The Changing Postal and Delivery Sector

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

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2. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act After 10 Years—Some Proposals for Reform

   • Michael Crew, Timothy Brennan

   Pages 1-15

3. Lessons from the Postal Sector to Telecommunications and Vice Versa

   • Pier Luigi Parcu, Virginia Silvestri

   Pages 17-33

4. E-Substitution and the Demand for Business Mail in the UK: Trends and Prospects

   • Frank Rodriguez, Soterios Soteri, Stefan Tobias

   Pages 35-49

5. An Examination of the Links Between Postal Price Constraints, Efficiency, Competition and Public Welfare

   • Philippe De Donder, Frank Rodriguez, Soterios Soteri

   Pages 51-66

6. The Personalization and Volume Trade-Off: A Future Without Saturation Mail?

   • Michael D. Bradley, Adam C. Houck

   Pages 67-78

7. An Economic Perspective on Terminal Dues

   • Henrik Ballebye Okholm, Bruno Basalisco, Jimmy Gårdebrink, Anna Möller Boivie

   Pages 79-96

8. A Case Study of Density of Retail Outlets in Portugal: Regulation and Politics in Postal Markets

   • João Confraria, Vítor Miguel Ribeiro, Agostinho Franco, Frederico Pereira

   Pages 97-114

9. Minimum Wages in the Award of Public Contracts After RegioPost

   • Alessandra Fratini

   Pages 115-126

10. Protecting Consumers Using Postal and E-Commerce Delivery Services in Competitive European Markets

    • John Hearn

    Pages 127-137

11. E-Commerce in Europe: Parcel Delivery Prices in a Digital Single Market

    • J. Scott Marcus, Georgios Petropoulos

    Pages 139-159

12. U.S. Postal Markets and Delivery Liberalization: A Simulation Approach

    • Margaret M. Cigno, Edward S. Pearsall

    Pages 161-189

13. The Sharing Economy and the “Uberization” Phenomenon: What Impacts on the Economy in General and for the Delivery Operators in Particular?

    • Claire Borsenberger

    Pages 191-203

14. Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies: Opportunities for Postal Financial Services

    • Christian Jaag, Christian Bach

    Pages 205-221

15. Digital Identities: A Good Move for Postal Operators

    • Claire Borsenberger, Olaf Klargaard, Philippe Régnard

    Pages 223-232

16. The Digital Future of the Printed Publishing Material and the Impact on the Postal Sector

    • Simona Romito, Stefano Gori

    Pages 233-242

17. Econometric Benchmarking of Delivery and Processing Costs in the UK Postal Sector

    • Helen Ferguson, Katie Curry, Nick Convery

    Pages 243-256

18. Changes to the Universal Service: Influencing Factors, Impacts and Regulatory Implications

    • Steven Cape, Philip Groves

    Pages 257-269

19. Mail Composition and Recipients’ Reaction to Direct Mail

    • Thomas Geissmann, Christian Jaag, Martin Maegli, Urs Trinkner

    Pages 271-282

20. The Total Price of Mail: A Consumer Perspective

    • Benjamin Gough, Kirk Kaneer, Margaret M. Cigno

    Pages 283-299

This book addresses some of the major issues facing postal and delivery services throughout the world. Postal operators worldwide have been slow to address the threats from and opportunities created by electronic competition.  The European Commission and member states are wrestling with these issues, while at the same time continuing to deal with the interrelated issues of implementing entry into postal markets and maintaining the universal service obligation. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 in the U.S. exacerbated financial and managerial problems faced by USPS that result in part from electronic substitution for letter delivery. Comprised of original essays by prominent researchers in the field, this book addresses the new reality of the postal industry and proposes ways in which postal operators might reinvent themselves. Issues discussed include cross-border parcel delivery, e-commerce, the transformation of postal networks, and the effects of postal liberalization. This book will be of interest to postal operators, regulatory commissions, consulting firms, competitors and customers, experts in the postal economics, law, and business, and those charged with the responsibility for designing and implementing postal sector policies. Researchers in regulatory economics, transportation technology, and industrial organization will also find useful information in this volume.

• postal regulation
• cross-border parcel delivery
• e-commerce
• delivery liberalization
• postal network
• universal services
• postal sector

• Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick, Newark, USA

  Michael Crew

• Florence School of Regulation, European University Institute, San Domenico di Fiesole, Italy

  Pier Luigi Parcu

• School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, USA

  Timothy Brennan

Policies and ethics