Exploring the importance of the perceived value of port users: evidence from the public port system in Ecuador

Abstract

PurposeThis article aims to explore the concept of chain value of the public port system in Ecuador from the perspective of importing/exporting companies, analyzing how perceived value in the use of port services affects customer satisfaction and the intermediate links of the influence of trust and commitment on customer loyalty.Design/methodology/approachRelying on a survey of 634 Ecuadorian companies with experience in international trade as port users and a theoretical framework well-established in the literature on consumer behavior, the empirical study found evidence of a positive and significant relationship with the knowledge of chain effects.FindingsThe findings confirm the chain effect and reveal ways to maintain an ongoing satisfactory, trust and committed relationship with users, thereby ultimately gaining and maintaining their loyalty. The conclusions suggest how this postulate can help to close the gap referred to the effective management of port services, and point out that port managers should be concerned with a continuous in-depth understanding of the perceived value and its chain effects.Originality/valueThe authors add evidence of the use of the postulate of the chain of effects on these dimensions, whose applicability is very well established, tested and consensual for the doctrine in industrial marketing. In contrast, it is scarcely present in the port relationship with its users.

Editorial: 57th issue of the Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Science

“…In the following article, Pedraza-Rodríguez et al (2024) explore the concept of the value chain within Ecuador's public port system, with a specific focus on the perspectives of importing/exporting companies. It delves into the impact of perceived value stemming from port services on customer satisfaction, alongside examining the intermediary roles of trust and commitment in shaping customer loyalty.…”