Impact of Ports’ Diversification‐Driven Industrial Transformation on Operating Performance: Regulatory Effect of Port Cities’ Urban Economic Development Level

Abstract

Diversification‐driven industrial transformation (DIT) has become a strategy for port enterprises dealing with the dual impacts of slowing economic growth and pressure from domestic competitors. Considering the interactive relationship between ports and port cities, the subjects of this study were publicly listed port‐related enterprises in China and corresponding port cities. The main and regulatory effects were used to test and analyze the impact of port enterprises’ DIT and port cities’ urban economic development (UED) level on three aspects of enterprises’ operating performance: profitability, operating capacity, and development capability. The study found that the relationship between DIT and operating capacity is nonlinear and shaped like an inverted U, and exhibits an increasing negative impact on profitability and development capability. The UED level promotes those two aspects of port enterprises, has minimal impact on operating capacity, and has a positive regulatory effect on the relationship between port enterprises’ DIT and operating performance. The empirical test results can provide decision‐making basis for port enterprises to formulate diversified transformation strategy reasonably and achieve performance improvement, which is conducive to promoting the interactive development and integration of port city in China.