The effect of maritime knowledge clusters on maritime firms’ performance: An organizational learning perspective

Abstract

Maritime Knowledge Clusters are known to facilitate regional economic growth. Nevertheless, few studies have been conducted to examine their impact on maritime firms’ performance. Drawing on organizational learning theory, this study investigates the effect of maritime knowledge clusters on the constituent maritime firms’ performance. A conceptual model was proposed and examined using survey data collected from shipping professionals in Singapore. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were employed as the data analysis approach. The results show that the positive relationship between maritime knowledge clusters and maritime firms’ performance is fully mediated by the firms’ social capital and absorptive capacity in a sequential manner. This indicates that maritime firms should focus on strengthening not only their social capital but also absorptive capacity so as to fully enjoy the benefits brought about by maritime knowledge clusters. In addition, regulators should endeavor to develop global linkage, global systemic mechanisms and local knowledge clusters to facilitate organizational learning of the constituent maritime firms.