{"title":"The performance and input congestion of 19 listed port companies in China","authors":"Zhong Fang , Na Luo , Qiqi Xiao , Yung-ho Chiu","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.01.040","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the highly competitive environment of the global port industry, performance measurement is a powerful management tool for port operators, and input congestion is one key factor affecting performance. Our research offers reference information for optimizing resource allocation, reducing input congestion, and enhancing the competitiveness of Chinese port companies. We extend the basic WY-TS (Wan and Yan, 2004; Tone and Sahoo, 2004) method to a dynamic two-stage model that considers undesirable outputs, marking the first application of the stage input congestion method across multiple decision-making units. Our study yields the following findings. First, only Nanjing Port and Yantian Port are consistently efficient throughout the study period, and sustainability is currently the most significant barrier to improving overall performance for Chinese port companies. Second, input congestion is primarily observed in large enterprises. We believe that the pursuit of economies of scale does not apply to all inefficient companies. For large enterprises, scientific formulation of expansion strategies is more important. Third, port companies in Jiangsu, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hebei experience more severe labor congestion, while those in northern provinces face more significant energy congestion. Fourth, the efficiency of Chinese port companies in transitioning from production to profitability and sustainability is low, exhibiting overcapacity. Fifth, the aggravating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on input congestion and production efficiency in Chinese port companies showed a delay. Based on these findings, this paper presents specific recommendations for optimizing resource allocation in port companies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Pages 178-195"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Transport Policy","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X25000526","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In the highly competitive environment of the global port industry, performance measurement is a powerful management tool for port operators, and input congestion is one key factor affecting performance. Our research offers reference information for optimizing resource allocation, reducing input congestion, and enhancing the competitiveness of Chinese port companies. We extend the basic WY-TS (Wan and Yan, 2004; Tone and Sahoo, 2004) method to a dynamic two-stage model that considers undesirable outputs, marking the first application of the stage input congestion method across multiple decision-making units. Our study yields the following findings. First, only Nanjing Port and Yantian Port are consistently efficient throughout the study period, and sustainability is currently the most significant barrier to improving overall performance for Chinese port companies. Second, input congestion is primarily observed in large enterprises. We believe that the pursuit of economies of scale does not apply to all inefficient companies. For large enterprises, scientific formulation of expansion strategies is more important. Third, port companies in Jiangsu, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hebei experience more severe labor congestion, while those in northern provinces face more significant energy congestion. Fourth, the efficiency of Chinese port companies in transitioning from production to profitability and sustainability is low, exhibiting overcapacity. Fifth, the aggravating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on input congestion and production efficiency in Chinese port companies showed a delay. Based on these findings, this paper presents specific recommendations for optimizing resource allocation in port companies.
期刊介绍:
Transport Policy is an international journal aimed at bridging the gap between theory and practice in transport. Its subject areas reflect the concerns of policymakers in government, industry, voluntary organisations and the public at large, providing independent, original and rigorous analysis to understand how policy decisions have been taken, monitor their effects, and suggest how they may be improved. The journal treats the transport sector comprehensively, and in the context of other sectors including energy, housing, industry and planning. All modes are covered: land, sea and air; road and rail; public and private; motorised and non-motorised; passenger and freight.