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Road transport information systems (RTISs) and their underlying digitized road networks, which were initially restricted for use in national operations only, have been enhanced and extended for use in international operations. Today operators can choose from a wide range of strategic, tactical and operational RTISs, allowing for the effective planning of international distribution. Discusses some modelling considerations behind the design and use of digitized road networks for planning and managing international distribution, in particular cross‐border or pan‐European operations. Examines the basic structure of digitized road networks and considers the benefits and problems of extending road network databases to cover several countries.

Presents an in‐depth case study of the practical experience of applying interactive vehicle routeing and scheduling software at a major brewing company in the United Kingdom (UK). Illustrates the use of the software at all levels of transport planning and addresses strategic, tactical and operational issues; comprises a review of the software′s overall implementation and its consequences within the organization. Special attention is given to the critical analysis of both quantitative and qualitative benefits, as well as organizational problems arising from the use of such software.

Road transport information systems (RTIS) and their underlying digitized road networks, have recently undergone a major enhancement with the extension from national to international databases. Today operators can choose among a wide range of strategic, tactical and operational RTIS allowing for the effective planning of international distribution. Discusses some modelling considerations behind the design and use of digitized road networks for planning and managing international distribution, in particular cross‐border or pan‐European operations. Initial emphasis is attributed to the importance of national and international road transport relative to other modes of transport. Subsequent sections highlight the benefits of international road networks and outline their area coverage. Special attention is given to the discussion of some of the network technology′s critical issues in the international (European) context. Closes by illustrating the application of digitized road networks in three state‐of‐the‐art RTIS, including vehicle routeing and scheduling software, depot allocation software and supply chain planning software.

Presents the scientific methodology from the enlarged cybernetical perspective that recognizes the anisotropy of time, the probabilistic character of natural laws, and the entry that the incomplete determinism in Nature opens to the occurrence of innovation, growth, organization, teleology communication, control, contest and freedom. The new tier to the methodological edifice that cybernetics provides stands on the earlier tiers, which go back to the Ionians (c. 500 BC). However, the new insights reveal flaws in the earlier tiers, and their removal strengthens the entire edifice. The new concepts of teleological activity and contest allow the clear demarcation of the military sciences as those whose subject matter is teleological activity involving contest. The paramount question “what ought to be done”, outside the empirical realm, is embraced by the scientific methodology. It also embraces the cognitive sciences that ask how the human mind is able to discover, and how the sequence of discoveries might converge to a true description of reality.

Politics in human societies represents a variation, and elaboration, on a major evolutionary theme. Political processes have played an important functional role in goal-oriented, cooperative social systems in the natural world. This view of politics is also consistent with a causal theory – known as the Synergism Hypothesis – which explains the rise of complexity in evolution over time and, equally important, the frequent examples of devolution and dissolution. In addition to a brief discussion of this theory, the evolution of political systems in humankind will be described, from its possible origins among our remote australopithecine ancestors to the emergence of complex modern civilizations. Now, however, we confront an existential threat to our species, and to many others, due mainly to climate change. The future is very problematic. I will argue here that the only viable path going forward is a new social contract coupled with (democratic) global governance – a global “superorganism.”

To further extend the understanding of the aggregating functions of an entrepreneurial business network, this paper attempts to explore the antecedents enabling the organisation of diverse entrepreneurs to engage in a collaborative inter-firm business network project. This paper also elucidates the development of the relational capabilities and performance of entrepreneurial business networks.

An explorative, longitudinal case study design is employed to analyse an Italian agricultural business network, which comprised a group of local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using the network as the focus of analysis, the case study draws insights from key informants comprising the network management team and the entrepreneurs who make up the membership of the business network.

The results of the study provide critical factors for successful organisation of inter-firm engagement. Although these factors are not mutually exclusive, the results show that organising for inter-firm engagement in an entrepreneurial business network context positively influenced the network relational performance and entrepreneurs' innovation capabilities.

The paper extends current understanding of inter-organisational engagement and illuminates the antecedents enabling the development of network relational dynamics capabilities. The empirical results provide unusual insights into the aggregating roles of an entrepreneurial business network, giving practitioners practical insights into managing a successful inter-organisational collaborative project. Using the relevant theoretical frameworks, the study empirically tests the organisation solutions relevant to literature on inter-firm engagement in a business network context and addresses the organisation solutions' interrelationship and linkages to entrepreneurial network relational performance in terms of knowledge practice, information and resources sharing and innovation.

This special “Anbar Abstracts” issue of the International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management is split into six sections covering abstracts under the following headings: Business Strategy; Personnel and Training; Marketing and Customer Service; Logistics and Distribution; Financial Management; Information Technology.