Configuration Analysis of Factors Influencing Port Competitiveness of Hinterland Cities under TOE Framework: Evidence from China

Attention is increasingly being paid to the influence of hinterland cities on port competitiveness, but in-depth research is lacking on the formation conditions and mechanism of hinterland cities’ influence on port competitiveness. Based on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework and...

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Main Authors: Zhenyu Huang, Ying Yang, Fengmei Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-10-01
Series:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/10/1558
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author Zhenyu Huang
Ying Yang
Fengmei Zhang
author_facet Zhenyu Huang
Ying Yang
Fengmei Zhang
author_sort Zhenyu Huang
collection DOAJ
description Attention is increasingly being paid to the influence of hinterland cities on port competitiveness, but in-depth research is lacking on the formation conditions and mechanism of hinterland cities’ influence on port competitiveness. Based on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework and the characteristics of Chinese government organizational behavior, in this study, we used fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to conduct a condition configuration analysis of 21 coastal ports and their hinterland cities in China. The findings showed the following: (1) The technology, organization, and environment conditions of hinterland cities cannot provide the necessary conditions for high or low port competitiveness alone: different combinations of these conditions have produced three high and four low port competitiveness configurations. (2) The three configurations of high port competitiveness are the organization–environment, economy–balance, and finance–balance types. Adequate government financial supply, high tertiary industry proportion, good economic development, and market openness are the core conditions required for achieving high port competitiveness. (3) The four configurations of low port competitiveness are finance–facilities–environment, capability–finance–environment, technology–finance–economy, and capability–industry–economy restrictions. Here, low-level innovation capability, inadequate government financial supply, and low tertiary industry proportion are the core conditions leading to low port competitiveness. We revealed the concurrent synergistic effect of the three conditions of technology, organization, and environment in hinterland cities and demonstrated the causal complexity and asymmetry of the impact of hinterland cities on port competitiveness. Our conclusions provide empirical evidence that will aid hinterland cities in formulating differentiated port competitiveness promotion policies according to their own conditions and endowments.
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spelling doaj.art-00518547fe3744eb9f43638f83fba6cc2023-11-24T00:46:04ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-10-011010155810.3390/jmse10101558Configuration Analysis of Factors Influencing Port Competitiveness of Hinterland Cities under TOE Framework: Evidence from ChinaZhenyu Huang0Ying Yang1Fengmei Zhang2School of Public Administration and Humanities, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, ChinaSchool of Public Administration and Humanities, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, ChinaSchool of Public Administration and Humanities, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, ChinaAttention is increasingly being paid to the influence of hinterland cities on port competitiveness, but in-depth research is lacking on the formation conditions and mechanism of hinterland cities’ influence on port competitiveness. Based on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework and the characteristics of Chinese government organizational behavior, in this study, we used fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to conduct a condition configuration analysis of 21 coastal ports and their hinterland cities in China. The findings showed the following: (1) The technology, organization, and environment conditions of hinterland cities cannot provide the necessary conditions for high or low port competitiveness alone: different combinations of these conditions have produced three high and four low port competitiveness configurations. (2) The three configurations of high port competitiveness are the organization–environment, economy–balance, and finance–balance types. Adequate government financial supply, high tertiary industry proportion, good economic development, and market openness are the core conditions required for achieving high port competitiveness. (3) The four configurations of low port competitiveness are finance–facilities–environment, capability–finance–environment, technology–finance–economy, and capability–industry–economy restrictions. Here, low-level innovation capability, inadequate government financial supply, and low tertiary industry proportion are the core conditions leading to low port competitiveness. We revealed the concurrent synergistic effect of the three conditions of technology, organization, and environment in hinterland cities and demonstrated the causal complexity and asymmetry of the impact of hinterland cities on port competitiveness. Our conclusions provide empirical evidence that will aid hinterland cities in formulating differentiated port competitiveness promotion policies according to their own conditions and endowments.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/10/1558port competitivenesshinterland citiesTOE frameworkfuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis
spellingShingle Zhenyu Huang
Ying Yang
Fengmei Zhang
Configuration Analysis of Factors Influencing Port Competitiveness of Hinterland Cities under TOE Framework: Evidence from China
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
port competitiveness
hinterland cities
TOE framework
fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis
title Configuration Analysis of Factors Influencing Port Competitiveness of Hinterland Cities under TOE Framework: Evidence from China
title_full Configuration Analysis of Factors Influencing Port Competitiveness of Hinterland Cities under TOE Framework: Evidence from China
title_fullStr Configuration Analysis of Factors Influencing Port Competitiveness of Hinterland Cities under TOE Framework: Evidence from China
title_full_unstemmed Configuration Analysis of Factors Influencing Port Competitiveness of Hinterland Cities under TOE Framework: Evidence from China
title_short Configuration Analysis of Factors Influencing Port Competitiveness of Hinterland Cities under TOE Framework: Evidence from China
title_sort configuration analysis of factors influencing port competitiveness of hinterland cities under toe framework evidence from china
topic port competitiveness
hinterland cities
TOE framework
fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/10/1558
work_keys_str_mv AT zhenyuhuang configurationanalysisoffactorsinfluencingportcompetitivenessofhinterlandcitiesundertoeframeworkevidencefromchina
AT yingyang configurationanalysisoffactorsinfluencingportcompetitivenessofhinterlandcitiesundertoeframeworkevidencefromchina
AT fengmeizhang configurationanalysisoffactorsinfluencingportcompetitivenessofhinterlandcitiesundertoeframeworkevidencefromchina