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The service sector is the key driver of a country’s economic growth. The quality of service is more important for the survival of any organization. It is the interactive process by which the organization understands the customer and satisfies their needs. The main purpose of this study is to identify the factors influencing service quality in ocean freight forwarding and to study the association between the factors.

This research uses a deductive approach, which understands the theory first and collects the data. A questionnaire is designed to collect the data. The sampling technique used is two-stage sampling. First, the freight forwarders are selected and then the customers, importers and exporters are selected randomly. Likert scales are used to measure quality factors such as tangibility, reliability, responsibility, value, empathy and assurance. The association of factors is empirically evaluated. The SPSS tool is used for the correlation analysis.

An extensive review of the literature has been done to study and identify these service quality factors influencing customer satisfaction and loyalty. The result of this extensive literature review revealed that tangibility, responsiveness, reliability, trust, empathy and value are the service quality. It has been proved that there exists a significant association between the service quality factors and is positively related to the customer satisfaction.

Some studies have examined the freight forwarders’ service quality, but not specifically related to any dimension. This study attempts to bring together the five dimensions of SERVQUAL scale and the value dimension evaluating the cost, freight charges, safety and security criteria in the industry and examines the association between the quality factors and customer satisfaction.

This research empirically analyzes gaps in performance among development stages of integration in supply chain management (SCM). The used variables are integration such as internal and external and performance such as cost and service. The population is international freight forwarders in the Republic of Korea and the sample frame is the membership list of the Korean International Freight Forwarders Association. The used methodology in this research is various: Cronbach’s alpha, factor analysis, cluster analysis, analysis of variance and post hoc analysis. It is important to ascertain the position in which they are included and the position is concerned with internal integration and external integration because the aim of this research is to ascertain where the forwarders are in development stages of integration. According to prior research, development stages of integration are regarded as the flow from internal to external. However, this research suggests that development stages of integration do not explain the flow of the stages but explain the strategic choice concerned with their current decision-making.

There are two aims of this research: one is to prove the interactive effect of supply chain integration (SCI) on performance and the other is to ascertain gaps in performance among levels of SCI. The population of this research is international freight forwarders and the collected data is used in testing hypotheses through various analytical methods such as factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, cluster analysis, ANOVA, MANOVA, ANCOVA, post hoc analysis and regression analysis. First, the interaction between internal integration and external integration improves customer performance and financial performance. The forwarders improve internal processes following information acquired from customers and the information is shared with logistics service providers, followed by high performance. Second, gaps in performance among levels of SCI are verified. Managers of the forwarders make strategic decision making on the basis of their recognition of environment and, as a result, the forwarders enjoy different performance.

There are two objectives of this study: to analyze gaps in customer satisfaction and to test the customer loyalty gap on the basis of the reputation of Busan New Port. This study identifies the relationships between variables as well as the conceptual and operational definitions using prior research. Data was collected from 93 members of the International Freight Forwarders Association. The reliability and validity of the data was analyzed and the relationships between the variables were tested by analysis of covariance. The results are as follows: First, the reputation of Busan New Port means the abilities in which the port provides valuable benefits to international freight forwarders. The analytical results show that there is a gap in customer satisfaction between high- level and low- level reputation. Second, the levels of reputation are based on the gap in customer loyalty. This means that there are gaps in the friendly attitude of international freight forwarders and sustainable usage on the basis of the varying levels of port reputation.

This paper aims to empirically identify crucial international logistics policy enablers and to examine their impacts on logistics performance using survey data collected from 169 responding firms in Taiwan and 109 responding firms in the UK including logistics companies, freight forwarders, shipping companies, agencies and airline companies.

A multiple regression analysis is used as a method to empirically validate the research model.

Results indicate the five most important logistics policy enablers according to Taiwanese logistics firms are information technology system, inland transport linkage, simplifying the customs clearance procedures, ports and maritime transport and having a policy to ensure efficient service operation and multiplicity of services. In contrast, for the UK logistics firms, the five most important logistics policy enablers are telecommunications, information technology system, avoidance of unnecessary regulation, inland transport linkage and ports and maritime transport. Results also indicate that logistics policy dimensions in terms of regulation, integration, infrastructure and logistics education have a positive influence on firms’ logistics service quality and efficiency.

Theoretical and policy implications from the research findings on logistics policy between these two countries are discussed in this paper.

In the past few decades, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received substantial interest in the competitive business environment. This study aims to empirically examine the impact of CSR on corporate image, organizational commitment and organizational performance in ocean freight forwarders.

Five critical CSR dimensions were identified based on factor analysis: consumer interests, employee interests, environmental management, disclosure and corporate commitment and sponsorship. Structural equation modelling was subsequently performed to examine the hypothesized relationships among CSR, corporate image, organizational commitment and organizational performance.

Results indicated that CSR had significantly positive effects on corporate image and organizational commitment, whereas corporate image was positively related to organizational commitment and organizational performance, respectively. Organizational commitment was also positively related to organizational performance. However, CSR did not have a significant direct effect on organizational performance.

