Includes references(136-152 p.)

'ABSTRACT The thesis delivers insight into a business segment that is under great pressure from a fundamental change within its market sector. Privatization of a former state-owned business, the German railroad service Deutsche Bahn, and the disruption of the supply market for the Deutsche Bahn have forced its business partners to develop measures of handling the upcoming sales deficit. This thesis shows how suppliers of infrastructure materials and services respond to changes in their environment. The scientific community can benefit from this thesis through a retrospective view of 23 years of data that sets decisions in business in direct relation to sales and profit of several market players. The outcome of the thesis is that internationalization plays a major role in the substantial gain in business success. High quality standards, as imposed and enforced by the German state, enabled the entire industry to sell abroad successfully. Quality from high standards is paying off as markets appreciate high safety levels imposed by the German authorities. Regulation with high standards is therefore, according to this thesis, not only necessary from a safety perspective, it even delivers a Unique Selling Proposition within international markets. Standardization by governmental institutions in times of privatization is, therefore, to be seen as a possible catalyst for international recognition and sales abroad. Key words: privatization, Deutsche Bahn, Germany, railroad, supplier, infrastructure'