The impact of deregulation on the UK bus industry at the level of the firm: a case study analysis of strategic change

This research examines the impact of bus degregulation at the level of the company. It follows a case study approach. The findings are analysed in the context of contestability theory and organisation theories, as well as empirical evidence. The first part of this research views the bus industry in terms of the effects that the regulatory system has had on the industry's suppliers, and examines the roots of the legal provisions of the 1985 Transport Act. The second part focuses on the organisational context. It establishes the challenges that bus companies face by reference to the pre-1985 situation, and provides an interpretation of strategic responses in the early post-1985 era. In addition, it introduces the type of strategic options open to companies operating in declining markets, and outlines a theoretical organisational framework within which this case's organisational changes are to be analysed. Finally, the research design and research methods are presented. The third part consists of a detailed analysis of the selected case study company: Midland Fox Limited. It introduces the local market structure and basic data on the company. The major patterns of corporate strategy are presented and analysed, and key areas of managerial activity studied. The competitive behaviour of the company is then discussed in the context of competitive events that have occurred in the market. The fourth and concluding part of this case study research discusses the most significant issues arising from this investigation in terms of their implications for future developments in the bus industry.