Factors that Promote Innovation in Shipping Companies

Jan Inge Jenssen*, Trond Randøy

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

This study seeks to identify factors that promote innovation in shipping companies. The study is based on an empirical investigation of 63 companies headquartered in Norway. The results imply that organizational and interorganizational variables are important to innovation. Three aspects of innovation are focused on: (1) service/product innovations, (2) market innovations, and (3) production method innovations. The explanatory variables that are applied in this study capture between 13-51% of the variability of the measures of innovation. The results indicate that an explicit strategy that promotes innovation is very important for the actual level of innovation within shipping companies. In management literature, it is often assumed that organic organizational features like decentralized decision-making promote innovation. The opposite features are assumed to restrain innovation. However, the results do not support these basic assumptions. For example, it seems to be important that managers make precise decisions in order to promote innovation.

Original languageEnglish
JournalMaritime Policy and Management
Volume29
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)119-133
Number of pages15
ISSN0308-8839
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2002
Externally publishedYes

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