Pošta Slovenije and Globalisation Challenges

The analysis of strategic partner selection very clearly shows that for Pošta Slovenije, in the case of selecting one strategic partner for all business segments, Deutsche Post is the most suitable, having achieved the best results in all versions of the analyses for selecting one strategic partner. When selecting strategic partners by field, ** Deutsche Post** shares first place as the most suitable partner only for parcels, whilst for letters ** Swiss Post** is assessed as the most suitable strategic partner, and for express shipments ** TNT**.

Results

The analysis of strategic partner selection very clearly shows that for Pošta Slovenije, in the case of selecting one strategic partner for all business segments, Deutsche Post is the most suitable, having achieved the best results in all versions of the analyses for selecting one strategic partner. When selecting strategic partners by field, ** Deutsche Post** shares first place as the most suitable partner only for parcels, whilst for letters ** Swiss Post** is assessed as the most suitable strategic partner, and for express shipments ** TNT**.

In the material provided to the author by Pošta Slovenije, Fedex and UPS are also mentioned, which are not specifically addressed in the analysis, but must be considered as serious alternatives in the field of express shipments. The reason for this is that TNT and Deutsche Post will probably not want to liquidate or hand over to Pošta Slovenije their already established companies in Slovenia. If either of the two express service providers (Fedex or UPS) were to grant Pošta Slovenije a licence for Slovenia, this could, in the case of partnering with different partners by segment, represent the most suitable solution for express shipments.

Strategic partnership in the manner and with the fulfilment of the criteria envisaged in this diploma thesis is practically impossible without equity partnership, since otherwise it is not possible to count on the fulfilment of all the main objectives of strategic partnership (transfer of knowledge, technologies and services, increase in volumes and market shares of international postal items primarily in receipt, use of a global brand, utilisation of the partner's infrastructure at their own prices). Equity partnership is of key importance for any legal entity, as it largely ** determines the framework for its future development**, although this naturally also depends on the manner of equity partnership.

The selection of one strategic partner for all business segments, in their case Deutsche Post, very probably means ** the beginning of the takeover of Pošta Slovenije** by the largest provider of postal and logistics services in the world. Pošta Slovenije will not be able to maintain its identity and equal position in this case, as this involves a partner that is ** more than 200 times larger** in terms of revenue. Likewise, the strategy and manner of Deutsche Post's partnerships in recent years has been implemented exclusively through takeovers or acquisitions and subsequently through processes of unification of operations in all areas.

Taking into account developments in the postal services market and more broadly (liberalisation of postal services, globalisation, increasing influence of global providers), which predict in the future only the existence of a handful of the largest integrators, Pošta Slovenije will lose its identity and equal position in the long term even in the case of partnerships with different strategic partners, but very probably considerably later. The manner of partnership by segment is namely possible through the establishment of joint ventures (** joint venture**) with a majority or 50 per cent ownership by Pošta Slovenije and through the takeover of existing companies in Slovenia by Pošta Slovenije.

Companies and relationships within the company can be arranged in such a way that the exit of partners is also possible in the future. In this way, Pošta Slovenije could fulfil the objectives of strategic partnership, whilst the possibility of its takeover in the future still exists. In deciding on this, the assessment of the reasons for the sale of Pošta Slovenije and the appropriateness of the timing of the sale is of fundamental importance.

Precisely this assessment is very difficult to provide due to the great uncertainty of future developments (time and manner of implementation of liberalisation, effects of liberalisation on public postal operators, dynamics of integration of postal service providers, etc.). The author of the diploma thesis also set several objectives. He wanted to research the globalisation challenges of Pošta Slovenije.

I believe that the author succeeded in this with the help of interviews with employees and the data available to him. He also researched and described the criteria for selecting the most suitable postal operator. He established that this is currently ** Deutsche Post**. With the help of SWOT analysis, weightings, simulations and the criteria he set himself, and in view of globalisation trends and the wishes of Pošta Slovenije, he succeeded in selecting the most suitable postal operator for collaboration. [deof_form download_text="Luka-Logar-DD.pdf" download_url="https://www.academia.si/novice/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Luka-Logar-DD.pdf"]