Methodology for assessing the innovation potential of the transport and logistics complex

The study is aimed at developing methodological tools for assessing the innovation potential of transport and logistics complex (TLC), which is the basis for forming strategic decisions regarding innovative development and increasing the competitiveness of transport and logistics structures of the country. Based on the analysis of the effects from the introduction of innovations in the structure of technologically advanced TLCs, the criteria of innovativeness and types of TLCs have been identified, which makes it possible to assess the level of object’s lagging behind the leaders and the scale of the required innovative transformations. Because of a comparative analysis of existing methods and methodologies for assessing the objects’ potential, some solutions applicable to the TLC assessment were identified, taking into account the specifics of its functioning and its difference from such objects as an enterprise or a region. At the same time, at least three aggregated approaches to the assessment of innovation potential were compared: resource, internal and resultant, which allowed to achieve a higher reliability of the developed methodology. Based on the integrated approach, a multilevel decomposition of the TLC innovation potential was made on four components: resource, management, performance, infrastructure. The authors also identified components and determined the assessment indicators of each of the components, which are assessed in the framework of the methodology developed by the authors, representing the synthesis of the elements of the studied methods. According to the methodology for assessing the TLC innovation potential by means of graphic visualization, analogy method and multidimensional scaling, the provision of the complex with resources for innovative development and infrastructure capabilities for the introduction of innovative technologies are displayed. Unlike the existing universal tools for assessing the objects’ potential, the methodology takes into account the specifics of transport and logistics structures and the significance of the evaluation elements, as well as the need to assess the infrastructural component of the complex potential. The results of approbation of the methodology on the example of the Multipurpose Sea Cargo Complex Bronka (MSСC Bronka, St. Petersburg, Russia) with the use of systematization, interviewing, economic-mathematical and expert methods have not revealed any limitations in the use of the methodology. The tools presented in the work can be used to develop the strategy and policy of innovative development of TLCs of different types, scale and specialization.