Customer-based Port Service Quality Model

Abstract

This port service quality study is an important precondition for an efficient development of port industry and traffic system as a whole. It is due to the complexity of any port, as a system consisting of a large number of stakeholders rendering services to customers with various requirements, that a unique set of port service quality indices has been still missing. For this reason, the paper explains the port service quality concept in compliance with stakeholders and their requirements within the context of port service quality. The aim of the paper is to present a proposal for a customer-based port service quality model based on empirical study and its reliability testing on a selected sample. The proposed model is defined by five factors and fits satisfactorily into the obtained poll questionnaire results. The statistical data processing package SPSS 16.0 and the LISREL 8.54 programme were used in the study. KEY WORDS: port service, customer, model, factor analysis

Assessing port service quality: An application of the extension fuzzy AHP and importance-performance analysis

“…It is explained that the birth of private ports has resulted in the competitive pressure for state-owned ports ever than before [12]. Furthermore, the function of ports is being expanded, from a part of maritime transportation [9] to the integration in the global traffic and the logistic system [13]. This encourages port authorities to seek effective solutions to boost the competitive advantages and maintain the market share.…”

A terminal level analysis of service quality at Nigerian seaports

“…From a theoretical angle, service quality can be viewed from two perspectives: that of the customer and the perspective of the firm (Kolanović et al 2011). Regarding the customers' perspective, service quality is viewed as the perception/ judgement of customers as to how they rate the services provided by a firm.…”

“…As regards the firms' perspective, price is the main principal factor, hence as far as customers are prepared to pay, firms are also willing to offer services with commensurate level of quality. Thus, simply, the higher the price customers are prepared to pay, the higher the quality of the services firms are willing to render (Kolanović et al 2011). Notwithstanding the above, this paper focuses on service quality from the customers' perspective.…”

“…In a related study, Kolanović et al (2011) in Croatia, assess the quality of service at Rijeka Port using a sample of 142 port users while employing the principal component factor analysis as the estimation technique. The study uses port reliability factor, port information availability factor, port functionality factor, port flexibility factor and port accessibility factor as service quality dimensions.…”

“…Improved service quality remains an important part of the agenda of profit-oriented firms because it is essential in granting firms a competitive advantage, more so in the wake of intense competition among firms in recent times. Further, literature (see: Hemalatha et al 2018;Ismail et al 2006;Kolanović et al 2011;Regasa 2016), shows that there are potential advantages of improved service quality to firms and the world economy at large. Among the immediate benefits to firms is improved demand for services.…”