Investigating the Effect of Commercial and Operational Factors on Competitiveness Improvement

The present study was performed to investigate the effect of commercial and operational factors on competitiveness improvement of Shahid Beheshti Port (SBP) in Chabahar in attracting shipping lines. The research method is applied in terms of purpose. Initially, the researcher conducted the qualitative phase to identify important variables, create a typology, or make new theories. To reach the saturation stage, 15 people were interviewed. Then, after identifying emerging classifications using qualitative data, a questionnaire was developed through the Delphi technique, and thus, the quantitative phase began. To test its items, patterning of the structural equation model was used via Lisrel software. Findings showed that commercial factors affecting SBP competitiveness improvement included financial capital and customer capital, port costs and tax burden, market efficiency and market performance. In addition, technical-developmental infrastructures, technological infrastructures, warehousing activities, loading and unloading operations, customs activities and services, communication and distribution networks, trust and safety in port activities, and port logistics features were the operational factors affecting this competitiveness. It was discovered that existence of abundant capacities and potentials in various transportation departments of SBP, quantitative and qualitative increase of equipment, as well as the development of new capacities in infrastructure and fleet of railways, roads, offshore and port loading/unloading equipment have relatively improved levels of loading/unloading in SBP, which can be attributed to successful execution of measures taken to develop competitiveness in SBP.