Process management as an essential component of management in the maritime container terminals : empirical evidence using Fuzzy-DEMATEL approach

Abstract

PURPOSE: The study aims to determine and evaluate the role of process management within maritime container terminals. The research was conducted on the example of three medium-sized Polish maritime container terminals.

METHODOLOGY: A few research methods were applied, literature review, questionnaire method, comparative analysis, and fuzzy-DEMATEL method.

FINDINGS: Conducted research implies that process management is an essential component of management in maritime container terminals. This area has the greatest impact on other fields of management identified in the maritime container terminal.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of the study could be considered an interesting source of information for maritime container terminal operators as well as their direct and indirect customers, i.e. container ship operators, maritime freight forwarders, and shippers. Knowledge of the role of process management can be beneficial in the context of improving the service quality.

ORIGINALITY: This research is the first that attempted to find the causal relationship between various management areas of a maritime container terminal.