Summary - TST 35

TRANSPORTES, SERVICIOS Y TELECOMUNICACIONES

Francisco de los COBOS ARTEAGA
The engineers and the productivity of the technical divisions in the formation of the Railway Duopoly in Spain Norte-MZA

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Key Words: Management, productivity, engineers, railway.

[ Abstract ]

This paper analyses the role played by engineers in the formation of the North-MZA rail duopoly. It raises the hypothesis that the organization of large Spanish companies was determined by the public service obligations. In the structure of the railways were developed technical divisions, neglecting the commercial aspects, in contrast to the American companies that are more attentive to the customers. We use the bibliography on the management of railways, but also the archival primary sources still, insufficiently analyzed. In the conclusions, two management styles are characterized. North Company followed the inertia of French railway practices, consisting of increasing revenues on the basis of a geographical monopoly, without controlling costs. The MZA style, with greater autonomy in the decisions, looked for a more effective balance of the net results.