Postal Sector Overview and Dynamics

This paper analyzes the change in the postal sector over the past 20 years and in particular the strategic drivers that are transforming the postal services industries such as institutional, market and technological developments. Taking the argument from here this paper defines the four major response strategies of postal operators all across the world to analyse how different firms and countries are reacting to the challenges of increased competition and changing consumer behaviour, also in preparation to impending liberalisation of postal markets. Finally the paper looks at the emerging and dominating influence of information technology on the postal services industry. The analysis indicates that while the past changes have been driven mainly by deregulation policies, future changes, are likely to be driven by the information and communication technologies (ICT). Moreover the paper explores the dual role of ICT both as a change driver and as an opportunity for historical postal operators to successfully transform into modern adaptive enterprises, thereby turning the threat of ICTs into an opportunity to become high-technology services firms.