Getting the work done: motivation needs and processes for seafarers and dock workers

Most of current literature on motivation at work is acontextual neglecting the role of contextual layers found in distinct industries or professional environments. The aim of the present paper is to extend traditional notions of work motivation by considering more explicitly the importance and impact of professional/industry contexts and extant processes in them on work motivation. The focus of the paper is on two maritime-related professional environments: seafarers working on board merchant vessels and dock workers performing cargo handling operations in seaports. The paper critically reviews the context and constituents of the two professions in view of adding a dimension/layer of industry context and environment to mainstream literature on motivation

Institutional performance and ship registration

The paper introduces a new concept in ship registration, the net flag-out ratio (in contrast to the standard flag-out ratio) and examines the potential contribution of metrics of corruption and institutional measures as decisive factors in explaining flag choice. Context-related factors are also controlled and included in the study. The study uses a cross-sectional, multiple regression econometric approach. Focusing on a sample of the 33 largest ship owning countries, we find that institutional factors do not explain the traditional flag-out measure but determine the net flag-out ratio. Our findings indicate a potential effect of institutional performance/environment on ship registration

Performance drivers of shipping loans: an empirical investigation

Credit risk is a major issue for lenders and borrowers, threatening the reliability of global logistics operations. Enhanced mechanisms of credit risk analysis are needed to safeguard banks and the flow of goods in supply chains. Little emphasis has been given to the contextual examination of such factors, either in terms of market conditions or the particular characteristics of different industries. This paper investigates the varying importance of a number of factors connected with the performance of corporate bank loans during times of financial turbulence in the shipping industry. Little extant literature exists on default risk drivers for loans made to shipping companies for new build vessels or second-hand ship purchases. A binary logit model is used to examine the criteria for assessing the security of shipping loans issued by banks. Thirty shipping loans made during the period 2005–2009 are examined. Results suggest that financial factors, non-financial factors, shipowners׳ experience, and employability and market risk indicators are the best criteria for evaluating the performance of shipping loans during turbulent market conditions and periods when financing options are restricted. The paper makes a specific contribution to the literature on risk management with regard to credit risk analysis by highlighting shipping specific factors and their importance for risk measurement. The results are of interest to banks seeking to accurately assess the credibility of shipping loans; shipowners, who can identify credit risk factors on which to focus; and supply chain participants where unfulfilled bank financing can cause disruptions to their logistics operations

A survey of shipping finance research: setting the future research agenda

Financing shipping related investment projects has always been a focal area of debate and research within the international maritime industry since access to funding can determine the competitiveness of a capital-intensive business as well as its success or failure under adverse market conditions. This paper provides, for the first time, a comprehensive and structured survey of all published research in the area of shipping finance and investment. The review spans approximately four decades (1979-2018) of empirical evidence, including 162 studies published in 48 scholarly journals, complemented with select books and book chapters. The study provides a bibliometric analysis and comprehensive synthesis of existing research offering an invaluable source of information for both the academic community and business practice, shaping the future research agenda in shipping finance and investment

A risk-based game model for rational inspections in port state control

This paper analyses the game relationship between port authorities and ship owners under the new inspection regime (NIR). Based on 49328 inspection reports from Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) (2015-2017), we present a Bayesian Network (BN) model to determine vessel detention rates after adding company performance as a new indicator in PSC inspection. A strategic game model is formulated by incorporating the BN model outcomes. The optimal inspection rate from the game model can help improve port authority performance in PSC. An empirical study is conducted to illustrate the insights of the results and provide suggestions for port authorities

Female educational leadership in the UK and Greece

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to concentrate on investigating the role of gender on educational leadership in the context of two differing cultures. The focus will be on exploring whether gender appears to impact on the leadership roles in education by examining the extent of female participation in leadership across educational levels in Greece and the UK, highlighting differences and similarities between them. Design/methodology/approach – This paper examines secondary data on a number of issues, like the proportion of women in lower and higher ranking teaching posts across education sectors. Such data are retrieved from official national and international statistics, such as UNESCO, Eurostat, the Office of National Statistics UK and the Higher Education Statistics Agency, UK, as well as previous academic studies. Findings – The results of the analysis reveal that in both countries, fewer women than men reach top rank positions in education, particularly in secondary and higher education. Research limitations/implications – The investigation will rely on the use of secondary data collected from a number of diverse national and international sources as well as from existing literature. The choice of secondary data is judged to bae appropriate on the basis of this paper and its research aim. Examination of women's presence across educational sectors in the two selected countries required obtaining information about actual and not representative, overall numbers or percentages of women in educational posts. Such information can only be positively retrieved by national or international, official statistics, while even these, the investigation revealed, can show variations between them. Practical implications – The paper should raise awareness to women's under-representation in leadership positions in education, especially at the secondary and the tertiary education levels. Originality/value – Leadership has been acknowledged as a decisive component in education namely due to the improvements it brings in many areas. The complexity and diversity surrounding leadership has turned attention to the effect of a number of factors on the practice of leadership educational context, such as gender and culture. Therefore, the present paper concentrates on an exploration of the effect of gender in leadership in education. Also, the cross-cultural investigation between Greece and the UK, allows for constructive comparisons to take place where appropriate