Collaborative Service-Dominant Business Model Design for a Just-In-Time Rail Shuttle Service at the Port of Valencia

Given the growth in container transport volumes and the use of mega-ships calling at a limited number of hub ports, it is necessary to increase the capacity of port-hinterland connections. Rail transport should play a key role in providing a sustainable response to this need and innovative solutions must be developed which can address the current problems and limitations through a more collaborative approach involving all the relevant stakeholders. The present study contributes to the development of an innovative Just-in-Time Rail Shuttle Service for a major port-hinterland corridor of the port of Valencia (Valencia-Zaragoza) and its service-dominant business logic, which emphasises the interaction between different transport agents as they co-create value through collaborative processes. The service-dominant business model radar (SDBM/R) methodology has been applied in close collaboration with industry experts and the resulting model evaluated through an extensive series of hands-on workshops with industry professionals from the port and logistics sector. This paper focuses on the application and evaluation of this methodology in the inland container transport domain, aimed at harnessing digital innovation in the design of new business models for a Just-in-Time Rail Shuttle Service. In summary, it contributes a novel and collaborative business design approach that has an academic grounding and practical relevance.