Globalization, e-economy and trade

The first position paper of Stella Focus Group 1 on Globalization, E-Economy and Trade aims to highlight the main concepts around which the activities will develop. It addresses the transport and trade implications of the shift from an economy dominated by physical movements to one where electronic communications aid and, indeed, under certain circumstances, eliminate or reduce physical flows. In particular, it points out that the revolution taking place is mainly due to deep changes in distribution processes caused by the spread of e-commerce and by a production system based on networks of different types (production, financial, information, etc.). Major topics for exploration are the specific roles of networks, new interpretations of access and distance in virtual and physical spaces, the adoption, spread and impact of e-commerce, the multifaceted process of integration and Internetworking, territorial competitiveness in the digital economy, intermodality, and the growth of logistical systems and their impact upon supply chains. Factors surrounding the shippers' choice of freight transport services, communications and transport patterns between consumers and businesses, and general sustainability in these increasingly complex systems are also important. All these topics are ripe for research from both theoretical and methodological perspectives.