InterNeg Research Papers INR08/12 http://interneg.org/ Acknowledgments: The publication of the InterNeg Research Papers has been supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and the J. Molson School of Business, Concordia University. Copyright: The papers’ copyright stays with their authors. The paper cannot be reprinted in any form without its authors’ explicit consent.  Markets of Logistics Services: The Role of Actors’ Behavior to Enhance Performance Nicola Bellantuono 1 , Gregory E. Kersten 2 , and Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo 1 1 Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Politecnico di Bari, Bari, Italy. 2 InterNeg Research Centre, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. Abstract In real markets of logistics services, actors make independent decisions to pursue their own objectives, neglecting the need for maximizing performance of the market as a whole. The aim of this paper is to assess the inefficiency of such logistics markets and define policies to improve system-wide performance, taking into account each actor’s behavior. A simulation model of a logistics marketplace is thus defined, wherein the transportation needs of a number of shippers have to be matched with the capacities of several carriers. The model is used to assess the players’ behavior and system performance in a decentralized logistics market. The analysis shows the extent to which certain features of the market affect inefficiency stressing the room for improvement. Based on simulation results, several recommendations are given, aimed at influencing the actors’ autonomous decision making. We discuss how the recommendations’ efficacy is impacted by behavioral issues. Keywords: logistics market, coordination, performance evaluation.  © Nicola Bellantuono, Gregory E. Kersten and Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo