Effect of Maritime Defence on Operational Effectiveness of Shipping Companies in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between maritime defence and operational effectiveness of shipping companies in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study was conceptualized using maritime defence as predictor to flexibility, responsiveness and innovativeness components of operational effectiveness. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design with a correlational type of investigation. The questionnaire method was used to collect relevant data to the study. The study population comprised of the twenty (20) functional shipping companies operating with physical offices in Rivers State, which are also enlisted on Finelib.Com Nigerian Directory. The sample size was the same as the population since the population is not too large. However, the researcher adopted a census sampling technique to administer copies of structured questionnaire to four (4) managers in each of the shipping companies. This means that a total of 80 respondents were used for the study. After data cleaning only 71 copies of the questionnaire were used for the data analysis. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used in testing the various hypotheses with the help of the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Findings from the study revealed existence of significant and positive relationship between maritime defence and operational effectiveness of shipping companies in Rivers State Nigeria. The study therefore, concluded that maritime defence significantly relates with operational effectiveness of shipping companies in Nigeria. The study recommended that managers of shipping companies should adopt maritime defence strategies to mitigate threats within the maritime environment, this will impact on operational effectiveness; managers of shipping companies should implement maritime defence measures to ensure operational effectiveness.