Journal of Humanistic and Social Studies (May 2017)
The Postal Market – a New Economic Challenge in the Context of Globalization
Abstract
Postal services emerged to satisfy the communication needs of man in both particular and social relationships. Satisfying this need was based on a networkshaped organization that provides transportation or sending messages, remotely. The solution consisted of creating international and national bodies to coordinate the work of postal networks. The creation of the Universal Postal Union as a specialized world body has allowed the organization and coordination of postal services worldwide, to reach globalization among the first ones. The functioning of national postal networks was in the attention of the state leaderships that have also created specific legislative framework to enable their commercialization in order to self-finance them. Improving, diversifying and expanding postal services enabled their commercialization and making profit. The economic amendments at a national and global level, as well as the globalization tendencies have produced strategic changes and at level of the postal services, culminating with their liberalization. Postal services were initially provided in a specific framework between domestic providers; currently they operate within the postal markets. The factors that have led to the realization of postal markets are external and internal. The external factors which allowed the development of the postal network are: the development and improving of the means of communication, of the means of transportation, the development of communication routes by land, sea, air and the liberalization of postal services. The internal factors are the increase and diversification of traditional postal services by the increase of the volume of commercial correspondence, of postal packages and increased bank transfers. Other internal factors are the development of postal services such as the new economy type: electronic mail, online money transfers and trade by mail. The new approaches to postal services are dominated by the economic aspect because of the postal market. Postal strategies are permanently considering satisfying the need for communication and the benefits of commercialization of these services.
