issue 1 - Roland Berger

ireland’s public transportation is the most efficient in europe
industry report f
public transportation
In Western Europe, local public transportation was long
seen as something provided by the state. However, local
and national governments’ diminishing spending power
has pushed transport companies to do without their
previous levels of subsidy and to rely on riders paying
more of the bills. The result is not necessarily worse
service, but rather increased efficiency, as an analysis by
Roland Strategy Consultants shows. For example, transport
companies in the UK offer noticeably more services,
measured in kilometers traveled per vehicle, than
companies with comparable budgets in France. A comparison
of Sweden and Germany reveals a similar picture.
On the other hand, it would be wrong to conclude
that subsidies should be eliminated entirely. Systematic
incentives and open competition for contracts are more
sensible means of increasing the pressure on transport
companies to become more efficient.
Ireland’s public transportation is far and away the most
efficient, while simultaneously having the lowest level
of state subsidy. Belgium displays the exact opposite
tendency, with a 75 percent level of subsidy.
efficiency and subsidies in public transport
Efficiency – supply as a share of
total budget (in vehicle-km)
Ireland
UK
Switzerland
USA
Sweden
Germany
Austria
France
Belgium
Subsidy share – public funds as proportion of total budget
Source: Roland Berger Strategy Consultants
polytronics
Microchips do not have to be made of expensive silicon.
Conductive polymers—polytronics—are opening up completely
new possibilities for the mass production of electronic
components. For example, the Institute for Print
and Media Technology at the Technical University of
Chemnitz (Germany) has developed polymer transistors
that can be printed in large numbers in a very short
space of time (see photo). The process is particularly
well suited for simple and short-lived electronic parts,
such as inventory stickers, luggage labels or packaging
equipped with mini-chips. Companies including
Siemens, Merck and MAN-Roland have all played a role
in developing the polytronics. In the manufacturing
process, plastic molecules are printed in extremely fine
layers on top of one another. They are not yet direct
competition for silicon, however: Their computing
power is smaller by a factor of 100.
Polytronics are practically perfect for hyper-thin and
flexible objects. As a multi-functional foil, they could
simultaneously contain a chip, an antenna, a sensor, a
small display and a battery.
think: act 39