Kuo-Chung Shang

Integration and organisational learning capabilities in third-party logistics providers

This study applies resource-based theory to explore logistics. A survey of 1011 forwarder-based third-party logistics providers in Taiwan was undertaken to examine the relationships between integration capability, organisational learning capability, service performance, and financial performance, using the structural equation modelling technique. The results show that four hypotheses were supported by the model, indicating that a significant positive relationship existed between integration capability, organisational learning capability and service performance. Moreover, the results also supported a significant positive relationship between organisational learning capability and financial performance. A positive relationship between service performance and financial performance was also supported.

Green shipping management capability and firm performance in the container shipping industry

This study empirically identifies crucial green shipping management capability and examines its impact on firm performance using survey data collected from container shipping firms, including shipping companies and agencies. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis is performed to identify three critical green shipping management capability dimensions, namely, greener policy, greener ships, and greener suppliers. In this study, firm performance is categorized into environmental performance and financial performance. The results indicate that a greener policy has a direct and positive influence on both the greener ships and the greener suppliers factors. Greener ships and greener suppliers are found to have an indirect and positive influence on financial performance through environmental performance. Accordingly, this study suggests that container shipping managers could focus on organizational green shipping management capability, specifically regarding policies, ships, and suppliers, to improve their environmental and financial performance. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings for container shipping firms have been discussed.

Examining sustainability performance at ports: port managers’ perspectives on developing sustainable supply chains

ABSTRACT This research examined the effects of sustainable supply chain management (i.e. internal sustainable development and external sustainable collaboration) on sustainability performance in the port context. Structural equation modeling was employed in this study using survey data collected from 135 respondents holding the position of supervisor or above in three major international port authorities in Taiwan (i.e. Keelung, Taichung, and Kaohsiung). Results indicated that external sustainable collaboration is positively associated with internal sustainable management, and internal sustainable management positively influences sustainability performance. This research also found that internal sustainable management mediates the effects of external sustainable collaboration on sustainability performance. The implication of the findings for port decision-makers, authorities, managers, and sustainable development are discussed.

Market segmentation of airline cargo transport

This study evaluates the market segmentation of airline cargo transport according to service requirements of air freight forwarders. Data obtained using a questionnaire survey reveal that cargo safety is perceived as the most important service attribute, followed by freight rate, cargo tracking, and flight punctuality. Factor analysis is employed to group service attributes into six categories, namely assurance, promptness, empathy, convenience, value added, and customization. According to these service attributes, users of airline cargo transport are then classified into three market segments, namely professional service-oriented, empathy-oriented, and express service-oriented air freight forwarders. Suggestions on marketing strategy formulation for each respective segment are also provided as references to airlines.

An Evaluation of Free Trade Port Zone in Taiwan

Abstract This study focused on the development of FTPZs in Taiwan and examined factors influencing business activities in FTPZs and their degree of importance for improving the operational environment in FTPZs. A performance assessment of companies since operating their businesses in FTPZs was also undertaken. Data for the study were obtained from a questionnaire survey distributed to MNCs operating in FTPZs in Taiwan. The importanceperformance analysis (IPA) technique was employed to analyse the survey results. Five factors were found to have a high degree of importance for business operations in FTPZs: government administration efficiency, cheap rates and charges, simplified customs procedures, clear regulations, and free tax incentives. Further, results indicated that firms in FTPZ had increased their performance in terms of reputation, investment, customer satisfaction, and revenue. The study provides insight into the evaluation and policy suggestions of FTPZ for government in Taiwan.

Identifying crucial sustainability assessment criteria for container seaports

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify crucial sustainability assessment criteria in the context of international port sector. Design/methodology/approach Data collection was based on a questionnaire survey from 135 managers and supervisors at major international ports in Taiwan, including Keelung, Taichung and Kaohsiung. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to identify crucial sustainability assessment criteria at ports. Findings A total of 31 important sustainable assessment criteria were adapted from previous studies in terms of environmental, economic and social issues. Results revealed that social issues with respect to staff job security and safety were ranked as the most important sustainability assessment criteria, followed by environmental protection when handling cargo, facilitation of economic activities, port traffic accidents prevention and cargo handled safely and effectively. In contrary, respondents revealed their less importance in the criteria, namely, mitigating light influence on neighboring residents, considering the arrangement of vehicles when constructing port transportation system, avoiding using unpolluted land in port area and hiring minority groups and consulting interests groups when making port projects. Four sustainability assessment dimensions were identified, namely, environmental material, economic issue, environmental practices and social concerns. Research limitations/implications The research findings indicated that economic issue was deemed as the most important dimension of sustainability assessment criteria from a port operator’s perspective, followed by environmental practices, social concerns and environmental material. Practical implications for port sustainability assessment were discussed in this research. Originality/value Although a majority of previous studies on sustainability assessment have been discussed, there is still a lack of investigation of sustainability assessment in the context of port sector. This study not only develops sustainability assessment attributes but also highlights the important criteria of sustainability assessment. Further, this study identified four crucial sustainability assessment factors, which provide helpful information for port corporations to identify important criteria and policy of sustainability assessment.

The application of personality traits model on the freight forwarding service industry

Purpose The purpose of this study aims to investigate the relationship between employees’ personality traits and their job performances (including task performance and contextual performance) of Taiwanese freight forwarders by using responses from a NEO Personality Inventory-Revised Form (NEO-PI-R) questionnaire survey. Design/methodology/approach One of the most popular personality trait model is the five-factor model (FFM), which includes the big five domains, namely, openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism (OCEAN). Each of these five domains includes six facets. Previous researchers have used OCEAN factors to describe the relationship between human personality and job performance. NEO Personality Inventory is a professional psychological assessment instrument published by psychological assessment resources. Multivariate analysis technique and regression technique are used to analyze surveyees’ responses. Findings Research results reveal the following four issues. The seniority of employees in a company has a positive relationship with their conscientiousness. Employees with higher score on the facets of the neuroticism domain have a negative correlation with their task performance and contextual performance. The relationship between employees’ openness to experience and job performance (both task performance and contextual performance) is not significant. Employees’ seniority has a positive correlation with both their task performance and contextual performance. In a nutshell, freight forwarding industry in Taiwan can use the facets in the neuroticism domain to screen and recruit appropriate job applicants. In addition, retaining senior employees could increase a forwarder’s task performance and contextual performance by their high degree of conscientiousness. Originality/value FFM model is a psychological theory dealing with the personality traits and human behavior. Freight forwarding is a labor-intensive business and is one of the most important sectors in the logistics industry. According the authors’ knowledge, the application of FFM on the logistics industry is simply not existed.

Identifying Green Assessment Criteria for Shipping Industries

This study empirically identifies critical assessment criteria used by tramp shipowners and container shipowners in Taiwan, and how they perceived the importance of the criteria to their operations. Through an extensive literatures review, twelve green performance indicators are categorized into four underlying assessment criteria, namely shipowners’ green policy, cooperation between green shipping stakeholders, reverse logistics management, and green design and promise. An Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) approach was employed to pairwisely compare the degree of importance of these major green assessment criteria and used by the shipping industry. Further analysis by ranking the weight of each of the four major criteria indicated that shipowners’ green design and promise is the most important criteria in the shipowners’ context, followed by, shipowners’ green policy, cooperation among shipping stakeholders, and reverse logistics management. Differences between container shipowners’ and tramp shipowners’ perceptions on the importance level of the twelve green performance indicators are found. This study advances knowledge by empirically and theoretically validates the degree of importance of green shipping assessment criteria. Institutional theory has greater importance on shipowners’ green practices than the stakeholders theory does.