Exploring the Nature and Consequences of a Fragmented Activity: The Example of Foremen Managing Operations in an Inland Port

A river container terminal concentrates many of the constraints encountered by different transport modes (road, rail, and waterways) involved in the delivery of merchandises. For the operators in charge of handling operations during peaks of activity, this configuration yields significant difficulties when performing planning, scheduling and dispatching tasks. The research conducted at the second French river port unravels the mechanisms involved in the management of these dynamic environments. Following a series of interviews and preliminary observations, we conducted systematic observations of the foremen's work. These middle managers are located at the juncture of management and production. The data was completed with additional interviews for the purpose of cross-checking the validity of the results. The results point to the extreme variability of situations and the high exposure to uncertainty inherent in the transport business. Beyond the tasks of loading and unloading, completed by checks and other operations, container handling consists in trying to absorb, or at least reduce the effects of the combination of constraints in the delivery of merchandises and to ensure greater flow of traffic in the network node. The results also highlight organizational compromises through the permanent adjustment of the means of production in the scheduling and dispatching activities.