Measurement and application of port service quality: Liners perspective

초록

In the light of fierce competition among container ports, service quality is recognised as a main factor influencing the competitive position and selection of ports, since the other factors have become identical through the standardization of cargo handling facilities, operational skills and management process in container port industry. The primary objectives of this study are to develop the measurements of port service quality, to validate these items and to make a comparison among East Asian container ports. The current study employs two types of factor analysis to categorise the main factors constituting port service quality (exploratory factor analysis) and to validate the extracted port service quality measurement model (confirmatory factor analysis). In addition, an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to compare the level of service quality among competing container ports in Korea and China. The present empirical research implies that there exists a positive relationship between service quality and overall competitiveness of container ports and recommend ports to reinforce their service quality to obtain and maintain a competitive advantage and market position.