Operational performance and physical capacity of iberian seaport: A multi-criteria analysis

Abstract

Although sustained superior seaport performance may arise from valuable, rare, and inimitable resources, such may also result from change. Studying the logistics resource relationship within the framework of the overall performance of the main Iberian seaports performance, this paper discusses how to apply the linear additive Multi Criterion Analysis (MCA) model and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) into such an industry. The model incorporates the contribution of two different performance indicators, operational performance and physical capacity, measured by several indicators. The PCA method is applied to attain the factor loading of each indicator and to normalize the redundancy in indicators thereby producing meaningful results. We correspondingly find (a) operational performance contributed 48.77% and the physical capacity contributed 51.23% to overall performance; (b) the majority of seaports reveal a direct proportionality between their positioning in terms of physical capacity and their positioning in overall performance and (c), this relationship changes whenever the difference in indicator value proves significant. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.