Interrelationships among the airports and the hinterland players : a value network analysis approach

The measure of an airport performance and its efficiency is generally made using operational and financial data, thus providing a position rank in respect to a set of airports. But this methodology, by itself, cannot provide the true relationships between a certain position in the rank of an airport and the generated value associated with that position, either within the entire business system of the airport or within the inter-relationships that it establishes with the surrounding community. To understand the role that airport infrastructure plays within the regional development, not only a variety of relationships must be recognized, but also how they create or may create value. For better understanding of how processes and people create value in an airport network ecosystem, it is possible to use Value Network Analysis (VNA). VNA is a methodology that provides a capability to understand, visualize and optimize internal and external value networks of complex economic ecosystems, thus capturing dynamics of the entire system. This paper presents a map of the interrelationships between the airport's players and the hinterland's players in three different scenarios, the air traveler, the supply chain, and the infrastructure development, considering the related impacts in the form of the tertiary effects and the perpetual effects. The first scenario results from the existence of the air transport services for the use of individuals. The second is related with the airport suppliers and the services supplies to the air passenger and cargo when companies need a high speed and quality transport services. The third scenario considers perpetual effects associated with the regional economy considering that an infrastructure investment will raise the level of activity and stimulates productivity. These scenarios are comprised in a adapted model with four interconnected interface domains that we assume reinforce the sustainability of airport business activities within a territory in the long-term: Economic Development, Land Use, Infrastructures and Governance. This model is essentially an organizing tool that identifies key policy areas to improve integrated decision-making processes and is a conceptual framework for future research. The application of VNA methodology allows the recognition and assessment of impacts and relationships between multiple systems, thus avoiding an ad-hoc analysis and compartmentalized of issues. In the context of the present study not only a variety of relationships are recognized, but also how they create or may create value, allowing a better understanding of the role that airport infrastructure plays within the regional development.