Employment effects and efficiency of ports

Abstract

Expected increasing transport volumes in Germany and Europe, combined with increasing sustainability requirements, lead to a prospective major role of sea and inland ports in future transport systems. But especially for inland ports this increased expectations more and more lead to conflicts regarding port property denomination as city development heavily pursues non-transport and non-industry dedications, e.g., with high-scale living quarters, recreation and office space concepts like, e.g., in Düsseldorf, Cologne or Duisburg. This research contribution outlines a quantitative analysis of this economic conflict of interest -in contrast to existing research, based mainly on qualitative arguments -especially for public inland port authorities and the main objective of employment effects using the cost-benefit analysis method.

Defining a Social Role for Ports: Managers’ Perspectives on Whats and Whys

“…Traditionally, other dimensions (i.e., economic and environment) tend to have more attention due to their ease of measurement and there are interface areas where the socio-economic and the socio-environmental perspectives can be used to explore how ports can improve society's welfare. For example, ports are considered economic enablers for wealth generation and employment creation [23][24][25][26], and were credited with good social performance if the port could provide economic improvement for stakeholders [5]. However, some scholars, such as [27] and [28], have discussed that the validity of using employment or other economic indicators as a proxy for good performance has decreased over time as more operations have become automatised and fewer people benefited from employment options offered by the port.…”

“…Regional developer Care about regional development and the impact created on stakeholders. [16][17][18][19][20] Consider the impact of the sustainability performance approach on the development of the region [21,22] Spread benefits of its operational functions beyond the area close to the ports [33][34][35][36] Promote a collaborative and innovative environment [6,13,[37][38][39][40] Transfer knowledge [53] Overall regional development [35,[45][46][47][48][49][50] Mitigate negative social impacts [51] Economic enabler Socio-economic role related to job creation [5,[23][24][25][26][27][28] Create wealth for the region [41] Supply-chain connector Serve as a connection point for regions around the globe [13,29,30] Strive to become an efficient functional organisation [29,31,32] Contribute to different supply chains development [42] Corporate citizenship Contribute to different supply chains development [42] Adopt a leadership position concerning social development [54...…”

Promoting Sustainability through Assessment and Measurement of Port Externalities: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Paths

“…More than half (55%) of the papers in our sample attempt to capture the impact or benefit of a specific economic factor, or a group of factors, with the majority [6,35,[43][44][45] focusing on employment, a subject of elevated interest when considering transport infrastructure, while others [46][47][48] concentrate on impacts from local and regional development. With the exception of [47], there is a consensus on the positive role of ports in creating value added, both in terms of employment and economic development.…”

“…The role of ports as engines for local, regional, and national growth [1][2][3], as well as their capacity in reflecting economic activity [4], is widely acknowledged within contemporary literature. Despite their significance in economic development, trade facilitation, and employment [5,6], adverse negative externalities of port operations and development on the environment and, in extension, on society, have become an ever-growing concern for seaport organizations [7]. Thus, while many ports strive to "go green" through integration and adoption of proactive measures and practices aiming at mitigating their environmental footprint [8], expectations of their users and stakeholders are increasingly focusing on a more comprehensive and holistic approach, to establish a balance between economic, environmental, and societal interests.…”