.2 Interviews . 176 8.4 Content Analysis . 178 13 8.5 Implications for Quantitative Study . 179 8.6 Relating Findings to Theory and Development of Hypotheses . 180 8.7 Summary and Conclusion . 182 9 PHASE TWO: PRIMARY QUANTITATIVE INSTRUMENT . 183 9.1 Introduction . 183 9.1.1 Rigour in the Quantitative Research . 184 9.1.2 Formative Use of Structural Equation Modelling . 184 9.2 Population and Sampling . 185 9.3 Hypotheses and Conceptual Model . 186 9.3.1 The Conceptual Model . 187 9.3.2 The Hypotheses . 190 9.3.3 Attitude Measurement and Measurement Scales . 192 9.4 Potential Sources of Error . 197 9.4.1 Trait Variance . 197 9.4.2 Common Method Bias . 198 9.4.3 Sources of Common Method Bias . 199 9.4.4 Remedies