This study intended to conduct a survey on logistics service providers; however, due to the limited availability of research on ocean freight forwarding service providers, the present sample was limited to ocean freight forwarding enterprises.

From a theoretical perspective, this study contributes to the field by identifying the important dimensions of CSR and their effects on corporate image, organizational commitment and organizational performance. Particularly, it demonstrated the effect of CSR on ocean freight forwarding employees’ organizational commitment.

The purpose of this study is to empirically evaluate the impact of coercive pressure, normative pressure and mimetic pressure on digital transformation and benefits in the maritime shipping context.

The authors collect data from a survey of 119 shipping companies, shipping agencies, port corporations and shipping forwarders in Taiwan and apply a structural equation model to test the research hypotheses.

Four conclusions can be drawn: First, digital transformation mainly results from coercive pressure and mimetic pressure. Second, another positive and important source of pressure for shipping digital transformation is the fact that competitors are gradually undergoing digital transformation and have gained recognition from customers. Third, shipping professional organizations and association (e.g. IACS, IAPH, Baltic International Maritime Commission) must keep up with the trend toward digital transformation and put forward guidelines and recommendations that can be followed in order to lead the maritime shipping industry. Fourth, digital transformation has great potential to help deliver the benefits (i.e. improve efficiency, relationship with customers and sustainability).

This research explores the digital transformation of the shipping industry through the lens of institutional theory. The results show that digital transformation is mainly due to coercive pressure and mimetic pressure. Digital transformation has been found to bring benefits that can help shipping operators allocate their resources effectively, thereby increasing operational efficiency, improving relationships with customers and enhancing sustainability.

Competition among seaports is rapidly increasing due to various factors such as the global recession, resurgence of COVID-19, tight environmental regulations of IMO, sharp rise in ocean freight charges, increasing global uncertainties and growth in ship sizes. It is essential to have precise knowledge of shipping companies' port selection factors to secure the competitive advantage of seaports. This study aims to empirically analyze recent changes in the importance of port selection factors.

By employing a longitudinal study, this study conducted the t-test analysis. The first survey was conducted from January 2005 to April 2005. Then, the second survey was conducted in May 2021.

First, the importance of port facilities (berth length and the number of berths, shed and terminal areas, possession of adequate equipment and maximum berth size) increased significantly. Second, while ship and cargo safety were the critical port service factors in previous studies, speed, flexibility and reliability for handling cargo and berthing schedule were found to be crucial in this study. Third, the importance of ship arrival/departure frequency, route diversity and ship arrival/departure information systems increased when shipping companies selected the port.

This study has academic significance in that it reveals the changing importance of port selection factors in the 2020s and has taken the form of a longitudinal study on the importance of port selection factors from 2005 to 2021, moving beyond the cross-sectional approach. This study can provide valuable insights into and implications for port policymakers and managers when developing and formulating port policies and strategies.

The attributes of services can be categorised as service quality and service preference. While studies have addressed the importance of service quality, shippers’ service preference and its relationship to perceived value and purchase intentions remain unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to propose a causal model in the context of short sea shipping services to investigate the influence of purchase intention through the shipper’s service preference and perceived value.

Structural equation modelling is applied to assess the empirical strength of the relationships in the proposed model. The model is validated through empirical testing by taking samples from shippers in Taiwan.

The results show that service attributes, namely, timing related, pricing related, warehousing, sales, door-to-door, information and advertising, positively affect shippers’ service preference. Service preference significantly affects customer perceived value as well as purchase intentions. Moreover, perceived value strongly affects purchase intentions.

Matching between the product offered and the diversified customer need is key to the business operation’s success. This study suggests that carriers should position themselves to both self-competence and market values.

Recently, inland Chinese regions have become the major manufacturing base for most manufacturing firms. Accordingly, with this change, many shipping companies attempted to provide proper logistics service activities to maintain their business. Hence, this study aims to empirically examine the logistics service preference segments for Chinese landlocked regions from a manufacturer's perspective. By understanding these attributes, not only shipping companies but also logistics companies can provide proper service to their customers.

The preliminary logistics service attributes are determined using an interview and in-depth questionnaire with logistics experts from the local private and government sectors in southwest China and few international logistics coordinators. This study conducted importance-performance analysis (IPA) and used a customer dissatisfaction attitude index to evaluate the priorities for improving logistics service attributes. Cluster analysis is subsequently performed to group respondents on the basis of their factor scores.

Five crucial logistics service dimensions were identified by the factor analysis, namely, packing and storage, logistics supporting, logistics information, transportation planning and information inquiry. The results also revised the IPA model. The top five service attributes that needed to be improved were carrier selection, ship scheduling inquiry, route planning and inquiry, cargo receiving station and freight forwarding. By applying the factor analysis, this study reduced the 27 logistics attributes derived from the literature review to five underlying critical factors.

This study contributes to the inland logistics by investigating the preferences of manufacturers in Chinese landlocked regions. Moreover, in land logistics in China is lacking in the literature; hence, several important implications can be derived from this study's results.