Are the innovation processes in seaport terminal operations successful?

ABSTRACT

The maritime and port sector is widely considered conservative concerning the ability to introduce innovation in respect to other industries. This may be due to the lack of cooperative interactions among the several players involved. It does not mean that innovation does not occur in this industry. Along with some technical innovations, managerial, organizational, and cultural innovations also take place in the sector. The literature has considered the assessment and effects of the adoption of particular innovation, but still few studies underline the innovation path in a broad sense with a specific focus on terminal operators. The present article aims at filling this gap through a field analysis grouping together case studies developed in different world regions and examining the adoption path of innovation through a mix of three different techniques (i.e. the H- and I-indexes, a Systems of Innovation Analysis, and a Qualitative Comparative Analysis). Research outcomes underline how, even if no unique recipe for success can be found, specific factors (e.g. a ranking of innovation objectives, coordination among actors, and institutions) can influence the achievement of success. The analyses allow suggesting strategic and policy advice that may help link in a better way the innovation drivers with their actual effects.

KEYWORDS:

• Innovation path
• seaports innovation
• terminal operator
• Qualitative Comparative Analysis
• H- and I-index
• System Innovation

Acknowledgments

This article is a revised and expanded version of a paper entitled “Innovation processes in seaport terminal operations: Insights from an empirical analysis” presented at the 14th World Conference on Transport Research, Shanghai, China, 10-15 July 2016.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. This wider research initiative was funded by BNP Paribas Fortis (BNPPF).

2. In the presented study, a set of 31 objectives were found. The objectives were divided in three main categories: economic, environmental, and social.

3. The term ‘incremental’ corresponds to a small change to existing products/procedures, ‘system’ to multiple independent innovations, ‘modular’ to a significant change in concept within a component while ‘radical’ indicates a breakthrough in the specific field.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by BNP Paribas Fortis Chair Transport, Logistics and Ports. The authors wish to thank the research partners of the international consortium of Universities involved in the data collection of port-related innovation cases.